Jongin’s absence felt like a needle constantly pricking the back of my neck. But the concern had to be put to the side as the others decided to stay for dinner, making it a priority. After a rather lengthy argument, I finally convinced Kyungsoo to let me help in the preparation rather than leaving me as an observer. Somehow, I had been recruited into a science experiment. He was very precise in the kitchen, not letting even a small margin of error occur. I had to recut the onion three times no matter how much of a waste it was. It couldn't be denied, however, that the results were spectacular. 

Baekhyun and Jongdae inhaled their plates as if they were vacuums from the moment the food was placed in front of them on the island. Chanyeol finished his own merely moments later. They all cleaned their dishes up to the standard of passable before hightailing it out of there. I frowned but said nothing.

“I hope they’re not going out tonight,” Kyungsoo mumbled to no one in particular.

Sehun shook his head. “No, I think they’re just having a game night. Baekhyun’s still pissed that Chanyeol ruined all his top scores.”

“Happy not to be a part of that.”

Setting down my fork, I remained in silence, an observer on the outside of my own situation. It seemed so strange. To be sitting there, listening to a normal conversation that any two grown men in their late twenties could be having. In the moment, ordinary was the illusion. My eyes wandered nervously over to the fridge that had been covered in blood only a few days ago. Not a single smear remained behind. The smell of bleach and cleaner was still strong underneath the smell of freshly cooked spices. It was Minseok who had made the kitchen spotless, according to Sehun. The exact words used included “neat freak” and “the family cleaner better than a hundred barrels of bleach”. This was normal for them, to speak about game scores within two feet of a murder scene.

But that wasn’t even the worst of it. 

Even more horrifying was how numb I felt. Though the incident still lingered in my mind like a whisp of a ghost, all it took was a little bit of solitude and some form of intimacy from Sehun to make me feel calm. Was I becoming too comfortable with my surroundings? Was this the fabled Stockholm Syndrome? 

No. I wasn’t brainwashed or tortured into being okay with this new environment. The men in this mansion simply became multifaceted human beings instead of the stereotypes I’d been raised to believe.

What would Dad think of me now?

That thought brought a humorous scoff out of me.

Kyungsoo and Sehun stopped their conversation and turned to look at me.

“Sorry,” I said, biting my lip. “Random thought.” I stood up and took my empty plate to the sink to try and slink away. Most of the dishes that were used tonight were already drying from cleaning as we went. With my back to the island, I went ahead and finished up the few remaining odds and ends.

“I’ll go ahead and go,” Kyungsoo said as he brought over his plate. I took it and dunked it into the soapy water. “Thanks. I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

Sehun waved lazily. “Drive safe”. 

Once all that remained was the two of us, he stood from his stool and began drying the dishes by my side. I handed him the freshly washed dishes without a second thought. 

“So,” Sehun said into the silence, “you want to share what the random thought was?”

My cheeks burned. “It’s nothing. Not important.”

“Did I ask about how important it was?”

Quite the counter.

Knowing that Sehun would pester the subject until he learned of the insignificant thought, I gave in. “Well… I, um–I was just thinking. I mentioned my dad being an officer?”

“Mm.” He waited for me to continue.

“I was just thinking about how I’m not scared anymore, being here.” The numbness deepened after admitting that out loud. “I was thinking about how he would feel knowing that I was friendly with mafia members. You know, the ultimate lawbreakers.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he wouldn’t approve of me.” Sehun’s hands stopped at the realization of the words that had fallen from his lips.

“Approve of you?” I repeated cautiously. I wasn’t sure exactly how I wanted him to expand on it, why I was pushing. My heart ran a race in my chest. Something inside begged to be wrapped up in his arms again, to feel that comfort and warmth. I nearly crumbled when our shoulders brushed against each other as we passed the plates

Sehun cleared his throat. “Approving of your association with any of us,” he corrected. “I’m sure his instinct would be to arrest any of us on sight. Not that we wouldn't deserve it.”

A wave of disappointment flushed through with that answer. I should have expected as much. What else could he possibly have meant? The roof incident flood my mind and my stomach did a backflip. The weight of his arms around my waist nearly drew a whine from my throat. I needed to get out of the kitchen.

