Work Text:
“How many?”
“Three, possibly four. They’re fast, hyung, and sneaky, too.”
Yeonjun scoffed. “Our guys are faster and stealthier, Taehyun, at least pretend to have some confidence.” He walked quickly around his office, grabbing a binder from one of his shelves and flipping it open to his tab on one of the local gangs of Seoul. They’d been causing quite a stir in Gangnam, enough to land on Yeonjun’s radar, and he had just found out that he was being tailed. “Have you notified my contacts, told them to be on high alert?” he asked.
Taehyun nodded where he stood, typing away rapidly on his phone. “Everyone knows and I’ve sent security teams to your family’s residence,” he informed. Yeonjun nodded, going through his list in his head. Gather all relevant information, check. Enact safety measures for professional and personal contacts, check. Create a plan to terminate the gang spies, in progress. “Has Beomgyu assembled the team, yet?” His next question went unanswered for a few seconds, and Yeonjun looked up from his files to see Taehyun scrolling hurriedly on his screen.
Yeonjun clicked his tongue, his first indication of impatience, and Taehyun snapped his head up. “Sorry, boss. I’m getting a lot of messages right now. But yes, Beomgyu-hyung has assembled the team and activated the internal network, so the spies should be apprehended quickly,” he explained. Yeonjun nodded, scanning over the names and faces of his alleged assailants. It was a common occurrence, him being targeted for assassination, common enough that he had learned to not feel fear when he learned of a new attempt on his life. Now, it only empowered him.
“Is the car ready?” he asked as he shut his binder and put it in his briefcase. “It is,” Taehyun said, putting down his phone and gathering Yeonjun’s coat and scarf for him. “I’ve assigned you to a different car, same driver, and there will be two agents following closely but discreetly.” Yeonjun hummed in approval as he put his coat on, the lefthand pocket heavy. He could feel the gun through the fabric. He didn’t enjoy carrying it, but he couldn’t take the risk. His security team joined him as he left his office and made his way to the elevator. Taehyun accompanied him all the way to the car, before giving a small bow and leaving in his own vehicle, an agent escorting him home as well.
Yeonjun exhaled loudly as the car began to move, and it was soon apparent that he wouldn’t be going home that night. He’d be going to one of his safehouses, in an undisclosed location that not even he knew the exact address of. He hoped he’d only have to be there for a day or two, the houses were never his favourite. With a jolt, he realised he would need to cancel his movie night with Soobin.
He pulled out his phone to text his childhood best friend, but it only took a few moments for him to remember that his service had been cut off to avoid anyone tracking him. He bit his lip as the first signs of nerves began to infiltrate his body. Surely, Taehyun would’ve told Soobin that movie night was off, coming up with some excuse or another that would sate the younger boy. Plus, Soobin usually texted Yeonjun to confirm and if he never got a reply then it was unlikely he’d show up, right?
It was times like these that he argued with himself over whether or not he made the right decision to keep his job a secret from Soobin. He liked to think that it kept the younger safer, and he supposed it did in a legal sense. If Yeonjun was ever arrested—unlikely, since the Mafia controlled the Korean courts—Soobin would be able to claim plausible deniability. But on the other hand, each day that Yeonjun spent with him was putting him in danger. He had put into place numerous protective measures that Soobin was unaware of, and he got near daily updates on his status, but still. There would come a time when Yeonjun would have to either tell Soobin the truth and risk losing him forever, or he’d have to remove himself from Soobin’s life entirely.
Either way, Soobin would be heartbroken. After all, the Yeonjun that Soobin knew was the Yeonjun of the past, the Yeonjun who grew up in a small neighbourhood near Soobin’s family, who shared snacks at the park and rode the bus to school with Soobin every single day until they graduated. Soobin didn’t know about Yeonjun’s familial ties to the Korean Mafia. He didn’t know about the shadow war between Yeonjun’s family and the former family head of the Mafia. And he certainly didn’t know that Yeonjun, after the untimely death of his father via cancer of all things, had taken up the helm.
How could Yeonjun shatter the illusion? How could he reveal that he’d been lying for six-odd years about his occupation and what he did? How could he confess that he was a murderer that sometimes killed in cold blood and was at the top of every Most Wanted list in Korea? How could he just explain all of that?
