Chapter Text
The moment that Hyuna entered Luka’s penthouse suite, she felt a pang of regret for not having called in sick.
The room, as usual, was swelteringly hot. The overhead lights shone with an uncomfortable brightness above her, and the scent of his cloying, artificial vanilla candle bordered on nauseating. She refused to acknowledge Luka as she kicked off her muddy combat boots next to the front door. Once they made eye contact, it would be all over for her; he would either pry for the most mundane details about her day or torment her with trivial gossip about the rivaling pop stars, neither of which she had the energy nor the wherewithal to deal with today.
With a small grumble, she made her way to her usual vantage point on Luka’s bed. She sighed longingly as she sank into his soft mattress— because, Anakt, when would she be able to afford a bed like that?—before reaching into her pocket for a much-needed cigarette and a lighter. She reveled in the delightful way that, upon inhaling, the smoke filled her lungs and calmed her down in an instant.
Finally, she dared to look up at her charge. Right in the center of the room, swathed in sheer chiffon and silk, was Luka. Between the golden bowl of grapes next to him and the servants fussing over him, he looked like some sort of stuck-up prince from a storybook. Fortunately for Hyuna, however, he seemed far too engrossed in choosing a shade of purple nail polish to pay any attention to her. He seemed to be making a point of jerking his head to the side every so often, if only to annoy the poor hairdresser fighting to wrangle his stubborn hair into curlers.
It was only when he finally picked out his polish— an iridescent lilac— that he spoke to her. He turned to her to make eye contact, or rather, to stare at her with those cloudy golden eyes of his.
“Good evening, Miss Hyuna,” said Luka, a smirk pulling at his lips from the mere sight of her. “How has your day been, thus far?”
As the servant girl began to paint his index nail, his nose crinkled in a funny sort of way at the smell, and Hyuna hardly stifled a spiteful chuckle at the sight. Luka really was like an old man: constantly cold, sensitive to smells, picky and stubborn.
It was better that she paid attention to the little details like that instead of the way his robe draped over his body and hid nearly nothing. Even just catching one accidental glance, her stomach unwittingly fluttered. Anakt, how Hyuna wished that he didn’t wear that so often.
“My day was shit, thanks for asking,” Hyuna said sarcastically, laying back against his collection of embroidered pillows. Feeling Luka’s eyes lingering expectantly on her, she continued. “Some prick decided to push one of Hyun-woo’s friends around, and let’s just say he walked out with a couple broken bones. Kid’s too sweet for his own good.” She took a long, well-deserved drag of her cigarette at the memory of having to sit in the principal’s office and try to explain that, yes , violence was, in fact, warranted, and no , Hyun-woo hadn’t meant to break their bones, his punches just happened to land there.
“With all due respect, ‘sweet’ is not the adjective I would use to describe him in such a situation. I would say ‘foolish’ is more apt— Thomas, for heavens’ sake, please hurry it up with my hair. You are taking absolutely forever.” Luka rolled his head back to take in Thomas’ expression: gritted teeth, tense shoulders, furrowed brows. Hyuna pitied him. With that one moment of weakness, he had effectively painted a target on his back— Luka simply adored getting under others’ skin, and Thomas just made it clear what a perfect target he was.
But Thomas’ newfound plight was the least of her problems. Who did Luka think he was, talking about her brother like that. “Luka. Shut your goddamn trap.” To his credit, he did as he was told, pursing his lips together into a tight line. “It ain’t idiotic to care ‘bout people. Hyun-woo has a heart of gold, of course he wouldn’t stand by and let his friend get beat to a pulp. Just like how I saved your skinny ass from being beat to a pulp last week! What happened to working on your sympathy? When most people hear someone complain about a shitty day, they at least say sorry or somethin’.”
Luka didn’t bother to respond to her, wrenching his hand from his servant in order to give her a dismissive wave and a tsk. Good for him, honestly. If he hadn’t shut up, she would’ve beat him to a pulp herself. Talking badly of her brother was strictly off limits.
The awkward silence hung in the air for a few minutes after, minus Thomas muttering colorful curses under his breath.
