Chapter Text
The first time Joo Won sees the older man with the curly black hair is when he and a very drunk girl collide into Joo Won as he's exiting the elevator. They crash backwards and he groans when his hip is slammed into the railing, he can already feel the bruise that will form tomorrow.
The doors close and a loud curse comes from the curly head and Joo Won looks up with a glare, only to be taken back by the man’s beautiful eyes. He looks exhausted and remorseful, his lips turned down into a frown…not that Joo Won was looking at his lips.
“I apologize for smashing into you, are you okay?” His voice is kind but with a playful lit to it like he doesn’t take too many things seriously.
He leans forward to press the number eight (Joo Won’s floor) and the girl he has an arm around suddenly lifts her head up, swaying as she points painted nails at Joo Won’s face. He backs away slightly to avoid getting hit and he sees the fondness in the older man’s eyes despite the scowl on his lips. Not that Joo Won had been looking at his lips again.
“You!! I know you! You're the grumpy, cold neighbor!!!”
Joo Won has heard it enough times to not really take offense to it, although he had been hoping to avoid seeming grumpy in front of the handsome man with the pretty eyes.
Said man snorts out a laugh, shaking his head and sending a flirty smile towards Joo Won. He feels his stomach swoop and suddenly feels a little hot in the elevator, “Please forgive Min Jung, she is normally a little better at controlling her tongue.”
The girl lifts her head up and grabs Dong Sik’s cheeks, pulling his head so it’s inches from hers and Joo Won thinks, Oh .
The swooping feeling in his stomach turns heavy and he looks away from the two, disappointed despite knowing he had no reason to be. He hears her mumble, “My forever love, Dong Sik-ah.”
Joo Won realizes as the doors open that he actually needs to go back downstairs, he had been in the middle of leaving before the handsome man– Dong Sik had crashed into him. So he holds his hand in front of the door to make sure it doesn’t close and the two shuffle out of the elevator with a lot of sighs and giggles. The man throws him a wink over his shoulder and it makes Joo Won’s ears turn pink but he just avoids his gaze and pushes the button.
Was the man her lover or boyfriend? He hadn’t seen a ring on either of their fingers… Her sugar daddy, maybe? Dong Sik seemed quite a bit older than Min Jung. Not that Joo Won was judging, he had learned a long time ago that love was rare in any form that it came in. Plus who was he to judge two consenting adults, he had no room to judge anyone ever.
It is the first time anyone has ever…caught Joo Won’s interest like that and he finds it hard to shake off. He likes the casual look and playful demeanor the man had, so different from the carefully fabricated shield Joo Won existed in. His eyes had been expressive, his lips smiling, and laugh lines visible and Joo Won had been drawn in from the second their eyes met. So of course the man was dating someone and that was it, no reason for Joo Won to think about it anymore.
He shouldn’t be dating anyone right now and he’s never had an interest before. This was just an attraction and it would just be a memory tomorrow.
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“A chef? Really?”
Joo Won knows Hyuk isn’t trying to be rude, knows the man is just constantly worried about Joo Won and how he is handling life right now but… it still grates on his nerves. He really needed one person to believe in him.
He rubs a hand down his face, clicking the button in the elevator for his floor, “Hyung, I have half a culinary degree already and I really like to cook.”
Joo Won learning to cook had been on a whim, one that he’s now very grateful that he indulged. At the time it had been what he remembered doing most with his mother so he had picked up some cooking classes while away in England. He had continued to pick up random cooking lessons when he came back to Korea and the police academy like his father expected him to.
It had started as a way to feel closer to his mom, to curb some of his homesickness. But as a kid in a foreign country it also meant that he didn't need staff as often, the more self-sufficient he became the more he got to do things on his own. And as an adult it was one of the few things he was able to draw peace from.
“Yeah but that means you have to go back to school at 27, Joo Won. Or find someone to work under…I don't know, why don't you pick something related to law?”
Joo Won’s mouth turns down at the suggestion and he just gives Hyuk a look. The prosecutor sighs, his brown eyes frustrated, “Just think about it okay?”
He shakes his head as they exit the elevator, both of them stopping when they see the commotion in the hall. Dong Sik is standing in front of Min Jung’s apartment with her in his arms and another very drunk boy propped up against the wall. Joo Won hasn’t seen his neighbor or Dong SIk in the last few days and a small part of him is relieved.
His eyes observe the man just as quickly as last time and he hears Dong Sik let out a very annoyed sound, “You weren’t supposed to get drunk too, Ji Hoon.”