These thoughts troubled him as he arrived at the safehouse, blindly walking inside with the help of his agents. Each safehouse was always fully stocked with food, clothes, necessities, whatever Yeonjun would need for his stay. Aside from that, they were barren wastelands, empty walls, no colour to be seen. Completely nondescript, just as Yeonjun had requested.
When the doors were locked behind him and his agents were in place, guns in hand, he dropped his briefcase and instantly went to the office where a secure landline had been installed. He yanked the phone off the receiver and dialled Taehyun’s emergency number, thoughts of Soobin swirling around his head. He had never had to go into hiding in a way that conflicted with Soobin, so this was new territory. And he had a terrible feeling that the younger was going to show up at his apartment, worried that Yeonjun was sick or something.
“Taehyun,” Yeonjun said as soon as the line connected. “I need you to check the cameras outside my penthouse and connect the stream to my desktop here.” Taehyun didn’t verbally respond, but Yeonjun could hear the clacking of keys and he did his best to stay calm. He sat down at his desk and looked at his blank monitor, his heart starting to beat faster despite himself. In any other situation, he wouldn’t feel anything. But when it came to Soobin, he always felt everything.
Soobin was his kryptonite, if he were to have one. And that is why it was so important to protect him, to shield him from the truth. He was Yeonjun’s most precious person, and if his enemies were to gain that knowledge, Soobin would suddenly become the most wanted man of the entire South Korean crime syndicate. And Yeonjun simply could not have that.
His monitor lit up and his thoughts of Soobin immediately shifted as he scanned the screen. He recognised his two agents stationed outside his door, and he breathed a momentary sigh of relief at seeing the hallway empty. However, it was too early for Soobin to make an appearance, anyway, so he lifted the phone again to give further instructions.
“Keep the stream live, Taehyun, I don’t care what you have to do to make sure the connection is secure, just do it. And if Soobin shows up, I want him brought immediately to me.”
There was a pause on the end of the line, and Yeonjun clicked his tongue. “Yes, hyung, I’ll keep the stream live,” Taehyun promptly responded, an apology in his voice for his delay. “Regarding Soobin-ssi,” he continued. “Are you sure you want us to bring him to you? That could put him in more danger and could possibly lead your attackers straight to you.”
Yeonjun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before moving his eyes back to the screen in front of him. He desperately wanted Soobin within reach, physically close to him so that he could physically protect him, but Taehyun made a good point. It would bring more danger to Soobin if he were brought here. “Contact him and let him know that our evening is cancelled, make up some excuse, he’ll believe it if it’s coming from me,” he ordered, his emotions starting to break out of their chains as the distress of how to keep Soobin safe started to grow.
There was another bout of silence, but thankfully Taehyun spoke before Yeonjun had to prompt him again. “Hyung, you gave specific orders that I never directly contact Soobin-ssi, in order to keep our phone lines clear of his information,” he informed. Yeonjun clenched his jaw, fingers tightening around the phone as he stood up and began pacing. “He’s going to think I’m sick or hurt or something and show up at the apartment and then he’ll end up here anyway due to protocol!”
He forced himself to stop pacing and take a deep breath. It was unusual for him to get so emotionally worked up, and he didn’t want his agents or anyone who could be listening in to hear him in such distress. He could never risk appearing weak.
He schooled his features and smoothed his face, putting his mask back on and trying desperately to think of Soobin as anyone other than his most important person. It was his fault for not creating a contingency for this situation and he made a mental note to solve this problem as soon as it was safe.
Or he could just tell Soobin and everything would resolve itself.
A shiver ran through him at the unwanted thought, and he ignored it in favour of barking further orders in the phone at Taehyun, all the while keeping an eye on the CCTV stream. Still no sign of Soobin. Yeonjun desperately hoped the younger would just stay at home.
“If Soobin arrives at the apartment, I want him taken into our custody and transported to a witness safehouse. Beomgyu’s, if he’s available. As soon as I’m cleared for transport, I want to be taken directly to him. Do not give him any further information, do you understand?” he instructed, voice calm and steady.
“I understand, hyung. I’ll keep you updated,” Taehyun responded, ever the professional. Yeonjun nodded, and the line disconnected. He exhaled loudly and fell back into his chair, eyes trained on the screen and heart racing in his chest. His fingers itched to call Soobin, to tell him he was so sorry but that something came up at work and he wasn’t going to be able to attend their plans. It wasn’t exactly a lie, and it would keep Soobin safe. But he couldn’t risk a call.
