999<3 | ONESHOT [ ✔️ ]

PROMO: 누구일까 마.피.아?

TAG: mafia leader wen junhui lands in seoul on the run. stress gets him to head over to the café nearby at 2am, owned by a fellow alliance gang. he meets the wonderfully charming and lovely xu minghao and thinks he's not so bad. until news leaks there's a suspected mafia gang in town and minghao wants to get out. now.

hi part 1/3 teehee idk if i wanted to make a new book to properly attract its audience or out all three parts here so i decided to DO BOTH 🤩 the rest will be on a separate book <3 thanks yall && i worked like 3 days on it 😭😭

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"Boss, they're not going to expect us here. We can probably hold out for two months or so. Three at best." Junhui nods, spinning himself in his chair. His assistant holds his phone and some loose papers in his hands. He stands by the door, not daring to enter the office of his boss.

"We'll stay for as long as possible. Make sure you get the kids ready before you come tell me when we have to leave. I don't want a repeat of when we fled France." His assistant nods and verbally acknowledges Junhui. "Alright. Get going, Seungkwan; It's late. And tell Wonwoo downstairs that I think I'll be going out for a while."

"Sure thing, boss."

Junhui walks over to the window of his office. The air is cooler near the glass. Though their base is regular sized penthouse apartment, the guys and girls under him can't fully fit. He doesn't exactly regret becoming a mafia boss but on somedays he feels like the stress gets to him.

Junhui sighs as he see some cars go past. His digital clock beeps two in the morning and he stares at the red numbers. It blinks back 2:01. He grabs his jacket and black mask, greets Wonwoo by the main door and heads out in the late night.

Walking down the Seoul street at two in the morning, Junhui's greeted with only the yellow light of the lamps bleeding out onto the street and the obnoxious neon signs of the 24-hour bars, marts and karaoke joints. He finds a quaint little cafe nearby his apartment. He knows the guy working behind the counter tonight and he knows the owner too. "Hey, Jeonghan-hyung."

The guy, Jeonghan, looks up from polishing off the glassware and gives Junhui a knowing smile. "Didn't know you were in town." Junhui sits at the bar area. The place is empty; filled with warm white lights, industrial beams and brass rather than people. "Yeah, well we thought it was better to go." Jeonghan nods, understanding completely. "How's Jae-in?" Junhui asks after ordering a simple hot tea to warm him up. Jeonghan smiles, "Doing very well actually, even if it might not seem like it at this hour," He references the cafe. "It's very popular with the kids these days."

Junhui sips his tea. The front bell rings and he looks as shocked as Jeonghan. "Thought no ones comes at this hour." Junhui mutters as Jeonghan goes to attend to his new customer. "There are the odd ones that do pop in. Like you." Junhui wants to argue and say it's different for him, that his schedules aren't really comparable to those of the regular Joe. Then again, Jeonghan would probably ask him who Joe was and the result of that conversation would be devastating for the older.

"Hello! What can I get for you at this ungodly hour?" Jeonghan jokes, making the customer laugh and shake his head. Junhui can't help but look on at the exchange. "Hot chocolate, please. Wonder why it's suddenly chilly outside." The customer muses. Jeonghan sighs, "Must be autumn coming in." The customer pays and waits by the bar as well for his drink.

"Hey, what are you in for?" Junhui is very suprised by the sudden interaction with the stranger whom he thought was merely passing by. "Um, just a little tired and stressed." The stranger nods, "I get it." Junhui wants to say he doesn't but that would elicit more questions that Junhui cannot answer for very obvious reasons. "What about you?" He asks instead. The stranger receives the chocolate from Jeonghan and chooses to stay with a seat next to Junhui. "Couldn't sleep. The place is nearby so I thought to drop in. The hot chocolates are wonderful." He answers. Noting Junhui's choice of drink, he adds, "You should try one sometime." Junhui looks at Jeonghan, who gives him a look. "He doesn't take sweet things."

The stranger looks surprised by the barista's interjection. Jeonghan explains that they know each other and he laughs, "Of course. Well if it's any use, my name's Minghao." Junhui's ears pick up at the name. "Are you Chinese?" Minghao nods. "Oh, wow... I'm Junhui." Now with being foreigners as their take-off point, Jeonghan begins to no longer be involved in conversation. It's okay though, he likes to listen rather than talk (that's why he's such a good spy for the team). And Junhui needed more friends outside of the gang anyway. That Soonyoung-Seungkwan duo is a terrible influence on the rest of them and he's pretty sure their planning girl is bound to get some terrible ideas to implement.

"So what do you do?" Ah, the worst question to ever face Junhui. He sees Jeonghan eye him from his peripherals. He hopes he doesn't fuck it up. There's a reason he doesn't have many friends outside of his little gang world. "Nothing much as of now, but sometimes I dance." Junhui decides to pull up one of his oldest alibis. It does hold up but it's still a little flimsy considering Junhui hasn't been in a dance studio for quite a while. He swears he sees the lights go crazy in Minghao's eyes. "Really?! Me too! Though, I bet I do it more often than you do." The two laugh and Junhui feels the tension relax. Jeonghan knows he's safe too.

The bell on the door rings and Junhui realises its now nearly five in the morning. Even Jeonghan has begun packing up his things from the back. "You guys done? Else Dawon can help you out until 11am." The girl in mention waves as she slips on the apron and prepares the machines for the morning stream of customers. Junhui makes a face, "Well, gotta get back. The people at home might get worried." Jeonghan laughs and agrees. Minghao hums, "It was fun to talk to you, Junhui. Let's keep in touch!" Minghao hands him his phone to exchange numbers. The three walk out the door together, then go their separate ways.

Junhui stays on with Jeonghan. "Do you think I can even maintain this? Seems like in a few weeks, we'll stop talking. Plus, you know what I am, hyung, how the hell will this work?" Jeonghan snorts, "Sounds like you're courting him." Junhui hits him and whines, "Please, hyung oh my god. Need help here." Jeonghan laughs and consoles Junhui with apologies.

He arrives at his apartment at twenty past five, surprising Eunbin, who's watching dramas on the sofa in the living room. "Boss-man! Where did you go?" He smiles and tells her he just went to Jae-in's cafe. He feels her go quiet. "She's taken, you know that right?" "Yep! I do! I'm too aware of it, boss-man!" She exclaims, her tone obviously trying to hide embarrassment. Junhui laughs quietly and heads into his room, "Don't sleep so late, Binnie. Don't want Seungkwan to drag you out again."