It was hard, but you tried not to dwell on Junmyeon’s promise. Instead, you focused on appreciating the fact that he was around more and you actually had a chance to get to know the man behind the empire. Junmyeon was claiming that, in order to heal before facing “clients”, he needed to stay in the penthouse for the next week.

You’d gone back to sleeping in your own room, although each time you said good night for the evening, Junmyeon would open his mouth and then close it before saying good night as well. Your gut was telling you that he kept wanting to ask if you would stay with him, but you were glad that he didn’t. You couldn’t be sure if you could turn him down and, for now at least, it was best you didn’t repeat that night you patched him up.

However, spending the day with him was a luxury you were getting too used to. The boys didn’t really come over for those days, only Chen to drop off some new information or Sehun to get approval for a “merchandise purchase”. While you’d never been particularly close to the maknae, Chen still kept a noticeable distance, even though he did smile when he found the two of you sitting on the same couch without trying to strangle each other.

Junmyeon wasn’t much of a cook and you still hadn’t worked up the courage to ask him if you could go to the grocery store, so your meals tended to be anything that could be delivered. It was always delicious, but you liked a homemade meal just a little bit more.

The daily activities consisted of watching TV, telling embarrassing childhood stories, and Junmyeon beating you horribly at every single game they had packed in the rec room. He didn’t believe in just letting you win even once, but you found that you couldn’t complain. You were content in those days and you liked the person you were getting to know.

Inside, however, there was a constant battle. You were falling for him, piece by piece. Every little laugh or small gesture thrown your way broke down the barrier you’d built up to keep him out.

But those damn files wouldn’t leave you alone. It made you doubt the short seconds of skin on skin contact he initiated when your hands brushed up against each other or when he pushed your hair out of your face. You wanted to believe in him, but after finding out you’d been lied to your whole life, you knew you had to walk on the thin ice with light feet, not getting too settled or comfortable or else the freezing water underneath could consume you.

Though you weren’t looking exactly forward to it, you didn’t expect to be so disappointed when you woke up the Monday after that week to find Junmyeon dressed once again in a well-tailored suit. It was only a quick glimpse of him as he walked from his bedroom to his office, but you knew well enough he was not going to be around today. Not wanting to be caught pouting in the kitchen, you just made a cup of tea and retreated back to your room. You sat down at the desk and opened a random book, not really taking in any of the words, but trying to busy yourself anyway.

A soft knock interrupted your sulking and Junmyeon pushed the door open after you gave verbal permission.

“Good morning,” he greeted. The welts on his face were almost completely healed, just now a faded yellow that he covered up with a small amount of makeup. His movements were fluid again, no longer hindered by bruised muscles.

“Good morning.” You tried to appear upbeat, but you doubted that it actually worked.

Out of his pocket, Junmyeon pulled out a small black rectangle and tossed it on the desk, landing with a soft clank. You picked up it, unsure of how to react.

“What’s this?” you asked as you flipped the card over.

“A credit card that you’re an authorized user on,” he explained, making your eyes go wide. “There’s not really a limit on it, so you won’t have to worry about that.”

“I appreciate the gesture,” you said, trying to hand the card back to him, “but, I will spend my days developing a home shopping channel addiction if I keep this.”

He took a step back, not taking the card. “Actually, I thought you could go get some real food to cook for tonight.”

You blinked, not wanting to accidentally take his words the wrong way and get your hopes up. “Wait. ‘Go get some food.’ As in leave the penthouse? Do you have time to go grocery shopping with me?”

“No, I don’t,” he answered glumly. “But I thought you could take Kyungsoo and Chanyeol with you. And if you wanted to go shop at other places that would fine, too.”

“Y-you’re letting me out of the penthouse?” You must still be asleep. Your optimism about your situation was invading your dreams now.

“Yes, I am letting you have free reign of your day, save that you have at least one of the guys with you at all times. Oh, and here,” he fished another, slightly larger rectangle out of his pocket. A white cell phone. “You are to have that on you at all times. All our numbers are programmed in it, mine is speed dial number one. Those are the conditions for you to leave the apartment. Got it?”

