Jeongcheol short stories ♡

HEART ON FIRE (2/2)

The tension in the room was suffocating, every breath heavy with unspoken words. Seungcheol's hand gripped his gun tighter as the distant clatter of keys broke the silence. The metallic ring as they hit the floor was followed by a slurred curse, then the unsteady shuffle of footsteps. His heart raced, pulse hammering in his ears.

Jeonghan's gaze darted to the door, sharp and calculating, before snapping back to Seungcheol and Soonyoung. His expression shifted—cool, predatory calm turning to something more urgent, more human. He didn't speak, just gave a quick nod toward the closet in the corner, a silent command.

For a split second, Seungcheol hesitated, his instincts warring with the need to trust Jeonghan in this moment. Then, without a word, he moved, slipping into the cramped, dark space. Soonyoung followed, their breath loud in the stillness. The air was thick with dust, the scent of old wood and forgotten memories pressing down on them.

Through the thin crack between the doors, Seungcheol watched the scene unfold.

The door creaked open, and Yunnha staggered in. Her usual grace was gone, replaced by the drunken sway of someone who'd lost herself to too much alcohol. She laughed—a broken, jagged sound that echoed harshly in the small room. Seungcheol's gut twisted as she stumbled toward Jeonghan, her lips finding his in a clumsy, graceless kiss.

Seungcheol felt his grip tighten around the handle of his gun, blood boiling beneath his skin. That sight—Jeonghan's mouth against hers—stirred something dark and violent inside him. Anger, jealousy... betrayal. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to stay still, even as his mind screamed at him to act.

Jeonghan's initial surprise quickly gave way to a practised calm but Seungcheol could see the tension in his shoulders, the brief flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. Jeonghan pulled away. He caught her as she slipped, irritation flashing in the sharp lines of his jaw, though his touch was gentle as he guided her to the bed.

Jeonghan's eyes found Seungcheol through the closet door, a silent command for him to remain hidden. But Seungcheol's fingers itched against the handle of his gun, his thoughts torn between his duty and the surge of emotions coursing through him. Yunnha's drunken rambling filled the room, her words heavy with intoxication but laced with something more. Something dangerous.

Yunnha collapsed onto the bed, her body heavy with the weight of intoxication "Mmm, that meeting..." she murmured, her voice thick with alcohol. "They're all set for tomorrow. Everything's falling into place. They promised me the wedding gift of a lifetime. It's going to be... splendid. My job? Piece of cake. Just a little deal, and then... magic." Her words were a tangled mess of excitement and inebriation, but the underlying message was clear: a significant transaction was set to occur the next day, and it was tied to her wedding.

As Yunnha's words faded into incoherent mumbling, she fell asleep her body limp.

With a quick, silent gesture, Jeonghan turned back toward the closet. The door opened, and he motioned for Seungcheol and Soonyoung to follow him. "Quickly, Get out." he murmured, his voice low and strained. "Head to the balcony. "

Jeonghan's silhouette lingered in the doorway, a fleeting figure against the darkness of the room. He gave them a final nod before retreating back inside. "I'll catch up with you later," he said, his voice low, barely more than a whisper. "Go. Now."

The surveillance room was dimly lit, the soft hum of electronics filling the tense silence as Seungcheol, Soonyoung, Joshua, and Mingyu waited. Ten minutes passed before the door creaked open, and Jeonghan slipped inside, his movements fluid and calm despite the icy stares leveled at him.

Soonyoung was the first to speak, his voice cutting through the stillness. "How did you know we'd be here?"

Jeonghan tossed him a small tracker, "I planted this," he said with a shrug, as if it were the most casual thing in the world.