On My Command •||• Seventeen AU

✪~~~✷1st✷~~~✪

FIRST PERSON POV: ☆

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I was just persuading a customer to buy one of the newly released beauty products from the store I worked at-'Jayeonmi,' which meant 'Natural Beauty.' Seriously, who names their store like that?

As I expertly explained the benefits of our top-tier concealer, I didn't even stutter, maintaining the calm, professional demeanor that made me the best salesperson they had.

But just as I was about to close the sale, a commotion at the counter grabbed my attention. Instinctively, I pulled the customer down, shielding her with my body. My eyes darted to the source of the noise-a masked man holding a gun, pointed directly at Yuqi, my co-worker and close friend, who was manning the cashier.

"Give me all the money you have and put it in this bag!" the man barked, tossing the bag at Yuqi.

Great. We didn't even have any security today since the store is practically bankrupt. Honestly, this was bound to happen sooner or later.

I sighed, releasing the terrified customer from my hold and motioning for her to get out while she still could. Once she was safe, I rose from the floor and started toward the man, moving slowly. He noticed me almost immediately, his gun shifting to track my movement.

"You! Stop right there!" he commanded, his voice edged with panic.

I raised my hands, but kept walking. "Don't worry," I said with a calm, almost teasing smile. "I'm not going to hurt you."

He flinched at my words, clearly unnerved. His grip on the gun faltered as he locked eyes with me, momentarily distracted by my steady gaze. In that split second, I closed the distance between us, my smirk widening. I knew my calm demeanor might have unsettled him. His distraction gave me the chance to close the distance between us. Just then, the door flung open and my idiot friend, Beomgyu, burst in. Perfect timing, as always. The masked man's attention shifted to Beomgyu, freezing him in place.

Without hesitation, I yanked the gun from his hand and delivered a swift punch to his face, sending him crashing to the floor. I stood over him, the gun now pointed down at his bleeding nose.

"You should've paid more attention to me, darling," I sneered, the smirk never leaving my face. The punch hadn't even been that hard. Pathetic.

Yuqi immediately called the cops, and it wasn't long before they arrived to haul the guy away. Turned out, he'd been pulling stunts like this all over the city. As they cuffed him, Yuqi ran over and hugged me from behind, nearly choking me with her enthusiasm.

"Oh my gosh, Unnie, you were so cool!" she squealed, clinging to me like I'd just saved her from certain death. I rolled my eyes, patting her head.

"I know, I know. I'm awesome," I replied, a smug grin plastered on my face. Yuqi was Chinese too, so we often slipped into our native language when we spoke, though her excitement made her Korean slip out.

And then Beomgyu-ever the idiot-decided to smack me upside the head. "What the hell were you thinking? You could've gotten yourself killed!" he scolded, crossing his arms as if he were my mother.

I shot him a death glare. "What's the smack for, you bitch-" I caught myself as I noticed Yuqi still clinging to me, and I forced myself to calm down.

"I'm not a bitch, dumbass," he replied, crossing his arms. I turned my attention to the chaotic aftermath of the incident. Products were scattered, and I suspected some customers might have taken advantage of the situation to steal.

After we tidied up, I went straight to the CCTV room to confirm my suspicions. Sure enough, two girls who looked like students had swiped a bunch of products before bolting during the commotion.

"Those rats. If I ever see them in this store again, I'll make sure they regret it," I muttered to myself, fists clenched in anger. It wasn't even about the store-it was the thought of those stolen items coming out of our paychecks. That greedy owner was already squeezing us dry. Damn greedy manager.

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I'm Li Mei Qiang, a Chinese expatriate living in Korea since I was six. Raised by someone I consider a brother, Lee Heeseung, people often mistake us for real siblings because our surnames sound similar.

At 25, my life is a mix of the mundane and the peaceful. Despite knowing a lot about psychology-skills that make me an exceptional salesperson-here I am, working at a bankrupt store for a meager salary of 3,250,000 won (about 4,167 USD).

Events like today's excite me, though I'm not sure why. I suppose it's the thrill of disruption that keeps me on edge.

As I waited for my shift to end, Beomgyu tapped my shoulder and pointed to the entrance. I looked up to see Heeseung, who had come to pick me up. I nodded and signaled him to wait while I changed into my casual outfit.

"I'm heading out now. See you tomorrow," I told Yuqi and Beomgyu before walking outside. Heeseung handed me a helmet, and I hopped onto his motorbike.

As we rode, I stared blankly into the distance until Heeseung broke the silence. "So, I heard you caused quite a ruckus today."

I frowned at his words. "I didn't cause it. I saved everyone's lives," I replied, my tone defensive. "You still risked your life. What if you'd been shot? The guy had a gun," Heeseung countered.

I rolled my eyes. "Doubt my abilities if you want. That guy was so weak he went down with one punch. Why would he even attempt to steal when he's that pathetic? He should've just-" I trailed off as Heeseung gave me a stern look. I fell silent, knowing I had gone too far.

When the light turned green, Heeseung drove off again, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence. He didn't like it when I went on rants, especially when I didn't hold back.

We reached our apartment complex, and Heeseung parked the bike. As we walked toward the elevator, Heeseung mentioned, "Mr. Ahn from next door has gone missing."

I was taken aback. "Mr. Ahn? The kind old man who used to give us fruits and sweets?" I asked.

"Yeah, he was last seen near his workplace, and now he's missing," Heeseung confirmed.

I sighed, feeling a pang of sadness. It was cruel how the world could be so unjust. My frustration was palpable.

The elevator arrived, and a man in a black mask and cap exited. Heeseung and I exchanged a brief, uneasy glance as we entered the elevator. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about him.

Once we reached our floor, I unlocked the door and headed to the bathroom to freshen up before collapsing onto my bed.

Heeseung opened the door to check on me. "Aren't you going to eat anything before bed? You haven't eaten since this morning."

I groaned, irritated. "Can't you knock?"

"This is my apartment, in case you forgot," he said.

"Whatever. I'm too tired to eat," I replied, closing my eyes. Heeseung hummed in response and closed the door.

In truth, I didn't want to eat because I wanted to maintain my slim ass figure. Besides, I was too lazy to get up. Beauty standards here are no joke, but I care more about my own perception of myself.

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