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@shaxyzstuff
fic will appear
eventually...
Click here for My carrd ໒꒱ིྀ༝⁺ !! Click here to My masterlist ໒꒱ིྀ༝⁺ !! (Lastest update at 10 jul. 2026)
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You're so cool, i wanna be your friend but i am shy
Don't worry!! I'm shy too!! Let's be shy friends together! ❣️❣️
Wow i love you🥺🫶🫶
Wait... is this a confession or a proposal? I need to know if I should say 'me too' or 'I do' 🤭
(Haha just kidding, love you too! 🫶💖)
Is he VIRAL? - Boys next door's tracklist | 보이넥스도어 H.DM (TS)
— Boys next door's tracklist (series)
Track 4: VIRAL — Childhood friend!Taesan x reader
In Summary Boys tease because they like you’ - You scoffed. - That's why they are just 'boys', immature and annoying. Bullies are just mean people. No exceptions. - Especially the immature boy named Taesan, who never gets tired of teasing you. Even if he ends up crawling and hugging his knees in front of your house, he will-- Wait, what? Is he... crying??
Yearning!Taesan, Immature!Taesan, (cho-ding dongmin) + WC. 3.4K
If someone hired you to run a poll on "The Most Annoying Creature in the World," you would quickly jot down the name 'Han Taesan' from rank one to ten without a single doubt.
Adults or those innocent first-love theorists love to say, ‘If a boy teases you, it means he likes you’ — Hah, you let out a huge scoff in your mind at the cringe of that statement. Since knowing that guy from childhood through high school, you haven't seen him grow up with his age. He still acts like an annoying elementary school kid.
And his target every single time is 'you'.
You moved out of your house right after high school graduation to attend a university in another city for the past five years. You went back home occasionally during holidays, but not as often as your family visited your dorm in that city.
But now you've graduated. You looked up at the brown fence adorned with potted plants just the way your mom liked, a sight you hadn't seen in over four or five years. Your favorite medium-sized suitcase was carried through the door into a house filled with nostalgia and longing. The familiar scent of home eased the tension in your shoulders.
The house looks exactly the same.
You walked past the furniture and numerous cardboard boxes piled up in front of the house, waiting to be moved by the moving truck you had just called, and headed inside.
“Hey! You're back? Do you need some help?”
A kind voice from next door made you turn around. It was 'Riwoo', your neighbor and your mom's friend's son, whom your mom always compared you to because he was the perfect, sweet older brother.
You were about to decline, but Riwoo had already walked over, grabbed the suitcase you thought you could easily carry yourself, and breezed right into your house. So, your refusal turned into a thank you instead.
There was less furniture inside than you remembered, but some corners were still covered in a thick layer of dust waiting to be cleaned. Well... you were a fresh university graduate. Escaping back to hole up, organize things, and dust off your house in a familiar neighborhood was the best kind of rest before you started thinking about job hunting.
“I'll put the bag right here. It's pretty dusty. Want me to help you sweep and dust somewhere first?” Riwoo turned to ask with a warm smile.
“It's okay, Riwoo oppa. You've already helped enough.”
But your polite refusal seemed to fall on deaf ears. Riwoo started making himself at home (obviously, your mom probably welcomed him so warmly while you were gone that he was practically another son).
The casual conversation flowed naturally, comfortably catching up on the past while waiting for the others to return from grocery shopping, as Riwoo had mentioned.
Until it reached an irritating sentence.
“By the way, have you listened to the song that guy produced? It's really popular right now.”
You turned to look at Riwoo in confusion. Whose song?
“Taesan. He works as a producer now and just released a new track – wait, you didn't know?”
How would I know? I was practically *fxckin* dying from my senior project.
You just thought it in your head. Riwoo was too nice to speak to harshly.
“Let me play it for you—”
“No need. I want to concentrate.”
Riwoo paused before laughing again. Too bad, Taesan. Your nicotine isn't going to be that easy to get...
It seemed the adults' grocery run was taking longer than expected. Time passed until you and Riwoo finished packing up the stuff. You sat down on the empty sofa and turned on some random show to kill time.
The sound of the door opening made both of you turn, expecting it to be your mom or someone else. Not him.
Han Taesan.
He looked taller than five years ago, with hair long enough to cover his eyes.
Ripped trendy jeans and an oversized MCR band tee paired perfectly with those silver hoop earrings.
Hmm, it felt a bit unfamiliar. Maybe because your last memory of him was a high school kid in a strict uniform, complete with that signature teasing smirk whenever he successfully provoked you into cursing at him.
“Long time no see. Did you shrink? You're shorter than I remember.”
Wow, First words out of his mouth and he's already talking trash.
His dark eyes scanned you from head to toe before he let out a scoff in his throat.
“...” You took a deep breath, looking past Riwoo's shoulder to glare at the brat from House 605, who consistently maintained his concept of 'The Most Annoying Creature in the World'.
“I'm completely average height. You're the one whose brain never seems to grow along with your height,” you fired back instantly, rolling your eyes at the tall figure still standing at the door with a punchable face.
Taesan didn't flinch at your insult at all. The guy just chuckled in his throat before walking into the house with his hands in his pockets, acting entirely at home. He swept his gaze over the cardboard boxes piled on the floor before stopping in front of one marked 'Books' with a magic marker. It was so heavy that you and Riwoo had left it there, planning to slowly unpack it later.
“And what's this? Moving back to settle down permanently? Why'd you bring so much stuff, you fresh grad?” Taesan raised an eyebrow, lightly tapping the book box with the tip of his sneaker.
“That's stuff for moving out! And what's wrong with being a fresh grad, huh?!” you snapped, starting to feel a sudden headache coming on. You hadn't even been home for an hour. This guy was a premium life-energy vampire.
Riwoo, sitting next to you, let out a soft laugh at seeing the familiar psychological warfare start up again. “Come on now, you two just met. Taesan, stop teasing Y/N. Weren't you pacing around yesterday complaining that—”
“Hyung!” Taesan immediately interrupted, his voice cracking. The ear with the silver hoop earring started to turn a faint red, which you assumed was just because of the hot weather outside. “Who was complaining? Nobody! I just came over to see if Auntie was back yet. I'm starving to death here!”
You narrowed your eyes at his strangely flustered behavior, but you were too lazy to care. The tall figure walked closer before bending down to lift that incredibly heavy box of books as easily as if it were a box of soft clothes.
The muscles and veins on his arm under the oversized shirt bulged slightly from the effort, making you accidentally steal a glance before quickly jerking your eyes back to stare rapidly between the TV screen and the ceiling.
“It's so in the way. Where do you want me to put this?” he mumbled, but didn't put it down.
“Just pile it up in the back of the house for now,” you answered curtly.
“You're really good at bossing people around, considering your size,” Taesan muttered, but he obediently turned around and carried the box upstairs anyway.
You watched his broad back in that baggy MCR tee with an indescribable feeling... Okay, you could admit that he looked more grown-up (just physically), looking like a full-fledged man. Plus, he was frustratingly much stronger now, completely different from the scrawny kid five years ago.
But still, Han Taesan was still Han Taesan — a foul-mouthed creature and the most annoying person in the world to you anyway.
Dinner was a lavish spread thanks to your parents, Riwoo's mom, and Taesan's mom, who were all part of the same neighborly friend group. The adults had bustled around the kitchen with the groceries they just bought, and Riwoo had gone in to help, leaving you sitting dryly at the dining table... looking at the sealed boxes with a slight pang in your heart.
Five years away at college, and just when you came back, you had to see the house being emptied out like this.
“My mom said we're celebrating you coming home and also a farewell party - moving out?” Taesan asked flatly while leaning against the kitchen doorframe, hands still in his pockets.
“Yeah. The moving truck is coming early tomorrow morning, so I rushed back to help move the stuff.” You answered truthfully, keeping your head down to rummage through a box.
Taesan, who rarely kept his mouth shut, went silent. Those dark eyes that usually looked at you with playful annoyance wavered for a moment.
"...Moving where?" His voice dropped a bit lower than usual.
"Busan, probably. Somewhere in the suburbs. I heard the weather is nice," you replied offhandedly, without clarifying the subject of the sentence to specify 'who' was going.
"..."
But all you got in return was silence. Taesan just stood there staring at you blankly. His jaw clenched tight, and his eyes looked... empty? Or shocked? You couldn't read him either, before he abruptly turned on his heel and stormed out of your house without saying another word.
"What the hell is wrong with him? Is he so hungry he's gone crazy or what?" you muttered to yourself, staring after his broad back in confusion.
Before you could seek an answer for your curiosity, the mothers walked out of the kitchen carrying pots of soup and dishes of food.
“Oh, where did Dongmin go?” Taesan's mom asked when she noticed her son was missing from the gathering.
“He just walked out, Auntie. He suddenly gave me a stiff look and just walked away,” you immediately snitched.
“Oh my, what rude manners this kid has,” his mom sighed. “Whatever. He probably went back to work. Before we came over, I saw him looking stressed, wearing his headphones, and glued to his computer since morning.”
“Just let him be. A famous producer is bound to be busy,” your mom added with a smile while setting the table, before turning to you. “By the way, Y/N, have you listened to Taesan's new song yet? I heard it's really popular right now.”
You shook your head immediately. “Not yet, Mom. During my final project grind, I barely touched social media.”
Well, congratulations on the success... even if you still act like an immature brat.
You silently added the sentence in your mind.
“That's a shame...”
Riwoo's soft voice sounded along with a faint smile as he placed a plate of rice in front of you. “That song... Taesan really poured his heart into it. He gave it his all.”
You frowned at the boy-next-door's knowing smile in confusion... What was wrong with everyone today?
That night seemed to just pass by like that...
The weather was cool and comfortable, with rain drizzling outside. The familiar tranquility you hadn't felt in a long time kept you wide awake, even though it was past your usual bedtime.
You were scrolling through your phone in the dark of your bedroom, but suddenly the algorithm seemed to play some kind of joke.
A blue thumbnail with a song title below it, along with familiar names of the singer and producer, popped up on your screen. It made you click it without thinking.
Glancing at the view count, you could guess that this was the song mentioned at the dinner table.
You let the music flow through your earphones... After listening for a while, you understood why it was so famous. The guy was truly talented, passionate, and really produced great work.
But before the song could finish, the drizzling rain suddenly turned into a heavy downpour, the sound of raindrops hitting the window pane becoming loud and clear.
You paused, immediately taking off your earphones. Wait, what about the box of books me and Riwoo oppa left on the front porch? If the rain splashed in, all your high school textbooks would be completely soaked.
Panicking, you sprang out of bed, grabbed a cardigan to throw on, and practically ran downstairs. The darkness in the house didn't trip you up thanks to your familiarity with the place. Your small hand reached out to unlock and twist the front doorknob, pushing it open slightly to check the rain outside.
However... the sight before you wasn't just a wet cardboard box.
On the front steps, amidst the splashing rain that made the ground soaked, a tall figure in the same outfit from this evening was sitting hugging his knees, leaning against the wall. His broad shoulders were slumped, and his perfectly styled hair was now plastered flat against his usually arrogant face, which now looked utterly defeated.
Like a giant kitten abandoned by its owner in the middle of the rain.
"Han Taesan...?"
The owner of the name flinched violently before slowly looking up at you. The dim porch light revealed a face that usually held nothing but teasing annoyance... but now, those dark eyes were bloodshot red, and his pointy nose was flushed and bruised-looking, like someone who had just cried their eyes out.
Uh… let me rub my eyes and look again.
That Taesan was... crying????
“Um… do you want to come inside first?… Sitting in the rain like this probably isn't good.”
“You have to comfort me!” He glared at you, looking displeased — though he never seemed pleased with anything anyway.
“I don't even know what you're crying about, how am I supposed to comfort you? So, you have to tell me. And if you tell me while sitting in the rain like this, do you think I'll hear you clearly? How long do you think this story is going to take? By the time you're done, I'll probably have to visit you in the hospital with a fever.”
You ranted, but Taesan didn't seem to care, burying his face in his knees again.
You decided to step outside even without an umbrella to shield you from the rain. The teary-eyed cat in front of you glanced up, but showed no signs of getting up, just mumbling unintelligibly until you had to crouch down to listen closely.
“Why didn't you bring an umbrella? You're going to get sick.”
“What?”
“I asked—” His deep voice got swallowed down his throat when he looked up and realized you were much closer than he thought.
“Said what?”
“Move over.” Taesan used his hand to gently push your shoulder, but as you were about to lose your balance and fall, he reached out his other hand to grab your arm and steady you. “Be careful.”
“Then let's just go inside and talk properly. Why are you sitting in the rain?” You spoke while trying to use your strength to pull him up by the arm, but Taesan remained stubborn.
You started to frown, clicking your tongue in annoyance, ignoring Taesan's displeased expression.
“You don't have to care about me anymore. You're leaving anyway.”
...?
Huh?
“I'm just an immature kid who likes to tease, and no matter how I take care of you, or how nice I am to you, you still don't like me back.”
...???
“No matter how many songs I write for you, you never even listen to them.”
...?????
“Even though you ran away so far for five years, you were still the only thing in my head. I'm going crazy.” Taesan rambled on as if he was too tired to think anymore. “I just hoped the song I wrote would be talked about everywhere until it reached your ears, but it didn't turn out like that — I'm so frustrated I'm going crazy. I wanted you to cry and miss me, but I also didn't want you to cry or be in pain. I want you to be happy, but if you're happy without me, I'll probably just keep being sad like this...”
”Taesan…”
“I could sing until my voice goes hoarse just asking you to look back at me once, but it's useless now because you're already gone.”
You were starting to have trouble telling whether the liquid on the face in front of you was tears or raindrops, but your hands tried their best to wipe it away from Taesan's face.
Taesan tried to swat your hands away and pull back, rejecting the touch, his mouth still babbling things you couldn't decipher.
“Taesan, listen.”
“Forget it. Just forget it all. You're leaving tomorrow anyway.“
…?
”Leaving where? Listen to me, hey!“
”Busan!“
”I'm not going anywhere!“
…
It seemed raising your voice worked. Taesan froze completely, giving you a chance to continue.
”I'm not going anywhere. The ones moving out tomorrow are my parents — not me, you idiot!“
Silence enveloped the two of you, with only the sound of raindrops hitting the ground interrupting the space between you.
Taesan's sharp eyes widened. The tears that were just streaming down his cheeks seemed to stop abruptly. He blinked rapidly, looking back and forth between you and the front door. The tall figure who was just hugging his knees and crying his eyes out had turned into solid stone.
"Y... Your parents? Not you?"
"Yes! I told you I was staying to clear out the house. Who told you to jump to conclusions and cry your eyes out like a five-year-old kid?!"
Once the young producer's brain finished processing, his pale, cold face slowly flushed with color until his ears were bright red... and it spread all the way down his neck. Taesan immediately buried his face in his own arms, letting out a muffled curse over the sound of the rain.