You nodded enthusiastically as you jumped up from the chair, throwing your arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

He hugged you back, even rocking you a little with his arms around your waist. “You’re welcome. Having you locked up here was cruel of me. I know you won’t disappear.”

“I won’t. I promise.” Your smile was making your face ache as water pooled in your eyes. He was trusting you. What did you do to deserve this miracle?

He sighed, his breath tickling your neck. “I have to go now. The boys are waiting for you in the living room, whenever you’re ready.”

Junmyeon let you go, placing a small kiss on the top of your head before walking out.

Barely able to wait, you quickly got dressed and practically ran to the living room. Chanyeol was sitting lazily on the couch, slumped down as he scrolled through something on his phone. Kyungsoo was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and the corners of his lips tense, like he was fighting back a smile.

“You guys ready?” The excitement was hard to keep out of your voice. It was just the grocery store, the most mundane place you could go and yet it was almost like getting Lotte World to yourself.

Chanyeol beamed with his puppy dog eyes, happy at your cheery attitude that hadn’t been fully present since you arrived here. Kyungsoo pushed off the wall, waving the keys in his hands.

“Do you need to make a list?” Chanyeol suggested.

You almost slapped your forehead. In your eagerness to leave, you hadn’t thought about actually having a game plan as to what to get. Hyunmin had done all the shopping and the few times you’d gone with her, you hadn’t really paid attention to what she was getting and how to put them together.

“Yeah, good idea.” You turned to the quiet member. “Kyungsoo, do you mind helping me out?”

That did it. No longer able to fight back the emotion, Kyungsoo’s mouth split into a big, heart-shaped grin as he nodded and followed you into the kitchen.

Finding a notepad and pen, you quickly wrote down the items you knew you wanted to buy before turning to the professional for advice. The list was long by the time you were both satisfied, making you thankful that the two helpers-slash-babysitters would be coming along.

You took one of the SUV’s, with the boys sitting up front. You buckled up in the middle seat just behind them and leaned forward, your chin resting on the shoulder of Chanyeol’s seat while he drove. Uncontrollably, your legs bounced up and down as you rounded your way out of the parking garage and out into the morning sun. It was still hard to believe that you were actually leaving the building. And not for some dumb, gambling event, but for a normal outing to the store. Or, as normal as it could be with two bodyguards.

What you would have expected to be a quick five or ten minute drive turned into a half hour journey. The store they picked was on the other side of Seoul in a small, nondescript neighborhood. When you gave Chanyeol a curious glance, he shrugged.

“It keeps anyone from knowing which neighborhood you’re located in and to keep others from following us.”

Once in the store, you were thankful that the boys acted somewhat normal. They didn’t stalk you like a bodyguard normally would, quiet and stoic, constantly eyeballing anyone who came within ten feet of you.

Instead, they were helpful, pointing out the ingredients you were searching for and recommending one brand over the other. Chanyeol would grab the items that were too far out of reach and Kyungsoo would inspect the fruits and vegetables for any discoloration or rotting edges. On occasion, a small noise or fellow patron would put them on high alert, but they quickly fell back into rhythm after deciding on the all clear.

At the end, the poor bagger was careful to stack the groceries into the plastic bags in order to not destroy any of the groceries as you checked out. Kyungsoo’s watchful glare probably wasn’t helping the kid’s nerves.

With your wares piled neatly into the back of the SUV, you headed back to the penthouse. At first it was a quiet ride, the radio at a reasonable volume while Chanyeol hummed along. Out of nowhere, he turned the sound off and met your eyes in the rearview mirror.

“Uh, (y/n)?” he cleared his throat. “Did something happen between you and Junmyeon?”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Like you know, did you two – ow!” Kyungsoo had punched Chanyeol in the shoulder, making the vehicle swerve just a bit. The look Kyungsoo was giving was frightening to say the least. “Hey, I was just wondering! At first, we weren’t supposed to let you leave the penthouse, then he takes a week off and now you’re able to go grocery shopping. He doesn’t usually flip on his decisions that easily.”

“He stayed behind last week to heal,” Kyungsoo reminded him.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. “Have you ever seen Junmyeon just take a week off because of a few bruises?”