“I think I’m going to read for a bit in my room before going to bed,” I said the moment the last dish was free of suds.

His face fell at the sudden declaration. “Are you sure? I still have some diagnostics to run, but you could stay in the library.”

That was hardly the reaction I would have expected. And how tempting that offer was. But I needed to get my heart back down to a normal rate. I needed space. If I didn’t, I might end up doing something I would later regret. “That’s okay. The book I’m reading right now is up in my room and I don’t really want to go up those stairs only to come back down again. I’m too lazy for that right now. Plus, I think I’m going to try and get some real sleep tonight.”

“Okay, then,” he nodded. Was I just imagining all the displeasure on his face? Or did he really wish for me to join him? “If you need anything, emergency or not, come get me.”

I bit down on my lip to keep my smile from spreading too far across my face.

“Good night, Sehun.”

“Good night.”

The next morning was the first day that my previous routine somewhat returned. I managed to read a few chapters before falling asleep early in the evening. The sun was still dyeing the sky purple and orange when my eyes flickered shut. I could have sworn the lamp on my nightstand had been when I fell asleep, but perhaps I’d turned it off while still half asleep sometime in the night.

Pure blue sky stretched across the window. Oh, crap. I slept in later than I usually did. 

Getting ready in a rush, I tripped and stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen. If I hurried, I could possibly have breakfast nearly ready for Sehun when he came down. It was too late, however. He’d already beat me to the punch.

“Good morning,” Sehun smiled at me from the stove. Each time he smiled at me, it grew a small fraction. If this keeps up, maybe someday I could see the full shining article.

“Good morning.” I tried to hide the fact that I was out of breath. “What are you doing up so early?”

“I spoke with Junmyeon about what I found on Joo Hyun’s computer last night,” he explained as he turned back to his task. “We’ll be going to his house later. He has an announcement.”

I shuffled up to the oven, watching him cook absentmindedly. This was the first time I’d seen him lift a finger in his house that didn’t have to do with computer work. “We?”

“Yes, you’re coming with me.”

“Why?” Their meetings were always top secret. I was the outsider, not privy to their secret dealings. What few things they did discuss in front of me were mundane, vague. A slight excitement built up in my stomach at the possibility of seeing how they worked behind the closed door.

He smirked, not giving the slightest hint. “You’ll see.”

Rolling my eyes, I sat down at the island. Conversation rolled back to the normal “how did you sleep” and “what are you reading now” types that we had before as he finished cooking.

In the beginning of our budding acquaintance, I always assumed that I rambled too much whenever Sehun asked about what I was reading. For some reason, I was never able to hold my thoughts to a few sentences. I needed to let words out. The feeling of being too much constantly lingered whenever I talked about the things I liked, never able to hold back on the excitement. The passion was uncontrollable. What if I annoyed him when he merely expected a short answer? That uneasiness quickly went away when I caught his gaze.

His posture was shifted in, leaning in close as he hung on every word that left my lips. The way his eyebrows were pulled together and the upturned corner of his mouth conveyed the extreme level of his attention. Occasionally he would ask a question pertaining to the plot or the characters. I lept at the invitation to keep going. 

Truth be told, it was all I’d ever wanted. Someone interested in what I had to say. Someone who would let me talk and be a little overexcited without a hint of annoyance. The rarity of someone like that rivaled the scarcity of pure jade. And yet, here it was, fallen into my lap in the most unconventional way.

“I just think if he simply explained the situation to her, then this whole thing could have been avoided,” I huffed, continuing on my frustration of my current read. “It’s not like it’s really that big of a deal or she would hate him. Why can’t he just see how much easier that would be?”

Sehun laughed. A real, deep in the chest laugh. The sound was so unexpected that all I could do was blink in response.

“I’m sorry,” Sehun coughed to get his laugh under control. “It’s just… of course that would be the simple thing to do. But then there would be no conflict and therefore no story. Or just a very short, unentertaining read.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but I shut it immediately. He was right. “It’s still frustrating.”

Still wearing a smirk, Sehun reached out and pushed a loose lock of hair behind my ear. It was quickly becoming my favorite bit of physical interaction. Somehow when he did it, I didn’t feel like a little kid as expected. I was an ordinary girl sitting across from an ordinary guy having an ordinary conversation. 