"Dammit!!"
The utterly defeated and embarrassed state of the 'most annoying creature in the world' made you burst out laughing uncontrollably. All the anger and frustration you had vanished, leaving only pure fondness (and a bit of satisfaction) at seeing the giant cat in front of you so embarrassed he looked ready to dig a hole and hide.
You shook your head with a smile before reaching out to grab his arm again. "Get up right now, Han Taesan. Go inside and dry off. If you die of a fever on my front porch, I'm not taking responsibility for your song royalties."
This time, the tall figure obediently stood up at your pull, even though he was still hiding his face behind his sleeves in pure embarrassment.
Once inside, you threw a large towel over his head. Taesan took it and rubbed his hair roughly. His dark eyes peeked up at you standing there with your arms crossed. His soaking wet state was a far cry from the 'cool producer' image.
"So... you're really not going anywhere?" he asked again, his deep voice still a bit shaky.
"Yes, I already said so. How many times do you want me to repeat it?"
"And what I said just now..." Taesan mumbled, suddenly avoiding your gaze. His large hand ruffled the towel on his head awkwardly. "About... hoping the song would reach your ears..."
You pressed your lips together, holding back a smile until your cheeks hurt. "I'll try listening to it tomorrow. But if it's not as good as Riwoo oppa hyped it up to be, I'm going to roast you, just wait."
The downward curve of Taesan's lips slowly lifted bit by bit... until it turned into a wide, eye-crinkling smile. The exact same smile he used whenever he successfully pranked you. But this time, it looked so bright it was almost blinding.
"Get ready to be addicted to my song, dummy." He reached out a large hand, with the towel still draped over it, to ruffle your hair until it was a mess. His signature Han Taesan brand of annoyance was starting to possess him again. "Because from now on, I'm going to annoy the hell out of you until you can't run away anywhere ever again... Take responsibility for making me cry for nothing, will you?"
"Yah! Who made you cry? You made it all up in your own head, you idiot!" You lightly swatted his hand away, mumbling to yourself. "Immature kid..."
You turned your face away to hide the smile tugging at your lips, secretly clutching the left side of your chest where a certain organ was beating wildly out of rhythm.
...It seemed you had really caught this guy's virus after all.
A/N actually my fav song of album is dive…
Also... buy me a cheesecake here!
Oh... I didn't mean to publish hoc ch.2 but... it is what it is ig... anyway! Hope u guys enjoy it!!
Chapter 2: H.O.C | 보이넥스도어 M.JH
— Phantom Thief!Myung Jaehyun x Badass!Detective!Reader
In Summary
Young. Brilliant. Suspended. Now you’re hunting a criminal mastermind— who turns out to be a dramatic theater kid with no sense of time.
wc 2.5K
Tires screeched as the convoy (of definitely-not-police cars) slammed to a halt outside the gallery.
Y/N leaped out, gun drawn. She marched straight toward the security booth, flanked by Hanbin and Sohee. Jaehyun jogged far behind, looking like a consultant who had zero desire to risk his life.
"Open the gates! This is an emergency!"
You slapped the (forged) warrant against the glass.
The night-shift guard scrambled to put on his glasses, squinting at the paper in confusion. "Uh... Captain, the stamp looks... and the official hours are..."
"Are you questioning the Deputy Commissioner's signature?! Or do you just not respect the badge?!" Y/N roared, making the guard flinch. "If the criminals escape because you were too busy proofreading a piece of paper, I will personally charge you with obstruction of justice!"
The guard went pale. "S-Sorry! Unlocking the system now!"
Jaehyun, standing behind you, wiped away a very genuine drop of sweat.
Damn... she bluffed so hard the guy actually bought it.
The security lock disengaged. The light turned from red to green. The automatic doors slid open slowly...
Whoosh.
A blast of cold AC air hit your face... along with a strange, sinking intuition that someone had just slipped past you in the opposite direction.
"Sohee! Head to the control room! Pull the feeds from every CCTV camera, now!" you ordered sharply.
"Copy that!" Sohee split off down the hall.
"Hanbin, you're with me to the exhibition room. Jaehyun, you stay here. Or follow from a distance, just stay out of the line of fire!"
"Yes, Captain! Please be careful!" Jaehyun replied, pretending to nervously adjust his glasses again.
The exhibition room was far too "empty"—uncharacteristic of a flawless phantom thief.
The painting 'The Void' was gone, frame and all.
And on the velvet chair in the center of the room... lay a single King of Spades card.
It was immaculate. No creases, no smudges, as if it had just been pulled fresh from a sealed deck. No fingerprints, no signs of forced entry.
It was infuriatingly "perfect." The only flaw was the messy handwriting mocking you across the surface:
'Security Perfect? You're better than I thought, My Captain.' — King of Spades
You were sure you had been fast... but you were still one step behind him.
You snapped on a latex glove and picked up the card to drop it into an evidence bag. As the paper passed your face... a faint, strange scent brushed your nose.
It wasn't oil paint. It wasn't floor wax. It wasn't expensive cologne.
It was a scent that was... bizarrely familiar. But in the heat of the moment, your brain couldn't place it.
"Captain!" Sohee's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Thermal cameras picked something up! Someone's running up toward the roof on the right wing!"
"The right wing..." Jaehyun, who had quietly followed behind, yelled out. "The main staircase is over there! It's the widest path, the most logical way to transport a large painting!"
You were about to pivot right, following his advice, when your ears caught the faintest click-clack coming from the pitch-black hallway on the left.
Your instincts screamed instantly. That open path is a decoy!
"Hanbin! Go right!" you shouted. "I'm going left!"
"Wait, Captain!" Jaehyun yelled in panic, lunging forward to block you (but missing). "That left corridor connects to the main electrical room! The power is down, those doors are dead-locked! You can't open them! A thief wouldn't run into a dead end!"
Jaehyun's warning was entirely logical, and dripping with genuine concern.
But Y/N didn't care. She trusted her gut over a profiler's logic any day.
"If it's locked tight... then he can't escape either!"
You sprinted down the left corridor without looking back, leaving Jaehyun standing there with a hardened, stressed expression... before he quickly smoothed his features back into neutrality as he felt the other male officer's gaze on him.
Darkness swallowed the narrow hallway.
You chased the shadowy figure hauling a massive cylindrical painting tube.
"Stop!"
You raised your gun, aiming at the center of his back.
The figure glanced back. Ahead of him was a massive steel door... tightly shut due to the power outage.
Checkmate. A dead end.
"Drop the weapon and get on the ground!" you shouted, advancing slowly.
The shadow had nowhere to run. He backed up against the heavy door, his hand gripping the locked handle.
You saw the figure raise a hand to his right ear. And in the blink of an eye—
FLASH!
Every single spotlight in the corridor flared to life at maximum brightness simultaneously.
"Ugh!"
Y/N, whose eyes had completely adjusted to the dark, threw her hands up instinctively. The blinding light completely whited out her vision for a crucial second.
Clang!
The sound of the heavy steel door swinging open.
And just as your vision began to clear, the door slammed shut.
"Dammit!"
Gritting your teeth, you forced your eyes open against the glare and fired a blind warning shot at the door.
BANG!
The bullet ricocheted off the steel frame in a shower of sparks.
But the shadow was gone.
Y/N rushed to the door. Sitting perfectly on the threshold was a Jack of Clubs card.
It had a small scorch mark on the edge... from the bullet you had just fired.
"FUCK!!"
You screamed, kicking the steel door in sheer frustration.
So close... I was so damn close!
Jaehyun came panting down the hall, bending over and resting his hands on his knees behind you.
"Huff... Captain... Are you okay? The gunshot..."
He looked at the sealed door and feigned shock.
"Oh... the power just came back on? Wow... infernal timing."
Y/N whipped around to glare at him. Her eyes were still bloodshot from the blinding lights and sheer rage.
"Infernal timing...?" she said, her voice dripping with ice. "Or did someone deliberately turn on the lights so he could escape?"
Jaehyun flinched, looking thoroughly rattled.
"C-Come on, Captain... Who could possibly do that? The electrical system here is a mess... Besides, I was running right behind you the whole time." He gestured defensively, pleading his innocence.
Y/N stared him down.
Jaehyun genuinely looked exhausted. He was sweating, breathing heavily, and looked suitably spooked.
But the festering irritation in her chest made her want to blame everyone.
"Regroup," she ordered coldly, bending down to bag the scorched Jack. "They survived on dumb luck this time... But I won't miss again."
She shoved past Jaehyun, bumping his shoulder hard as she walked back the way they came. Jaehyun stumbled slightly from the impact.
But once your back was completely out of sight... he slowly straightened up.
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
His eyes lingered on the scorched Jack of Clubs swaying in your hand as you walked away.
He reached up, tapping his earpiece twice, before seamlessly shifting back into a jog to follow you.
The atmosphere in the exhibition room grew exponentially more tense when the actual host arrived, just minutes after midnight.
Shin Donghyuk, the real estate mogul and owner of the stolen painting, was red in the face, screaming at Hanbin and Sohee as they collected evidence.
"What kind of garbage police work is this?! My security is world-class, and you let a petty thief waltz in and steal my painting! Where is it?! Where is your damn search warrant?! Show it to me right now!"
Hanbin stood tall, trying to de-escalate calmly. "Sir, please calm down—"
"Don't tell me to calm down! I'll sue all of you! I'm taking this straight to the Police Chief!" Shin Donghyuk roared.
Y/N walked in just in time to realize the situation was going south. The 'fake' warrant was about to backfire spectacularly. (I mean, it wasn't entirely fake, right? You weren't 100% in the wrong here).
"Mr. Shin..." She stepped forward to intervene.
But before she could speak, Jaehyun suddenly stepped forward, hands casually in his pockets, blocking her path.
He smiled... but the smile didn't reach his eyes. It was a cold, freezing smirk—an expression he only allowed to slip because his team was standing behind him, out of sight.
"Mr. Shin..." Jaehyun's voice was quiet, but it resonated with chilling authority. "If I were you, I'd lower my voice."
"...Who the hell are you?"
"The person who knows you insured that painting for three times its actual value." Jaehyun leaned in, whispering so only the older man could hear.
"And I doubt your insurance company would be thrilled to learn that, to afford this 'Perfect Security' system, you fired your Head of Security last month to cut costs."
Shin Donghyuk went deathly pale. "H-How do you know..."
"I know a lot of things." Jaehyun's smirk widened. His dark eyes stared straight into the billionaire's, as if casually dissecting his soul. "Right now, the thief only stole a painting and your pride. But if you keep screaming for that warrant until the press catches wind... the next thing to vanish might be your company's stock price."
"..." Shin Donghyuk's jaw worked silently. He was completely speechless.
"Take your pick," Jaehyun offered pleasantly. "Let us quietly catch the thief, or keep yelling at us until your shares plummet?"
The old billionaire swallowed hard before aggressively turning away. "F-Fine! Just catch them! And make sure this doesn't leak to the press!"
With that, he stormed out of the room.
Silence fell over the room once more.
Sohee stared at Jaehyun, awestruck. "Whoa... Mr. Jaehyun, you totally shut that old guy down! How did you know about the insurance?"
Jaehyun spun around, flashing his usual goofy, harmless grin. "I guessed."
"Huh?!" Sohee squawked.
"...As if," Jaehyun shrugged, taking off his glasses to clean them.
"Did you notice, Captain? When he was screaming at Deputy Hanbin, his right hand never left his tie. And his eyes weren't looking at who he was yelling at; he was looking down and to the left."
"And?" You crossed your arms.
"In body language... adjusting the collar or tie is a Pacifying Behavior. People do it to self-soothe when they feel 'fear' or 'insecurity', not 'anger'. If he were genuinely furious about losing something he loved, his eyes would be bulging, and he'd be pointing fingers at our faces."
Jaehyun slipped his glasses back on, his eyes curving into happy crescents.
"Fear that outweighs anger... in billionaires, usually stems from one thing: the fear of a secret being exposed. I deduced that insurance fraud and cutting corners were his biggest nightmares. And bingo! I guessed right."
Y/N stared at him, a mixture of awe and heavy suspicion churning in her gut.
Is this man really just a psychologist? Such deep, specific insider knowledge... just from watching a man touch his tie? Or did he already know the facts before he walked in?…
Hanbin finished clearing the scene. Sohee took the unit's van and headed back first. It was exactly 1:00 AM.
Y/N sat in the passenger seat of her own car, with Hanbin insisting on driving.
"You're emotionally compromised. It's safer if I drive, Captain," he had declared stubbornly.
And in the backseat... sat Myung Jaehyun.
"I didn't bring my car tonight. Mind if I hitch a ride back to the precinct?" he had asked cheerfully, sliding into the back before anyone could say no.
She pulled out her phone. 15 missed calls from Jake.
Sighing, she called him back.
"Y/N! You brat! Finally picking up!" Jake yelled the second the line connected.
"Yeah, I know... I'm sorry," Y/N muttered, sounding exhausted.
"Do you know I almost had a heart attack?! Dispatch called to verify the emergency warrant! I had to lie through my teeth! If Grandpa finds out, he's going to kick my ass! ...And if my dad finds out, I'm losing my badge!"
"Thanks..."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever... Did you catch them? H.O.C.?"
Y/N went silent. She looked out the window, catching the reflection of Jaehyun in the glass. He appeared to be fast asleep in the backseat, looking dead to the world.
"No... They slipped through my fingers."
"..." Jake paused. "It's okay. Treat it as a learning experience. Be careful out there, Y/N. These aren't your average thieves."
"Yeah... I'll hang up now."
Y/N put her phone down and glanced up at the rearview mirror.
And in that split second...
Jaehyun, who she thought was asleep, was staring right back.
His dark eyes locked onto hers through the mirror... still, profound, and utterly unreadable.
Y/N didn't say a word. She quickly looked away, staring straight ahead at the dark road.
A chilling thought crept into her mind. In this game of cat and mouse...
The mouse might be sitting much closer than she thought.
[ 2:30 AM – D.A.R.T Headquarters ]
The blinding neon lights of the precinct were painfully bright, contrasting sharply with the heavy, suffocating mood hanging over the room.
You led the team in, your footsteps heavy and fast. You ripped off your jacket and slammed it over the back of your chair.
Smack!
No one dared to speak.
Even with white-hot rage pulsing through your veins, your legal mind was already calculating three steps ahead. You grabbed the pen and aggressively filled out the Log Book, intentionally classifying the recovered Jack of Clubs not as a product of the premises search, but as 'abandoned property recovered from a public escape route during pursuit.' It was a flawless exploitation of the Plain View Doctrine—rendering the evidence legally pristine and completely bypassing the tainted nature of the warrant you had used to get inside.
You slapped the ziplock bag onto the counter, leaving it for the bewildered night duty officer, and walked out of the room without a single word of goodbye.