About an hour went by, and it nearing the time that Soobin normally showed up to Yeonjun’s apartment. Yeonjun himself was on high alert, but his heart had slowed a little once Taehyun informed him that his directive had been communicated to all relevant parties. Beomgyu was currently at the safehouse, awaiting Soobin’s possible arrival. The assassins sent after Yeonjun were still in hiding, but his scouts were closing in on a few possible areas they could be located in.
And lo and behold, another hour passed, and there was no sighting of Soobin.
After an additional hour, Yeonjun finally allowed himself to relax, at least in regard to Soobin’s safety. The younger was probably upset and mad at Yeonjun, but Yeonjun would rather have him upset and alive than happy and dead. He finally allowed himself to change out of his day clothes and crawl into bed with strict orders to his agents to keep an eye on communications and to wake him if anything goes awry.
Before closing his eyes, he made sure his gun was stashed underneath his pillow. In his line of work, one was never completely safe, after all.
It was another two days before Yeonjun’s assassins were apprehended and he was allowed to return to his penthouse apartment. After doing what was necessary for the network—and sending an entourage to his neighbouring districts to deliver a harsh reminder of who they worked for—he returned home and immediately turned on his new phone, which Taehyun had diligently set up for Yeonjun in preparation.
As soon as the phone was booted up, he opened his contact list and pressed on Soobin’s info. He lifted his phone to his ear and started pacing as the line rang. He was nearly shaking with nerves and worry, so desperate to hear Soobin’s voice and reassure him that he was okay, that he hadn’t disappeared or ditched him for someone else. It gave him whiplash how wildly different his concerns were when it came to Soobin.
Such a strange paradoxical world you create for yourself, Yeonjun.
The line connected and Yeonjun froze in his tracks, breath caught in his throat as he waited for Soobin to greet him. It took a few seconds, but eventually the younger’s voice filled Yeonjun’s head.
“Are you calling to apologise, hyung?” Soobin mumbled, reproachful. Yeonjun supposed it was warranted. “Yes,” he replied instantly. “I’m so fucking sorry, Bin, we had a security breach at work and I wasn’t allowed to contact anyone or leave the building until the breach was cleared.” It wasn’t a complete lie, he figured. There was another beat of silence and he about chewed his lower lip off waiting for a reply, hoping that Soobin would accept his explanation.
“Security breach?” the boy parroted, a note of concern in his voice. “Are you okay? Is everything alright?” And fuck, if that didn’t make Yeonjun feel terrible. Of course Soobin would be worried for him, as if Yeonjun is the one who needed worrying over. He needed to fucking tell him. But he couldn’t, not right now. He would need to figure out the best way, the way that kept Soobin from running for the hills and never speaking to him again.
“Everything’s perfectly okay, bunny, I’m sorry that I made you worry or feel abandoned,” he replied, his voice softening in a way it only did for Soobin. “Can I make it up to you? Are you free tonight for a sleepover?”
He heard Soobin snort and could see his dimpled smile in his head, and his own lips twitched upward for the first time in a week. His heart was racing but in a good way, and his body felt relaxed and warm. This was what Soobin did to him, and this was what Yeonjun needed during the time he wasn’t acting as the head of the Korean mafia. He needed Soobin.
“Can you send one of your fancy drivers to pick me up?” the younger teased. Yeonjun chuckled, smiling fully. “You read my mind,” he replied. “I’ll send one now, see you soon.”
“See you soon, hyung,” Soobin whispered, and then the line disconnected. Yeonjun felt a weight lift off his chest and excitement settle in his belly at the fact that Soobin would physically be within reach soon. Yeonjun knew no better way to keep him safe than to keep him near. If it were up to him, he’d have Soobin become his roommate and then he would never have to be apart from him.
I think there’s a second thing we need to tell him, Yeonjun.
Yeonjun felt his own cheeks heat up like a silly teenager at the brief mental acknowledgement of his near-agonising romantic feelings toward the younger that coexisted with his desperate need to keep him away from the danger that he was responsible for. Being the head of the Korean mafia was no small feat, but even it paled in comparison to the mountain of feelings Yeonjun contained for Soobin.