“Go get your coat,” he ordered as he stood from the island. “We’ve got to get to Junmyeon’s.”

If I had my way, I would have had us stay in that kitchen with just the two of us. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in charge. The boss was calling and he had to obey that. So I ran up to my room, grabbing my black pea coat before meeting Sehun by the front door. He was relaying orders to one of his security guards who, although obviously older than him, took every word with the utmost respect. The guard bowed deeply before walking off, giving me a bow as well before disappearing into the house.

“Let’s go.” Sehun guided me out with a hand hovering over the small of my back.
The gray, gravel driveway was circular as it connected to the long strip of isolated road. Parked out front was a silver Lexus that probably cost more than what seemed necessary for a vehicle that’s only job was to get from point A to point B. Somehow, though, it fit the man who owned it. A reminder how different our typical worlds were.

Sehun walked around to the passenger side and held the door open for me to slide into the seat. But I hesitated.

“What?”

I motioned to the car with my head. “It’s… a very nice car.” Close to the truth, but not entirely. I couldn’t let out how yesterday’s settling had been rattled today. 

Though… maybe it wasn’t the car.  

If he caught my fib, he made no mention of it. Instead, he casually shrugged and said, “I like to drive fast. I need a high end car for that. And the ladies usually like it.”

I frown at his last comment. Two could play that game. “I’m a motorcycle girl myself.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to buy one of those next.” Talk about a honey-coated line.

I refused to let out the bubbling giggle as I finally got in the car. The picture of Sehun in a white leather jacket while racing down the street on a sports bike taunted my imagination. I swallowed back a groan as I closed my eyes and leaned against the window.

The car ride was short, barely ten minutes before Sehun parked behind a line of equally ridiculous luxury cars. Sehun kept a hand on the small of my back as we walked up the grand white stairs of Junmyeon’s mansion. The oversized house dwarfed Sehun’s own quarters, styled as if right out of the Godfather. I half expected Marlon Brando to come walking out the front door.

Sehun scanned his thumb onto a pad by the curved door handle. The light clicked over to green with acceptance. He pushed on one of the double doors before ushering me inside. Everyone was already there when we walked into a large meeting room at the end of a long hallway. The table centered in the room was a dark rosewood, long enough to seat double the amount of people present. Several pairs of eyes stared at our entrance, curious and questioning.

“Now that we’re all here,” Junmyeon announced, standing up, “I’m happy to inform you that we’re all finally going out.”

Cheers erupted from all around the table, the joyful voices echoing off the high ceiling. Chanyeol and Baekhyun high-fived gleefully.

“The other heads and I have discussed it and we think it’s time for another fundraiser.” From the way he said it, I doubted the money was for charity. “The event will be at the normal venue.”

“When is it?” Jongdae asked eagerly.

“This Saturday.”

“So soon?” Yixing piped up.

“It’s been in the works for a while,” Junmyeon explained. “We just finally agreed to go forth with it considering current events. The other heads agree with me in the fact that it might bring out those who are trying to sabotage us. They know that if we go down, a majority of them go down with us. Hence, they want to catch the traitors as well.”

“So, we’re actually going to be working?” Chanyeol grumbled as he slumped back in his chair.

Junmyeon sighed. “Not officially. I just want a few of you to remain vigilant in case anything goes down.”

Kyungsoo was quick to volunteer. “I’ll do it.”

“Oh, thank god,” Baekhyun sighed.

Junmyeon shook his head. “Baekhyun, I should make you do it.”

“You know he won’t stay sober,” Sehun smirked.

“I know.” The poor leader looked defeated at the obvious statement. 

Jongin leaned forward on his elbows, frowning. “Why is Wren here for this?”

The eyes came back to me as if they’d forgotten that I was even present in the room.

Junmyeon rubbed his temple with his fingers, his eyes closed. A heavy sigh, as if preparing for a fight, left his lungs before answering. “I’ve discussed it with Sehun and we believe she’ll be safer with us at the event than leaving her behind. It could leave her vulnerable to attack, if our enemies are feeling brave. And before any of you ask, Sehun is still in charge of her care so she will be his date. You’ll all have to get your own.”