The elevator doors slid shut, leaving a stifling silence in their wake.
Lieutenant Lee Sohee was the first to move.
He tossed his tablet onto his desk without a care and slung his worn-out backpack over his shoulder.
"I'm heading out."
He stated it flatly, entirely in character for a tech genius who couldn't care less about office politics.
"Wait, Sohee..." Hanbin called out. "Aren't you going to stay and help draft the preliminary report? Or check the footage..."
"Waste of time, Deputy." Sohee replied without even looking back, hands shoved deep into his pockets. "The digital footprint in a 1-kilometer radius was wiped clean. The footage was scrubbed and looped perfectly."
Sohee adjusted his straps. "I'll try to recover it at home. The machines here are too damn slow." He finally threw Hanbin a look of pure boredom. "Besides... my contract explicitly states I only work official hours, or 'as necessary'. And right now... it's no longer necessary."
With that, the young hacker—who had once breached military satellites just for fun—whistled a tune and strolled out the door, leaving the mountain of paperwork to the remaining two.
Only Sung Hanbin and Myung Jaehyun were left.
Hanbin let out a long, heavy sigh, loosening his collar. He looked at the door where the others had disappeared, then at the towering piles of files on the desks. Finally, his gaze landed on the last remaining member.
"Mr. Jaehyun," Hanbin said evenly. "You can head home too. I'll clear up the paperwork and log the state property."
Jaehyun, who had clearly been waiting for an excuse to bolt, nodded with a soft, polite smile.
"Thank you, Deputy Sung... I'll be taking my leave, then."
Jaehyun gave a small, respectful bow before turning around. He slipped his hands into his pockets and strolled toward the exit, looking entirely relaxed, as if the massive failure of the night hadn't affected him in the slightest.
Hanbin stood perfectly still, one hand resting on a stack of files.
But his sharp eyes weren't looking at the documents.
He was staring intently at Jaehyun's broad back as the man walked away.
Hanbin's eyebrows knitted together ever so slightly.
He didn't say a word. He just stood there, watching, until Jaehyun's figure disappeared down the hall.
Until the door completely shut behind him.
Chapter 1: H.O.C | 보이넥스도어 M.JH
— Phantom Thief!Myung Jaehyun x Badass!Detective!Reader
In Summary
Young. Brilliant. Suspended. Now you’re hunting a criminal mastermind— who turns out to be a dramatic theater kid with no sense of time.
Wc 2.4K
The atmosphere inside the bulletproof glass room—newly designated as the headquarters for the special task force created to handle the city's latest criminal syndicate—was so dead silent you could hear the hum of the AC. Only three young men sat at their desks, waiting for the arrival of their 'final piece'.
Captain Sung Hanbin (32), the Senior Deputy Team Leader, sat ramrod straight, checking his watch with a stoic expression. He was a model cop from the 1st Investigation Team, a former squad leader who had been urgently transferred here with the direct signature of the Deputy Commissioner.
Special Agent Lieutenant Lee Sohee (30), the baby-faced cyber genius, was spinning in his chair. A former agent from Jungwon's legendary division, praised for his unmatched hacking skills, he was currently chewing gum and blowing bubbles out of sheer boredom.
And then there was the Special Consultant, Myung Jaehyun (30).
He was practically buried behind a stack of psychology books taller than the "Special Consultant" nameplate on his desk. Wearing thick-rimmed glasses that kept sliding down his nose, he absentmindedly spun a pen in one hand while the other precariously balanced a latte that looked seconds away from spilling over.
"Statistically speaking..." A deep voice broke the silence. Jaehyun looked up from his book, pushing his glasses back into place. "The probability of a 27-year-old being appointed as a team leader in the Korean police force is exactly 0.02%... Fascinating, really."
Hanbin shot him a side-glance. "Age doesn't matter as much as capability, Mr. Jaehyun."
"Oh, absolutely..." Jaehyun nodded earnestly, his eyes wide and innocent. "Theories suggest that geniuses often reveal themselves in their youth. But I just read in her file... that the reason for her transfer was 'Impulsive Behavior' during her last case."
He offered a dry smile, flipping open the folder in front of him. "The Young Ace of the CIB... who stormed in alone to catch H.O.C. but ended up grasping at thin air. In behavioral science, wouldn't we call that a 'Hero Complex'?"
"She didn't mess up," Hanbin defended her firmly. "She cracked the code even before Agent Sohee's intelligence unit did. The authorization order was just too slow."
"Oh! My apologies." Jaehyun quickly raised his hands in surrender, looking as flustered as a scolded schoolboy. "I was merely analyzing the available data... Please don't be mad, Deputy. Heh."
"So, does your data happen to mention... that your Team Leader has been standing behind you for the past five minutes?"
The cold, flat voice of the newcomer dropped the already quiet room's temperature below freezing.
The meeting room door was propped open. Y/N, dressed in practical, tactical gear with a file folder in hand, stepped in. Her sharp gaze swept over the team members one by one.
Instinctively, Hanbin and Sohee shot up from their seats to salute.
As for Jaehyun... he flinched so hard he knocked over his towering stack of psychology books with a loud crash.
"A-Ah! Oops! I'm sorry! I... uh... Hello, Captain!" He scrambled to pick up the books, his glasses knocked completely askew, looking far more pathetic than intimidating.
Y/N let out a soft sigh. Her beautiful face remained impassive, but her eyes were fierce. She slammed a cardboard box of her personal belongings onto the Captain's desk. Thud!
Captain Y/N scanned her team—all of whom were her "seniors" in age.
Hanbin stood tall. "Captain Sung Hanbin, reporting for duty."
Sohee hurriedly stopped chewing his gum and stood up awkwardly. "Uh... Lieutenant Lee Sohee."
Only Jaehyun remained seated, legs crossed, flashing her a sickeningly sweet smile.
"A pleasure to work with you... Captain."
Jaehyun glanced at her cardboard box, which was overflowing with crumpled documents and stray lipsticks. He pushed up his glasses and casually remarked,
"In behavioral psychology... a 'Disorganized Space, Organized Mind' is a strong indicator of high IQ."
Y/N paused, turning to glare at him. "Are you complimenting me or insulting me?"
Jaehyun beamed. "Complimenting, of course. However... people of this type often have a weak point when it comes to Impulse Control. Judging by the creases on your documents, which were clearly 'crushed' rather than 'folded'... I'm guessing you just lost your temper with the ID scanner downstairs?"
Y/N's jaw dropped slightly.
"How did you know?"
"There's a piece of laminated plastic... stuck to the hem of your shirt. Guess you gripped your card a bit too tight."
You let out an exasperated breath, shoving the messy pile of files and your favorite bag out of the way before sizing up your three new subordinates.
And finally... Myung Jaehyun. A criminal behavioral analyst on a special contract. The sole civilian on the team. Nerdy, timid, thick glasses.
"Whatever. Take your seats, we don't have much time." She slammed her file onto the table. "Lieutenant Sohee, connect the data from the latest case to the main screen."
"Copy that!" Sohee quickly swallowed his gum (or spat it out, who knows) and let his fingers fly across the keyboard. "Pulling data from the main server now... Wait, huh?"
The young hacker's fingers froze.
Suddenly, the cooling fans of the computers roared to life like jet engines preparing for takeoff. The lights in the room flickered violently.
"Wait... why are the files—"
Zzzt!
The room plunged into pitch darkness for a split second, before a harsh, blood-red light emanated from the giant monitor in the center of the room.
"What the hell is this?!" Lieutenant Sohee jumped back to the control panel, almost choking on nothing. "There's an interfering signal in the main server! It's not a hack... it's a broadcast being sent through the police department's public channel!"
The screen faded to black before an image of a Joker card appeared. White text slowly typed itself out, like a scene from an old spy movie.
Subject: An Invitation to the Feast To: The newly formed D.A.R.T.
The past twenty-five dishes... were merely an Amuse-bouche to awaken the senses. Now, the true tasting menu begins. In this banquet of illusions... Watch closely as 'The Void' opens its jaws to swallow 'Perfection' whole, To fill the starving stomach of justice. A warning to the spotlight-hungry hunters... Mind your table manners. Do not fill up before the clock strikes midnight. :-)
Bon Appétit. - The House of Cards
"Dammit! They hacked straight into our meeting room?!" Sohee yelled, clutching his chest.
Hanbin scowled deeply. "The void... Perfection... What kind of theatrical code is this?"
Amidst the panic, Y/N scanned the message just once. Her brain processed the information faster than a supercomputer.
"French..."
Jaehyun's deep voice interrupted her train of thought. He adjusted his glasses, staring at the screen with an unreadable smirk.
"Amuse-bouche and Feast... In criminal psychology, subjects with Grandiosity often view their crimes as art. Comparing their last 25 heists to 'palate cleansers' means their target wasn't the stolen assets. It was a system test..."
Jaehyun turned to meet your eyes, his gaze sparkling as if he were tossing you a ball.
"...And right now, they are starving. They want the most 'perfect' main course."
"It's not just the system that's perfect."
Y/N fired back immediately. She walked to the conference table and slammed her hand onto a map of Seoul.
"The past 25 cases? H.O.C. only targeted low-level corrupt politicians and black-market dealers. But there's one group they haven't touched yet. The ones who claim to be the most 'spotless and perfect'."
You turned, barking orders.
"Lieutenant Sohee! Search for the main sponsors of any major events in Seoul tomorrow that have the words 'Perfect' or 'Security' in their slogans. Now."
Sohee jumped. "Yes, Ma'am! Right away!" His fingers blurred over the keys.
"Found it... The 30th Anniversary Gala of the National Art Gallery. The slogan is 'Security Perfected: The Unbreakable Night'... hosted by Shin Donghyuk."
"Shin Donghyuk?" Hanbin repeated. "The real estate billionaire who just beat a money laundering charge last month?"
"That's our main course." Y/N smirked.
"And the highlight of tomorrow's event is a newly discovered, mysterious black painting..." You pulled a King of Spades card with scribbled handwriting from your pocket, holding it up for the team to see.
"'Case 26 - The Void'... That matches the name of the painting perfectly."
Jaehyun whistled softly. "Bingo. Excellent deductive reasoning, Captain."
"I'm not done."
Y/N didn't smile at the compliment. Her eyes were locked on the final line of the email.
Do not fill up before the clock strikes midnight.
"Midnight..." you muttered. "The gala starts tomorrow at 7 PM. The auction ends at 11:30 PM. Nothing on the itinerary drags on until midnight."
"Could it mean the after-party?" Hanbin suggested.
"No..." You shook your head slowly, a chilling realization washing over you.
"For perfectionists... timing is everything. If the event is tomorrow evening, a warning about 'midnight' makes no sense. Unless..."
You snapped your head up to look at the digital clock on the wall.
[ 23:45 ]
Your eyes widened.
"The main course isn't being served at tomorrow's banquet... It's being served tonight. At midnight!"
"What?!" Sohee shrieked. "That's in 15 minutes?!"
"They're going to break in and steal the painting before the gala even starts. They want to humiliate Shin Donghyuk—to prove his 'perfect security' was broken before the doors even opened!"
Y/N slammed the table. "Lieutenant Sohee, gear up! Deputy Hanbin, get the car! We're heading to the gallery right now!"
"Wait, Captain!" Hanbin blocked your path. "We don't have a search warrant! Raiding a private property after hours without a warrant means we'll be sued for trespassing, and any evidence we find will be inadmissible in court!"
"Dammit!" you cursed loudly.
Getting a standard warrant would take a day, or tomorrow morning at the earliest.
Jaehyun sat back, watching the chaos unfold with calm detachment. He discreetly glanced at his wristwatch... 14 minutes. If the cops were any slower, Taesan's plan would go off without a hitch.
"I have no other choice..."
Y/N yanked out her phone and dialed the only person she could rely on in an emergency (especially a late-night one).
"Yeeesss...?" The groggy voice of Major Shim Jaeyun—Jake, your close senior (and the Police Chief's grandson) who valued his early bedtime above all else—answered.
"Jake! Wake up right now! I need a search warrant, fastest in the world!"
"Huh? Y/N?" Jake mumbled. "Right now? It's 11:45 PM... The courts closed at 4 PM, you menace."
"I know! But if I don't get a warrant right now, D.A.R.T. is finished! Are you really going to let your favorite junior get fired and end up homeless on the streets?!" You laid the drama on thick, your voice trembling perfectly.
Jaehyun, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow. Oscar-worthy performance.
"Stop being dramatic..." Jake sighed heavily. "I really can't help you, the system is locked. But... you know..." His voice dropped, sounding like he was sleep-talking.
"The night-shift admin clerks... are incredibly lazy. If they see a stamp and a signature that looks official enough, they usually just scan it through without reading the details. Especially this late..."
Your eyes instantly lit up. A sly smirk crept onto your lips.
"Are you saying... if the document looks credible enough, it's a green light?"
"I didn't say that! I'm just complaining out loud!" Jake panicked, catching your tone. "Forging official documents is a felony, Y/N! Don't you dare!"
"Thanks, bro! Love you the most!"
Beep! You hung up before he could scream at you.
"No other choice, then..."
Y/N turned back to her team with a look of pure determination.
"Deputy Sung..."
Y/N walked over to the man standing stiffly with his arms crossed.
"You used to be the leader of Investigation Team 1, and you're the Deputy Commissioner's golden boy, right?"
Hanbin raised an eyebrow. Despite being 32 and sharing the same rank as you, playing 'second-in-command' to a 27-year-old was definitely not his ideal career path.
"Yes... He signed my transfer order here, and I respect him immensely." He answered politely, but with the rigid boundary expected of a 'Golden Boy' who played strictly by the rules.
"Good." Y/N grinned brightly. She marched over to her desk, rummaged through a drawer, and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
"Then you must know his signature perfectly."
She held it up. It was a Blank Special Operation Authorization Form... complete with the Deputy Commissioner's official stamp and signature at the bottom!
Hanbin's eyes bulged. "That's... the Deputy Commissioner's signature?! How did you get that, Captain?!"
"Oh, you know..." Y/N shrugged, quickly scribbling details into the blank spaces. "I went into his office the other day to complain about my suspension. He was ranting about wanting 'people who work fast and skip the stupid procedures'... So I took the liberty of swiping this from his desk while he turned around to make coffee."
"That's theft! And forgery of official documents!" Hanbin turned pale.
"I call it being prepared!" you argued shamelessly. "He adores me. He'd be thrilled I'm using this to catch criminals instead of letting it collect dust. Plus, if we get the painting back tonight, he takes all the credit. Win-win."
You shoved the forged document into Hanbin's shaking hands.
"Here... your VIP pass. I'm counting on you, golden boy. Shove this in the gallery security's face for me."
Hanbin held the paper like it was radioactive. He looked like he wanted to argue, like a good cop should, but seeing your unwavering determination (and knowing the thief would escape if they didn't move now), he let out a defeated sigh.
