When Siwon decides to quit his job as a security guard at a five-star hotel, he does so because work has become stagnant, toxic, and boring. He doesn’t have any plans for his future other than that he wants to continue doing something in security, but he is happy with his decision. 

He hands in his resignation letter on a Wednesday, walking out of his boss’s office feeling light and ready to find other opportunities. He strolls down the halls, stopping by the hotel staff break room to bid some of his colleagues goodbye. 

“You quit?” one of his closest colleagues, Kwanghee asks when Siwon is finished bidding goodbye to the rest of the people in the room. 

“Yeah,” Siwon says, sticking his hands in his pockets. 

“Any plans for the future?” Kwanghee asks. Siwon shrugs. 

“Not really,” he mutters. “Find another security job?” Kwanghee nods, looking thoughtful. 

“You’ve been in the military, right?” he asks. 

“Yeah, the Marine Corps,” Siwon says. 

“Any other training?” Kwanghee continues, which is a strange line of questioning, but Siwon nods. 

“I did some stuff with the National Police Agency,” he says. He had also been in the National Intelligence Service, but that’s not something he can disclose. Kwanghee nods. 

“Here,” he says, pulling out his phone and typing something up quickly. “I sent you the contact information for the boss of a friend of mine. He’s much more private and personal in what he does, but he’s looking for some bodyguards for him and his husband. Pays really well too. If you’re interested in it, just send your resume to the email address I sent you and tell them you were referred by Shindong.”

Siwon checks his phone and there’s a message from Kwanghee with a name and email. 

“Dalnim,” Siwon reads. “That’s not his real name, is it?”

Kwanghee chuckles. 

“No,” he says. “What he does isn’t… strictly legal. So keep that in mind if you choose to apply.”

He gets up and pats Siwon on the shoulder as he goes to leave. 

“Good luck.”

⸺

Siwon initially brushes off the strange offer, especially given the tidbit of information Kwanghee had given him. He’s not particularly interested in a life of crime. But after a few weeks of unsuccessful job hunting, Siwon looks at the email and considers. 

He could apply. Just another job, right? And he can just check it out, it doesn’t mean he actually has to join. It’s been a few weeks anyway, the position might not even be open anymore. 

He sighs and pulls up his email, attaching his resume and typing in a brief introduction of himself. He remembers to mention his connection to Shindong at the end before sending the email off. 

When that’s finished, he closes his computer and heads off to bed. 

He wakes the next morning to a very brief email response from Dalnim. 

Siwon,

Thank you for your interest. I think you could be a good fit for the position. Please come to this address today at one for an in-person interview. Say your name at the gate to be taken to the interview. 

Dalnim

There’s an address at the end of the email that Siwon looks up. It’s a residential area in Seoul. It doesn't look suspicious or dangerous, so Siwon notes it down. 

It’s almost eleven, so he makes himself a quick lunch, gets dressed, and heads out. Better early than late. 

He arrives at the address given, which is a large mansion. It’s not the biggest building in the neighbourhood, but the entire area screams wealth. Siwon had quit his job at the hotel partially because of the wealthy guests and their attitudes, but it’s not fair to judge this before he’s actually had the interview.

He drives up to the gate and presses the button on the comm system.

"Hello, Lee Residence please state your business," comes a woman's voice over the line.

"Uh. My name is Siwon and I'm here for a job interview?" he says.

"Ah yes, we were expecting you. Please drive to the front door and someone will be there to you," she says. The com disconnects and the gate slides open a few seconds later. Siwon drives to the front door as instructed. He takes a few deep breaths before he turns off his car and enters the front door, which is already open for him.

“Hello, you’re Siwon?” asks the woman standing at the door.

“Yes,” Siwon says.

“Okay, Hyukjae is waiting for you in his office,” she says. “If you’ll follow me.”

She leads him to the back of the house, knocking on two large, double doors. 

“Hyukjae? Siwon is here for his interview," she says.

"Let him in," comes a muffled voice. The woman nods, opening one of the doors to let Siwon in. He steps into a grand office, with walls lined with bookshelves and a beautiful desk made of dark wood sitting in the centre.

Siwon meets the eyes of the man sitting behind the desk. He's quite an imposing figure, with his jet black hair purposely styled to look ruffled, wire-rimmed glasses, and an expensive-looking suit. He's clearly assessing Siwon, sharp, intelligent gaze scanning him.

"Thank you, Jessica," Hyukjae says, dismissing the woman. She closes the door, leaving Siwon alone with this intimidating man.

"Siwon, you're here for the bodyguard job, right?" Hyukjae says. "Who did you say recommended you again?"

"Uh, my colleague Kwanghee told me about the job. He said he's friends with Shindong," Siwon answers. Hyukjae nods and Siwon can glean absolutely nothing from the man's expression. 

"Have you done any personal bodyguard work before?" 

"Yes," Siwon says. "The hotel I worked at prior offered bodyguard services, so I would do it as requested."

"But no long term clients?" Hyukjae clarifies.

"No."

Hyukjae nods, looking thoughtful. He's about to speak again when the door swings open.

“Hyukjae?” 

Siwon tenses a little, scared of what a crime boss might do about being interrupted. He glances over at Hyukjae, who is actually smiling. 

“Come on in, love,” Hyukjae calls, and Siwon is completely lost. Love? 

A man dressed in an oversized sweater and pure white hair comes shuffling in. He looks sleepy like he had just woken up, and he breezes past Siwon without even looking at him. Siwon glances over at Hyukjae and is a little taken aback by the man's expression.

