In Chains and Shadows || Heehoon

Too hot to handle

The mansion was quieter than usual, the only sounds coming from the occasional creak of the floorboards and the low hum of the air conditioning. Sunghoon sat by the window, staring out into the sprawling estate. He had gotten used to the quiet, almost peaceful life here after being kidnapped—well, almost kidnapped—by Heeseung's men. But today, the stillness was different. Something was off. Sunghoon had no idea what it was, but he could feel it in his bones.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the hall, pulling him out of his thoughts. The door swung open, and in walked Heeseung, looking as cool and composed as ever. Sunghoon couldn't help but notice how effortlessly stylish Heeseung looked today—his tailored suit fitting him perfectly, his dark hair slightly tousled in that way that somehow made him look even more attractive.

"Are you just going to stand there staring at me, or are you going to say something?" Heeseung's voice broke Sunghoon's trance, and for a split second, he cursed himself for getting caught staring. He quickly turned his attention back to the window, trying to act nonchalant.

"I wasn't staring," Sunghoon muttered, though his face betrayed him with a slight flush. "Just, uh, admiring the view outside."

Heeseung smirked, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh, sure. Admiring the view. But you know, it's getting hard to ignore that look in your eyes whenever you see me walk in. It's like you can't decide whether to be annoyed or impressed."

"Shut up," Sunghoon grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his head away in an attempt to hide the redness creeping up his neck. "You're so annoying."

Heeseung chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Is that so? Because if I didn't know better, I'd think you were getting used to having me around. You know, I'm pretty irresistible."

"God, you're so full of yourself," Sunghoon snapped, rolling his eyes. But inside, there was a flutter he couldn't quite explain. The fact that Heeseung had the nerve to be this confident, this... ridiculously attractive, only made Sunghoon feel more irritated—and more confused.

But before he could process any further thoughts, Heeseung's phone buzzed, and he quickly checked the message before giving Sunghoon a sidelong glance.

"Looks like we're having some company today," Heeseung said casually, as if it was no big deal. "I've got a few rivals to deal with. Care to watch?"

"Rivals?" Sunghoon raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "What do you mean by 'deal with'?"

"Exactly what you think," Heeseung said with a shrug, heading toward the door. "You'll see soon enough."

Sunghoon, despite his better judgment, followed him. He wasn't sure why he was so curious, but the idea of seeing Heeseung in action—of witnessing how he handled the ruthless underworld he was part of—was oddly compelling. Part of him also couldn't shake the feeling that he might be doing this to distract himself from the growing awareness that Heeseung was, well, *too hot to handle.*

As they stepped into the grand foyer, Sunghoon could see a group of men waiting by the front door, their posture tense. These were the kind of men Sunghoon had learned to fear during his time here—cold, calculating, and dangerous. But the moment Heeseung walked into the room, the atmosphere shifted. The men all straightened, their attention immediately snapping to him.

"Gentlemen," Heeseung's voice was smooth, commanding, and his gaze was sharp as a blade. "I assume you know why we're here."

One of the men stepped forward, a sneer on his face. "You've been crossing too many lines, Heeseung," the man growled. "It's time someone put you back in your place."

Sunghoon watched as Heeseung's lips curled into a small, almost imperceptible smirk. It was like he was enjoying the tension, playing with his rivals. Sunghoon felt a strange sense of awe, even as he reminded himself that these were dangerous men, people Heeseung had no problem eliminating if it came down to it.

"You're out of your depth," Heeseung said, his voice low but filled with an unshakeable confidence. "This is a business, not a playground. And I've told you before: get out of my way, or I'll make sure you regret it."

Sunghoon stood silently in the background, watching as Heeseung's men positioned themselves, clearly prepared for whatever confrontation was about to happen. The whole scene felt like something out of a movie—except it was real, and Heeseung was the star.

The next few moments happened so fast that Sunghoon almost didn't realize what was going on. One of the men lunged toward Heeseung, but before he could even reach him, Heeseung was already moving, sidestepping with practiced ease and landing a blow to the man's gut. The man crumpled to the floor, gasping for air, and Heeseung stood over him, unfazed.

"Get him out of here," Heeseung ordered coldly, his voice carrying a weight that left no room for argument.

Two of Heeseung's men quickly dragged the man away, and the rest of the rivals backed off, clearly unsure whether they were willing to challenge Heeseung further. The tension in the air was palpable, but Heeseung remained calm, his face unreadable as he surveyed the room.

"Let that be a lesson," Heeseung said, turning back to face the remaining men. "You don't want to get on my bad side."

With that, Heeseung dismissed them all, his cool demeanor never wavering. As the rivals left, Sunghoon couldn't help but stare at him, his heart hammering in his chest. There was something about the way Heeseung had handled everything that was undeniably captivating. The power, the control—*everything* about him screamed authority.

Heeseung turned to him, catching Sunghoon's gaze. "See what I mean? Too hot to handle, right?"

Sunghoon blinked, his face flushing slightly. "Shut up," he muttered, feeling a mix of embarrassment and something else he couldn't quite name.

Heeseung grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "Come on, you have to admit it. You're impressed."

Sunghoon scowled, but his heart wasn't in it. He could feel the pull of attraction growing stronger with each passing day, despite how much he tried to deny it. And now, watching Heeseung handle his rivals so effortlessly... it was like Sunghoon couldn't look away.

"I'm not impressed," Sunghoon said, trying to keep his tone steady, but the words felt hollow. "You're just so... annoying."

"Annoying, huh?" Heeseung stepped closer, tilting his head with a smirk. "I think you've got a thing for me. Admit it."

"I do not!" Sunghoon shot back, his face flushing again, though this time it wasn't from anger. "You're... you're just too much, alright? Too annoying, too good-looking, too... everything."

Heeseung's eyes softened for a brief moment, the teasing edge fading just slightly. "You're not the only one who's struggling with this, Sunghoon. But I'm patient. You'll figure it out eventually."

Sunghoon's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly turned away, trying to hide the rush of emotions that flooded him. "Whatever, man. I still think you're insufferable."

Heeseung chuckled, watching him with that same amused, knowing look. "Keep telling yourself that. I'm not going anywhere."

As the day wore on, Sunghoon couldn't shake the image of Heeseung standing in front of those men, exuding an effortless confidence that made Sunghoon's stomach twist in a way he wasn't used to. Was this what it felt like to be... *attracted* to someone? He'd never had to question his sexuality before, but with Heeseung, it felt like everything he thought he knew was being turned upside down.

And the worst part? He wasn't sure he cared anymore.