If any of his enemies knew of this weakness, this vulnerability, Yeonjun couldn’t bear it. As he started moving around the apartment, cleaning up and lighting some candles to make it smell like home again, a plan began to formulate in his head.
He would enjoy his sleepover with Soobin and not worry about anything other than the fact that they were together again, and then tomorrow he would actually write out what he wanted to tell Soobin—he wouldn’t need all of the details, after all, just the big picture—and then plan to tell him the next time they were together.
It settled something within Yeonjun once he decided on his plan, like a whirring buzz in his brain had finally quieted and everything was peaceful. He allowed himself to enjoy the feeling, but also did a quick sweep of the apartment and checked in with Taehyun for a security brief.
“Everything’s quiet, hyung, enjoy your time with Soobin-ssi,” the younger said. Yeonjun blushed despite himself and when the line disconnected he let out a loud sigh of relief, falling onto his couch to wait until Soobin would arrive.
It didn’t take long, since the younger only lived ten minutes away. His agents at the front desk buzzed the apartment and Yeonjun, after verifying that it was indeed Soobin, let him up. He stood up and could feel his fingertips start to tingle and his heart rate pick up in anticipation. It was always like this, every time he saw Soobin. The feelings never settled, they only got stronger.
He went to go watch through his cameras as Soobin exited the elevator and started walking down the long hallway, a bag slung over his shoulder. His face was obscured with a face mask and a beanie that was pulled low over his forehead. He was dressed down, in a pair of joggers that Yeonjun quickly recognised as his own and an oversized sweater that managed to make him appear small, despite the truth.
A smile spread across Yeonjun’s face and he didn’t wait until Soobin got to his door to open it. He swung it open and walked out, facing Soobin with a cheesy grin. “Soobinie! My bestest, sweetest, and cutest friend ever!” he called. Even through the obstructions Yeonjun could see the younger roll his eyes and he gave a little shake of his head as he approached. “You’re ridiculous, hyung,” he greeted. Yeonjun scoffed in mock offence, pressing a hand to his chest. “You wound me, Soobin-ah! I’m only speaking the truth,” he said with a wink, which made Soobin giggle and shake his head again, walking past Yeonjun into the apartment.
It made Yeonjun happy seeing Soobin so comfortable around him and his space. He didn’t want that to ever change.
It’ll have to, if you want to keep him safe.
“Give me your bag! I’ll go put it in my room and then we can order food and pick up on that drama we started,” he said, feeling like he was maybe speaking a little too quickly. Soobin pulled his mask off and pushed his beanie up to reveal his face and he gave Yeonjun a quizzical look. “Are you alright, hyung? You seem a bit high-strung,” he pointed out, slowly handing over his bag.
Yeonjun flushed as he took Soobin’s bag. “Work has been really stressful and I’m just happy to see you,” he replied honestly. Soobin hummed, his brow furrowing a bit. “You work a lot, hyung, maybe you should take a vacation.”
Yeonjun snorted at that before he could stop himself. It was a ridiculous notion, him taking a vacation. But of course, it wasn’t ridiculous to Soobin, who didn’t know any better. “I don’t need to go on vacation when I can just spend time with you,” he replied with another wink and this time it was Soobin who flushed and turned away. “You’re so cheesy, hyung,” he muttered, before moving to take off his shoes and and beanie.
“You love me for it, though!” Yeonjun cried as he went down the hall to drop off Soobin’s bag in his room. He kept smiling as he did so, painfully aware of just how different he was with Soobin. How light-hearted and carefree he felt. It was only when he was with Soobin that he felt like a normal twenty-three year old.
When he returned to the living room, Soobin was already spread out on the couch, remote in his hand and lips pursed as he scrolled through Netflix to find their drama. Yeonjun couldn’t help the fond smile that graced his face and he quickly fell into place next to the younger, holding onto his arm and snuggling into his side. “How are you always so warm?” he asked.
Soobin adjusted his position quickly to adapt to Yeonjun, sliding his free arm around Yeonjun’s waist and sitting up a bit more so that Yeonjun’s head could rest comfortably on his shoulder. It was their favourite position, one that they fell into so naturally at this point. Yeonjun hoped to the gods that nobody ever saw him pressed up against Soobin in such a way. This was only for the two of them.
