By now, waking up in my new surroundings was less of a ritual panic. A nanosecond went by before I remembered where I was. Oddly, there was no sense of danger in that remembrance. I simply stretched out my stiff limbs, a long drawn-in breath interrupted by a yawn. I sat up in bed, having already come to terms again with where I was and that this was my new normal for the time being. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, I replayed the previous day’s events. My cheeks heated up at the ending. The areas where Jongin carried me up to my room were still warm. But that kind gesture left my mind spinning. 

I wasn’t used to someone paying so much attention to me. Back home, I mostly ignored by the opposite for the wilder, too quiet and shy to garner compliments and specified chivalry. So, yes, I had to admit that I liked Jongin’s attentions. He was handsome, as anyone could see, and strangely sweet given his occupation, but was it wise to even allow myself to think down that path? His smile could melt ice cream in the middle of winter, but he would still be a very dangerous man who had probably kidnapped and killed people in the past and might even be doing that right at this moment. Then there was the bigger danger: falling for him could lead to me wanting to stay.

Letting out a deep breath, I let my face fall into my hands. 

Jongin wasn’t like those gangsters from the movie, who cursed every other word and shot an underling at the slightest irritation. None of these men were, from what I could tell. Not even Sehun. 

No, my jailer wasn’t truly cold or heartless, merely distant. Which was probably for the best, but a part of me saw it as a challenge. A challenge too hard to ignore. 

All thoughts pushed aside, I hopped out of bed and shuffled over to the bathroom. The knots that had formed overnight took a while to get out of my hair, but eventually it was presentable. Stopping by the closet, I slipped on more appropriate clothing – finding it in a sweater and shorts – before heading downstairs.

Jongin had said that everyone would be out of the house today, meaning I would be left to my own devices in the peace and quiet. While that should have been comforting, it was actually a bit unnerving. I felt too exposed here, despite the array of armed guards milling about the grounds. A cold breeze brushed my exposed shoulder, egging on that feeling, but my stomach stopped me from going back up the stairs to those four walls.

As expected, the kitchen was empty when I arrived with no sign that anyone had entered it since last night. I needed a breakfast that was comforting and familiar, so I found a clean pan in the cabinets along with eggs and bacon stored in the fridge.

The smell of the stiffening bacon filled my nose as the grease fizzled and popped in the pan, sending my stomach into a frenzy. Smoke rose up and curled off the cabinets and ceiling, but it wasn’t enough to be alarmed. It was normal with how crispy I liked it. I started singing to myself to fill the silence. 

“I hope you’re not trying to burn my house down.”

A gasp burst out as I spun around. Sehun was seated at the island, dressed for the day, hands folded in front of him patiently. His eyes stayed strictly on me, that unreadable expression flickering with unwavering stability. 

“I-I thought no one was going to be home today?” The microwave clock read 9:18. Surely he should have been gone by now. 

“I was up late last night working so I’m having a bit of a late start.” He looked at the stove.

“Would you like some breakfast,” I offered tentatively. I held up the pan for him to see what I was making while trying to ignore the oddity of the hostage offering a meal to the mobster like it was any normal Sunday. “It’s American, but still good.”

He frowned at the food, but, surprisingly, nodded. 

It was silent for a minute or two as he watched me slide the bacon out of the pan and onto a plate to rest. I wiped the pan clean so I could start on the eggs. “So,” I started hesitantly, unsure of the reaction I would get for this question, “what were you working on?”

I waited for “none of your business” to come. It would be a logical response, one that I wouldn’t even take offense at, depending on his tone. Eggs done, I made a plate for each of us and sat across from Sehun at the island. Somehow, he managed to surprise me.

“I was tracking a guy who might have information we need.”

Despite being given an answer, I was a little put out at the clicheness of it. “Jongin said that you were the tech guy. Is that how you were tracking him?”

Sehun picked and chewed on the end of a slice of bacon, nodding. “It’s not exactly easy in this day and age to hide. Practically everyone has a digital fingerprint. And this guy can’t resist making a mark so often.”

I twirled a chunk of egg on my fork. “Are you going to go get him today?”

“Not today.” Sehun finished up his breakfast and wiped his face with a napkin. He tossed it in the trash next to the island and then reached for the plate. I grabbed it first and slid it to my side.

“Just leave it. I’ll take care of it.”

“Okay, then.” 