"Understood... But let me warn you. If the Deputy Commissioner finds out, I am not covering for you. I'm not going down for a disciplinary hearing."
"Don't worry about it!" You patted his shoulder far too casually. "If he throws a fit, I'll just go complain to my grandpa—I mean! I'll ask the Senior Advisor to sort it out."
Hanbin froze. He heard that slip-up loud and clear, but wisely chose not to comment.
After all... everyone knew who the new Captain's family was.
"Let's move!"
You bolted out the door. Sohee grabbed his laptop and sprinted after you.
Jaehyun, lingering in the back, pretended to adjust his tie. His sharp eyes scanned the room to ensure he was alone before he pulled out a sleek smartphone, typing a message at lightning speed.
To: Ace (A) Message: "The Dealer called. Dinner is served early. Cut the deck... NOW."
He locked the screen, slipped the phone into his suit pocket, and instantly shifted his expression back to that of a 'panicked profiler', awkwardly jogging after the team.
"W-Wait for me, Captain! I almost tripped over a wire!"
A/N
Welcome to Chapter 1! Let me know what you think of Jaehyun's "profiler" and our Captain's patience running dangerously thin! Tell me who you think the other cards in the deck are!
Your favorite song of AOTY!!: HOME
Home 🏡
06070
VIRAL (title)
Ddok ddok ddok (ddok-ssam ssi)
ADIOS!
Upside Down
DIVE
Forever You (기억해 줘)
I wonder
I wonder, always
Pilot Chapter: H.O.C | 보이넥스도어 M.JH
— Myung Jaehyun x reader
In Summary
Young. Brilliant. Suspended. Now you’re hunting a criminal mastermind— who turns out to be a dramatic theater kid with no sense of time.
Action, Comedy, Enemies to Lovers, Workplace AU (Cyberpunk/Modern Bureaucracy vibes), Fake Nerd, Dual Identity, Cat and Mouse game.
Warnings: Workaholism, destruction of government property, Y/N being a absolute menace to society, Jaehyun failing to be a suave criminal master, excessive swearing.
A/N
This is just a pilot chapter to see if you guys are vibing with this! If this gets enough love (likes/reblogs/comments), I’ll definitely turn it into a full multi-chapter series. Let me know what you think of this chaotic dynamic, and tell me who you think the other cards in the deck are! 😉🎭✨ Taglist is OPEN—let me know if you want to be tagged for future updates!
WC. 2.7K
The clock on the luxury dashboard read 10:00 AM.
Now, that was considerably late for any decent, law-abiding civil servant expected to clock in on time. But for you? Honestly, the fact that you even showed up was a miracle in itself.
You aggressively scooped your belongings—mostly documents, more documents, even more documents, and oh, a single lipstick—and shoved them into your expensive Jane Birkin bag. It was so criminally overstuffed it had completely lost its shape. Clutching the abused luxury leather, you marched into the police headquarters like a woman on a mission.
The passing glances from your colleagues followed you, but you couldn't care less. Your eyes were locked entirely on your sole destination: the gleaming silver elevator doors.
Beep! Beep!
ACCESS DENIED
The flashing red text on the digital scanner after you swiped your ID card made your eyebrow twitch violently.
As someone who practically worshipped speed, despised delays, and refused to waste a single second of her life—this exact scenario was profoundly, deeply irritating.
Before you could get yourself court-martialed for destroying government property (an offense you’d committed more times than you’d care to admit) or for assaulting a security guard (a crime you hadn't tried yet, but were highly considering), the expensive smartphone crammed into your back pocket vibrated, violently interrupting your incoming villain arc.
Incoming Call: 'Jungwon (HWK)'
"What" you snapped into the receiver.
The person on the other end immediately picked up on your murderous tone. And that, in turn, was also annoying.
"Whoa, easy there, tiger," Jungwon’s voice crackled through the line, sounding entirely too cheerful for your current mood. "Your badge got flagged because of the transfer order."
"Are you messing with me? Am I supposed to parkour up the balcony or something?"
"I’m just stating facts, chief. Please don't smash any state property just yet. Come up to the 15th floor... I’ve got something shiny to show you."
You let out an irritated sigh, bluntly hanging up on your 'best friend' since academy days without a shred of remorse. Still, your thumb aggressively punched the button for the 15th floor anyway.
You could feel the burning stares of the uniformed officers around you, but frankly, it was just a regular Tuesday for you. It wasn't every day people got to look at a Captain who broke the record as the youngest officer to reach the rank in police history. A literal top-of-the-class prodigy from the Police University, scoring straight A's in both theory and field tactics, a sharpshooter with deadly precision, and a hand-to-hand combat expert who made certified instructors cry for mercy.
Ah... well, just exclude the police ethics department from your resume. Come on, everyone has flaws. You can't expect a person to be a perfect saint, can you?
The elevator dinged and slid open on the 15th floor of the National Police Headquarters. This was the restricted zone of the Intelligence Division, colloquially known as Hawkeye. The atmosphere here was deathly quiet, as if it existed in a completely different dimension. You strutted down the hallway, your heels clicking sharply against the floor as you headed toward the deepest, most familiar office.
Yang Jungwon—your dear best friend—was casually spinning in his ergonomic chair in front of a gargantuan control panel, the blue glow of the servers reflecting off his glasses.
Ugh. Absolutely insufferable.
"Take a seat, Director," Jungwon said, rolling a chair toward you. "How was your one-week suspension? Word on the street is that the Senior Advisor Shim had to practically fist-fight the board of directors just to keep you from getting fired."
"Don't call it a suspension. Call it what it is: administrative archiving."
You threw yourself into the chair, crossing your legs with an irritated huff.
"The old man is just terrified of staining our prestigious, multi-generational police bloodline. Charges like 'excessive use of force' and 'destruction of government property' don't exactly look great on his favorite granddaughter’s record."
"Hey, but in exchange for bringing back a Black Box-level piece of evidence? I’d say it was worth it." Jungwon chuckled softly, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
"Your little stunt at the Incheon port last week forced the higher-ups to finally greenlight the D.A.R.T. unit... Even if, realistically, they only built it to serve as a living graveyard for all the HR nightmares they can't legally fire."
The massive screen in the center of the room flickered to life, transitioning from pitch black to a stark, ominous red. The data displayed on it, however, was so laughably empty it was almost depressing.
"Cut to the chase, Jungwon," you muttered. "Is this seriously all we have on these bastards?"
The screen was literally just a sea of question marks (?).
Right beside them was the crest that the entire police force utterly loathed, yet the public worshiped like they were some kind of modern Robin Hoods.
THE HOUSE OF CARDS (H.O.C.)
You raised an eyebrow at the screen, surveying the total lack of identifying information. "Name? Age? Nationality? Number of operatives?"
"Zero. NADA," Jungwon sighed, spinning his chair back to face you. "We know absolutely nothing about them. For the past two years, we haven't even figured out how many members H.O.C. actually has. Five? Ten? Or maybe it's just one incredibly cracked hacker doing everything by himself. Who knows."
Wonderful.
A briefing where we officially learned absolutely nothing.
"Okay, then what's the deal with these cards?" You pointed at the graphic of six playing cards lined up on the monitor.
"Ah, that is the single thing they deliberately leave behind for us to admire," Jungwon explained, zooming in on the cards. "Every time they pull off a heist, they leave exactly one card at the crime scene. The Behavioral Analysis Unit has formulated a 'hypothesis' that each card represents a specific member with a distinct role. Mind you, this is strictly a theory. Emphasizing on theory."
Jungwon clicked a remote, and the screen displayed the categories the police had basically guessed.
"The Joker."
The monitor shifted to show a bank's mainframe completely corrupted by a laughing clown virus.
"Any case where the system gets breached or data mysteriously vanishes into thin air, we find this card. We’ve never seen a face. Could be a solo hacker, could be a whole team of elite programmers. Your guess is as good as mine."
"Or maybe our cyber crimes division is just incompetent."
"Watch your mouth."
You shrugged, gesturing for him to move to the next slide. Jungwon took a deep breath, swallowing his annoyance before continuing.
"Next, the Jack of Clubs."
A blurry CCTV footage played, showing nothing but a fleeting, lightning-fast shadow.
"The Jack. Appears in high-casualty, brute-force breaches. No one has ever seen their actual face. Cameras only catch a blur, or a figure clad in pitch-black gear that defies all tactical profiling. Some say it's a ninja, others swear it's Spider-Man."
"Please, that is so cringe. It’s literally just some kid who's good at parkour jumping across roofs."
The faint hum of the projector fan filled the silent room after your remark.
"You have zero appreciation for the arts," Jungwon muttered. "Moving on, the King of Hearts."
You averted your gaze from the screen, tapping your fingers impatiently against the desk.
"The King of Hearts... left behind in high-profile corporate espionage and witness manipulation cases. The suspect always utilizes a different, perfectly forged identity. Oh, and it's always left with a fresh red rose. The street cops playfully call him 'Lupin'—hey, focus please."
You snapped your attention back at your friend’s sharp reprimand. The screen was now displaying a beautifully vibrant rose and the King of Hearts card, cutting between static-filled CCTV clips that glitched out every single time a specific man walked past.
"Is that static the Joker's doing too?"
"Highly probable, but unconfirmed."
You jutted out your lower lip, nodding slowly.
"The Ace of Spades and the King of Diamonds," Jungwon paused for a fraction of a second before pushing through. "The Ace is found in sophisticated extortion letters outlining intricate blueprints, while the King of Diamonds is always left next to massive stacks of cash left behind at the scene. So, our working theory is that they are the Brains and the Financier. And... yep, that's it. That's the grand total of our intel."
"So, to summarize... we are fighting ghosts with fancy code names?" You let out a bitter, mocking laugh. "No wonder the cases haven't moved an inch."
"There is exactly one exception..." Jungwon’s tone dropped, becoming deadly serious as he hit the final button. "There is one member we are 100% sure exists. Because he is the only one arrogant enough to actually show his face on camera."
The screen flashed, displaying the single high-definition photograph in the entire database.
It was a tall, lean young man clad in an exquisite, pearl-white tuxedo embroidered with intricate gold threading. His collar was adorned with layered, luxurious fabric, topped off with a white top hat and a matching cape that billowed dramatically in the wind.
His face was obscured by an elegant, ornate Venetian masquerade half-mask.
He was standing on the precipice of a skyscraper, bathed in the silver moonlight, one hand resting on a sleek cane while the other effortlessly twirled a playing card between his fingers.
"The King of Spades."
"The big boss... or as the media loves to call him, 'The White Prince of Spades'."
Jungwon stared at the image with a mixture of awe and sheer frustration.
"This guy acts like he walked straight out of a comic book. A phantom thief who literally performs magic tricks in front of the police. He steals priceless artifacts right under the noses of hundreds of guards without breaking a sweat. At the diamond auction last year, he materialized on stage out of nowhere. The lights went out for exactly eight seconds, and when they came back on, both he and the diamond were gone."
"That show-off piece of garbage..." You hissed through gritted teeth.
"Exactly. The only idiot who willingly sticks his head out to flex, wearing a blinding white outfit like he’s terrified people won't notice him," Jungwon added, making a disgusted face. "And he is the sole reason you got slapped with an 'assaulting a fellow officer' charge, because you literally elbowed the desk sergeant in the face just to steal the car keys and chase him down."
"Well, it's his fault for blocking my way!" You retorted instantly. "He was rambling on and on about protocol and paperwork while the thief was actively making his getaway!"
"So you stole a department vehicle? Drove out alone? No warrant? No backup? ...You are completely insane. If I hadn't bypassed the city cameras to map out your route, or if Wonyoung hadn't distracted the coast guard, you would’ve drowned in that harbor and died a week ago." Jungwon aggressively ran a hand through his hair.
"Watch your mouth, Jungwon."
Jungwon shrugged, deliberately looking away from you. "Sure, sure, Miss Elite Prodigy. Punching your co-workers just to chase a criminal. No wonder you got demoted." He shook his head.
"Do you even know what actually happened that night?!"
"Of course I do! I was the one watching your bodycam feed!"
11:00 PM (A little over an hour before the police's estimated timeline), Last Week.
The faint, metallic clinking of chains echoed softly through the night.
You slipped stealthily between the towering shipping containers, moving like a shadow. No backup. Just you, your service pistol, and a raw instinct telling you—they are here.
And you were right... well, half right.
Perched on top of a cargo container was the man in the white suit, casually swinging his legs and humming a cheerful tune to himself, looking like he was waiting for a cozy picnic rather than finalizing an illegal smuggling transaction.
He looked entirely relaxed... right up until you aimed your barrel directly at his chest.
"Freeze! Police!"
The King of Spades flinched so hard his entire body jolted, nearly dropping the hard drive in his hand. He whipped his head around to look at you, then frantically raised his wrist to check his watch in a clumsy, panicked motion that was entirely 'un-cool'.
"...Officer?" His voice, filtered through a vocal modulator, sounded utterly bewildered. "Wait a minute... It's only eleven? Ace calculated the police arrival time at midnight! Why on earth are you here so early?!"
"I don't drive a damn turtle like the rest of them." You advanced forward, keeping your weapon locked steady on him. "Hand over the evidence and climb down with your hands up."
"Oh, crap... I haven't even styled my hair properly. I didn't get to practice my introductory pose yet!" he muttered frantically to himself, taking a panicked step backward. "If Ace finds out the plan failed because of my poor time management, he's going to lecture me until my ears bleed..."
"You can complain all you want in a holding cell!"
You didn't waste another second listening to his rambling. You charged.
The brawl that followed was brief but fierce. He was smarter and quicker than you’d anticipated, fluidly dodging and parrying your strikes like a trained dancer. But he refused to strike back, focusing entirely on deflecting your blows and looking for an exit—until your sweeping kick sent the hard drive flying over the edge, plummeting to the ground below.
"Okay, okay! I yield, milady!"
He scrambled back to the edge of the container, shoving his hand inside his suit jacket.
You braced yourself, expecting a smoke grenade or a weapon, but instead, he pulled out a thick pencil(?) and a playing card. His elegant fingers scribbled frantically on the card, looking so rushed and clumsy the pencil almost slipped from his grip.
"Consider tonight your win! Take this consolation prize for now, and I’ll make sure to send a proper invitation later!"
BOOM!
A flashbang smoke bomb detonated at your feet.
Coughing through the thick smoke, you lunged forward to grab him, but your fingers only caught a single playing card that he flicked directly onto your forehead before vanishing into the night…
You reached into your jacket pocket, pulling out a clear Ziploc bag with a distinct red evidence seal.
Inside the bag was a heavily creased King of Spades card. On the back, a message was scribbled in messy, panicked handwriting:
Next: case 26 – the void
You slapped the evidence bag onto the desk with a loud thud.