“I think you’re just perpetually cold, hyung,” Soobin replied, finally finding the drama and queuing up the episode. Yeonjun hummed, considering Soobin wasn’t entirely off. He did have a cold heart—he had to, being in the business he was. But it would always melt for Soobin. “I really am sorry about not texting you,” he mumbled, a sudden feeling of guilt overcoming him. Though, he supposed it had always been there.
Soobin shifted a bit to look Yeonjun in the eye, his face scrunched in confusion. “What? Hyung, you literally couldn’t text me. It’s okay, I’m not upset anymore.” Yeonjun sat up a little, grabbing Soobin’s hand like it was second nature.
“I know, but you were upset at one point and I want to apologise for that,” he insisted. Soobin levelled him a strange look, one that Yeonjun didn’t really recognise. It appeared to be a mixture of confusion and something else that he couldn’t quite place. He started to feel a little awkward the longer the silence drew out, but thankfully it was broken by Soobin sighing loudly. “You’re so dramatic, hyung, but okay, fine. You’re sorry and I forgive you. Can we please just order food now?” he replied, trying to act annoyed. The red tips of his ears gave him away though, and Yeonjun grinned happily, cuddling back into Soobin’s side and picking up his phone. “What’re we having?”
Soobin was halfway to dreamland when Yeonjun made the executive decision to turn off the tv and move the two of them to his bedroom. Once the living room went silent and dark, he carefully disentangled himself from Soobin’s embrace and gave the younger’s shoulder a gentle shake. “Come on, bunny, let’s move to the bed,” he whispered, watching with sleepy fondness as Soobin’s lashes fluttered and he let out a quiet groan as he sat up.
He didn’t say anything as Yeonjun took his arm and helped him up, walking with him down the hallway, feet dragging. Half of Soobin’s hair was pressed flat against his head from where he had laid against Yeonjun’s chest, and his sweater was hanging off one shoulder. He looked properly exhausted, and Yeonjun was faring about the same. His eyes kept sliding shut of their own accord even as he made quick work of pulling his sheets back and helping Soobin slide underneath them.
He didn’t slide in after him immediately though, instead heading into his bathroom and turning on the light so he could brush his teeth and wash his face. He’d be damned if he skipped his hygiene routines. Soobin let out an annoyed huff at the light shining into the room, burrowing himself under the covers as Yeonjun chuckled. He did his best to be speedy, not wanting to keep Soobin awake. He finished brushing his teeth and was reaching for his bottles of skincare when all of sudden the whole bathroom plunged into darkness.
Instantly, Yeonjun’s entire body was awake, his muscles tensing and the hairs on the back of his neck standing up as he dropped his bottles and blindly sprinted into his bedroom, going straight for his bedside table. He yanked open the top drawer and pulled out his handgun, checking that it was loaded before also grabbing his emergency phone and punching in the three-digit code that would immediately connect him with headquarters. His heart was racing so fast he almost couldn’t breathe, and that’s when he remembered Soobin.
Soobin.
He turned to the younger and tried to find him in the darkness, but it was impossible, so instead he used his hands and pulled Soobin up and out of the bed, despite his yelps of surprise and protest. “Hyung! What are you doing? It’s just a power outage,” he cried, struggling against Yeonjun as the elder tried desperately to get Soobin somewhere safe. He didn’t respond as he kept pushing Soobin toward his closet, unable to think of anywhere else within throwing distance that would work.
It couldn’t be a power outage, Yeonjun knew this, because nothing was a coincidence when it came to him and his safety. This was the work of his rivals, perhaps even the assassins that had been after him. For all he knew at the moment, they could be in his apartment right now.
With that thought, he quite literally shoved Soobin into his closest, ignoring his slight cries of pain as he hit random objects in the darkness. “Hyung!” he cried out, grappling with Yeonjun’s arms. “Stop pushing me! What are you doing?”
Yeonjun couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think straight, he couldn’t even hear what Taehyun was saying through the phone or pick up on the movements of his agents outside his front door. He couldn’t do anything except make sure Soobin was safe.
“Stop fighting me!” he yelled, actually yelled, at Soobin. It stunned the boy into silence, and Yeonjun took the moment to lift his phone and turn on the flashlight, quickly shining it around his room, holding his gun up, ready to fire if necessary. When it came to Soobin, he was ready to kill.
