<Serenity HQ>

Seungcheol heard a knock at his cabin's door, "Come in."

He looked up from his desk as Jeonghan stepped in with his laptop. He subtly inhaled a deep breath as he gestured the younger to take a seat.

"Mr. Choi, the deal with Shimmer Grandeur has been finalized already." Jeonghan's expressions were stern, "We've to review the documents before stepping up to the next stage of the project development."

Seungcheol had to take moment to register everything in his brain. He very well expected Jeonghan to behave like that but he was way too unfazed, as if nothing had ever happened between them.

Exactly what he had promised.

"Yeah, I went through it." Seungcheol cleared his throat studying the younger's face intently which was all business, "A few clauses need revisiting."

"Yeah, that's what we need to discuss." Jeonghan opened a document in his laptop, "I've summarized them here, while quoting the actual points as well."

"Fine." Seungcheol pulled out a file from his desk, pushing it towards Jeonghan, "This is the original file."

"In the clause two-" Jeonghan continued to explain whatever he had prepared being all professional.

Seungcheol leaned back in his chair, observing the younger intently. He was getting irritated of himself with each passing second. He had sternly denied all the feelings he had for Jeonghan and he knew, he had to stand by it.

But it was difficult. It was hard to suppress his racing heartbeat as he kept getting flashbacks of their recent encounters which were like a dream that had passed through.

So, to shut all of it, he had an easier option - Jerk mode, on.

"Are you sure you've considered all the aspects of the budget?" Seungcheol intervened, his voice getting slightly sharper.

Jeonghan felt annoyed at the unexpected interruption, "Of course I have."

"Maybe not?" Seungcheol could feel his heart tighten in his chest at Jeonghan's nonchalant behavior, "You tend to overlook the finer details more often than not."

"And you tend to underestimate my abilities." Jeonghan scoffed, "Just because you're the boss doesn't mean you're always right."

"Watch your tone, Mr. Yoon." Seungcheol raised a brow, "You're still in my office and I'm still the boss."

"And?" Jeonghan retorted, "Aww baby is attention deprived, isn't he?"

Seungcheol froze for a moment. Yeah, how could he forget, Jeonghan was not going to pretend in front of him anymore.

It was making him furious, attracted and addicted all at the same time. It was his own guilty pleasure.

Seungcheol maintained his demeanor as he leaned forward, his tone containing a warning, "Dare to say that again?"

"Baby is attention-deprived as well as deaf, isn't he?" Jeonghan's voice laced with sarcasm, "Scared to be left alone and to hold responsible for his own decisions."

Seungcheol's jaw clenched at the younger's harsh words. It stung, hearing the truth in Jeonghan's casual statements, it definitely hit a nerve.

"Stop flattering yourself." Seungcheol stated, "I don't need your attention."

"Probably?" Jeonghan crossed his arms against his chest, "But you want it. Real bad."

Where was the lie? Seungcheol couldn't find it. He had never felt this lost and pathetic in his entire life but here he was, taking Jeonghan's metaphoric slaps one after another.

"Oh please, stop being delusional." Seungcheol straightened his posture, his muscles tensing, "I don't need anyone's attention, especially not yours."

Jeonghan chuckled mockingly while focusing on his laptop. He might not have said anything, but that annoying grin plastered on his face was yet another sprinkle of salt on the open wounds.

Seungcheol took several deep breaths as he reminded himself, 'Don't lose control.'

"Yeah, right, some meditation might help you get through your messed up mind." Jeonghan didn't look up.

Seungcheol clenched his fists, calming his tone, "And what makes you think my mind is messed up?"

"Everything." Jeonghan stated, "You overall, as a person, can't be sane."

"Right." Seungcheol grinned with a sarcastic tone, "You're the epitome of sanity, aren't you?"

"I'm clearly not, Mr. Choi." Jeonghan admitted, "But at least I know it. You, on the other hand- nevermind."

"No, no finish your thought." Seungcheol shot back, "What were you going to say? That I've no self-awareness?"

"There-" Jeonghan pointed out, "You finally got some of it. Self-awareness."

"I don't need you to point out my flaws." Seungcheol intervened, "I'm not some project for you to fix."

"I'm glad you aren't." Jeonghan retorted.

"Are you?" Seungcheol raised a brow, "Because you can't pick apart my flaws and feel superior?"

"Oh. My. God. Look!" Jeonghan gasped dramatically, "Look who's talking about superiority complex?"

"Shut it, Mr. Yoon." Seungcheol sighed, "I know it's VERY unfortunate for you, but I'm the boss. And you, need to show me some damn respect."

"I had much more than just respect for you, Mr. Choi." Jeonghan chuckled bitterly, "But guess whose ego threw it all away at once?"

"Yeah." Seungcheol slammed his hand on the desk but quickly composed his tone to be a calm one, "My ego. My selfishness. My fucked up brain. I messed it all. I'm the bad one, the worst. Happy, there?"