Jongin sat back in his chair, his jaw set. He was certainly not happy with this development. Was it the fact that I was going to be at this “event” in the first place or the fact that it was Sehun’s arm I would be on?

He gave none of the expected argument. Abruptly, he stood up, the chair scraping against the polished wood floor with an ear-piercing screech. He bowed quickly and left the room wordlessly. Kyungsoo and Jongdae made eye contact at the scene, having a silent conversation between themselves that I couldn’t decipher.

“So,” I whistled to cut into the awkward tension, “how fancy is this ‘fundraiser’? I don’t exactly own dresses. I doubt that showing up in jeans would be entirely appropriate.

“Sehun,” Junmyeon called out. “Take Wren to Garosugil and get her a dress. I’ll have Tae Na come in on Saturday to help her get ready.” He pulled out his wallet and slid a black card across the table to Sehun. “Use that. No limit.”

My eyes widened. I could barely stand the idea of spending a hundred dollars on any piece of clothing. How much were they expecting her to spend on this one night?

All too casually, Sehun stood up, not daring to leave the black card behind.

“Let’s go.”

“Have fun!” Jongdae called out with a laugh. I tried to keep myself from flinching as I followed Sehun out.

I didn’t despise dresses. Truth be told, I loved every second getting ready for prom, dateless as I was. Slipping into the gown and pinning up my hair felt like the first step in fulfilling the Cinderella dream. 

What I despised was the shopping. I had short legs and a short torso. Nothing ever seemed to fit right. While others strolled out of the fitting rooms like models from the runway, I wanted to run away with shame. The horror of Sehun sitting there and watching me trudge out dress after dress made my stomach flip. All too soon, the car came to a stop outside a high-end boutiques where the employees waited on you hand and foot. White, over-the-top archways decorated the front of the store. Large display windows showed off elegant dresses made of expensive fabrics worn on mannequins thinner than baby trees. I tugged on the collar of my coat, pulling it closer to me like a shield to protect me from their judgmental stares. Sehun remained oblivious as he led me in through the double door entrance.

“Mr. Oh!” the woman behind the counter exclaimed, rushing up to us as if this were a visit to the ER.

The woman was tall and well put together like she should be a customer rather than an employee. The little green monster on my shoulder growled in my ear. I tried not to focus on the fact that she knew Sehun right away and seemed very familiar with him. The tag on her blouse named her as Nari.

“The usual parameters?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes. Or maybe my brain was just exaggerating her movements. It was hard to tell.

“Yes, thank you, Nari.”

Perfectly on que and making me jump, four other associates came out of nowhere and started closing the curtains and locking the front doors. One of them came up behind me and slid my coat off my shoulders before I even realized what was happening.

“They seem to know you pretty well here,” I mumbled while giving him the side eye. It was more food for my green monster to chew on. “Do you bring all your dates here?”

Sehun laughed, pointing to a small hallway that led to another part of the shop. Barely visible were racks of black jackets and different colored button-downs. “I get my fancier suits here. Their tailor studied in Italy. He has good hands, so I come often. I just don’t like sharing the shop when I do. I don’t ever bring dates to the events. It always seemed like a nuisance and I didn’t want to have to keep an eye on her all night.”

Guiltily, the little monster shriveled back up into her hole. However, jealousy was replaced with burden. Perhaps Sehun would have preferred that I stay behind at the mansion. “Oh.”

Sensing my distress, he quickly added. “I asked Junmyeon if I could take you. I know you need a night out of the house and I thought you might enjoy yourself.”

Oh. Oh. Heat exploded in my cheeks. 

“What are we looking for today, Mr. Oh?” Nari asked, interrupting our little moment.

“Wren needs a gown for an upcoming event,” Sehun answered straightly. “Nothing too over the top. Simple but elegant.”

Nari eyed me up and down as if her very gaze were a flawless tape measure. “We only carry sizes up to sixty-six.”

I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out. “I am a size sixty-six.”

It was the one thing I hated about Korean stores. Most places that didn’t import clothing only carried the smaller sizes. A sixty-six was equivalent to a medium in US standards but some stores didn’t even go up that far. I was a healthy twenty-four-year-old, but I was bigger than the average girl here. Shoulders, hips, a bust… too many curves for most designers.