“Get in the closet, all the way in the back and close the doors,” he instructed, his voice shaky. He needed to get control of himself or he wouldn’t be able to keep anyone safe, not even himself and certainly not Soobin. “What? Hyung, what’s going on? Why are you acting like this?” Soobin asked, his own voice growing shaky. “Soobin!” Yeonjun hissed, turning around and shining the light on the both of them.
Soobin’s illuminated face showed Yeonjun how scared the younger was becoming, and when Soobin saw the gun in Yeonjun’s hand, the rest of the colour drained from his cheeks and his pupils dilated in fear. “H-Hyung,” he whimpered, a few tears gathering in his eyes. “Why do you have a g-gun?”
Yeonjun’s entire body was hot with fear and adrenaline and the longer they both stood out in the open the more dangerous it was. “Please, Soobin,” he begged, putting a hand on the boy’s cheek and pushing him back into the darkness of the closet. “Please get in the closet, I have to keep you safe. I promise I’ll explain everything, but I need you to get in the closet, right now, and don’t come out until I come and get you, okay?”
Soobin was moving obediently, but he still had so much confusion in his eyes, and he refused to let go of Yeonjun’s shirt, starting to shake his head. “N-No, you’ll tell me right now what’s g-going on,” he argued, and Yeonjun was about to lose his mind. He kept looking over his shoulder and down at his phone where he could still hear Taehyun calling for him, and the gun in his head kept getting heavier and heavier and he was so wholly unprepared for this situation that he had a sudden image of both himself and Soobin lying dead in his bedroom.
That image alone jolted him into a headspace that gave him a strange sense of clarity. His emotions became suddenly muted, and he calmly lifted his phone to his ear, still staring at Soobin, who tracked his every movement with terrified eyes.
“Taehyun,” he replied into the phone with a steady voice. “Talk.”
“I’m still waiting on reports back from our agents in the international field, but domestically everything is quiet. Your two agents are still stationed outside your door and I’ve sent a few more as extra support, but it appears it really was just a power outage. The government is reporting them all over Seoul. You’re secure, hyung.”
Yeonjun deflated so immediately that he nearly dropped the phone and his gun. He hung up on Taehyun and let the phone fall onto the floor as he used his hand to pull Soobin against him in a crushing hug. He slipped his gun into his waistband and wrapped his other arm around the younger, closing his eyes in sheer relief, and a good amount of leftover fear. “Fuck,” he breathed.
Soobin was still tensed against him, shaking a little even, and the hug didn’t last long. “H-Hyung,” he whispered, pushing away and staring at him. The phone light was still covering the room in an almost eerie white glow. “What was that?” Soobin continued, his voice so small and scared it made Yeonjun shiver with guilt and a lot of regret. “Why do you have a gun? Who were you talking to? Why were you so scared and wanting me t-to get into the closet?”
Yeonjun listened as Soobin rattled off his questions, his voice getting more distressed and higher pitched as he went, and Yeonjun knew there was only one thing he could do. He couldn’t lie his way out of this one, and Soobin didn’t deserve to be lied to. Not after Yeonjun essentially traumatised him for life.
You’re going to lose him for sure now.
“Soobin.”
The younger fell deathly silent, his eyes shining with tears and his hand still gripping Yeonjun’s shirt, his knuckles so white they were probably numb. His eyes held more fear and trepidation than Yeonjun ever wanted to see. And it was his fault. He needed to come clean, Soobin deserved as much.
“I’m the acting head and heir to the Korean mafia.”
Soobin didn’t bolt. He didn’t push Yeonjun away with disgust and damn him to hell and forbid him from ever speaking to him again. He didn’t do any of the things that Yeonjun expected him to. In the end, he realised that perhaps he had underestimated Soobin all along.
“Are you safe?”
That was the first thing out of Soobin’s mouth after Yeonjun finally revealed the truth to him. It shocked Yeonjun so much that his jaw dropped, and he stepped closer, gently unfolding Soobin’s fingers from his shirt. “That’s seriously your first reaction?” he replied, slipping his fingers between Soobin’s. The younger’s scared, though slightly less confused expression didn’t waver. “I don’t c-care or want to think about the r-rest, hyung,” he answered quietly, tightening his grip on Yeonjun’s hand. “I just want to know if you’re safe.”