"'Ey, Thomas,” said Hyuna suddenly, snuffing out her cigarette by pressing it against her dress pants. “Lay off the pouting, would ya? Pretty boy here has a low tolerance for it.” She tried to keep her tone light, but her eyes were plenty sharp to get her point across. Thomas met her gaze for a brief moment, and he must’ve understood her warning, judging by the way he gathered his composure only a second later.
Hyuna didn’t miss Luka’s pout. Oh, boo-hoo , he had one less person he could easily pester.
“… Y’know, for someone who loves being pampered, you sure make it tough,” she idly commented.
“You’re quite feisty today. But, the handsome compensation more than makes up for the rigor. Wouldn’t you agree, Thomas?” replied Luka, continuing on even when Thomas refused to answer. “Speaking of which. Miss Hyuna, if you have time to run your mouth, I presume you have my list of errands completed in full?”
Hyuna pulled the errand list, crumpled and torn, from her pocket with a scoff. “Yep. Alllll done. Tell me, Lukie, when are ya gonna get an actual assistant? One of these days, I’m gonna be too busy—“ she squinted down at the list. “Organizin’ your wardrobe to save ya from one of your crazy fans. May as well just throw ya to the wolves at that point.”
“Organizing my wardrobe? That’s a stretch. I sorely wish that I was awake when you came over to do that.” Luka cast a withering look at his walk-in closet's slightly open door. Designer shirts were half hanging from the half-open drawers, while a rebellious few had crumpled up on the floor. As for his bags, they were stuffed into the display case like sardines— definitely not a grand showcase of his wealth, as he liked. “Maybe then I could have spared it.”
“C’mon, it’s not that bad! The shirts on the floor? Those are just for… uh… days when you’re in a hurry. I dunno. If you’re that pissy about it, go hire an assistant.”
“Hm… But don’t you agree that a third party would cramp our... dynamic?” Hyuna held back a snarky comment about how their “dynamic” could afford some cramping.
“Nah. Dealin’ with ya one-on-one sucks ass. A third person might balance ya out, or at least make my job a bit more bearable.”
Luka languidly raised his champagne flute, and within seconds, a servant was there to refill it. The servant girl tensed as his half-dried polish smudged against the outside of the glass. “Oh, really, now? And to think I was considering granting you a bonus. What a shame that won’t be the case. Your attitude today is too sour to reward.”
Hyuna groaned loudly, muffling it with one of Luka’s throw pillows. “You’re such a bitch! You weren’t even gonna give me a bonus, you just wanna hang more money over my head!” She was lucky that she had made it clear ages ago that she wouldn’t tolerate being antagonized. Then she would hold no more power than Thomas. “You know damn well private school is expensive as fuck!”
“Perhaps you should have considered that first.”
“Perhaps you should remember that I’m an Anakt-damned war hero before you piss me off!” Hyuna sat up for the sole purpose of glaring daggers across the room.
"You killed segyein, Miss Hyuna. And while I do suppose you were quite skilled at shooting them in the head," Luka commented, "I still cannot envision you harming another person. You pretend to be tough, yet you are far more sensitive than you let on."
He tilted his head, scrutinizing her reaction. "Also, you always complain about money problems for Hyun-woo's schooling. Perhaps if you cut back on your weekend clubbing, your finances would improve. I find that behavior peculiar. You are quite strange overall.”
Hyuna stiffened, taken aback by his blunt words. She wanted to snap at him, but his matter-of-fact tone left her more baffled than angry. "What... why would you say that?" she finally managed. "You ain’t my therapist."
Luka blinked, unfazed by her reaction. "I was merely making observations," he said simply. Without another word, he turned back to primping in his mirror, leaving Hyuna shocked into silence. His words were delivered so casually, as if such personalized criticism was normal conversation.
"Speaking of which... it would be a waste not to show off my stunning looks tonight," Luka said with a flourish, turning towards Hyuna. His eyes sparkled with the unmistakable glow of vanity, and he gave her an expectant look, as if awaiting her agreement or, perhaps, her admiration.