That should have been the point for him to leave, but he just stood there, staring down at me. “Jongin  and the others seem to talk to you a lot.”

“Not too much,” I corrected, “but they, you know, actually talk to me.” I looked at him pointedly so he would get the hint. Apparently, it worked since he ran a hand through his hair and sat back down with a huff.

“Last night, after you said you like to watch movies, you were going to say something else. Something else that you like to do.” He tapped a finger against the granite nervously. “What were you going to say?”

What? Oh, right, last night at dinner. “Um… reading. I was going to say that I really like reading.”

“What do you like to read?” The question came out more like an interrogation. I barely held back my shock. He was making my personal challenge all too easy. 

“Anything really,” I answered honestly with a shrug. “Love stories are probably my favorite, though. Especially the ones where the person changes for the better. I think those are the best.”

 “Of course, you would,” Sehun scoffed. “Love isn’t exactly that powerful in real life, you know.”

“Says who?” I challenged.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he threw one back at me. “Shouldn’t you say that if you really love someone, you wouldn’t want them to change?”

“It’s not about wanting the other person to change,” I argued. This was a discussion I’d had with several friends back home which meant I had more than enough ammunition on my side. “It’s about loving them so much that you want to change into a better person for them. It’s about your will, not theirs.”

Sehun’s steadfast gaze bore into me. What was going on in that head of his. What was he thinking about to make his gaze so intense? Mind reading wouldn’t be a bad gift to have right now. Then again, I might not want to know everything going on in that head of his. 

Suddenly, he stood up and whipped his jacket on with a heated coolness. “I’ll be back later tonight. Don’t break anything while I’m gone. If you need anything, just use the intercom system, one of my men can help. But try to make sure that it’s an emergency first, please?”

I was so stunned at the added “please” that all I could do was nod as he walked out of the kitchen. 

***

Sehun peeled out of there quicker than he needed to, gravel flying in all directions as he sped down the driveway. There were no tell-tale dings that might have scratched the paint of his beloved car. If there was any damage to the paint, it would be no one’s fault but his own. Still, he didn’t want to front the cash for a new paint job. He just needed to get away. 

Junmyeon had… “encouraged” him last night to actually try to get to know the girl currently housed in his mansion. Truthfully, Sehun had hoped that if he froze her out then one of the other boys would volunteer to keep her instead. He didn’t have any reason to be cold towards her. There was just something about her that made him uneasy.

Her green eyes were filled with an innocence that he hadn’t seen in a long time. Certainly none of the women who had kept him company at night had an innocence like that. They were too tainted by this life of crime and money. Every action had an unknown motivation. One had to be careful with who they opened up to. But Wren didn’t come from this world. She was like an alien beamed down to disrupt his life. 

Within the past week, Sehun had found himself watching her on the security cameras from his tablet. It had caused him to get in a bit of trouble during their meetings. He was easily distracted and the ease of access to her wasn’t helping. 

At first, he had only kept an eye on her to make sure she didn’t try to escape. He trusted his men, but they were posted outside and he wouldn’t put it past Gwen to try something from the inside. 

Little by little, however, Sehun found himself watching her out of pure fascination. He even let out an amused scoff when she looked under the beds and in the empty closets for reasons he couldn’t fathom. Her odd movements and habits were so foreign to him, it was nearly an addiction. What puzzled him the most, though, was how watching Jongin get so close to the girl had stirred up something in him.

Sehun punched the steering wheel. He had to stop while he was ahead. If Jongin wanted to watch movies with her and then carry her up to her room, that was his choice, his business. Sehun didn’t care. There was no reason for him to care. 

With a bit too much force, Sehun shut the door on his Lexus and stomped up the steps of Junmyeon’s mansion. He scanned his fingerprint to be let in and he made his way down the halls until he reached the meeting room in the back of the house. His fellow members sent curious glances as he sat down.

“Nice of you to join us, Sehun,” Junmyeon snipped.

Clearing his throat, Sehun murmured, “Overslept.”

Which, though true, might not have happened had he not had a tablet open on his desk to his security cameras. He didn’t dare watch Wren sleep, but he did have the sensor set in case there was abnormal movement in her room. Though the alarm never went off, that didn’t stop his eyes from checking it every five seconds.

Junmyeon sighed. The stress of their current predicament was obviously starting to get to him. Having to balance this underworld enterprise alongside running a legitimate company was more trouble than Sehun ever wanted. Usually he would have yelled at Sehun in front of everyone for being late – and Sehun would have taken it without complaint –, but today the lecture was skipped. “Did you find him?”