Yeonjun couldn’t believe him. Where were the questions about how many people he killed? Where were the questions about what crimes he’d committed or how many most-wanted lists he claimed the top spot of, or how he managed to sleep at night knowing he ran an organised crime syndicate that had spread across the world?
Yeonjun felt like he didn’t know this part of Soobin at all.
“I’m safe,” Yeonjun whispered, and then suddenly the lights came back on, and Yeonjun flinched, his hand immediately falling to his gun again, before Soobin stopped it. Yeonjun looked back up at his best friend, at his most precious person, and couldn’t make sense of anything. “I’m safe, too, hyung,” Soobin whispered.
Yeonjun felt a few tears prick at his eyes, and he sat down on the bed, pulling his hand from Soobin’s. “How are you so calm? I just told you I was the head of the mafia, Soobin.”
Soobin stared at him for a moment, before carefully sitting next to him on the bed, and bringing their hands together again. It helped ground Yeonjun. “Yeah, and I’m trying not to think about it,” he replied. “I’ll probably have questions later, but it’s too…it’s too scary for me to think about right now. I just want to know that you’re safe and that—.”
He stopped there, ducking his head. Yeonjun squeezed his hand, his own heart in his throat and his mind going haywire at Soobin’s surprising reaction to all of this. “And that?” he prompted softly, turning his head to try to look at Soobin.
Thankfully, the younger lifted his head, and Yeonjun couldn’t help but notice how close their faces were. It made his heart beat even faster. Soobin blinked a few times, long lashes brushing the apples of his cheeks, and Yeonjun wanted to freeze the moment forever.
“And that we can still be best friends,” he whispered.
Yeonjun felt a warmth spread through him that didn’t completely negate the tension and stress and fear but definitely made the feelings less overwhelming. He sat up straighter and raised his free hand up to rest on Soobin’s cheek. The younger’s eyes fluttered shut and his hand gripped Yeonjun’s tighten and Yeonjun knew there would be more to this, that there had to be, that they were going to have to talk and compromise and make security adjustments and that it wouldn’t be easy at all but what he had to do right then was easy. It was the easiest thing in the world for him, now that he had nothing to lose.
“I love you, Soobin-ah,” he breathed. “I’m nothing if I don’t have you. I need you in my life, but I can’t ask that of you, not now that you know. It’s your choice if you want to stay, but if you do, I promise to protect you and I promise to do my best to make you happy. If that’s what you want.”
Soobin’s cheeks flushed a deep red, and it was a little jarring, since Yeonjun wasn’t entirely sure how Soobin was able to manage his emotions, but he did his best not to question it. He opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it, and opened it again, and closed it again. It made Yeonjun slightly nervous, another feeling he only felt with Soobin, but he didn’t want to pressure him into speaking, so he waited quietly, hands still intertwined and one still resting on his cheek.
“I love you too, hyung,” the younger eventually whispered. “And I just want to be able to keep doing that.”
And then Yeonjun was being kissed.
It was so fast and so sudden that Yeonjun almost automatically pushed Soobin off of him out of reflex, but thankfully his brain was able to catch up in time and he let his eyes slide shut and he kissed Soobin back with as much passion as he could. Their lips moved together like a choreographed dance, like they were two halves of a whole, two pieces of the puzzle finally joining together to create one beautiful portrait.
It made butterflies and fireworks explode in Yeonjun’s stomach, it enveloped him in a feeling of relief and euphoria he didn’t think he’d ever get to experience. It filled him with hope, it gave him motivation, it erased all of his doubts and fears. It made him stronger. Soobin made him stronger.
When they parted, they both shared shy smiles, and then Soobin buried himself in Yeonjun’s embrace, holding onto his body tightly and likely letting himself process everything that had just happened. Yeonjun held him securely, moving his phone and gun out of the way to properly lie them back, to properly hold Soobin and reassure him that he was okay, that they were okay.
He was still the head and heir of the Korean mafia. Soobin was still his childhood best friend and most precious person. But now, their worlds had finally merged, and Yeonjun was beginning to feel a sense of empowerment, rather than fear.
Because now, he had someone worth fighting for.