"Would it though?" Hyuna retorted. She watched as Luka's face fell, the edges of his confident smile faltering for just a secondat her flippant response. Good , Hyuna thought. She lived for these little moments where she could burst his bubble and see the real him for a second.
But Luka had just as quickly recovered. “Let's dine at the usual restaurant downtown. Thomas, call them and request a table for two at eight.”
Thomas looked up from Luka’s hair. “The fuck? I’m a hairstylist, I don’t make dinner reservations.” His eyes narrowed slightly, and he crossed his arms. “Maybe listen to bodyguard chick and get a personal assistant. This isn’t part of my job description.”
Luka, unfazed by the pushback, responded with yet another wave of his hand, as if swatting away a minor inconvenience. “If you want to keep your job, yes, you do make calls. Chop chop,” he said dismissively, turning away from Thomas to face a large, ornate mirror. He adjusted his robe, seemingly more interested in his reflection. “Servant girl, pick an outfit out for me. I can hardly bear to go into the closet in its current state.”
Hyuna would’ve made a snide remark about the fact he didn’t bother to learn her name, before realizing that she also didn’t bother to learn her name. Eh.
Thomas went right back to mumbling curses as he pulled out his phone and went off to the side to make the necessary call. Even when talking to the hostess on the other end, the spiteful edge refused to leave his tone. While Hyuna felt bad for Thomas — clearly, Luka had deemed him a target despite her best efforts — she was more concerned with the other part of what Luka had said.
Groaning loudly at his implication, Hyuna tensed up. “A table for two? Don’t tell me…” The last time she joined him for dinner had been disastrous; there had been more lectures about proper dining etiquette than there was actual food. She didn’t think it was possible to leave dinner more hungry than she was before, but the rumble in her stomach that night said otherwise.
“Do not start your whining, it’s very unflattering. Anyone else would be delighted at the prospect of a private dinner with me, and it would do you good to adopt that attitude,” said Luka. “Now, throw your coat on. We do not need you catching a cold during concert season.”
“Kinda wish I did. Maybe then you’d let me have a paid vacay,” said Hyuna. Following in Thomas’ footsteps, she took to muttering about Luka’s micro-managing under her breath as she slung her leather coat over her shoulder.
The elevator ride down to the lobby was nothing short of awkward. Luka, with his usual flair for the dramatic, eschewed any attempt at subtlety with his glittery outfit — so much for celebrities wearing disguises. In the corner of the elevator was a teenage girl who Hyuna hadn’t seen around before. Her eyes flickered toward Luka, wide with a mix of awe and anxiety, before darting away whenever she thought she might be caught staring. It wasn't just her fidgeting or the nervous sweat trickling down the nape of her neck that gave her away; the t-shirt peeking out from under her hoodie was an exclusive piece from one of Luka's concerts the previous year. Her fingers, trembling slightly, clutched her phone like a lifeline. In a rare moment of agreement, both Hyuna and Luka shared amused, knowing smiles.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, the girl bolted, her thumbs a blur as she tapped away on her phone.
Once Hyuna thought the girl was out of earshot, she let out a loud, admittedly obnoxious laugh that drew daggers from the eyes of the passersby. For a moment, it looked like Luka might join her, or at least crack a smile. But quicker than blinking, he clamped a hand over his mouth to muffle any giggles.
Hyuna raised an eyebrow at him, giving his arm a forceful nudge with her elbow. "Oh, come on now! Loosen up, why don’t ‘cha? Mr. Stick in the Mud Heperu ain’t here to freak if you crack a grin."
She was met with silence.
"Really, I don’t get it," Hyuna continued, rolling her eyes dramatically as she poked his side. "That poor girl looked like a deer caught in headlights back there. Anyone would think that shit was funny!"
Luka swatted her hand away. "Must you always be so uncouth?" he said with a click of his tongue.
"Must you always be such a fuckin' drag?" Hyuna fired back without missing a beat. She stepped in front of Luka, forcing him to stop short. She reveled in the moment, knowing well that Luka’s flair for drama rarely extended to public tantrums. "I mean, seriously, when was the last time you didn’t act like a hundred-year-old grandpa? When did you last cut loose, go a bit wild, actually have some real fun?"