Sehun nodded, bringing up their target’s location on the small screens that sat in front of each of the members around the table. “According to his credit card, our friend is staying in a shady motel in Yongsan district. Just in case he was trying to be coy, I hacked the security cameras and their registry. He’s definitely staying there, on the second floor, room two-zero-zero-three.”

“Good work, Sehun.”

“Do you think he really knows anything?” Minseok asked skeptically.

“We’ll find out soon enough.” Junmyeon stood up, pulling the hem of his jacket to straighten out the wrinkles. “Chanyeol, Baekhyun, start planning a snatch. Make it for two weeks from today. We’ll give him some time to relax, put his guard down. Sehun, keep tabs on him twenty-four-seven, let us know if he moves at all. The rest of you know what to do, you’re dismissed.”

***

I took my time cleaning up after breakfast. With nothing else to do, I wandered into the living room and planted myself on the couch, bringing up the movie app Jongin had opened the night before.

It still felt strange not to be getting ready for the school day, but I didn’t linger on the feeling. While I had an attachment to every student that entered my class, a majority of them had been high school students that were falling behind. Which meant an argument nearly every day as to why they should even bother learning English when they already knew Korean so well. Which was debatable. I could never come up with a good enough answer that would satisfy them, so eventually I gave up trying.

An hour had passed before I finally settled on a movie to waste time with. It was some rom com that utilized intersecting love stories and social media. The movie was actually fairly good. No absolute tear-jerking moments, but it made me laugh and occasionally gave me the giddy feeling.

Too soon, however, it was over. I scoured through the romantic comedy section, searching for my next target. 

A frequent problem I had when it came to those types of movies was that once I watched one, I couldn’t stop. It was like a high from that warm and fuzzy feeling these movies gave off. It filled in a very lacking hole in my life. I was not the kind of person who was able to fill their time with fun dates and casual relationships. My hands were not warmed by another’s, I had no shoulder to cry on when I was at my breaking point. I lived vicariously through these movies, desperate for some real life action.

After the fourth movie, I was beginning to get my fill and my muscles were crying out from the hours of lying down on a lumpy couch. Remembering the gym, I decided to give it a try while no one was home.

I went up to my room to change, but moments before I opened the door, I noticed a smaller, thinner door just to the right. Painted the same color as the walls, it blended in nearly seamlessly. Only the slightest outline of the door and a flattened hook for the handle gave it away. I tried the hook and was surprised to find that it wasn’t locked, but it certainly had been a long time since anyone had opened it. The other side revealed a wooden staircase covered in several layers of dust. Spider webs hung from almost every inch of the walls and there was barely enough light to see by.

With a newly found sense of urgency and curiosity, I ran into my room, slipping on my converse to protect my feet before practically sprinting up the steps. How I could have missed this in my exploration of the mansion, I had no clue, but I was excited to find out what was hidden in what had to be the attic. 

The only light in the area came from the small windows lined up on both sides. Running the entire length of the house, the attic was covered in at least an inch of dust, although there wasn’t much stored up there in the first place. A few vintage furniture pieces here and there that didn’t match any of the themes below along with crumbling cardboard boxes and other odd and ends.

I made my way slowly around the space, my footprints leaving behind the only sign of a disturbance. I inspected every object I came across, but it never was as exciting up close. There was some old jewelry that needed polishing and a moth-eaten wedding dress that had seen better days. The only papers I came across were financial ones, coded in ways I could never decipher. 

When I made it to the other end, there was a single chest that was placed far away from everything else and with a blanket of dust that wasn’t as thick as the others. Kneeling down, I pushed back the lid to dig around. Tucked into the folds of old clothes and blankets were framed pictures. Where I had expected faces of generations past, I was stunned at what I actually found. 

One by one, I pulled out each of the photos and spread them out on the floor. The men I now knew were younger here, carefree and high spirited. Even Sehun was grinning, a big boyish smile in the middle of laughing. They all looked so… happy. I giggled at the discovery of Kyungsoo’s heart-shaped lips, wondering if I would ever see it in front of me. Most of the pictures were from their adventures together: at a beach, at Namsan Tower, and Lotte World while others were at locations I couldn’t identify.

