Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Come on guys, don’t take too long.” Heeseung says, leaning against the doorframe as he watches five other men get their things ready.

Jay is the first to fall into step with Heeseung, laughing as he watches Jake and Riki fight over ownership of one of the suit ties. Sunoo calmly makes it to the condominium’s doorway as well.

“If the rest aren’t ready in three minutes, I say we leave without them.” he says, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. 

Jay laughs mischievously, “What if we go now?”

“If you do that, I’m not buying any of you snacks for the next five years!” Jake protests with an exaggerated expression.

“Ok, yeah, I say we leave now.” Sunoo adds, looking at Heeseung as if he were actually serious.

As if on cue, Jake and Riki finally settle things and gather at the doorway with the rest. “Do we really need the suits…” Riki mumbles, and Jake just snickers at him.

“Anyway…” Jay starts, nodding his head towards the elevators, “Shall we?”

Heeseung then leads the rest of the boys to the elevator, taking them down to the basement of the condominium they reside in. Once in the basement parking lot, he tosses a pair of keys in Jay’s direction, the latter catching it with ease. The group then splits into two with Sunoo and Jake with Heeseung, then Riki with Jay. 

Without any more delays, the two eldest start their cars and drive towards the venue where tonight’s high-class party was being held.

While on the road, Riki breaks the silence with a question. “Where’s Sunghoon anyway?” he asks.

Jay furrows his eyebrows, “He’s already at the party…have you forgotten?”

Riki looks at him in confusion, so the older male adds, “Hoon was the one who got us in. His connections.”

The younger male finally remembers the plan they talked about a few days ago, making an “o” with his mouth upon finally catching up. “Right, sorry.” he nods.

Jay quickly ruffles his hair, laughing teasingly, “I hope you remember the whole plan. Otherwise, we’re gonna have to save your ass if things go wrong tonight.”

“Not gonna happen.” Riki smirks, removing Jay’s hand from the top of his head.

The older male keeps his eyes on the road, following Heeseung’s car ahead of them; he still manages to speak, hands steady on the steering wheel.

“Remember, we’re there to mingle, then steal. No harming people.” he says.

“Yup, got it.” Riki says, leaning back on his seat. 

“And…don’t get caught.” Jay adds, shaking his head, “That time you nearly got caught ‘cause you were laughing too much…man.”

Riki snickers at the memory, “Good thing Sunoo was nearby and was quick to react.”

Eventually, the five boys arrive at the venue, parking the two cars at a nearby strategic location. Except for Jake who stays behind in the car to operate the laptop and run communications, the others step outside. Fully dressed in their suits, they make their way to the venue’s entrance, instantly greeted by trendy music and the “rich and powerful” atmosphere.

Sunghoon is already there, having arrived earlier to make sure he was able to secure invitations for them. He waves them over, smiling widely as if there were no other intentions other than to enjoy the party.

The attendant at the entrance greets them, asking for their names to double-check they were with the tall male. As soon as he sees their names on the guest list, they are let in.

Inside the venue, which is technically an oversized banquet hall decorated luxuriously, the boys look around and take in their surroundings, mapping out the entire layout for a smoother heist. Heeseung looks at the rest of his friends, giving them a specific look with his eyes before nodding his head in finality. With that, they all go their separate ways, blending in with the crowd and beginning to carry out their respective tasks. 

Heeseung strikes up a conversation with a businessman they’ve seen in several of his company boss’s meetings. Sunghoon begins to mingle with a group of people admiring an exquisitely expensive painting hung up on a nearby wall. Jay and Riki are on standby, pretending to act cool by the snack bar as Sunoo sips a glass of champagne, eyeing the party-goers with his sharp eyes. Jake’s voice is then heard through the small communication devices in their ears, disguised as earrings or ear cuffs – Riki’s idea, of course. 

“Hello? Are we good? Can you hear me?” Jake asks.

“Nice and clear.” Heeseung says before smiling politely at an elderly lady who walks up to him, starting small talk.

Sunghoon’s voice is next to be heard, low but full of mischief, “I’m seeing a lot of pretty watches and jewelry already…and I haven’t even gone around to the other parts of the venue.”

Sunoo responds, “Yeah, and they all probably belong to corrupt people.”

“Not everyone here is corrupt.” Sunghoon points out, “I have some actor and actress friends here who are actually nice.”

“Yeah, you know what I mean.” Sunoo chuckles.

“Focus, boys.” Heeseung says, “A few more minutes and you can actually start picking things.”

Riki, now changed into a different outfit to pose as a waiter, passes by Sunoo and speaks into his communication unit, “Just don’t get carried away; remember to drop whatever you pick at the designated point so I can pass for it and relay it to Jake.”

“Don’t worry, we will.” they all assure the youngest.