Nari nodded like she didn’t quite believe it before snapping her fingers at one of the waiting attendants. The younger girl motioned for me to follow her to a large dressing room with an oversized stuffed chair and a silk purple robe hanging from the full length mirror. She pointed to the robe and told me to get changed. I obeyed with great reluctance.

Fifteen minutes passed by with me sitting in the chair, tapping my foot impatiently. The A/C blew chilly air into the dressing room. My skin prickled under the thin robe. When would she come back? I wanted nothing more than to get this process over with.

Finally, the door clicked open and two other girls came into the room, their arms stuffed full of dresses. They hung each one up for me to see then stepped back, waiting. I walked over for the initial inspection, already hating most of what was before me. Without my asking, the girls started ping the first bag that protected the dress.

“I don’t think that one’s going to work,” I sighed. Bright yellow fell to the floor in a shade that would look gaudy against my pink pale skin and an unflattering poof around the cinched waist. They ignored my comment and held the dress out for me to try on. Groaning, I disrobed and stepped into the dress.

I was absolutely right. The color washed me out and the second layer gave my hips a boxy outline. The rest of the dress went straight down to my ankles, confining my legs together. Walking was nearly impossible. The only consolation was that it zipped up without any problem, proving my size once and for all.

I started to undo the dress before the girls stopped me.

“Mr. Oh wants to see each dress,” the girl, whose name tag read Soo Hee, explained.

“Are you serious?” I complained. Her reply was a blank stare. Keeping my temper in check, I shuffled over to the door and threw it open.

Sehun was sitting just outside the dressing room on the long white leather couch. A glass of champagne sat untouched on the table next to him as he scrolled through his tablet. When I cleared my throat, he looked up at me. At least he had the decency to stop himself before the laugh could escape completely.

“Did you pick this out?” I spat.

“It looked nice on the rack,” he defended.

I rolled my eyes. “No, it did not.” I shuffled back into the dressing room, trying desperately not to trip.

The next several dresses were one disaster after another. One had a sharp dip in the cleavage that went past my navel, another sported puffy sleeves that belonged to an eighties prom dress. When Sehun had described the dress he was looking for, I pictured Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Not that I could ever reach that aspiring level of sophistication. From what I could gather, the attendants were thinking more along the lines of Rihanna at the Met Gala. My nightmare.

At the last dress, I decided that this entire process was useless and I’d had enough. I threw on the robe once I was out of the dress and stepped out of the dressing room. Sehun’s eyes raked me up and down, smirking.

“As much as I appreciate that look, I don’t think it’ll pass the dress code.”

“Shut up,” I growled, strolling right past him.

Nari’s eyes widened with terror at my sudden presence in the front of the store.

“Miss, is there something wrong?”

I gave her the side eye. “Yes. Those dresses are hideous, no offense. I think it’d be better if I just pick something out myself.”

Nari pursed her lips. “That’s not really–”

“Let her do it.” Sehun called from the dressing room.

With no other choice, Nari stepped aside so I could personally browse the racks. My arms ached only five minutes in from shoving the heavy bags aside to see the dresses inside. I was about to give up and tell Sehun that I would rather stay home when I found it.

“I’ll try this one on,” I smiled as I held it out.

Nari motioned for Soo Hee to take the dress down. Now invigorated, I followed her happily to the back. Sehun lifted a questioning eyebrow as we passed but said nothing. Without a single complaint, I disrobed and stepped into the dress.

It was a beautiful navy gown that complimented the auburn strands of my hair. A simple but elegant lace covered the top part of the dress that turned into short, off-the-shoulder sleeves wrapping around my upper arms. The A-line skirt fell comfortably on my hips and pooled out around my feet. The finishing touch was a slit ran up the left side and stopped mid-thigh. 

“This is it.” I grinned to the point of pain, too happy to have found such a prize. Soo Hee went to open the door, but I stopped her before the reveal could be ruined. “No. He can wait until Saturday to see it.”

Soo Hee chewed nervously on her bottom lip. Before she could protest out loud, I slipped out of the dress and began to pull on my jeans. She took a linen white bag out of a box on the other side of the room and zipped up the dress so only the tag was showing. I resisted the urge to check the price. I didn’t need that on my conscience.