Luka averted his gaze, his lips pressed in a tight line.
“Seriously, what's it gonna take? Should I start funneling champagne down your throat to get a smile out of ya? Get with the program, Luka! How about you tag along with me and the boys for a night out? We'll show you the time of your life - that's a promise!”
"The 'boys'?" he repeated with a sneer. "You mean those fools you gallivant around with? Dewey and Isaac, was it?”
"Yeah, them," she snapped back. “Who the fuck else would I mean?”
Luka's lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, please," he said, his voice cold and cutting. "Those buffoons? They're barely a step above barbarians. I can't fathom why you waste your time with such... simpletons. Especially when you could just as easily settle down for a drink with yours truly.”
Hyuna felt a flare of rage, her face flushing with heat. "You don't know a damn thing about them!" she whisper-yelled. "Dewey's been through hell and back, and he still manages to be more bearable than you. And Isaac? He's got more common sense in his damn pinkie finger than you have in your entire body! What’s with you and talking shit about everyone I talk to that ain’t you?!”
Luka's eyes narrowed, his expression turning icy. "How quaint," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Defending your little band of misfits. It's almost touching, in a pathetic sort of way."
"Pathetic? Oh, pretty boy , the only 'pathetic' I know is how you begged for it that one night.”
It was going to take a miracle for her to keep her job after that one.
Luka's jaw dropped as his cheeks flushed pink, his confident facade cracking in an instant. He whirled around to face her, for once not even bothering to hide his shock. “I— you— no!” he sputtered. "That one night? I haven't the faintest idea what night you’re referring to. I-I would never... it's preposterous... you must have me confused with someone else," he managed weakly.
She clicked her tongue, clearly relishing his discomfort. "Nah, pretty boy, I know it was you. Cut the crap. Nobody else would’ve done all that . Do we need to talk about how you…”
Hyuna trailed off, leaning in to whisper in his ear. His face burned more and more red with every word she spoke until finally, he pushed her away.
"That's quite enough of that," He all but shouted, his voice amusingly shrill. Luka's gaze darted around wildly, terrified someone may have overheard. Thankfully for him, the street was utterly deserted; his secret was safe, for now. And thankfully for her, he seemed too distracted with his embarrassment to fire her. "This conversation is over. Good day, Miss Hyuna!"
Face burning with mortification, Luka turned and rushed away as fast as his shaky legs could carry him. Hyuna's raucous laughter echoed behind him, but he didn't dare look back. She had never seen him so eager to escape a conversation. Hyuna wasn’t proud of what had happened either, especially since it was literally in the first week of her being hired, but his embarrassment was on a whole new level. Surely he realized that she wasn’t truly willing to publish all the details— lord forbid her brother see her face on a tabloid with some gross caption.
Hyuna jogged to catch up to him. On one hand, it was immensely satisfying to see him be such a wreck, but on the other, it made him look like a much more vulnerable target. She was in the middle of scanning the nearby alleyways when her watch buzzed on her wrist, prompting her to seize Luka’s arm and tug him closer as she glanced down at the notification. The text from Dewey was short: “GIRL. BLONDIE IS TRENDING, SUM CRAZY CHICK POSTED HIS LOCATION”
Shit .
Hyuna immediately took off her leather coat and threw it over Luka’s head to try and obscure his recognizable hair as much as possible, switching sides with him so she was the one facing the road. Luka shot her a questioning look, bordering on a glare — she knew him well enough to tell he wanted nothing more than to breach a complaint about how the jacket would mess up his curls — but the seriousness set in Hyuna’s expression was enough to make him think twice. Her watch was blowing up with notifications, likely a back and forth between Isaac and Dewey to try and figure out a course of action, but Hyuna’s focus was purely on trying to get Luka into the guarded restaurant.
“You’re never gonna guess who’s trendin’. This is why ya need to invest in a wig,” muttered Hyuna. Luka opened his mouth to retort, but she raised her index finger to shush him. “And some clothes that don’t stick out like a sore thumb. I don’t give a damn how hot you think you look in them. If you end up in the back of some creep’s van for a second time, I can’t promise I’ll be able to find ya, and then you’ll never be able to show off again, now will ya?”