"Look at this trainwreck," you scoffed. "He wrote it so fast the letters is literally smeared. This is the 'Mastermind' of a national crime syndicate? Please. He looks more like a middle schooler trying to scribble down his homework before the bell rings."
Jungwon reached out to pick up the bag, but you sharply slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch it. I haven't sent it to the forensics lab yet, you'll ruin the fingerprints."
"Wait a second..." Jungwon pulled his hand back, narrowing his eyes at you. "You haven't submitted this piece of evidence to central command yet? Y/N, that is a massive protocol violation. If Internal Affairs finds out, they're going to tack on a 'withholding evidence' charge to your record."
"Withholding what?" You shrugged, a predatory, mischievous smirk spreading across your face. "The evidence for Case 25 was the hard drive, which I have fully returned. As for this card..."
You tapped your fingernail against the plastic bag.
"The idiot wrote 'Case 26' on it himself... So, technically speaking, this is a 'lead' for a future case that hasn't officially occurred yet. And as the newly appointed Director of the D.A.R.T. unit handling this specific investigation, I have full operational discretion to retain it for investigative purposes... Right?"
Jungwon’s jaw dropped. He stared at you for a long moment before shaking his head with a breathless laugh.
"Wow. The mental gymnastics are unreal... Unbelievable. You literally memorized the entire legal penal code just to exploit it for your own chaotic convenience."
"It's called operational discretion, darling."
You snatched the bag back, sliding it safely into your pocket like a prized possession.
"Next time, I'm not just kicking his evidence away. Get a holding cell ready, Jungwon. Because I am going to drag that ridiculous white-suited prince by his collar and personally lock him behind bars."
A/N
This is just a pilot chapter to see if you guys are vibing with this! If this gets enough love (likes/reblogs/comments), I’ll definitely turn it into a full multi-chapter series. Let me know what you think of this chaotic dynamic, and tell me who you think the other cards in the deck are! 😉🎭✨ Taglist is OPEN—let me know if you want to be tagged for future updates!
How DANGEROUS is He? - Boys next door's tracklist | 보이넥스도어 L.SH (RW)
Boys next door's tracklist (series)
Track 3: DANGEROUS — Double-faced Gang Leader!Riwoo x Bad-tempered Law Student! reader
In Summary
Riwoo, the definition: The perfect boy. The ultimate ideal son-in-law every parent and relative dreams of. Polite, well-mannered, friendly, and perfectly level-headed. — Is also the exact same guy currently standing there in an unhinged, disheveled mess. Sporting a bruised lip, a busted eyebrow, and bloody knuckles. Spitting blood onto the ground, violently running a hand through his already wrecked hair, and barking a string of colorful profanities into his phone out of pure irritation.— Yeah, the plot officially twisted the second your eyes locked with his that night. *WC. 6.3K
Warnings: Strong language (from both Riwoo & Reader), detailed descriptions of violence and blood, street fighting,
Because irritation and a short temper are basically woven into your DNA—if Riley from Inside Out had Joy at the control panel, your brain was undoubtedly run by five bright red Angers fighting for the steering wheel.
Stressing over a brick-sized law textbook (the Civil Code, to be exact) was already driving you insane... and now, at 3:30 AM, the clueless guy from Unit 102 was out here belting a serenade to hit on some girl, completely shattering your focus.
You grabbed your heavy textbook (which was supposedly the summarized version of an even thicker one), slipped on your trusty Crocs, and marched right past Jaehyun, who was still standing there grinning and singing with zero situational awareness. You shot a death glare at the root of your migraine, but of course, he didn't even flinch. (You swore to God, the second you survived this law school hellhole, you were going to use this exact textbook to smash his head instead of a flower vase.)
But who would have thought... that the place you chose to escape his off-key acoustic guitar would lead you to something entirely more 'dangerous' than a failing grade in Civil Law?
The villa’s communal garden at 4 AM was as dead silent as you expected. The dim lights from the pavilion were still on. Reading in the dark was bad for your eyes, sure, but trying to read with no focus—or giving up entirely—was bad for your grades.
You slumped down under the eaves, letting your legs dangle. It was a blind spot, perfectly hidden by the bushes next to it. Honestly, it was a bit sketchy, but come on... it’s 4 AM. 4 Fucking A.M. Who in their right mind would be taking a moody midnight stroll in this tiny garden?
You kept your head down, muttering formulas and trying to shove as much knowledge into your brain as possible.
"...Criminal Law... Section 257. Whoever physically assaults another person, causing bodily harm, shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than seven years... or a fine of not more than ten million won... Ugh, I’ve recited this a hundred times..."
While you were grumbling to yourself, you suddenly picked up on a murmuring voice not too far away. A voice infinitely less boring than your law textbook.
You tried to ignore it—
"What the fuck is his problem? Hasn't he swallowed enough of my boots to learn his lesson?"
You froze. Not because you wanted to eavesdrop, but because the silence made it too clear.
Whatever, just keep ignoring it...
"I already lured him out. If he doesn't drop this bullshit, I'm taking down his whole crew. I'll make sure they never show their pathetic faces around us again."
The voice dropped an octave. You bit your lip.
Uh... this definitely wasn't an acoustic solo by Jaehyun.
You... tried...
"Drag him out this Friday. Tell him if he doesn't stop fucking around, I’m actually going to try this time."
…You tried to peek over the bushes to see who was spewing such barbaric, vulgar words and ruining your study session.
A dark silhouette shifted behind the leaves—a tall, lean figure, shoulder tilted slightly like he was holding a phone to his ear.
"Yeah, I'm fine. A loser's weak punch can only give me a busted lip. He’s the one who’s probably on his way to the ER right now."
The figure stepped out slightly from the tree line. The slanted light from the pavilion hit him, revealing—
Fingertips stained with blood.
…Then bruised, busted knuckles.
…Then a tightly clenched jaw.
You swallowed hard.
And when he tilted his head up slightly, the light caught his split lip—the dark crimson blood hadn't even dried yet.
The thoroughly pissed-off guy stood there in absolute shambles, spitting blood onto the ground, aggressively running a hand through his messy hair, and barking a string of profanities into his phone out of pure irritation. He was standing right there, just on the other side of the bush.
You should have kept your head down.
You knew you should have—
…But it was too late.
Your heart dropped to your stomach. You didn't know if it was because of the situation... or the person standing in front of you.
And when he finally looked up, his eyes locking directly with yours as you sat frozen in the dark corner—
The curse word about to leave his mouth was swallowed whole. The feral, murderous glare from a second ago melted into an eerie, deadpan calm. He hastily wiped the blood off his lip with the back of his hand before a soft, dreamy voice—the exact one he used with the neighborhood aunties—broke the silence.
"Y/N-ssi?"
For a bit of context, let me introduce you to Lee Sanghyuk, better known as ‘Riwoo.’
The youngest son from Unit 303, legendary for his 'ideal husband' visuals. He was 100% polite, well-mannered, and had this sweet disposition that made every elder in the vicinity adore him. He had an easygoing humor that clicked with the older folks, earning him the title of the 'Dream Son-in-Law' among every mom, dad, aunt, and relative in the villa. (Basically the same vibe as Jaehyun, but Riwoo actually seemed to have a functioning brain and was way more reliable. Or so you assumed.)
Every afternoon or evening, you’d see this Dream Son-in-Law walking his two fluffy white Pomeranians, showing off their cuteness with that gentle, affectionate smile of his.
As for his relationship with you? — Nonexistent.
Except for the fact that your housemate was the daughter of Riwoo's mom's best friend. Or the occasional head-nod when you were forced to walk your shared house’s corgi-mix, ‘Nyang-Nyang’ (a name that constantly made you question the landlord's sanity). Other than that... literally nothing.
"Y/N-ssi?"
Huh?
Wait... how did he even know your name?
Why?
"Y/N-ssi?"
"Oh... yes?"
Fuck.
You immediately realized how incredibly stupid you sounded, but your brain had completely flatlined the second you made eye contact with him.
If it weren't for the blood and the bruises, the impulsive, unhinged part of your brain might have thought, ‘Oh, I’m in love.’ — But obviously, your heart was hammering against your ribs right now not because he looked dangerously hot, but because you were terrified those bloody knuckles were going to be planted on your face next.
You didn't even process what he said next. After nodding along mindlessly (maybe the 'Confusion' debuff from the law book lasted this long?), he stepped a little further away, dropping his voice several octaves, but continued his phone call.
Uh... he was probably apologizing for being loud and telling the person on the phone he'd keep it down, right? Or maybe he was growling at his underlings to use your law textbook to smash the caller's head instead of Jaehyun's?
You should go back to reading. (Duh.)
You should go back to memorizing Section 257. You should act like nothing happened.
But you couldn't. Because even though he walked further away, his voice lingered.
"...I told him, I'm not letting it slide this time."
Quieter—but not far enough to fade.
You stared at the neat rows of text in your book. They were perfectly legible, but you couldn't comprehend a single word.
"...Yeah, I know."
The sound of his black shoes crunching against the gravel was slow, unhurried—completely unlike a guy who looked ready to commit murder just three minutes ago.
You swallowed hard again.
Okay...
That's enough.
You should get up and go back to your room. Honestly, you shouldn't have sat in this blind spot in the first place! If Riwoo or his gang decided to silence you right here, they'd never find your body!
You placed your hands on the pavement, bracing yourself to stand—
"Not asleep yet?"
Huh...
The voice was closer than it had any right to be. You froze for a split second before snapping your head up.
He was standing less than two steps away. Way closer than where he was just a minute ago. The phone was still pressed to his ear, but his eyes weren't focused on the conversation anymore.
...They were glued to you.
"...I'm studying."
What a stupid answer.
You knew it. He definitely knew it.
Riwoo just gave a slight nod, a small smile revealing his little fangs right next to his busted lip—the contrast was jarring as hell.
"It's 4 AM."
"I... know."
Silence.
The rustling of the leaves above suddenly sounded obnoxiously loud because everything else was far too quiet.
You tried your best not to look at him directly, but avoiding his gaze felt impossible.
Too close.
Close enough that you could see fresh blood slightly welling up from the split in his lip.
"Does it hurt?"
The words slipped out before you could stop them. The second you realized what you said, you wanted to bash your head against the concrete. Why the hell are you being nosy, you loudmouth?!
He raised an eyebrow.
"...What?"
"The cut..."
Stupid x2.
You really should have shut up after the first syllable!
He went quiet, not answering immediately. His eyes slowly scanned your face—like he was calculating something. (Probably calculating how dumb your question was, honestly.)
"Not really."
He replied in a flat, nonchalant tone, acting like it was no big deal despite looking like he just walked out of Fight Club.
You bit your lip.
Okay—stop meddling, you idiot. You can barely survive your own life and tomorrow's exam. Why do you care about a wound he doesn't even feel?!
You bent down, grabbing your book, fully committed to leaving this time.
"But you might get hurt more."
huh?
Your hands halted mid-air. Was that my inner voice? No, it wasn't?
"...Excuse me?"
"If you keep sitting here."
He said it like it was the most casual thing in the world... but his eyes told a completely different story.
He took a half-step closer. So close that his shadow completely eclipsed the light from the pavilion, enveloping you. The faint scent of sweat mixed with the metallic tang of blood hit your nose.
"Blind spots like this..." He tilted his head slightly, and that fanged smile suddenly looked ten times more lethal. "...are dangerous, you know."
You didn't know what to say. Because the person telling you it was dangerous, towering over you right now, was undeniably the most dangerous thing in a ten-mile radius!
He stared at you for another long second before breaking eye contact and bringing the phone back to his mouth.
"Yeah, I'll call you back..."
And then he actually turned and walked away. (Hopefully.)
His footsteps gradually faded, along with his voice returning to that harsh, icy tone.
"...Don't make me repeat myself."
Meanwhile, you were still sitting there, hand frozen on your textbook.
Your brain should be returning to Section 257 regarding physical assault, but the only thought spiraling in your head was—
Exactly how long did he know I was sitting there?
Whatever. You shot up, hugged the thick textbook to your chest a little tighter than usual, and speed-walked back to your house without ever looking back.
The exam went surprisingly well. (Or at least you thought so, for now.)
The bags under your eyes were so dark that even your housemate pointed them out when you bumped into each other that evening. Obviously—besides pulling an all-nighter, the main reason you looked like a corpse was the lingering paranoia that Riwoo might show up to silence you or chuck a Molotov cocktail at your share-house.
"Y/N-ah—take out the trash for me, will you?"
The landlord's daughter called out from the kitchen, accompanied by the clatter of pots and pans. You groaned in response, dragging your feet to grab the garbage bags she left by the door.
"Woonhak is coming over for dinner tonight. Want anything special? Since you're done with exams and all."
"Nope. Make whatever you want, Unnie. That kid's going to eat us out of house and home anyway."
The house angel laughed, diving back into the fridge. As someone who couldn't tell salt from sugar, you gladly banished yourself to garbage duty outside.
Usually, taking out the trash at this hour meant exchanging pleasantries with Mrs. Kim from across the street while she watered her plants.
You fully expected to see the sweet, gray-haired lady giving you a warm smile. But the first thing your eyes landed on was... Riwoo.
Riwoo... dressed in crisp, casual clothes, chatting brightly with Mrs. Kim in the most wholesome atmosphere imaginable. He had the leashes of his two Pomeranians in hand.
And on the corner of his mouth was a ridiculously cute, brown teddy bear band-aid. A stark, hilarious contrast to his 4 AM aesthetic!
"Oh, Y/N dear!" Mrs. Kim’s kind voice called out, making the younger man turn around. His eyes locked with yours.
He flashed that signature, Dream Son-in-Law smile and greeted you with the most normal, pleasant tone ever. "Hello, Y/N-ssi. You were up late studying last night, weren't you? Take care of your health."
Mrs. Kim beamed at him. Meanwhile, you just gripped the garbage bags tighter, immensely irritated by his Oscar-worthy acting skills—and equally irritated at yourself for the slight shiver that went down your spine at his smile.
As soon as Mrs. Kim turned her back and walked into her house, looking utterly charmed by the Perfect Boy, the warm aura surrounding Riwoo vanished into thin air like it was never there.
The leashes in his hand pulled taut as the two fluffballs started sniffing around your Crocs. Riwoo didn’t even look down at them. He just stood there, arms crossed, head tilted slightly, staring at you with those same deadpan eyes from last night.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" His voice was still soft... but the affectionate warmth he used with the elders was completely stripped away. "Or is the band-aid not cute enough?"
You raised an eyebrow, thoroughly annoyed that this guy was acting like nothing happened. That cut on his lip... it was blatantly a result of a Section 257 violation.
"No. I just think it suits you," you replied flatly, trying not to show your wariness. "How exactly did you hit the edge of the cabinet to get a gash that wide?"
You threw his own stupid excuse back at him—the one he just fed Mrs. Kim about being 'clumsy.' (And you were the only one who knew exactly where it came from.)