Among the familiar faces, there were three that I didn’t know. I hadn’t caught on to the additions until I looked over the largest picture depicting twelve teenage boys all in a row. One had a pinched, smug face and was taller than even Chanyeol. He stood next to Junmyeon with his arm around his shoulders. Next to him was a slightly shorter boy with dark circles under his eyes and a smirk on his thin lips.

The last boy was small and lithe. Standing next to Sehun, they looked like brothers. They both looked so happy and content with an arm around each other, outshining everyone else in the picture.

I stared at the forgotten picture in my hands as I settled onto the floor, not caring about the dust and smiling to myself. I wondered what that kind of expression would like on Sehun’s face now that he’d grown into his features and the softness of adolescence had melted away.

The memory of dinner when Chanyeol had mentioned that Sehun had changed after a certain event flashed in my mind. Were these unknown faces a part of that event? Most importantly, the one with Sehun? My only guess was that they died and now any evidence of their existence in Sehun’s life had been banished to this attic, to erode and fade away into nonexistence.

Sighing, I carefully gathered up the pictures and placed them back into the folds of the chest. I stood back up and wiped off all the dust I had gathered from sitting on the floor. There was still one last thing to inspect before descending back down the stairs. I made my way over the far window that was larger than the ones dotting the long ends. To my luck, it opened.

I pushed it as far open as it would go, letting it swing until the metal paneling hit the side of the house with a loud, echoing clang! The roof landing just underneath was angled, perfect for a little stoop. Gripping the frame, I hoisted myself up and carefully climbed out, feet first.

The view from the roof was breathtaking. Surrounding the estate was a forest that went on for miles, farther than what my eyes could see. To my right, small but brightly shining was Seoul. I could pick out Namsan Tower and the old palace. Unable to tear myself away, I stretched out my legs and leaned back on my hands. Being up there away from everything was like a breath of fresh air, like feeling the sun on your skin after weeks of cloudy sky. 

I stayed up with no question of time, losing track of the hour. I didn’t want to leave, to go back inside. If I did, I would have to go back to reality.

Reality had felt like a roller coaster running on deteriorating tracks. John – the first person I thought I could have a real friendship with since I arrived in Korea – was dead and had made me the carrier of some all-important chip. 

But it could have been worse. 

Junmyeon could have decided that I was dangerous or lying and had me tied up in a basement, starving and tortured. Instead, I had a nice room, free access to food and a large mansion to roam around in. And my host was slowly becoming a bit more amiable.

“I hope you’re not planning to jump.”

I gasped, spinning around to face the window. In my clumsiness, however, I lost my footing and slipped on the shingles. Panic flashed across Sehun’s face as he reached out and clutched my wrist, saving me, but knocking his head against the side frame in the process. The neutrality returned as soon as I was no longer in danger of falling off the roof and to my death.

“You just seemed to like being in dangerous situations, huh?” he grunted as he helped me back through the window. I lost my balance once again when my feet slid on the coatings of dust. Only Sehun’s grip kept me from landing on my backside. He held onto my waist in a loose vice. “Are you really this helpless or is it an act?”

I scowled at him, until I noticed a small cut along Sehun’s hairline. “Oh, my god, you’re bleeding!”

Sehun released one of his hands from my waist to feel for the cut. His fingers came away red. “This is what I get for saving you. Now this will scar and ruin my pretty face.”

“Oh shut up, it’s nowhere near your face,” I scolded. He didn’t resist as I grabbed his wrist and tugged him along the attic, forcing him to follow me down both staircases in the house until we were in the infirmary. I released him near one of the beds while I searched the cabinets. “Sit.”

“Wren, I can–”

“Sit.”

Releasing an irritated sigh, he finally obeyed. I found the supplies I was looking for and walked back over to Sehun. Even sitting down, he still managed to be eye level with me. I tried not to focus on that as I cleaned up the blood that was already drying on his skin with a washcloth. One little droplet had run down to his jaw, leaving a crimson trail that stuck out against his milky skin. I carefully wiped it away, all the while feeling his eyes on me. A small tremble was visible in my hands as I poured the rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab. I took a deep breath to try and will it away as I softly dabbed at the cut. Sehun let out a hiss on the contact.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“It’s fine,” he grunted.

Once the cut was clean and I could see it clearly, I felt relieved. It didn’t seem to be that deep. I tapped on the smallest amount of Neosporin and then used the surgical tape to hold it together. Sehun’s breath was hot on my arms. More than once I lost focus. Now so close, I could see that his eyes weren’t a flat brown, but a mix of several different shades that grew lighter the closer they drew inward to the pupil.