That was enough to shut him up. Hyuna wished that it would always be that easy.
The restaurant's lights beckoned in the distance, the awning's warm glow a haven. Hyuna steered Luka toward it, the two burly guards at the entrance coming into view. She exhaled in relief—their imposing presence would surely deter any overzealous fans.
"Almost there," she murmured, nudging Luka along.
But as they approached, an ominous tingle crept down Hyuna's spine. The cheerful lights dimmed before her eyes, the ambient noise fading to a muffle. She blinked hard, trying to dispel the strange sensation, but it only intensified. Her breath quickened, knees weak— she was on the verge of collapse. But why? Through sheer force of will, she remained upright, focused on Luka beside her. She had to get him inside. Safely. Before...
The last thing she saw before the vision hit her was Luka’s eyebrows furrowing in worry.
She found herself standing inside the restaurant, a haunting silence wrapping around her. Hyuna's heart pounded in her chest as she scanned the room, searching for any sign of Luka. The scene before her told a disturbing story, between the neon crime tape lining the perimeter and the overturned tables and the sickening metallic stench wafting toward her. It was near impossible to see much more than that; the restaurant’s chandelier was noticeably absent. It was odd not seeing it. It was a local treasure from the eighteenth century, and Hyuna remembered just how much the upkeep cost. They would never get rid of it.
Hyuna raced over to the window and whisked open the curtains. The streetlights offered the room just enough light for her to make out the rest of the room.
The good news was that she found the chandelier. The bad news was that—there, beneath the chandelier, lay Luka, crushed and broken.
The chandelier’s broken chain dangled like a noose overhead. Jagged crystals and wrought iron pinned his fragmented body, glinting cruelly. Luka had always hated how he looked in red, and now his clothes were stained with it— the irony hit her like a bullet.
Time slowed as Hyuna rushed to his side. His flesh was cold. But a thready pulse flickered under her fingertips. Faint, but present. Irrational hope fluttered in her chest. If she could just get him to the hospital...
Luka's vacant eyes found hers, holding her gaze even as the light left them. Accusing her. Blaming her. Haunting her. Logic and reason had no place in her thoughts as she desperately tried to pry the chandelier off of Luka, to yank him out from under it, to do anything but sit there and helplessly watch. God, why was he always staring ? Even now, he stared .
Useless tears pricked in the corners of her eyes as she finally cried out in frustration, kicking the arm of the chandelier. The deafening clang of metal on metal was enough to make even her flinch and stumble back. Why couldn’t she do anything?! Her one job, like it or not, was to protect him, and now…
“... Hyuna?”
Hyuna snapped back to reality with a start. She was suddenly all too aware of the way she had been propped up against a wall, Luka’s hand shaky against her shoulder, the fangirls clamoring to get past one of the guards while the other watched over her and Luka. The way her blood was pounding in her ears, her heart thudded away in her chest, the way she was so breathless that she felt unable to speak.
“Miss Hyuna.”
What just happened? Hyuna's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the vivid vision that had overtaken her. Was she finally losing it after everything? Had the daily stress of protecting an insufferable celebrity like Luka, combined with the lingering trauma of the war, pushed her over the edge?
As she slowly regained awareness of her surroundings, she realized Luka and one of the guards were propping her limp body against the cold brick wall. Her knees still felt unsteady and weak, her hands trembling ever so slightly.
She must be losing her mind.
That was the only explanation for experiencing such a horrifyingly vivid premonition out of the blue. Dazed, she instinctively tried to steady herself and stand up straight, attempting to preserve some shred of composure with the paparazzi cameras flashing all around them. She didn’t want Hyun-woo to see her like this, much less on TV. She avoided meeting Luka's gaze, afraid of what she might see there. Pity? Amusement? Or, even worse, could he tell just how deeply she was rattled? Her heart continued to pound as she desperately tried to regain her bearings.
“Miss Hyuna, please snap out of it, at least until we get inside. This is a highly inconvenient place for you to inexplicably panic…”
For the first time, Hyuna was almost relieved to hear his voice.