Riwoo let out a small scoff, smirking on the un-bandaged side of his mouth. He took a step closer, causing the two tiny dogs to let out soft whines at your feet.
"Well... the same way you saw at 4 AM," he murmured, his voice dropping low enough for only you to hear. "What do you think? Did the penalty for that Criminal Law section scare me enough to not hit the cabinet a second time?"
His deadpan threat made your heart skip a beat. But your inherent irritability and short temper outweighed the fear. You crossed your arms and glared right back at him, refusing to back down.
"If a ten million won fine isn't scary enough, maybe next time, instead of hitting a cabinet, you can try walking into a courtroom? I'd be happy to be your pro bono defense attorney!"
Riwoo froze for a split second. A flicker of genuine surprise flashed in his dark eyes... before he let out a low, breathy chuckle. It was the same rough laugh from last night, completely devoid of his 'Perfect Son-in-Law' persona.
"Hah... You’ve got quite the mouth on you, Law Student." Riwoo glanced down at the dogs and pulled the leash, stepping back slightly. "Let's make a deal. My little 'cabinet' secret... in exchange for me not interrupting your 4 AM study sessions anymore. Deal?"
"I didn't ask for that. And honestly, neither of those things should be happening anyway!" You fired back instantly, spinning on your heel to march back into your yard.
"Oh, Y/N-ssi." Riwoo's voice trailed behind you, forcing you to stop.
"What now?"
"Even if you aren't scared of anything, the pavilion behind the neighborhood at 4 AM..." He raised a hand, slowly tapping the teddy bear band-aid on his lip. He looked completely relaxed, but his eyes were dangerously sharp. "...You should still be careful. Next time you decide to sit there... You need to put an earphone. Shut out everything around you."
He took a half-step closer, a faint, fanged smile returning.
"...Otherwise, if you accidentally hear something you shouldn't again... you might just be the one wearing these bandages next."
You took a deep breath, fully prepared to rip into his audacity, but before you could even move, the sound of lazy, dragging footsteps echoed from behind you. Someone stopped right next to you.
"Why are you blocking the gate?"
A flat, apathetic voice laced with pure RBF energy—it was your black-cat housemate. The same one who pointed out your dark circles. She blinked, looking between you and Riwoo with utter confusion.
And that was the exact second you witnessed Riwoo’s Full HD Oscar-winning performance again. The dangerous aura evaporated instantly. He switched back to 'Sweet Older Brother' mode in a millisecond.
"Oh, you just got back?" Riwoo greeted her warmly. Right... your deadpan housemate happened to be his mom’s best friend’s daughter. Of course he had to keep up the charade.
She didn’t smile back. She just stared at him, her blank eyes landing on the corner of his mouth. "Cute band-aid... Did you walk into a cabinet again?"
You almost facepalmed at the sheer density hidden behind her intimidating face. She actually bought his cabinet excuse hook, line, and sinker! (And honestly... you genuinely wondered how she managed to survive living next to a guy like Jaehyun while being this clueless!)
"Yeah. I haven't been sleeping much lately, so I was a bit out of it," Riwoo laughed softly, flashing a gentle smile that made you roll your eyes.
Your housemate gave a slow, wooden nod. "Are you not coming inside? Or were you guys talking?"
"Nope. Nothing to talk about!" You replied quickly, snatching the opportunity to bolt. You grabbed your housemate's arm and dragged her inside. But right before slamming the gate, you couldn't help but shoot one last glare at the tall guy standing outside.
Riwoo was standing with his hands in his pockets. He was still giving your housemate a soft smile, but the gaze he shifted over to lock with yours... carried the exact same underlying threat as his 'You need to put an earphone' comment.
You ripped your eyes away and slammed the gate shut.
This guy... is an actual menace! Why does my share-house have to be surrounded by these weirdos?! You fumed internally, stomping back into the house with your perpetually unbothered housemate trailing beside you.
You’d think criminal law couldn't make your life any more miserable. But alas—Civil Law, the bane of your existence, was scheduled right in between waiting for your Criminal Law results. And heaven apparently despised law students like you.
The scene waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs, heavy textbook in hand, made you want to pull a 180 and march right back to bed.
"Oh, hey Y/N!"
A cheerful voice rang out from the living room sofa. It was none other than Myung Jaehyun, grinning like an idiot and shamelessly squishing himself right next to your black-cat housemate.
"Didn't realize I had a new roommate," you snapped sarcastically.
"Well, if you ever have an opening, the room next your door seems like a great place to live."
"Huh?"
Your housemate, who had been zoning out the entire time, suddenly snapped her head toward him, finally registering that she was part of the conversation.
"In your dreams! One dog in this house is more than enough!" You bared your teeth at Jaehyun.
"Woof!"
Jaehyun tilted his head at Nyang-Nyang, who barked in absolute agreement, as if the dog actually understood human sarcasm. He then flashed you an unbothered, cheeky grin that made you want to pinch him until he bruised.
Whatever.
For the sake of your sanity and emotional regulation, you packed up your iPad, your books, and your fried brain, and evacuated to your usual sanctuary: the cafe at the front of the neighborhood.
The rich aroma of roasted coffee beans and the blast of cold AC should have been healing... if not for the massive Civil Law textbook splayed open on your table, alongside the chaotic lecture notes from your balding, perpetually menopausal professor.
You sighed for the millionth time, massaging your throbbing temples. Your eyes darted between the iPad and the dense legal jargon. Your sleep-deprived brain was violently trying to shove contracts and juristic acts into your head. Just thinking about the professor's face made your urge to drop out skyrocket!
Ding-a-ling...
The cafe bell chimed, signaling a new customer. You didn’t even bother looking up; you had zero interest in the outside world. That is, until the scraping of a wooden chair echoed from the table diagonally across from you.
Annoyed by the distraction, you glanced up to shoot a glare at whoever chose the most obnoxious seat possible... only for your brain to instantly short-circuit.
Lee Sanghyuk... or 'Riwoo.'
Dressed in a crisp white button-down with the sleeves casually rolled up, looking like he just stepped out of a fabric softener commercial. He was sitting there, legs crossed. That ridiculously noticeable teddy bear band-aid was still on his lip (though he swapped it for a bear with an even dumber expression). He held an iced Americano in one hand.
He didn't greet you. Didn't even utter a single word as he casually scrolled through his phone. He looked like the picture-perfect, wholesome guy-next-door that anyone would swoon over.
But it would have been a lot more 'normal'... if those deadpan eyes didn't flick up to lock directly onto yours every single time you looked up from your book!
It wasn't a dreamy, romantic gaze. It was a cold, calculating 'I’m watching you' stare. A silent psychological warfare that was rapidly shredding your remaining focus (at least in your thoughts)
You ducked your head, mentally reciting the codes, but the little red Anger in your brain was growing ten times its size. Civil Law was already a nightmare, and now you had to deal with this band-aid-wearing thug playing a silent staring contest with you?! Every fucking time you shifted in your seat or flipped a page, he’d subtly adjust his cup or shift his posture—a quiet reminder through those dark eyes: 'I've got my eyes on you.'
Half an hour later, your naturally thin patience snapped. Excuse me, was it my fault I saw you brawling at 4 AM?!
SLAM!
You slammed the heavy Civil Law textbook shut so hard the barista jumped. You shot out of your chair, grabbed your iPad, and marched straight over to his table, slamming your hand down on the wood.
You lowered your voice, glaring daggers at him. "What do you want?"
Riwoo didn't even flinch. He slowly lowered his phone. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes before melting into a faint, fanged smirk that was equally soft and infuriatingly smug. He took a slow sip of his iced Americano, tilted his head, and replied in a voice so smooth it made your hands itch to slap him.
"Just drinking coffee... Or what did you think I was doing?"
The sheer audacity of his deadpan, upper-hand response made the vein in your temple throb faster than when you were cramming civil codes!
"If you're just drinking coffee, then why do you keep staring at me? Are you a stalker?!"
Because you were 100% sure you weren't famous enough to have a sasaeng fan. Ergo, this guy was just a psycho.
Riwoo let out a low, breathy laugh. A real laugh—completely devoid of his 'Perfect Boy' act.
"I guess I just can't control my eyes... What can I say? I think I like you... so I keep accidentally staring."
He gave you that fanged smile he usually reserved for everyone else... but the words tumbling out of his mouth made your heart skip a treacherous beat. And it wasn't just you who heard it! You caught the muffled squeals of high school girls at the next table, and suddenly, you could feel the judging eyes of the barista and half the cafe. (Okay, maybe partly because you yelled first, but still!)
"You're turning red..." The band-aid guy teased smoothly, tilting his head with a smirk.
"You're so annoying!"
You hissed, aggressively snatching up all your belongings and storming out of the cafe—absolutely refusing to look back at whatever smug expression he was wearing!
And of course, things somehow got worse. Your Criminal Law grades were out.
The bags under your eyes were so dark that your neighbor pointed them out again. Aside from cramming for the next exam, the other main reason was your crippling paranoia that a gang of thugs would ambush you in the alleys. (Okay, maybe you had an overactive imagination, but who wouldn't be paranoid?!)
"Y/N... Are you seriously not going with us?"
You ignored the whining voice in the background and refreshed the university portal for the thousandth time today.
Today was another chaotic day in the neighborhood. Woonhak and his giant man-child babysitters—Taesan, Leehan, and your arch-nemesis, Jaehyun—were doing some loud activity at Woonhak's house (right next door) and had inevitably spilled over to annoy your share-house.
"Come onnn, Riwoo takes his dogs for a walk at the park around this time too, you know."
Let's be clear—you weren't close to Jaehyun this much at all. But watching him whine and cling to your perpetually annoyed, housemate (who looked like she was carrying the weight of the world) made you want to punt him into the sun.
"And why would I go? What does that guy have to do with me?"
"Well, Riwoo hyung is hitting on you..."
Leehan, who had been completely silent until now, chimed in. Honestly, if that’s what you were going to say, you should’ve stayed quiet.
"Let's just go, hyungs. Y/N noona needs to check her grades..."
Thank God Woonhak had some sense. He physically shoved his older brothers toward the door, dragging Nyang-Nyang the pom out with them. Finally, peace and quiet.
The cursor on the screen kept spinning until you were ready to write a furious email to IT. But before you could, the page loaded, and your grade popped up...
B+
…
B+??
Your fingers aggressively typed out an email to your advisor. You frowned... it wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't what you aimed for, and it certainly wasn't worth the sleep deprivation.
An email notification chimed shortly after. You zeroed in on the professor's comments: 'Analyzed Section 257 far deeper than the prompt required. It seemed as though you were applying an external, real-life scenario to the case, leading to a loss of focus on the core issue.'
You flashed back to the exam. The essay question was a hypothetical case study on 'Physical Assault and Self-Defense.' And instead of answering strictly based on legal theory, your oxygen-deprived brain had superimposed the image of Riwoo’s 'split lip' and 'bloody knuckles' right onto the exam paper!
The result? You completely over-analyzed it, dragging in concepts like 'Mutual Combat' and 'Proportionality of Defense' until you missed the main point entirely! — All because of Riwoo! Because of his sheer audacity!
Your rage hit a boiling point. You needed to cool down... right now!
To lower your core temperature from a nuclear meltdown, your body operated on autopilot: slam the laptop shut (Smack), shove your wallet into your pocket, and stomp out of the house straight to the convenience store!
Ice cream! You needed a freezing cold quart of Mint Chocolate Chip to aggressively shove into your mouth immediately!
But God really must hate angry people like you. Because the moment you angrily bit into the ice cream bar you bought as an appetizer, marching past the quiet zone near the communal pavilion—the exact spot of the 4 AM incident—your eyes met an unfamiliar group blocking the path.
Three thuggish-looking guys were glancing around like they were searching for something. The biggest one, a towering brute, stood right in your way. He looked down at you with a hostile expression that told you asking him to move politely would be entirely useless.
The lingering rage from the B+ mixed with your naturally short, sarcastic temper. You didn't even think about turning around. Instead, you marched right up to him. Sure, you were smaller, but when you stood toe-to-toe with the guy, you aggressively tilted your chin up to assert dominance!
"Do we have a problem here?" you snapped, chewing on the popsicle stick while crossing your arms.
The guy’s dark eyes scanned your scowling face. His scarred eyebrow twitched. He looked intimidating, but not nearly as scary as you thought he’d be.
"You look familiar..." His voice was a raspy growl, meant to be threatening.
He took a step closer. His bruised smirk didn't piss you off nearly as much as Riwoo’s teddy bear band-aid. The other two lackeys noticed and slowly boxed you in.
"...You're the little princess that puppy keeps protecting, aren't you?"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" you fired back without missing a beat. "Do I even know you? Is blocking people's paths considered good manners where you're from? And who’s protecting who?! Stop spouting nonsense and move!"
Instead of backing off, the guys let out a collective, creepy laugh. The raspy chuckles and their complete lack of concern made you want to stab them in the eye with your popsicle stick! "What's so funny, huh?!"
"What's funny?" The scarred guy sneered, stepping so close you instinctively took a step back. The cheap stench of his cigarettes made you grimace. "I'm laughing at how painfully clueless you are, sweetheart. Do you have any idea how many times that bastard Sanghyuk has beaten us half to death every time we tried to get to you for revenge?"
You froze. The popsicle stick nearly fell out of your mouth. "...What?"
"Trailing behind you, guarding you like a dog with a bone. That busted lip he got the other day? That was from taking a hit meant for you!" Another lackey chimed in, cracking his knuckles. "We got lucky today that he wasn't glued to your side like usual. We were just gonna use you as bait to lure him out, but look who walked right into our hands!"
Your brain was working on overdrive... That guy? Protecting me? The busted lip that night?
Wait... so when he was staring you down at the cafe a few days ago, he wasn't just trying to annoy you (well, maybe he was), but he was actually... guarding you?!
Before you could even open your mouth to yell or process your own feelings, the scarred guy’s rough hand lunged out to grab your arm. Survival instinct kicked in. You squeezed your eyes shut, bracing to dodge, but then—
The sound of something heavy slamming into a body echoed loudly, followed by a groan of pain. The massive scarred guy was sent flying, crashing into his lackeys behind him from a brutal kick straight to his chest!
Your eyes flew open. You whipped your head around.
Lee Sanghyuk... Dressed in a black tee and sweatpants, looking like he just sprinted a 100-meter dash. Those dark eyes that usually looked at you with teasing amusement were now ice-cold, feral, and blazing with a terrifying rage you had never seen before.
There was no teddy bear band-aid. No fluffy Pomeranians. Because the second he got a text from his juniors saying, ‘The rival gang is sniffing around the back of the neighborhood,’ he shoved the leashes into Jaehyun and Woonhak’s hands and sprinted here like a madman!
"I thought I warned you guys..."
Riwoo's voice was deathly low, sending chills down your spine. He glared daggers at the thugs scrambling to their feet. His hands were casually shoved into his pockets, but the sheer murderous intent radiating off him made even you shudder.