Taking a step back, I cleared my throat. Sehun grabbed my wrist. His gaze narrowed as he tilted head to the side.

“Can I trust you?” he asked suddenly.

I blinked. “What?” 

“Can. I. Trust. You.” He repeated slower.

Swallowing, I nodded. “Yes, you can. I thought I might have proven that by now.”

Without warning, Sehun stood up and dragged me out of the infirmary. Every few steps I tripped over my own feet while trying to keep up with his long stride. He didn’t stop until we were in front of the large double doors that had been taunting me for the duration of my stay.

“Watch for the code,” Sehun said. “I’m only going to put it in once.”

My heart beat faster in anticipation as Sehun touched the individual numbers one by one.

“Zero-four-one-two,” I repeated out loud to myself, to commit it to memory. Curious, I looked up at him. “Any special significance?”

Sehun glanced at me, his hand on the doorknob opening it just a crack. I was becoming as eager as a dog with a new bone. “It’s my birthday, but switched around.”

Switched around? I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to decipher his riddle.

Oh, right. The day goes first over here. A fact that had caused more than one misunderstanding since my arrival in Korea. I couldn’t help but laugh at this new found information. Too bad it was still several months away.

“What’s so funny?” Sehun asked.

“Mine’s a few weeks later,” I informed him. “The thirtieth.”

He let out a short laugh. “Interesting.” The door opened wider, but he stopped as I tried to peek in. “I’m giving you complete access to this room whenever you want it, but the desk and its contents are absolutely off limits. I’ll know if you break that rule. Got it?” I nodded impatiently. “Okay, then.” He pushed the door open and motioned for me to walk through.

Cautiously, I stepped in and gasped.

The room was two stories high with almost every inch of the walls covered in books. I felt like Belle seeing the Beast’s library for the first time, including the constant whirling around to take in every shelf. This one wasn’t quite as large but it definitely was at least two rooms wide and reached up to the second floor.

I struggled to process the fact that I was standing in a place I had only ever dreamed about. Sliding ladders that were brightly polished gave access to the books that were high out of reach. Overstuffed chairs and individual lamps were scattered around the room along with small tables and foot rests. An oversized desk of dark wood sat near the back of the room in front of a large window that showed off the vast forest beyond.

I walked around the desk to find a little reading bench sat at the bottom. It was filled with pillows and even a couple of blankets folded in the corner. I frowned, thinking about the vulnerability the window created. “Kind of dangerous for a mafia boss, don’t you think?”

Sehun smirked as he tapped on the glass with his knuckles. “It’s four inches thick, bulletproof. Not even a wild gorilla could get through it. If someone actually was stupid enough to try, an even thicker titanium shield will drop down, covering the window in a matter of seconds after pushing the button under the desk.”

“At least you thought of everything.” I wandered back to the center of the room to take more of the library in. Several spiral staircases led up to the second floor pathway. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many books in one place before.”

Sehun stepped up behind me. I could feel his towering presence and when I turned around I nearly ran into him. He didn’t notice. His eyes were wandering over the books as well. “Four generations added to this library. Books bought with mostly dirty money, but still a good cause, I think.” He looked down at me and gave me a small smile. Not a smirk or a scowl, but a real smile. It was barely there and didn’t shine as bright as the one from the picture, but it still made my heart race. “I’m not sure exactly how many love stories could be hidden around here, but there’s just about every other genre under the sun in here. It’s all yours. This place can get boring and you can only watch so many movies. Maybe this could help you get through the day and you’d enjoy it.”

I stared up at him in pure amazement. Where was all this coming from? When I arrived he wanted nothing to do with me and now in a short amount of time he was eating breakfast with me and letting me into where important business took place, if the lock was any indication. He had thought about me and what I would like to do during the days I was stuck here. A lump formed in my throat that I desperately tried to swallow back. 

Putting space back between us, I smiled. “Thank you. This is– Thank you.” I was going to say “sweet” but perhaps he wouldn’t appreciate being associated with that word. “Why don’t I make you some dinner?”

He grimaced. “American, I presume?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’d be surprised, but I can make Korean dishes, too.”

He smiled again. “Okay. Then I think I can accept.”

“Good,” I spun on my heels, heading out. “Hopefully, you have plenty of ingredients. Kimchi rice is my favorite.”