(In which Jaehyun meets the intruder.)

Jaehyun gets the call the moment he steps out of the shower.

He’s got a towel wrapped around his waist, the other one he uses to dry his wet hair. His phone is ringing from the bedside table and when Jaehyun leans over to see the caller ID, he doesn’t recognize the random number that flashes across his screen. He pauses. Jaehyun glances at the clock on his bedroom wall and frowns. It’s only 9:15 in the morning - and it’s a Saturday. Who on Earth would call him at this time of the hour? Jaehyun plays with idea of ignoring the call but he answers it anyway. It might be important, he chastises himself. “Hello?”

“Mr. Jung!” A panicked reply greets him from the other end, startling Jaehyun a little that he has to pull the phone away from his ear for a second. “I’m sorry - so, so sorry - to disturb you so early in the morning but I’m the manager of J:J’s main branch and I’m calling because it appears we have a little problem.” Jaehyun scowls. He’s not sure he’s going to like this. “What do you mean?”

It’s the first time Jaehyun has ever received a call from one the staff, let alone to be the one they consulted when an issue arises. He should have expected it though because the last thing Sooyeon said to him before she hopped on the flight to Maui for her honeymoon was, and he quotes, “I’ve left you in charge of J:J’s Seoul branch on my absence, which means if hits the ground you’ll be the one taking care of it. OK?” Jaehyun never got the chance to react before his eldest sister kissed both his cheeks and drove away, leaving him a lot confused. Luckily, Soojung was there to explain.

(“It’s kind of like practice.” She told him later that night when the house was devoid of anyone, save for their parents who seemed to be, as always, busy. Both Soojung and Jaehyun were in the kitchen, leaning against the marble counter and taking the liberty to finish off the wedding cake. “Something about gaining some experience before Dad retires.”

Jaehyun had frowned. Their family owned a successful hotel branch in the country and Jaehyun had always known that he was next in line to take over it after his father. But still. Jaehyun’s semester break had just started. He squinted at his older sister. “Dad isn’t going to retire until like five years or something. Isn’t this too soon?” Soojung swallowed a large bite. “It was Sooyeon’s idea, don’t look at me.” And that was the end of that.)

Jaehyun reaches for a random t-shirt in his drawer and pulls it over his head. The voice on the other end of the line is hesitant. “There has been, um, a break in.” Jaehyun halts. “What.”

“But nothing was stolen! We think? But we called the cops already and they’re on their way. But the intruder seems to be, um, confused and pleasedontfiremewhenyoucomeoverprettyplease.”

There’s a ghost of a headache forming at the back of Jaehyun’s head, his veins already throbbing for the incoming bull he has to face. It’s literally too early for this, what the heck. “And where is the intruder now?” Jaehyun sighs, grabbing for his jeans from where its lying on the floor, unwashed be damned. It seems like he would have to do his laundry later. Jaehyun suppresses yet another sigh; he knew he shouldn’t have put it off until the weekend because the dirty clothes are starting to resemble a mini mountain at the corner of his room.

“He’s still with us, sir. And to be completely honest, he looks a lot shaken up. But he hasn’t a said a word since one of the staff found him when they opened up this morning.”

“Not even a single word?” Jaehyun questions, striding across his room and out the bedroom door, keys and wallet ready. His hair is still wet but Jaehyun is too lazy to care about that. He’s got other more important things to worry about - exhibit A, the intruder in his older sister’s boutique. God, Sooyeon is going to kill him if anything happens to that store, Jaehyun is absolutely sure of that. Her glare alone is enough to scare him if he was being honest. Not that she needs to know that.

“Nope. He just seems very confused, honestly.”

Jaehyun is out the front door now, locking it behind him. “Alright. I’m coming over. Make sure he doesn’t go anywhere and that nothing is stolen, you got that?” Please don’t let anything be stolen, Jaehyun pleads, I want to live too. He hangs up the phone before he could get a proper reply and pockets it at the back of his pants. Jaehyun sighs for what seems like the tenth time that day.

The police are already there when Jaehyun arrives, the patrol car parked right in front of the two storey department. It’s gathering a lot of attention from the crowd nearby which makes Jaehyun anxious. The last thing he wants is for this to be reported in the media and for his sister to find out that way. Jaehyun had planned on how to properly break the news to Sooyeon while he was driving here. It definitely didn’t involve media coverage.

The manager, a short looking guy in his late twenties, is waiting for Jaehyun at the entrance door, looking like a nervous wreck. He rushes to Jaehyun, a string of apologies slipping out his mouth. “Sir, I’m so sorry for disturbing your morning like this - it won’t happen again, I promise. It was my fault anyway but Miss Jung was adamant that you were the one we should inform if anything happens so that’s wh-”

Jaehyun raises a hand to stop the poor guy. He flashes the manager an assuring smile. “It’s alright. You’re just doing your job.” Jaehyun tells him, patting the guy gently on the back. He might be slightly pissed off that his morning has been interrupted like this but Jaehyun was never one to blame it on anyone. It’s Sooyeon’s fault, anyway.

He peeks through the auto