He stepped smoothly in front of you, completely shielding you from view. His broad back looked unshakeable—a complete 180 from the soft Boy-Next-Door aesthetic.
"If you ever crossed the line and touched 'my person'..." Riwoo tilted his head, a chilling smirk spreading across his face. "I won't just stop at busting your lips this time."
The temperature around the pavilion plummeted. The suffocating bloodlust radiating from Riwoo’s back made the three thugs gulp nervously. But driven by bruised egos and outnumbering him three to one, the scarred leader spat on the ground and signaled his boys.
"Motherfucker... Talk big all you want! You don't have your little lapdogs with you this time! You think you can take us down alone like last time?! Get him!"
With a roar, one lackey charged forward with a wooden bat. You gasped, about to scream a warning, but everything happened way too fast for your brain to process!
Riwoo didn't even flinch. He waited for the swing, dodged smoothly like he could read the future, and snatched the guy's wrist. With a sharp twist, a sickening CRACK echoed through the air. The guy shrieked, dropping the bat. Without giving him a second to breathe, Riwoo drove his knee brutally into the guy's gut, dropping him to the ground, coughing up air.
BAM! CRASH!
The other two rushed him simultaneously. Riwoo slipped past the scarred leader's first punch, smoothly shifted his stance, and delivered a devastating right hook straight to the other lackey's jaw. The guy's head snapped back, and he hit the pavement, completely knocked out. The raw, calculated brutality of how he dismantled them left you standing frozen like a statue...
This... is Mrs. Kim's Dream Son-in-Law?! This guy is a literal gang boss!
Only the scarred leader was left. Seeing his crew decimated in seconds, and seeing the absolute lack of mercy in Riwoo’s eyes as he cracked his bloody knuckles again, completely shattered his nerve. Survival instinct told him that if he stayed, he'd be eating through a straw for the rest of the year!
"Y-You'll regret this, Sanghyuk! Next time, you're dead!"
He yelled shakily before grabbing his two unconscious buddies by the collars, dragging them away into the darkness as fast as his legs could carry him.
"You said that last time too... Weird," Riwoo called out lazily, fake-yawning just to rub salt in the wound.
Dead silence returned to the pavilion. A cool breeze swept through, washing away the boiling tension. Riwoo let out a long sigh, standing up straight and casually adjusting his black shirt. He shook out his bruised hand before slowly turning around to face you.
The grim reaper aura vanished instantly. All that was left were those same deadpan eyes that suddenly sparked with amusement when he saw you... The usually explosive Law Student, now standing completely frozen, eyes wide, blankly chewing on an empty popsicle stick.
You immediately snapped your mouth shut and crossed your arms tight, trying desperately to hide your shaking legs and the heat rushing up to your cheeks.
"What... what the hell were you saying just now?!" You shrieked, voice trembling, desperately trying to use anger to mask your fluster. "Who... who is 'your person'?! And who's a weak spot?! Stop spouting nonsense!"
Riwoo raised an eyebrow. That tiny, fanged smile crept onto his handsome, slightly ruffled face. He took a slow step toward you, bringing back the exact same tension from that 4 AM night.
"Well... if I didn't say that, do you think they would have backed off?" he asked innocently, his maddeningly soft voice returning. "Or... did the Law Student overthink things again?"
"I did not overthink anything!" you snapped back, your face burning red all the way to your ears.
"But I meant it, though..."
You shot him a look, frantically fanning your burning ears with your hand.
"...I do like—"
"RIWOO!!!! Y/N!!!!"
Before he could finish that sentence, a chaotic, screeching yell echoed from the park entrance, followed by the frantic slapping of flip-flops. The neighborhood man-children had arrived.
Myung Jaehyun sprinted ahead of everyone. In one hand, he held the tangled leashes of Riwoo's two Pomeranians, who were running in zig-zags. In the other hand, he was wielding Woonhak's bright yellow plastic baseball bat, looking ready for war but looking absolutely ridiculous instead. Taesan, Leehan, and Woonhak trailed closely behind, looking panicked.
"Are you guys okay?! Riwoo! Did we make it in time?! Your dogs almost dragged me face-first into the concrete..." Jaehyun yelled, panting heavily before skidding to a halt. He took in the scene: faint blood on the ground, and Riwoo standing face-to-face with you.
All four of them (plus the two Pomeranians barking happily at their owner) looked back and forth between you two with highly suspicious eyes!
"Wow... Guess we're late. Riwoo hyung looks like he just got out of a dogfight," Taesan muttered, slowly lowering the coconut-leaf broom in his hand (an equally pathetic weapon!).
Leehan squinted at your flushed face before a teasing grin spread across his lips. "See... I told you Riwoo hyung was hitting on Y/N. Look at him, ditching his dogs to run to the rescue. So manly!"
"Leehan! Shut your mouth!" You instantly shrieked, baring your teeth at the impromptu, highly annoying fanclub!
As for Riwoo... he immediately snapped back into his 'Perfect Sweet Brother' persona. He smiled warmly at the boys, gently taking the leashes back from Jaehyun. But the hand hidden behind his back... was still clenched tight, subtly rubbing the fresh bruises.
He looked down at you, still scowling and blushing furiously.
"Let's go home... I'll walk you back," Riwoo said softly. "Consider it compensation for making you lose your temper... smart cookie."
What the hell!
His eyes, these butterfly-inducing words!
And what the hell are these guys staring at us like that for?!!
A/N
Oh! Hi👋 … I’m back! (Ig?) I’m just in love with two-faced main character so… plz enjoy!!
Oh! Hi.. i’m… uh… I’m back! (ig?)
รับเฟิร์สจ็อบเบอร์ แต่รีเควสประสบการณ์ 3 ปี
มึงให้ใครสมัครเหรอ
Ofc... i need to continue writing next boynextdoor's tracks series...
What trope/genre are we craving right now?
Fake Dating / Pretend Relationship
Childhood Friends to Lovers
Second chances
Enemies/ rivals to lovers
Mutual Pining / Slow Burn
Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Angst with a Happy Ending (or not??)
Guess who finally survived their final project and is back from the dead?! 😭🙋♀️ I missed writing (and you guys) so much!
Finally!!!! I'm un-officially graduated!!
I wish to write (fiction novels), and write I did (research papers).
Please stop SERENADE - Boys next door's tracklist | 보이넥스도어 M.JH
Boys next door's tracklist (series)
Track 2: SERENADE — Myung Jaehyun x reader
In Summary
Myung Jaehyun's self-proclaimed title as the 'Professor of Nice Guy Consulting' (which completely failed to help Woonhak anyway) and his flawless reputation as the neighborhood's Golden Boy are suddenly in jeopardy. The culprit? An unapproachable tenant with a severe Resting Bitch Face who unexpectedly steals his heart. (Plot Twist Alert: She isn't actually cold... she's just insanely dense and frustratingly oblivious to his flirting! ^^) *WC. 4.4K
(But i used apple music idk?)
Jaehyun was a man brimming with self-confidence.
Fortunately, that confidence wasn't directly proportional to his ego. He knew himself well—he wasn't self-centered, he was smart, articulate, and highly sociable. He was the kind of guy many people would easily label as 'charming'. Every decision he made was carefully calculated to ensure he wouldn't regret it later. He loved and respected himself to a degree that was honestly commendable.
Because of this—Woonhak was quite surprised to see his normally self-assured older brother acting so nervous, jittery, and entirely out of sorts. Jaehyun’s large hand lightly thumped against his own chest, and those usually confident lips were pressed tightly together, looking strained as if he was desperately trying to collect himself.
"What's wrong, Hyung?"
"Nothing!" Jaehyun replied instantly, almost like an automatic reflex, forcing his stiff lips to loosen up. "Is that the new tenant next door to you?" he asked, his eyes filled with a hopeful gleam that completely went over Woonhak's head.
"Y/N Noona? She's been living there for a while now. I guess she's just been going out more often lately?"
"Her name is Y/N..."
"What did you say, Hyung?"
"Nothing, nothing."
Jaehyun brushed it off immediately, waving his hands as if it were no big deal. Yet, that light, comfortable scent—which definitely didn't smell like artificial perfume—was still messing with his heart rate, even though the petite figure with the perpetually unbothered face had walked past them minutes ago.
And that was the very first time Jaehyun felt it... his level-ten confidence, built up over a lifetime, was being violently shaken by a girl who looked like a grumpy cat and didn't even spare him a single glance.
Damn it... just her walking past him was enough to send a wave of nervousness squeezing him from head to toe, straight to the core of his heart.
She's been living here for a while?
The real question was... how on earth did a highly observant, universally friendly guy like Myung Jaehyun just notice her now?!
From that day onward, Operation 'Find Excuses to Loiter Around the Share-House' was quietly launched in the mind of the boy from House 102.
He tried riding his bike past houses 404-405 more frequently (even though he was technically just biking in circles in front of Woonhak’s house, number 406, located at the very end of a dead-end alley—hey, he's a guy who appreciates effort). Coupled with the fact that he didn't own a car and hadn't gotten his driver's license yet, his trusty bicycle was the best vehicle he had to look cool in the neighborhood.
And of course, he was Myung Jaehyun. His skills in approaching new people were indisputable!
Today was another day where the afternoon sun beat down brightly against the white picket fence.
Jaehyun took a deep breath and crafted the most mathematically perfect smile—the kind of heart-stopping grin that used to make girls all over campus turn their heads. One hand gripped the handlebar of his trusty bike, while the other held a kraft paper bag containing 'authentic French butter croissants from a famous bakery' (which he had stood in line for half an hour specifically to orchestrate this exact scenario).
His target was standing right there—in front of house 405.
A petite figure in an oversized t-shirt and loose sweatpants, standing there hosing down the front yard plants with an empty gaze, as if she had attained nirvana and given up on the worldly desires of life, just like every other day.
Review Step 1 of being a Nice Guy: Be a gentleman, approach naturally, radiate good intentions, and don't look threatening.
Jaehyun slowly pedaled closer, braking smoothly, and leaned against the handlebars in what he thought was his most casual, effortlessly handsome pose (well, as handsome as one can look on a pastel blue basket-bike borrowed from his mom).
"Oh, what a coincidence!" Jaehyun greeted with a deep, smooth voice (if Taesan heard him right now, he'd be mocked into the next century). "I just bought some croissants from that new bakery at the front of the neighborhood. I bought way too many and can't finish them. I figured I'd share them with my neighbors... would you like some?"
The girl stopped watering the plants. She slowly turned her head to look at him... Her deadpan eyes, resembling a cat entirely fed up with its owner's antics, scanned Jaehyun from head to toe before focusing on the mini paper bag in his hand.
"You bought too many... and have leftovers? Again?" she echoed, her tone so flat it was impossible to read her mood.
"Yeah, went a bit overboard," Jaehyun beamed, his eyes sparkling, hoping his handsome-damage stats would melt her icy demeanor.
"What about Woonhak? Did you give him some already?"
"Uh... yeah, I did." You idiot! You should have said you bought them only for her! — Jaehyun was mentally punching the air, but there was no taking it back now. You have to act like there's no next time to give it your all!
"You gave them to him, and you still have leftovers for me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, speaking like someone who fully understood just how much of a black hole the giant puppy neighbor boy's stomach was.
Her slender eyebrows twitched up slightly. The look in her eyes held absolutely zero shyness or admiration. On the contrary... it looked like she was staring at a scammer pitching a fraudulent promotional offer.
"That's very kind of you," she said evenly, rolling up the garden hose without a hint of attachment. "Thank you for the thought." Yet, she still accepted the familiar branded paper bag with a polite nod. (So cute).
"But next time, if you only have one piece left... just save it for your breakfast tomorrow. Save yourself the trouble of biking around passing them out."
With that, she gave him a dismissive nod of farewell, turned on her heel, and walked back into the house, leaving the idealized charming young man standing with his jaw dropped in front of her gate.
Nyang-Nyang's greeting bark echoed from the other side of the fence.
Jaehyun pointed an accusing, threatening finger at the short-legged dog before reluctantly turning his bike around and pedaling home, his spirit completely crushed.
Meanwhile... behind the gates of house 405.
The girl with the resting bitch face (whom everyone quickly judged as arrogant) was walking back inside with the kraft paper bag. She placed it on the kitchen dining table and carefully peeled off the bakery’s logo sticker. The perfectly baked, golden-yellow French butter croissant released a mouthwatering, buttery aroma into the air.
She picked it up and took a big bite. The flaky pastry and rich taste of real butter flooded her mouth.
"It's really good..." she muttered to herself, her mind flashing back to the handsome face plastered with a blinding smile belonging to her neighbor moments ago.
‘Jaehyun is... really friendly, huh. Is he the neighborhood association president or something?’
She thought to herself with complete, unadulterated innocence. Not even a fraction of the thought 'This guy is trying to hit on me' had entered her brain. To her, Myung Jaehyun was just Woonhak's overly energetic older brother next door—a super nice guy who loved biking around, greeting everyone, and handing out snacks. He was definitely building up his Golden Boy image to run for village headman in the future. What a dedicated young man, giving back to the community!
You nodded to yourself, fully buying into your own logic, before walking over to grab the coffee-flavored milk from the fridge that one of your housemates had left a sticky note on saying they bought it for you. Another meal covered by the generosity of kind people. Today is a great day...
But of course, the young man who had just been forcefully categorized into the 'Nice Neighbor' folder wasn't going to give up that easily.
On a late Saturday afternoon, with the sun cooling down, Jaehyun was dressed in casual, comfortable clothes—thick-rimmed glasses to cover his bare face, a plain white t-shirt, ripped jeans, and his hair unstyled, far from its usual perfection. He was carrying a large laundry basket full of freshly washed, slightly damp clothes, marching out of the neighborhood laundromat.
Just as he was looking down, using his foot to kick the glass door open, that familiar, comfortable scent wafted into his nose.
Jaehyun froze and lifted his gaze.
And there she was... the unbothered cat of house 405, standing less than two steps away from him!
She was wearing a baggy gray hoodie and thin-rimmed glasses that made her look a bit nerdy. In her hands was a small laundry basket holding a couple of t-shirts and a beat-up, worn-out shark plushie. She raised an eyebrow at him through her lenses, a look that clearly said: 'If you're going out, then get out. Why are you blocking the door?'
Alright, Myung Jaehyun! This is it! No bike, no puppy-dog sidekick! This is a top-tier coincidence, and you have to seize it! Step 2 of the Nice Guy course! Don't lose your confidence!
His brain commanded him to turn on the charm immediately.
"Oh, what a coincidence!" Jaehyun flashed a wide grin, tilting his head to look at the person in front of him with what he believed was his warmest gaze. "Are you here to do laundry too?"
You absolute idiot! What kind of stupid question is that?! He was literally holding a laundry basket in front of a laundromat. Did he think she was here to buy tteokbokki?! Jaehyun cursed himself internally while the smile remained frozen on his face.