Kyungsoo didn’t answer.

“Exactly.”

“We’ve agreed to try and get along,” you explained. Your cheeks gave off a strong heat as you remembered Junmyeon’s face when he said that he thought about being more than just a piece of paper.

“Good,” Kyungsoo nodded.

Your eyes widened at his response. That was not a reaction you would have expected out of Kyungsoo. He always seemed to be more of an observer, never really taking part or commenting on what was going on around him.

“That also explains why he went off on Yixing last Friday night,” Chanyeol whispered.

You probably weren’t meant to hear that, but you slumped back in your seat, crossing your arms.

Why did Junmyeon get upset with Yixing that night?

The two you had simply been dancing, nothing more. Junmyeon had snapped so suddenly when you offered to call Yixing to check on him. Had Junmyeon gotten jealous?

Maybe. Just maybe.

At the thought of a possibly jealous Junmyeon, your face warmed up even more.

Back home, the boys refused to let you carry any of the bags. Chanyeol was showing off as he had four bags in each arm while Kyungsoo just took the remaining three. The latter helped you put away the groceries while Chanyeol dropped down on the couch and the TV. Junmyeon, along with Xiumin and Chen, arrived a few minutes after you did. He grinned at the large number of bags resting on the counter and made eye contact with you before slipping into his office.

Once done with the groceries, you threw a quick snack together and excused yourself to your room. While eating, you pulled out your new phone, contemplating. Junmyeon never explicitly said that you couldn’t call anyone else besides the members, just that their numbers were already programmed in the contacts. And you needed to hear from your family. You needed to know that they were still safe.

The line rang several times, making you wonder if Hyunmin would even answer. Taegun never took calls from a number he didn’t know and he was always scolding Hyunmin for not doing the same. It’s how she once made a large donation to a humane society without knowing if they were even legitimate. Taegun had to change all their bank information to make sure the company didn’t try to pull even more money.

“Hello?”

“Mom!” You rocketed up to a sitting position, almost in tears. “It’s me! It’s (y/n)!”

“(y/n)? (y/n), is it really you!”

“Yes! Hold on, let me switch it to the video.” You clicked on the camera button and laughed when you still saw Hyunmin’s ear rather than her face. “Mom, look at your phone.”

With a little bit of shuffling, she finally faced the camera, her eyes lighting up like stars. “(y/n)! Oh, sweetheart, are you okay? Did you run away? How are you calling us right now?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” you promised. “No, I’m still with Junmyeon. He gave me a new phone and I just got back from grocery shopping.”

“New phone? Grocery shopping?” she repeated. Her face scrunched up, confused as if you were telling her you were getting a pet monkey. “You mean he lets you out of your room?”

You laughed again. “Yes, Mom. I’m not a hostage. I can leave as long as I have one of the guys to protect me. Everyone here’s been really sweet to me.” You didn’t feel the need to inform her that your extended freedom and the phone were recent developments. “They’re really not that bad of people.”

“Not that bad!” There was a scuffle and then Hyunmin’s face was replaced with Taegun.

He was barely recognizable. His left eye was swollen shut and there was a large gash on his forehead held together by too many stitches to count. His lip looked like it’d been stung by a bee and a large bruise covered his right cheek.

“Dad!” You wished that you could jump through the screen of the phone so you could inspect all the injuries yourself. Each one was like a punch to your stomach. “How did this happen to you?”

“I was walking down an alley after realizing I was being followed,” He coughed and Hyunmin appeared behind him, rubbing his back. “Two tall men ambushed me, kicking and beating me. When they were done, they said it was a warning to you and that you would understand when you found out.”

Junko. It had to be. “This wasn’t Junmyeon,” you insisted. “He’s supposed to be watching over you so things like this don’t happen.”

“How am I supposed to believe that)?” Taegun spat. He was right. He didn’t know the boys like you did or the run in with Junko that led to this.

You snuck a few screenshots of Taegun’s face, knowing he wouldn’t realize what you were doing. “I have to go, but I’ll call back soon. I love you both.”