Jeonghan looked at him, "Don't make it personal."

"As if it wasn't personal already." Seungcheol paused, "It's not at all my fault that you love a totally unworthy person like me. Don't blame me for it. I'm very much self-aware of myself that I don't deserve anyone in my life. YOU don't need to teach me that."

Jeonghan simply stared at the older.

"And now that you know it perfectly, don't try to point out all of it to fix me." Seungcheol inhaled a deep breath, "I love to be the egoistic narcissist with a lot of superiority complex."

"And it's my fault that I very well understand that whatever you said right now is just a way to cover up your real self." Jeonghan chuckled bitterly, "It's my fault that instead of your words, I rather believe in your eyes."

"Let me tell you, you're wrong." Seungcheol gulped the lump in his throat, "You've got it all wrong."

"True." Jeonghan stood up as he wrapped up his stuff, "I'll mail you the briefing within an hour. Have a nice day, Mr. Choi." 

"Hold on." Seungcheol called.

Jeonghan halted as he turned around, "What is it?"

"Yeah, you understand me very well." Seungcheol admitted, "But don't do that, especially not for me."

"I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Choi." Jeonghan replied professionally as he left.

Seungcheol sat back on his chair. He had never thought that Jeonghan not getting affected would in turn affect him so much.

"Focus." Seungcheol taught himself, "You've another task in hand. Don't lose focus."

It was when he got a call as he picked it up, "Yeah, Mr. Min?"

"Did you find any clue of Areum's culprit?"

"Not yet, Mr. Min but we're searching." Seungcheol lied swiftly.

"Well, I think I've got some clues."

Seungcheol's eyes widened, each nerve of his body tensing up, "Really?"

"Don't get too happy, son." Hyeseok sighed, "It's a really little clue. We've just got blurry pictures of the number plates of the cars that had went into the alleyway before or after Areum's car. We're trying to get better footages right now. Then we'll have to figure out who among them is the real culprit."

"Oh I get it Mr. Min, please keep informing of every clue you get and openly ask me for help."

"Sure son." He hung up the call.

"Shit." Seungcheol loosed his tie as he made another call, "Hello? Vernon, I need a quick help. I'm sending you a location, steal access of all the cctv's around that area and swipe off the records for the previous week. Be really quick, okay?"

<Hoshi's apartment>

Hoshi sighed as he got into his apartment. He frowned as he found all the light off.

"Woozi?" Hoshi called while walking in as he turned on the lights. He collapsed on the sofa, "Where are you?"

Woozi cleared his throat as he stood beside the dining table, "Come here."

Hoshi frowned as he looked at the younger, "What is it?"

"Just come here." Woozi repeated being annoyed. He pulled back a chair for Hoshi to sit.

"Now what?" Hoshi asked.

There was a moment of silence after which a rope was tied around Hoshi along with the chair. Before he could escape from the single bondage, Woozi quickly surrounded him with ropes and tied him to the chair.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Woozi?" Hoshi yelled, "Tying me up like this won't let you run away from here. And why can't you understand it's for your own good-"

"Shut up. I know I can't run away but at least I can make you repent." Woozi stood in front of the older, "So, how does it feel like while being tied up in your own apartment?"

"Is this really necessary?" Hoshi struggled against the ropes, "You're too crazy!!"

"Definitely." Woozi retorted, "You should know that you are no one to order me around."

"I'm not even ordering you around, I just asked you to stay here!" Hoshi clenched his jaw, "Untie the damn ropes, Woozi!!"

"Stop screaming." Woozi rolled his eyes, "I'll not untie you."

"Why are you behaving like this?" Hoshi's voice was stern yet calm, "Do you really not understand at all that I'm doing this all for you?!"

"And?" Woozi raised a brow, "Aren't you the one because of whom I got into the trouble?"

"Yes, I know it's my fault." Hoshi admitted, "But I don't want you to get hurt. It's for your safety, damn this rope, I swear!!"

"Good that you know." Woozi scoffed, "Because you really need to suffer for this."

"Suffer?" Hoshi gritted his teeth, "I need to suffer for protecting you?"

"For getting me into trouble!!" Woozi modified.

"So this is your revenge huh?" Hoshi looked at the younger, "Tying me up and all."

"Is it?" Woozi chuckled menacingly, "I must add some more spice, right?"

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" Hoshi tried to maintain his composure.

Woozi laughed briefly as he showed him a knife.

"Woozi-" Hoshi tensed up, "You won't-"

"Oh, I will." Woozi stepped closer to him, slicing of the topmost button of his shirt, "It's quite sharp, isn't it?"

"Woozi, stop, what are you doing?" Hoshi tried to hide the slight tremble in his voice.

