Masked Man 1
Couples:Namjoon X Reader
Summary:You're struggling to adjust to Korea, when an unexpected clash with a mysterious, masked man gives you the comfort you need, even though you don't know who he really is.
Content:Fluff, mystery, deception(Not infidelity), sex, namjoon!idol, Reader!salaried, dating, multi-part story, jealousy, angst.
It was early April, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, painting Seoul in a romantic shade of pink—just as you had imagined before coming here for work. The thought of fulfilling a childhood dream—traveling to the land of K-beauty, K-pop, and idols—brought a warmth so profound that you couldn’t help but smile. But reality was harsher than you had anticipated.
Although you came here for work, daily life was full of challenges—not just the language barrier but also the cultural differences. You felt the weight of disapproving looks from your colleagues every time you accidentally touched someone or made more noise than seemed acceptable here. You felt awful when your invitations to hang out were declined, as though you carried a contagious disease. That isolation weighed heavier than any workload.
To overcome this, you enrolled in several Korean classes, hoping that one day you could truly connect with someone. For now, your only outings were with yourself and your faithful companion, Susy. She seemed to be the one constant in such a strange world.
However, something unsettling had started happening. Posters of missing dogs appeared in the neighborhood, and stories of a tall, hooded man lurking around parks and yards were circulating in local chats. It was said he stole dogs for illegal breeding operations. Just imagining Susy being taken to a place like that made your skin crawl. You wouldn’t let that happen to her.
While walking with Susy in the park, she sniffed and explored everything around her with excited energy. Suddenly, an enthusiastic golden retriever appeared, wagging its tail so vigorously it was impossible not to smile. Susy gave you her pleading look, silently begging to play with her new friend. But you hesitated. The golden retriever was huge compared to your English bulldog, whose chubby frame wasn’t built for running or jumping.
Susy, however, was persistent. She began tugging at her leash with determination. The golden retriever, as if trying to help, jumped and stepped on the leash, causing it to slip from your grasp. The force nearly made you spill your coffee as Susy dashed after her new playmate.
"Even she’s better at making friends," you thought bitterly, though you couldn’t help but feel happy for her. That happiness, however, turned into alarm when you saw a hooded man approaching the dogs. Something about his posture, the furtive way he moved, set off all your alarms.
It was him—the dog thief. You knew it the moment he reached out to grab the golden retriever’s collar.
Your heart pounded as you sprinted toward them. "I won’t let you take them!" you thought with determination. The man, ignoring your presence, was already reaching for Susy. You didn’t know how to stop him, but you couldn’t just stand there. Gathering all your courage, you tackled him from behind.
The impact caught him off guard, and you both hit the ground, stunned by the fall.
“What’s your problem? Who are you?” he growled between heavy breaths, still clutching the golden retriever.
“Let go of the dogs!” you shouted, trying to sound firm as you stood up. But he didn’t stop. Fear and anger churned inside you.
You lunged at him again, grabbing him with all the strength you could muster. “Someone call the police!” you yelled at a couple who had stopped to watch the scene as though it were a spectacle.
“Alright, alright! Let go of me! This is a misunderstanding!” the man said, though his tone was more irritated than apologetic.
Taking advantage of a brief distraction, he twisted and pinned you in a tight, awkward hold. The air around you grew heavy, but you refused to give up. "This is not a misunderstanding!" you shouted, struggling, your eyes fixed on Susy, who now watched the scene with her head tilted. “I have to protect her,” you thought, fighting to break free.
“Why are you attacking me? Are you crazy?” he barked as he finally managed to free himself and scrambled backward. You knew the only way to stop him from escaping was to keep him occupied until the police arrived.
“You tried to steal my dog! How do you expect me to react?” you yelled, calling Susy to come to you, but she was more interested in playing with the golden retriever. “Traitor,” you thought, frustration tightening your throat.
The man, looking tired of the ordeal, ran a hand through his hair.
“I wasn’t trying to steal your dog. I was just petting her, and that’s my dog, Nutty. Who do you think you are, attacking someone from behind?” he said, his tone irritated but laced with exhaustion.
