Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 21

Wonwoo's POV 

It was 10 in the morning. The others had already gone to their respective tasks for the day, leaving me with the responsibility to check on Jeonghan and make sure he had something to eat. I took a tray with a simple breakfast—some toast, eggs, and tea—quietly making my way down the hall to his room.

I unlocked the door, pushing it open quietly, and saw him still asleep. He looked... peaceful, in a way. But it felt deceptive, knowing the turmoil he would likely wake up to. I had my orders, though, and the sooner I made sure he was settled, the sooner I could get back to work.

I approached and gave his shoulder a gentle nudge. "Jeonghan," I called softly, careful not to startle him too much.

His eyes blinked open, taking a moment to adjust to the light filtering in from the window. But as soon as he registered my presence, the peace shattered. His expression shifted quickly from confusion to panic, his body pressing back against the headboard. "Who... who are you?" he demanded, voice hoarse with fear. "Where am I? What's happening?"

I kept my expression neutral, professional, even though I knew how jarring this must be for him. "I'm Wonwoo," I replied, keeping my tone steady. "I'm just here to talk and bring you breakfast."

His eyes were wide, filled with distrust and anger. "Talk? You think I need breakfast right now? I don't know who you are or why you're here. Where... why am I here?"

"It's for your safety," I said, setting the tray on the small table by his bed. "There are threats you're not aware of. Being here is safer than anywhere else."

He looked like he wanted to yell, to scream. "Safer? This feels like prison. My friends... they'll be looking for me. They'll know something's wrong."

I nodded, meeting his gaze. "Your friends did notice, yes. But I handled it. This morning, I sent them a message from your phone. Told them you were busy with a matter that needed handling and that you'd be in touch soon. I made sure it sounded like you—used your style."

His face paled, then turned red with frustration. "You... you pretended to be me? They'll worry, they'll... they'll come looking. This isn't right!"

"I'm aware," I replied, keeping my voice steady, though I felt the sting of guilt just seeing the tears well in his eyes. "But this arrangement is necessary. There are... elements at play that put you at risk. And, you should know, your flower shop received an unusual delivery yesterday—a bouquet from someone who doesn't have your best interests in mind. It raised some concerns, to put it mildly."

Jeonghan's jaw tightened, anger mixing with fear. "A bouquet? So, what? You think you can lock me up over that?"

I took a breath, resisting the urge to soften further. This wasn't my place to coddle or explain in full. "This is precautionary. It's for your safety, and that's all you need to know for now. Once things are clear, you'll be free to go. Until then... I'll make sure you have everything you need."

He shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks, fists clenched in frustration. "I don't want your 'protection.' I just want to go home."

I stood up, clearing my throat and straightening my shoulders, keeping my own emotions tucked away. "I understand. But it's just until this situation is under control."

Without another word, I turned and headed toward the door, glancing back once to find him staring, broken and furious, as I locked the door behind me.

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 Time skip

Hansol's POV

It was 6:30 in the evening when I stepped into the café. The warm hum of conversation and the faint clinking of cups created a cozy atmosphere, but my focus was elsewhere. I scanned the room briefly before heading to a corner table, setting up my laptop with a coffee and cheesecake as my cover. The flow of customers was steady—not too packed, just enough to blend in unnoticed. I had already studied the profiles Dino provided on Jeonghan's friends. Each detail was etched into my mind

And then I saw him. Boo Seungkwan. His presence was magnetic, effortlessly drawing attention even when he wasn't trying. He sat by the counter, his small frame slouched in the chair, a pout softening his otherwise bright expression. Something about him stirred emotions I hadn't felt before. There was a warmth, a lightness to him that was hard to describe. But there was also a hint of something deeper. loneliness, maybe? Vulnerability? It made my chest tighten in a way that felt almost unbearable.

"Kwannie, come on," a voice called out, pulling my attention.

Mingyu, the café owner, stood nearby with his hands on his hips, his tone half-commanding, half-exasperated. Seungkwan barely reacted, lazily turning to Mingyu with a defiant pout.

"I'm not going home. I hate being alone. Don't try to convince me, you giant," Seungkwan said with a stubborn edge, crossing his arms.

I shouldn't have been affected, but I was. The idea of him feeling alone, of him being unhappy, made something twist sharply inside me. I clenched my fists under the table, trying to ground myself.

"Fine, do whatever you want, but you're banned from the kitchen," Mingyu replied, throwing his hands up in surrender before walking away.

That's when it happened. Seungkwan's eyes landed on me, and a small smile curled on his lips. He stood up and walked toward me, his bright energy cutting through the heaviness in my chest.

"Vernon, right? We met yeasterday !" he said cheerfully, sliding into the seat across from me like we were old friends.

"Yeah," I replied curtly, nodding. His energy was... a lot.

"You're not much of a talker, huh?" he teased, resting his chin on his hand. 

I blinked, unsure how to respond. "Something like that."

Seungkwan chuckled, leaning back with an easy grin. "Well, good thing I'm a talker. I can balance us out."

I looked at him, momentarily stunned by how effortlessly he carried the conversation. His bright presence was almost overwhelming, but there was something grounding about it too.

"So, what brings you here?" he asked, his curiosity genuine.

"Just... work," I said, my voice steady but vague.

"Work, huh? Let me guess, something intense and top-secret," he joked, his playful smile making it hard to hold onto my usual coldness.

I exhaled lightly, almost a laugh. "Not quite."

Seungkwan grinned wider, pleased. "You're interesting, Vernon. I think I'm gonna like having you around."

"So, what do you do?" Seungkwan asked, leaning forward slightly, his head tilting with genuine curiosity.

"I... freelance," I said vaguely, regretting the lack of preparation for such a basic question.

"Freelance? That's cool! Are you a writer? Photographer? Hacker?" He wiggled his eyebrows dramatically, his grin infectious despite my best efforts to remain composed.

"Hacker?" I repeated, my lips twitching despite myself. "No, not that."

Seungkwan sat comfortably as he studied me. "So, what brings you here? Don't tell me you're one of those people who orders cheesecake just to stare at it."

I chuckled softly, trying to match his playful tone. "Something like that. And you? Why aren't you home?"

He hesitated, his expression softening just a bit. "I don't like being alone. Jeonghan hyung's busy, and it feels weird without him around. Mingyu's café is kind of my safe spot."

I nodded, trying to focus on his words while battling the guilt creeping in. He talked so openly, his stories jumping from how Mingyu once burned an entire tray of muffins to his favorite drinks on the menu. His voice was light and cheerful, but there was something deeper beneath it—a sadness he hid well but couldn't entirely conceal.

I was here to observe, to spy on him and his friends. That was my job. But as I sat there listening to him laugh, something in me shifted. A selfish part of me thought that staying close to him might help the mission, but deep down, I knew the truth. I just didn't want to walk away from the light he brought into this dark, chaotic world I was a part of.

At this moment, I forgot why I was here.

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sorry no title......❤️

writing title is harder than writing a chapter..