Before either of them could protest, you ended the call. Marching out of your room, you made your way to Junmyeon’s office, not even bothering to knock as you shoved the door open. All nine of the inner circle were in there, the eight underlings surrounding Junmyeon’s desk as if in the middle of an intense meeting. Their eyes grew wide at your sudden intrusion. Knocking was one of the top rules and you’d never broken any of them before.

Junmyeon stood up, shocked as your seething expression. “(y/n), I’ve asked you before–”

“Save it!” you yelled. With the picture of Taegun still pulled up on the screen, you tossed the cell phone down on the desk. “You said you would protect them. Now, I know it had to be Junko’s men who did this and not yours, but it still happened. They told Taegun it was a message to me. You promised me he wouldn’t be able to touch them!”

Junmyeon clutched the phone in his hand with enough force to turn his knuckles white. His eyes, filled with fire, flashed to Chanyeol, who visibly shrunk back.

“(y/n), this wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said calmly, stepping around his desk. You took a step back to keep the distance between you.

“I trusted you,” you said barely above a murmur. “Junko’s men already got him once. I don’t even know how badly he’s hurt. They’re my family, Junmyeon. And they got hurt because of me. And he’ll go after them again. While I just sit here.” Unable to think of anything else to say, you stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind you. You shut yourself in your room, crying into your knees.

The light slowly faded in your room as the sun crossed over the sky and to other side of the where the rays couldn’t reach the window. Your head was pounding from the crying that had faded out about an hour ago. All you could do was stare at the wall, absentmindedly making patterns out of the paint .

You had let yourself fall into a sense of safety. It hadn’t crossed your mind that Junko might get past the few watchers and to your family since Junmyeon promised that he would protect them. You knew he himself wasn’t invincible, but you’d put too much faith into his organization. The small bits you had witnessed were such a well-oiled machine, you forgot that they weren’t perfect robots or super powered bodyguards. Taegun had managed to lose whoever Chanyeol had ordered to follow him. If only you’d been able to call them sooner. If you’d just had the courage to ask to talk to them, give them an update on the situation, instead of walking on eggshells or arguing with Junmyeon about the stupidest things, this might not have happened. Once again, it was all your fault.

“(y/n)?”

Your head snapped towards the door. You hadn’t locked it in your rush to not be seen crying and now it was too late as Junmyeon creaked the door open. From what you would see, he was holding a manila folder was in his left hand.

“Can I come in?” he asked stupidly.

You shrugged. “Technically, you’re already in here. Besides, you own the place.” There it was again, your sarcastic and mean defense. It hardly phased him anymore.

“I spoke with Chanyeol and we’re putting different men on your family.” He held the folder out to you. “This is a summary of your father’s injuries from when he went to the hospital.”

Like a maniac, you snatched the file out his hands and skimmed through the papers, trying to find anything that seemed life-threatening or irreversible.

You sighed in relief. “It’s all mostly superficial abrasions.”

That eased your anxiety just a bit. You still hated the thought of anyone touching him, but at least nothing was permanently damaged. The pictures in the file, however, were worse than how you’d seen Taegun just a few hours ago. With his face swollen and bloody, you wouldn’t have known it was him if his name wasn’t all over the reports.

“I’m so sorry that this happened,” Junmyeon said softly, crouching down in front of you on the floor. “Taegun managed to lose the men we had tailing him and they didn’t ever inform me or Chanyeol about it. They will be severely punished for it and reassigned. This will never happen again, (y/n). I swear.”

Shaking your head, you caressed the horrible evidence of what Junko could do and only saw one real option. “You should just hand me over to Junko. Just let him have me. Maybe I – I can find a way to get the information from the files to you that way you don’t lose out. But I can’t… I can’t keep risking everyone around me like this. First you and now–”

“No!” Junmyeon jumped to his feet, pulling you up with him and into his arms. “I refuse to hand you over to that… monster. I’m no angel or saint, but I know you are safer here than you ever would be with Junko. Just the thought of him anywhere near you again….” His vice on you tightened, threatening to never let go. With his cheek against your hair, he calmed down, rubbing circles on your back. “No. Just handing you over to him is not the way to deal with this. I know a better way.”