You couldn’t believe this man, who so clearly looked like a dog thief, had the audacity to blame you. “Really? That’s your dog? Then if you call him by name, he’ll come, right?” you challenged, crossing your arms and glaring at him skeptically.
The hooded man huffed, visibly annoyed, and tried calling the golden retriever by the supposed name. The dog, however, showed no interest at all. Your confidence grew at his failure.
“See? Still want to keep lying? You look like a thief, and you definitely tried to take my dog.” Your finger pointed accusingly at him, as if that would bolster your argument.
At that moment, a police officer approached. “Good morning. I’m Officer Hung. What’s going on here? We received a report of an altercation in the park.” His gaze shifted between you and the hooded man, assessing the situation.
“Officer, he’s a dog thief!” you tried to explain in your limited Korean. The officer seemed to grasp the gist, as he turned to the man with a raised eyebrow.
“Officer, this woman attacked me out of nowhere while I was walking my dog.” The man spoke in perfect Korean, his calm tone contrasting with your agitation. Suddenly, he seemed like a decent person, making you appear irrational.
The officer sighed, visibly exasperated. “Do you have any proof that the dog is yours?”
“Not right now. I left my phone at home, but…” The man searched his pockets, as if hoping a solution would magically appear. Something in his desperation pricked at your conscience.
“We’ll settle this at the station. Bring the dogs, and we’ll verify the facts. Alright?” the officer said, glancing between the two of you.
You nodded silently and went to fetch Susy, while the hooded man did the same with the golden retriever. As he grabbed the golden’s collar, the dog wagged its tail excitedly, leaning into his touch. A small seed of doubt crept into your mind.
“See? He’s my dog,” the man said, stroking the golden retriever gently as the dog gazed at him with adoration.
“How do I know that? He could act like that with anyone,” you replied, trying to sound firm, though your voice wavered.
The man sighed, exhausted. “Look, I can’t go to the station. If anyone finds out I was there, it could ruin my life. Please… I’m begging you, don’t do this.” His tone was so sincere that, for a moment, you believed every word he said.
Before you could respond, the officer signaled for you to follow him. “Are we done? Let’s head to the station. Sir, please don’t resist.”
The man raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “Officer, there’s really no need to go to the station. If you’ll give me a moment, I can explain better.”
The officer frowned, clearly fed up. “I’m sorry, sir, but we need to verify the facts in a more suitable location. This is not optional.”
As you walked, the golden retriever turned to you. When you tried to pet him, he huffed and bared his teeth. “Maybe I was wrong after all,” you thought, your face flushing with embarrassment.
“Officer, I think I made a mistake,” you said, your voice trembling as you bowed deeply. “He’s not a thief. I confused him… because of the mask. He’s my neighbor. Please forgive me for causing trouble.”
The officer looked at you with clear irritation. “Miss, you can’t just attack people like that. What if someone else had stopped you, or if this man had been seriously hurt? You need to be more careful before acting impulsively.” His stern gaze made you shrink back. He then turned to the man. “Are you sure you don’t want to press charges?”
“No, no. She’s my neighbor. I know she didn’t mean any harm,” the man sighed, shaking his head as though too tired to argue anymore.
When the officer left, your face burned with shame. “God, how embarrassing.” You bowed again to the man. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’ve been having a really hard time here. It’s not easy adapting to Korea. When I thought you were going to take Susy, I just… I didn’t know what to do.”
“I wouldn’t know what to do if someone tried to take Nutty, either. Thanks for not taking this any further. You actually saved me from a much bigger problem.” His voice was sincere, though he maintained that reserved air that seemed to be part of his personality.
He extended his hand, and you shook it, still feeling like an idiot.
“Susy’s all I have since I came to Korea. If I lost her…” Your voice broke, and before you realized it, tears started to fall.
“Don’t worry.” He offered a light, playful smile. “Even though you made me exercise more than I planned, I think I’ll forgive you.”
“How about we grab a coffee to calm down?” he said, his tone softening.
Maybe, for the first time since you arrived, you had found someone interesting. There was something about him—a mix of mystery and reserve—that piqued your curiosity. You didn’t know who he really was, but you were certain you were about to be surprised when you discovered the truth about this hooded stranger.
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