Ji Hoon must be the younger boy because he perks up at the mention of the name and giggles at Dong Sik’s words, wrapping an arm around the older man’s shoulders. Dong Sik and Min Jung both start to teeter and Joo Won reacts without thinking. He drops his bag of groceries and rushes forward as the three start to topple to the ground.
He catches Min Jung’s elbow to the face and pain erupts in his nose. He is able to straighten them back up despite the pain but not before Min Jung yells out something intelligible and punches him in the lip.
“Han Joo Won!” He feels Hyuk wrap an arm around him as more pain starts in his mouth, and he feels the coppery taste of blood. It makes his anxiety flare up and he has to take a deep breath to remind himself that it’s just blood and that it would be okay. He manages to take his handkerchief out from his pocket and presses it on his lip, wincing at the pain.
He hears a curse and looks up to see Dong Sik standing in the doorway trying to catch his breath as both younger adults are passed out on the floor in the apartment. Joo Won just stares awkwardly as he tries to ignore the blood on his face and in his mouth.
Hyuk speaks first, looking at Joo Won’s nose, “Come on, let’s get inside so I can clean up your face.”
Joo Won winces at the sting in his lip and shakes his head, “It’s fine I can-.”
“I’ll do it.” They both look at Dong Sik in surprise and the older man smiles despite the concerned look in his eyes.
Joo Won goes to protest, embarrassed that he is bleeding profusely in front of the first person he’s found attractive in years. Dong Sikjust waves his words away before he shoves his hands back in his pocket,, “Please, it’s their fault this happened to you. At least let me do this much.”
The look of concern and kindness in the older man’s eyes causes something in Joo Won’s chest to ache. He’s never seen anyone look at him like that before and he finds that his brain just slows down a little, only able to nod at the older man. Hyuk is watching him with a surprised look but offers to take the groceries and put them away while Joo Won gets patched up.
He’s guided to a table and chairs with a warm hand on his back and Joo Won looks around curiously as Dong Sik leaves to get the first aid kit. Joo Woon looks around Min Jung’s apartment and some of it is simple, filled with basic furniture but there are so many touches that are purely Min Jung. There is a wall mostly filled with pictures, a disco ball hanging from the ceiling, stacks of blankets at the end of the couch and dirty clothes randomly spread everywhere. Min Jung’s apartment was so much more lived in then his own.
Dong Sik arrives back with a first aid kit, “I’m Lee Dong Sik, by the way. I realized I forgot to introduce myself.”
“I know.”
Dong Sik raises an eyebrow at him, giving him a cautious look before Joo Won blurts out, “She… Min Jung called you that last time. I’m Han Joo Won.”
The cautious look leaves and is replaced with a happy one instead, “Han Joo Won, it’s nice to meet you but I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances.”
He winces when Dong Sik starts cleaning his lip and it helps focus his brain enough to remind him that he shouldn’t be staring at Dong Sik’s mouth. Judging by the smirk on the curly haired man’s face, Joo Won hadn’t been subtle about it either. Thankfully, Dong Sik seems to let it go and doesn’t say anything else so Joo Won could avoid the embarrassment.
Dong Sik is quick and thorough and Joo Won is being walked to the door shortly after. He wishes he was better at this, that he knew how to make the situation last longer or how to ask all the questions he wants to ask Dong Sik.
He bows again in thanks but before he can walk away, Dong Sik reaches out and takes his hand. Joo Won’s eyes widen at the touch and Dong SIk smiles as he places some ointment in it, “For tomorrow.”
Joo Won nods mutely before shuffling back to his apartment in a haze. It’s only broken when he enters the apartment to see Hyuk watching the door anxiously, and Joo Won realizes he hadn’t minded Dong Sik’s touch at all.
He doesn’t see Dong Sik at the neighbors the next day but he does get a very embarrassed and extremely sassy Min Jung showing up at his door two days later with brownies as an apology. She invites herself in and annoyingly wanders around his apartment but he tries not to seem to be too upset about it, she isn’t being malicious just curious.
Besides he has been trying to break out of his shell and learn to be more open with others…it’s just always difficult. He reminds himself that not everyone is trying to get something from him.
She seems to sense his discomfort somehow and makes her way to his couch, asking permission with her eyebrows before Joo Won nods. He goes and gets them a glass of milk and then settles next to her awkwardly on the couch.
“Dong Sik-ah said that I elbowed you and punched you in the face... I’m really sorry.”