The girl glanced down at her own laundry basket, then back up at Jaehyun's face, before replying with a voice as flat as a still pond.
"Yes. The washing machine at home has been acting up. The repairman is coming today."
That was it... That was literally it! No follow-up conversation, no small talk about how his day was going, and absolutely zero signs of excitement at running into the neighborhood's resident handsome guy (self-proclaimed). She simply shifted her body to the side to let him pass so she could walk inside.
But was Myung Jaehyun the type of guy to let a golden opportunity slip away? Absolutely not!
"Uh... there's a new cafe that just opened at the corner!" Jaehyun blurted out, a little louder than usual, surprising even himself. "While you wait for your laundry... want to go grab a cold drink? It's on me, consider it a welcome treat for a new neighbor."
The petite figure paused mid-step. She turned back to look at him. The eyes behind her glasses remained completely indifferent. Her ice-wall defenses were working flawlessly.
Jaehyun held his breath... The hand gripping the handle of the laundry basket squeezed so tight his knuckles turned white.
Say yes... Just say yes, you stubborn cat!
"I'm sorry, I don't drink coffee. Also... you should probably hurry up and go hang your clothes to dry."
Did anyone hear the sound of a face shattering?
God, Jaehyun hated fate! (Because obviously, he could never hate her).
While the golden-retriever-faced human stomped away, mentally punching himself all the way home to hang his laundry like he was told... you, standing in the corner of the laundromat, threw a curious glance at his broad back.
He's really so friendly...
You thought simply, before turning your attention back to your laundry basket, completely oblivious to the fact that the 'friendliness' you were witnessing... was actually the desperate flirting attempt of a master whose soul had just departed his body.
A few afternoons later, in front of share-house 405. The landlady’s daughter had dumped a crucial responsibility on you—one you had no intention of touching—before rushing out of the house early this morning.
Walking 'Nyang-Nyang', the house's resident short-legged puppy.
You didn't have any plans, you didn't have a mountain of exams to study for like your other housemate, and you didn't have errands at the bank like the landlady's daughter. Therefore, you became the most logical choice in this equation.
"Are you sure you don't want to come?"
Woof!
One human and one dog looked up, shouting at the housemate who was shuffling down from the second floor with messy hair.
"Just go. I have to study for my quiz."
"Text me if you want anything."
"Okay. Oh, grab me a green tea from the shop at the front of the neighborhood, will you? Is that too far of a walk for you?"
"I can walk. It's fine."
You answered that way even though your original plan didn't involve walking past the neighborhood park. But seeing the pathetic, exhausted state of the law student, you agreed out of sheer pity.
The gray leash gave a slight tug from the force of the fluffy creature, who seemed way more excited about the outside world than usual.
Nyang-Nyang trotted two steps ahead, stopped—turned back to look at you as if checking if you were keeping up, and then resumed walking with little, energetic steps that you often teased him for.
The afternoon breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of fresh grass and warm sunlight. The paved path through the neighborhood park was quiet, filled only with the sound of your footsteps and the soft panting of the dog beside you.
You looked down at him slightly.
"Are you really that happy?"
Woof!
He seemed to answer proudly, his bushy tail wagging so hard it could be used as a portable fan.
You let out a small, unintentional smile.
—And right as you looked back up, you almost crashed into someone.
"Ouch—!"
The exclamations happened almost simultaneously.
You took a step back while the other person quickly checked to make sure you were okay.
We meet again, huh?
"Oh, Y/N... walking Nyang-Nyang?"
The fluffy white Pomeranian—whose name ironically sounded like a cat's meow—perked its ears up and wagged its tail vigorously, familiar with the person in front of you. At the same time, the dog practically looked like a physical manifestation of Jaehyun's internal feelings.
You might be imagining things, but when this nice neighbor realized it was you, it looked like his invisible ears perked up and his tail started vibrating?
"Yes. The landlady went out early to run errands."
"It's past noon, do you want to go grab some food—"
Before his textbook-friendly sentence could finish, your already-hyper short-legged dog got even more hyped up seeing his friends (you assumed) approaching from the other side of the park. Two white dogs of the exact same breed, accompanied by a handsome owner who looked equally surprised to see his own dogs acting up.
"Oh, Nyang-Nyang! Y/N too!"
You nodded, acknowledging the greeting from the familiar neighborhood face (could you call him a close friend, maybe?).
"Don't you usually walk the puppies in the evening?" you asked.
"We're taking them out to dinner tonight, so my mom told me to walk them now."
Riwoo smiled warmly—just like the good, polite, ideal son-in-law he was, who also happened to hold the title of your mom's best friend's son.
"You two know each other?"
The guy who had almost been pushed out of the conversation entirely interjected, his tone completely unreadable to you.
"Yeah, our moms are friends," Riwoo replied, keeping a firm grip on the leash of Daebak, a puppy with shorter fur but equally short legs (no offense, just saying), preventing him from going off-road. You didn't understand the smile Riwoo was giving Jaehyun, and you definitely didn't understand Jaehyun's suddenly weird demeanor—though you couldn't pinpoint exactly what was weird about it.
"You know Y/N too? This girl normally never leaves the house."
You almost threw a punch at your mom's friend's son's sarcastic comment, if it weren't for the words coming out of the other man's mouth that made you pause.
"Y/N is Woonhak's neighbor, so I know her... Besides..."
Jaehyun looked at you, hesitating on his next words.
Right, he wanted to be 'friends' with you. - Actually, you were somewhat self-aware of how unapproachable you looked. You figured you should let him know his efforts weren't totally in vain, you thought before answering.
"We're already friends."
A heavy silence fell over the area...
Why?
Riwoo burst out laughing, while Jaehyun looked like he suddenly had a dark raincloud hovering over his head. What is wrong with everyone? KOZ Village is full of weirdos!
"Finally made a new 'friend', huh, Y/N?" Riwoo laughed, wiping away a tear from laughing too hard.
"I'm not antisocial, Riwoo," you stated flatly, though it did nothing to stop Riwoo's amusement. In fact, he found it even funnier when he glanced at Jaehyun, who was now following behind the two of you and the three dogs, pouting heavily.
"Oh right, we haven't exchanged contacts yet, Jaehyun. We're friends now, after all."
You didn't even know what was so hilarious about that sentence, but Riwoo just kept smiling that teasing smile.
At least your chat list, which usually only consisted of a handful of people, successfully gained one more entry—saved under the name **M🐶**.
Meanwhile, the owner of the name M🐶 was throwing a massive internal tantrum, screaming in his head - NO!! I DON'T WANT TO BE FRIENDS!! NOOO!!
The green tea delivery was successfully completed after a chaotic walk involving three people and three dogs, where you walked squarely in the middle between an unusually quiet Jaehyun and an unusually energetic Riwoo—a stark contrast to the calm, collected guy everyone was used to.
The Owner-nim returned shortly after you did, and today was just another peaceful day, going exactly as normal.
"You're staying in the living room, right? Make sure you turn off the porch light when you go up."
The law student housemate raised a hand in acknowledgment, her eyes never leaving her massive criminal law textbook, with her iPad left open next to it. The green tea you bought was sitting nearby. It truly was a pitiful sight.
You collapsed onto your soft bed, letting out a long sigh, allowing your exhaustion to melt away in the cool AC.
Thinking back to the events of the afternoon, you still didn't quite get it. Why was Riwoo laughing like a maniac when you said you were friends with Jaehyun? And why did the neighborhood president (a title you had permanently assigned him in your head) look exactly like a golden retriever who just got his treat snatched out of his mouth?
People are so hard to understand... you thought, giving up. You grabbed your blanket, pulled it over yourself, and let the drowsiness take over in the silence of the share-house, broken only by the sound of pages turning downstairs.
Time slipped by until the middle of the night.
The vibration of the smartphone on your nightstand made you frown. Your slender hand blindly searched for it in the dark. You squinted against the blinding glare of the screen.
The digital clock read 03:30 AM
You furrowed your brows. Who the hell was texting at 3:30 AM? Did the law student downstairs finally snap and want you to boil ramen for her? Or did the landlady forget her keys?
But the name on the notification didn't belong to anyone in the share-house.
[M🐶]: Do you think that croissant was delicious enough to trade for me standing in front of your house and serenading you? Because I don't think I can stand this 'friendly neighbor' act anymore.
You blinked, staring at the screen with an empty expression.
You read the sentence twice to make sure you weren't dreaming or hallucinating from sleep deprivation.
...Serenading you?
...Can't stand the friendly neighbor act?
Your freshly awakened brain processed the information slowly, before the one and only logical conclusion (in your perspective) popped into your head.
Is he... sleepwalking? Or did he lose a game and get a penalty to text random people?
That had to be it. It was definitely a drinking game penalty, or he sent it to the wrong chat. What kind of crazy person would hit on someone they literally just agreed to be 'friends' with that afternoon... and send something so cheesy at 3:30 in the morning?! The neighborhood president really had too much free time!
You scoffed through your nose. Your fingers hovered over the keyboard, about to type back: 'Did you send this to the wrong chat?' But before your fingertips could even touch the letters, the long paragraph vanished right before your eyes! Replaced by a notification that the sender had unsent a message.
You raised an eyebrow, tossed the phone back onto the table, and pulled the blanket over your head without a second thought.
"The neighborhood president... really lives his life to the fullest. Playing penalty games at 3:30 AM." You mumbled sleepily, easily drifting back into dreamland, completely ignoring the late-night nonsense.
Leaving the other side of the chat...
Myung Jaehyun of house 102 sitting on his bed, tearing his hair out, screaming silently as if his entire world had just collapsed. When he saw that the '1' disappeared... it meant that incredibly cringe message had been 'Read' a split second before he hit unsend!
It's over... Master Myung! The image is completely destroyed!
Screw it! Since things had already gone this far, if he chickened out now, he'd definitely lose her and regret it for the rest of his life.
No more next chance for real!
Jaehyun scrambled to grab his older brother's guitar case sitting in the living room, not forgetting to snatch his phone with his other hand.
Destination: Share-house 405. He held the phone to his ear with his left hand, his heart pounding as he waited for her to pick up.
"What else is there?" a sleepy voice answered, and Jaehyun couldn't help but smile.
"Open your window for a sec."
"Huh?"
Despite her sleepy voice, she complied. The pitch-black room on the second floor lit up before the cream curtains were pulled back, revealing the owner of the room looking incredibly groggy in long-sleeved, long-pants Shin-chan pajamas. (Awesome, so cute. Jaehyun fell in love for the millionth time).
"You're gonna play the guitar? Right now?"
Jaehyun nodded vigorously, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes, and asked softly, "Can I? Will you listen? Please let me sing you a song."
If she rejected him, he'd definitely be heartbroken—but you figured if you rejected him, he'd probably just obediently go home.
"Mm, fine. I'll listen."
Jaehyun beamed, his invisible ears and tail wagging furiously with joy.
You allowed it because you didn't think it would be a big deal. Jaehyun wasn't crazy enough to actually—
The sound of terribly out-of-tune guitar chords sliced through the peaceful night, instantly shattering your optimistic thoughts, followed by a very loud singing voice.
"I love you baby, baby, baby 외쳐대느라 내 진심을 동네방네 다 알아!"
(I shouted it out so loud, now the whole neighborhood knows my true feelings!)
Followed by a live ad-lib that unmistakably belonged to a main rapper—okay, Jaehyun might have forgotten that he only learned to play guitar from his brother for one week (and quit because his brother got too annoyed to teach him)—but whatever, he was confident that the lyrics he wrote came straight from the heart, backed by his literature degree and first-class honors!
"니가 좋아! (I LIKE YOU!)" The volume was cranked up to an eleven, making you flinch.
Well... if you ignore how embarrassing this is, he's actually pretty good at writing songs.
"Oo-eh oo-eh oo-eh oh First serenade, and last serenade—"
But before Jaehyun could hit the next chorus, and before Y/N could fully process that the crazy guy downstairs was actually serenading her and it wasn't a penalty or drunken mistake...
"JAEHYUN!! SHUT UP AND GO TO SLEEP!!"
A scream laced with absolute, utter annoyance blasted from the first floor of the house—where Jaehyun had completely ignored the lights being on the whole time. Soon after, your petite figure came rushing downstairs to him, looking panicked.
"You can sing, but why do you have to yell?!"
"I was scared you wouldn't hear me," Jaehyun answered, looking like a kicked puppy. But wait... what did you just say? "What were you complaining about again?"
"You're being too loud! My housemate has an exam!" you whisper-yelled, even though no one else was outside.
"But... you're not mad that I'm singing to you?"
"Focus on the main issue! Besides, your singing isn't terrible. Friends can sing to each other, it's fi—"
"No! I don't want to be friends!"
Jaehyun whined, his face scrunching up in a pout.
You couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "Mm, I get it, I get it."
"What does 'I get it' mean? Can I be your boyfriend? No, is that too fast? Then... can I flirt with you?" Jaehyun asked, so excited he looked frantic.
"Can I hit on you?" he repeated.
You didn't answer immediately. You just stood there looking at him, tilting your head and blinking.
Looking at the same guy... you used to think was just "friendly."
The guy who biked in circles.
Bought croissants.
Invited you for coffee.
Texted you at 3 AM.
And stood singing off-key under your window.
...
That wasn't "friendly."
That was "trying."
You let out a soft laugh.
"Ah... so that's how it is."
Jaehyun looked confused. "How is it?"
You shook your head. Before answering simply:
"Mm. If you want to flirt, then flirt."
"...Really?"
"But if you quit halfway, I'm not going to chase you."
He burst out laughing.
"Not a chance."
You nodded, hesitating before turning to walk back inside. But this time—you looked back at him one more time.
"Jaehyun."
"Yes, Madam?"
"...I'm free this Friday."
He froze. Before breaking into the widest smile he had ever smiled.
"Let's go on a date! Let's just date right now! I'm great with older people! I can get along with your dad for sure!"
Jaehyun yelled, so happy he practically jumped. You were about to turn around and shush him, but you were too late as that familiar voice echoed out once again.
"If you don't stop yelling right now, I'm going to convince Y/N to date Riwoo!!" — "In your dreams!! ...But I'll be quiet now..."
Mm... whatever works.
A/N
Me, stressing over my thesis, yet somehow managing to finish a whole fanfic? Who is going to stop me from writing fics instead of doing my research?! (Ah, right... my thesis advisor. 💀) Also, today is my birthday! But instead of receiving presents, I decided to be the one giving you guys a gift with this chaotic fic hahaha. Consider this my birthday treat to you guys! Also! English is not my first language, so if you spot any weird grammar or mistakes, please feel free to let me know! Also, feel free to comment, or interact—it really makes my day and fuels my motivation (to write more fics, not the thesis). Thank you so much for reading! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Ah.. Hi?