"Shh." Woozi pressed the knife's edge on the older's bare chest, cautious enough to not to hurt, "The man who handles guns so swiftly is suddenly scared of knives hmm?"

"There's a huge difference is handling a gun and having a goddamn blade pressed against your chest." Hoshi frowned.

Woozi moved the knife to his collarbones without leaving any scar, just the terror of its sharpness, "Do you want a tattoo?"

"You-" Hoshi scrunched his brows, "Hell no!!"

The coldness of the knife hovered over his neck as Woozi chuckled, "C'mon, don't be a bore."

"You won't cut my throat, right?" Hoshi felt sweat forming on his forehead.

"You mean your life span?" Woozi mocked.

"Damn it Woozi, don't joke around like this." Hoshi's jaw clenched as for the first time in his life, he was at someone's mercy. The incredibly skilled assassin was tied up in his own apartment and getting threatened by a knife.

"Do you think I'm joking?" Woozi traced the older's jawline with the edge of the knife.

"Of course, you are!!" Hoshi implied.

"Aw don't cry if I actually slit that tongue of yours." Woozi threatened.

Hoshi sighed, "What do you want?"

"Let me go."

"That's not possible, even if you slit my tongue." Hoshi nodded, "Anything else?"

"Fine, let's find some fun in your helplessness." Woozi chuckled, "Beg for mercy."

"In your dreams." Hoshi retorted.

Woozi pressed the knife right against the older's chest, just one push away from piercing in, "Beg."

"I won't." Hoshi glared at him, "Darling."

Woozi increased the pressure just enough to sting, "Either you comply, or I'll surely give you nice tattoo."

"Do it, I don't mind." Hoshi grinned.

Woozi gritted his teeth, "I'm not joking around Soonyoung."

"Okay fine." Hoshi laughed briefly, "Please spare me darling, I'm really helpless." He said in a sarcastic tone, "I beg you."

"You think I'm going to take that sarcasm?" Woozi raised a brow.

"It wasn't convincing?" Hoshi pretended to think, "Then tell me Woozi, how do you want me to, please you?"

"I want you to sound desperate and helpless." Woozi retorted.

"Oh, is it?" Hoshi whispered, "You want me to be desperate for mercy or for...you?"

"Stop with your little games already." Woozi brought the knife against his jaw.

"Oh I'm not playing any game, see, I'm all tied." Hoshi chuckled, "Untie me, darling, I might show you how desperate I am, exactly like you want."

Woozi's hands clenched around the knife as he tried to steady himself, "And what makes you think I'll untie you?"

"Just say you're scared." Hoshi mocked, "Scared, because you know you won't be able to resist my revenge on you for doing this."

"The audacity?" Woozi raised a brow, "You're the one who's sitting here, tied to the chair."

"Yet, you're the one getting all flustered while I'm enjoying seeing your breath quickening." Hoshi winked.

"Shut it, Kwon Soonyoung." Woozi composed himself.

"Oh c'mon, just untie me." Hoshi whispered, "You had to find ropes for me while, my arms will be enough to hold you in place."

"Alright, you seem too sure of yourself." Woozi swiftly sliced the roped, setting the older free, "Let's see what you've got."

Hoshi grinned menacingly, pressing the younger against the dining table, "What do you think I should do to you for tying me up and holding a knife up against me?"

Woozi laughed briefly, "You mean to say, for scaring you to death? It was funny to see you act cool when deep down you were praying for your life."

"Let's skip to the better part." Hoshi traced the younger's jawline, "Where you wanted to me to show you how desperate I can get."

"As if I'm still up for your stupidity." Woozi ignored the goosebumps he was feeling as he rolled his eyes.

"You're too bad at lying." Hoshi chuckled.

"Don't you dare!" Woozi warned.

Hoshi stared him for a while as he backed away, "Of course, I won't."

Woozi sighed in relief, pushing away all the anticipation he was feeling.

"This-" Hoshi pointed at the ropes scattered on the floor, "Was a great move but don't you dare try anything like this again."

"And what if I do?" Woozi raised a brow, "What are you gonna do about it? Tie me up too?"

"Woozi." Hoshi grinned a mocking tone, "I don't need to tie you up to teach you a lesson. Be nice to me while I'm being nice to you. Don't oblige me to show you how Kwon Soonyoung actually functions."

Woozi knew that the threat was real but at the same time, he loved the drama, "What if, I don't behave?"

"I'll make you scream your lungs out." Hoshi raised his brows, "Either under my gun or under myself."

"Fuck you." Woozi breathed out.

"This is the second time you've said this." Hoshi reminded him, "And the third time, I won't hesitate."

A/n : Where's the thrill? Where's it?

And yeah, if y'all didn't get the notif, I've updated SOMH too!

And I think many of you didn't get notif for the previous chapter too so check it out!

Anyways take care everyone!
-Jeonghanneyonghaseyo