Joo Won nods, clearing his throat, “it’s okay, I used to be a police officer so I’ve gotten worse than a busted lip before.”
Min Jung perks up at this, her black hair bobbing as she smiles excitedly, “Ji Hoon-oppa and Dong Sik-ah are both police officers, why did you quit?”
It’s a simple question, one that he gets every time someone finds out he quit being a police officer. It still doesn’t get any easier for him to talk about, “I… it just wasn’t meant for me, I wasn’t a good police officer.”
She watches him for another minute, obviously not convinced before she shrugs and takes a bite of her brownie. They chat about safer things, small things like music and art, until he finds out that she loves to bake. It’s food adjacent so he also admits he likes to cook and she invites herself over for dinner next week. Joo Won cant help but say yes and smiles to himself when he shuts the door behind her later.
There’s another knock on his door a few days after (he’s never had so many knocks on his door before) and when he opens it he’s shocked to see Dong Sik standing there. He blinks a few times, the older man smiling at him amusedly until Joo Won snaps out of his fog, “Dong Sik-ssi, c-can I help you? Is everything okay?”
The motions the man in as Dong Sik waves away his concern. Joo Won suddenly feels a little self conscious when he sees Dong Sik looking around his apartment. Dong Sik finally brings his eyes back to Joo Won as he sets a large tote bag on the table. “This is a bunch of meals for Min Jung but she’s not home yet, she told me she would be in about a half hour but I have a meeting with a victim and I can’t be late.”
Joo Won nods and makes his way over to the bag, starting to unload it. Dong Sik blinks in surprise before a large grin overtakes his face. Joo Won cant help but be distracted by it, he’s never seen Dong Sik’s face so bright and the tight feeling in his stomach shifts, “Joo Won-ah, I can’t thank you enough. I’ll make it up to you the next time I come.”
The older man is gone before he can respond and Joo Won berets himself over the interaction, did he even say two sentences? His brain never seems to work correctly around Dong Sik and Joo Won is overly embarrassed by his actions. He was not a teenager and he should not be…this distracted by someone else’s partner.
That thought makes something tighten in his chest, he’s been trying to be a better person and not turn into his father completely…He wants to be kind and do the right thing, find a way to atone for his crimes. He doesn’t want to be this cold person anymore.
Joo Won takes a deep breath and continues to put away the tupperware, he needed to get his act together if he didn’t want to end up in the same place he had been before.
Min Jung stops by forty five minutes after Dong Sik leaves and she looks apologetic, “I’m sorry you had to keep the meals.”
He waves her apology away, helping her back the meals up, “It’s fine, Min Jung-ssi. I had the space.”
She smiles at him gratefully and offers him one of the meals, he hesitates as he looks at it… thinking about trying Dong Sik’s food even if it had been made for another. She sees his hesitation, “Don't worry, my love didn’t make it so I know it’s good! We dont let Dong Sik-ah into the kitchen so it was made by our friend Jae Yi.”
He shakes his head, embarrassed by his own thoughts, “I actually really enjoy cooking for myself but thank you for the offer.”
She perks up at this and Joo Won fights the small smile that wants to surface, she looks like a cat when she does that. “So what are you making me for Thursday then, mister chef?”
Her enthusiasm is catching and her sarcasm is dry which matches well with his sense of humor, overall Joo Won realizes he really does like being around her. It’s a nice feeling, to find another person you don’t mind existing and sharing space with.
He has dinner planned with Hyuk so he ends up walking out with her when it’s time to leave. Kim Jung lets out a long sigh as she complains about being alone for the night but brushes off his invitation with a smile.
“Don’t get too drunk, Joo Won-ssi!”
He makes it a little late to dinner and apologizes, “I was holding on to some food that Dong Sik-ssi had dropped off for Min Jung-ssi because she hadn’t made it home yet.”
Hyuk raises an eyebrow, “Dong Sik-ssi… that’s the neighbor's boyfriend that you have a crush on right?”
His jaw drops and all he can do is stare at his friend for a second, Hyuk’s wide and teasing grin is what snaps him back to reality and he hisses, “Hyung! I do not have a crush on him.”
Joo Won continues to glare even as Hyuk starts to laugh, “Joo Won-ah. The other day you touched your lip almost 100 times with this weird look on your face after you came back from Dong Sik-ssi playing nurse.”
The blush reaches his ears and he groans, he hates his hyung so much. “Shut up and eat your food, Kwon Hyuk.”