He doesn't think he's ever seen so much love on someone's face before. The hardened exterior has given way to an overwhelming fondness. Siwon watches as the man crosses the room, sitting down on Hyukjae's lap and burying his face into the crime boss's chest.

Siwon keeps waiting for something bad to happen, but Hyukjae simply chuckles, wrapping his arms around the unknown man.

"Donghae," he says quietly. "We have a guest."

Donghae lifts his head, glancing over at Siwon with wide eyes. Siwon can't help but notice that he’s very handsome in a gentle kind of way, with a sort of sweet innocence. 

"Siwon, this is my husband, Donghae," Hyukjae introduces. Siwon suddenly remembers that Kwanghee had mentioned a husband. Donghae isn't quite what Siwon had expected, though. "Donghae, this is Siwon. He might be your new bodyguard."

Donghae slides off of Hyukjae's lap and approaches Siwon. Now that he's standing in front of him, he can see that the man is quite short, more than half a head shorter than Siwon.

Donghae's puppy dog eyes seem to amplify as he tilts his head and then beams. He waves, half of his hand hidden behind the long sleeves of his sweater so that only just his fingers are visible.

"Hi," he says, his grin wide and eyes crinkling.

"Hi," Siwon says back, a little dazed. 

Precious. 

He feels his own protective instinct surging, like a parent seeing their child for the first time. It's a foreign feeling that washes over him so quickly, it almost knocks him over. 

“I’m going to go out to buy some new clothes for me and Hyukkie, are you coming with me then?” Donghae asks. Siwon nods, certain that he looks like a disaster. "I could get you something too."

Hyukjae chuckles and Siwon whips around.

"Like him already, love?" he says, looking amused.

"Yes," Donghae declares. "Are you coming?"

Siwon flounders a little, ultimately looking to Hyukjae to see what the man will say about the request. Hyukjae nods.

"If you want the job, this will be your trial run," Hyukjae says.

"Yes sir," Siwon says.

"You will be compensated for your time, of course. Let's start with a hundred dollars an hour, okay? If you get the job, we'll go from there."

Siwon blinks.

A hundred dollars an hour.

Had he heard that right? He isn't hearing things, Hyukjae had actually said a hundred dollars an hour, right?

Before he can question it, a small hand grabs his wrist and gently tugs him out the door.

"Hyukjae pays well," Donghae says as he leads Siwon down the hall. "A hundred dollars an hour is very low compared to how much he pays his actual employees. It's one of the ways he keeps people loyal. That and lots of benefits and treating everyone well. Hyukjae doesn't like to rule by fear."

Siwon nods. He's happy to hear that, especially if he's going to be working here. He's still a little stuck on the salary—his last job had paid twenty-five dollars an hour and he had thought that was pretty great. 

Donghae stops in front of the door and turns to him, finally letting go of his wrist.

"I'm going to get changed, you can wait here," he says. 

"Wait, should I—" Siwon starts, only to stop when Donghae smiles at him.

"There's no danger in the house," Donghae reassures. "Your job starts when we leave the house." 

Siwon nods, watching as Donghae slips into the room. He lingers awkwardly by the door, noting a few people who walk by—they all nod a polite hello to him, despite not knowing who he is. Siwon makes a note of their faces and standout features on habit, and a few minutes later, Donghae emerges.

He'd swapped the oversized sweater for a slim-fitting turtleneck and gelled his hair back. But the softness still remains, even with the new, polished clothing and hair.

"Hyukjae prefers that I dress up when I go out," Donghae says, pouting as he walks down the hall, Siwon trailing closely behind. "He says it makes me less of a target, which I don't get at all."

Siwon gets it. He definitely gets it.

Donghae leads them to a large garage, making a beeline for the last car in the row, a y white Porsche Taycan.

"Damn," Siwon can't help but mutter under his breath. Donghae looks over at him and he straightens as the man tilts his head.

"Do you want to drive?" he asks. Siwon's eyes widen and he shakes his head.

"I couldn't possibly," he says. Donghae frowns.

"Do you want to?" he repeats. Siwon sighs, not wanting to lie. He nods. Donghae's frown gives way to a smile. "Here. Have fun."

And with that, he puts the keys in Siwon's hands and climbs into the passenger seat. Siwon stares at the keys in his hand for a second before he looks back at the car.

This day is just getting stranger and stranger by the minute. When he'd woken up this morning, he never would have expected to be driving a car that cost more than a hundred thousand dollars for the human embodiment of a puppy. Who is also the husband of one of the ruling men of crime in Korea.

Yeah. He shouldn't think too hard about it or his brain might melt.

He sighs, closing his hand around the keys and getting into the passenger seat. He's about to start the car when he realizes: "This car doesn't need a key to start."

Donghae giggles.

"It's symbolic," he says, plucking the keys out of Siwon's hand. Siwon can't help but laugh as he starts the car and slowly drives out of the garage. The garage door and gate open when Siwon approaches it and it's a smooth path to the street.

The car drives beautifully, engine purring and the whole experience is smooth and beautiful. The whole car is a dream.

"Where are we going?" Siwon asks. 

"Lotte," he says. Siwon nods, correcting his course to head to the mall Donghae had directed him to. The other man fiddles with the entertainment system for a second and then Justin Beiber starts playing through the speaker. Donghae sits back, looking pleased.

As they get closer to the mall, Donghae peers out the window.

"I had originally wanted to go to Doota, but Hyukjae wants hi