Sehun stood up when we exited the room, frowning. “I don’t get to see it?”

“Nope,” I teased, popping my lips on the “p”.

He rolled his eyes but didn’t retort. Nari led us into another room off of the main entrance. The walls and counters glittered from the expensive jewelry that lined its cases. The very definition of a one-stop shop. 

I scoffed. “Seriously? This is way overboard for a few hours.”

“No, it’s not,” he countered. “If you show up without jewelry at the event, you’ll stick out and raise suspicion. Trust me, even if we vouch for you, you don’t want to catch the attention of this lot. They’re more paranoid than a jealous girlfriend.”

Rattling any of the other bosses was the last thing I wanted to do. 

I walked up to one of the counters and browsed through the different pieces. So many of the pieces were made of large, heavy diamonds that seemed impossible to exist. My neck and ears would have been killing me by the end of the night. Simple was better. Simple was me.

Tucked away in the corner of the middle case was a delicate silver necklace with a teardrop diamond hanging from its own chain. Practically the size of my thumbnail, the stone reflected the light in little rainbows. Matching earrings adorned either side of the display.

I bit down on the tip of my fingernail, too gleeful at the find. “I like that one.”

“Really?” Sehun questioned. “Why not this one?” He pointed to a large necklace that was two inches thick with alternating white and black diamonds and dangling silver points that stuck out every four jewels or so.

“I like this one,” I repeated. “It’s the simplest ones that are the most unassuming. Sometimes, they can really surprise you.”

A light shifted in Sehun’s eyes as he stared down at me. The corners of his lips were softly turned up and his face was inching closer to mine as he leaned against the glass. He whispered, “Yes. Yes, they certainly can.”

Almost on instinct, I my lips as my breath quickened. Sehun inched closer while I stayed put. Before he could turn blurry in my sight the girl placed a small bag on the counter, landing with a soft thump. The intrusion pulled us out of the trance. I coughed, nervously running my fingers through my hair.

I bounced my gaze on everything but Sehun as he paid for the dress and jewelry. The attendants opened the shop back up and carried the wares to the car, placing them carefully in the back seat.

“Well, that was an experience,” I admitted.

Sehun just smirked.

The smell of baking batter filled my nostrils and my stomach gurgled at the delicious scent. I searched up and down the street until I saw a little food stall a few blocks down. Turning to Sehun, I pulled on the sleeve of his coat.

“Before we go back, can we get some food?” I asked, coating the question with precious honey.

He was unmoved by my persuasion. “We have food back at the mansion.”

I grunted, annoyed. “But not amazing street food. Don’t you smell that?” I pointed at the stall. “It’s just right there. Please? This is the first time I’ve been out of the house in months.” As much as I hated the idea, I would pull out the aegyo and call him “oppa” if that meant he would agree.

To my relief, I didn’t need to go that far as Sehun sighed, pressing the button on his key fob to lock the car. I couldn’t hide my giddiness as we walked down the street to the food stall. Only a handful of people were in line when we reached it. The older man behind the cart wore a friendly smile when we approached and I watched eagerly as he made up the hottok.

Sehun pulled out a few won. “Honey or red bean paste?”

“Honey!” I answered. The man smiled at my excitement and handed two of the pancakes to Sehun. While he was distracted elsewhere, the man slipped me an extra cake, punctuating it with a wink. My snort caught Sehun’s attention. I quickly hid the additional cake behind my back, staring at him innocently.

“Why were you–” Sehun’s eyes grew wide and he pulled me away by my wrist into the closest alleyway. He kept me close with my chin digging into his chest.

“Sehun, what’s–”

“Shush.” He put a hand over my mouth to keep me from saying anything more. He leaned his head around the corner, careful to stay out of sight. A few minutes passed by before Sehun took hold of my hand again and ran down the sidewalk back to the car. He quickly ushered me into the seat and rounded the car to the driver’s side.

“Sehun, what is going on?” I asked as he started the engine.

“There were two cartel members walking our way,” he growled, peeling out of the parking spot. “I don’t think they noticed us, but I had to be sure. They never come into this part of town. That can’t be good. I have to get back to Junmyeon.” And with that, he raced down the road, speed limit be damned.