About forty minutes into the party, the boys begin to carry out their heist. Each one of them has managed to swipe some sort of valuables, dropping them off in the trash can in one of the bathroom stalls in the men’s bathroom which Riki frequently visits to collect and relay to Jake back at the parking area.

While Heeseung and the rest are busy in some other parts of the venue, Sunoo starts a conversation with some internet-sensation fashionistas. 

The sunny male starts, “Are those the exclusive Prada sneakers from the—”

The male he was talking to smiles proudly, answering with a chuckle, “The Elite Fall Collection? Yeah, you bet. It’s an early release though, not yet available in stores.”

“Hmm.” Sunoo slowly nods, “Lucky you.”

The man laughs, ego inflating further. A woman who was part of the conversation then looks at Sunoo, pointing at the Cartier bracelet on his wrist. “No way, you have that bracelet too? That literally costs a fortune!” she squeals.

Sunoo smiles, a humble expression on his lips, “It was a gift from my best friend.”

While the woman and man are busy fawning over Sunoo’s Cartier bracelet, eyes much too glued to the accessory, they leave their backs wide open. Sunghoon approaches, pretending to clumsily bump into the woman who stumbles with her ridiculously high heels. Sunghoon’s hands reach out to grip the woman’s wrists, steadying her with ease.

“Dude?” her male companion looks at Sunghoon expectantly.

Sunghoon bows apologetically, smiling as he says, “So sorry about that! It must be the wine! I’m just looking for a friend…”

“Well, I hope you find your friend…carefully.” the woman looks at him with half-irritation, half-concern, withdrawing her wrists from Sunghoon’s grip.

The tall male nods, patting the male companion’s shoulder before flashing one last grin and walking away — with one of the woman’s expensive rings, without her knowing at all.

Meanwhile, Sunoo looks at the man and woman, tilting his head and smiling. “And that was the friend who gave me this bracelet…he seems tipsy.” he fakes a laugh, “Didn’t recognize me at all. Let me go check on him.”

He excuses himself from the two, regrouping with Sunghoon and holding in their giggles while making their way to the drop-off point.

Meanwhile, Jay is at the garden area of the venue, a random socialite woman in his arms. She giggles at the male’s charming yet empty words, blinded by his good looks and smooth voice. Jake’s voice then quietly crackles into his earpiece, signaling for everyone to return to the cars.

“Guys, I think we’re good. We can ditch the boring party…unless you guys are actually having fun…”

Heeseung responds from his end, “Alright. Let’s go.”

Jay makes a show of pulling his phone out, eyebrows furrowing as he fakes a frown at the woman in his arms, “I’d like to stay and all, but my friends just texted. I promised plans with them after the party.”

The woman coos, nodding in understanding as she bats her long and fake eyelashes at Jay, “I’ll see you again, then?”

“Probably.” Jay smiles charmingly, bringing a hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear — his fingers swiftly and lightly manage to take her diamond-studded ear cuff off in the process.

He then gives her a quick hug, hand bracing the back of her neck only to unclasp one of the thin, golden necklaces hanging there.

When they withdraw from each other, the girl waves much too flirtatiously for Jay’s liking. Once she’s disappeared back into the crowd, the male turns on his heel, a comically disgusted expression on his face as he shivers, making a mental note to rant about this cringey experience to either Jake or Sunghoon later.

However, before he can even take a step forward, a light, amused voice greets him.

“Poor girl’s gonna cry to her parents when she finds out you’ve taken not just her little heart, but also her jewelry.”

Jay clears his throat, keeping his expression neutral and calm as he responds, “Hi, do I know you?”

The stranger clicks his tongue, “That necklace was a vintage collection must-have...and the diamond ear cuff? You can buy a yacht with that.”

“What are you talking about?” Jay continues, feigning confusion.

The stranger slowly approaches Jay, black shoes making faint sounds with each step on the cemented pathway. Clasping his hands together, he tilts his head and smiles rather amusedly.

“I’ve been eyeing that necklace since the start of this stupid party.”

At this, Jay lets out a chuckle. He shoves his hands in his pockets, shrugging casually as a charming smile presents itself on his lips, “Gonna fight me for it?”

He laughs, “These particular shoes are new so I haven’t broken them in — that kinds of puts me at a disadvantage…but if you’re willing to hand it over without any trouble, I’d appreciate it.”

“I could…but you’d have to give me something in exchange for my efforts.” Jay answers, “I used all my charms and energy flirting with that lady just to distract her enough.”

“Well, with a face like that, I’m sure it was easier than expected.” the stranger chuckles.

“I don’t suppose it’s gonna work on you, though.” Jay clicks his tongue, pretending to be disappointed.

The laugh that comes out of the stranger is sweet and magical.

“Yeah, no. It won’t, I’m immune to pretty boys.” he brings a hand to his heart as if apologizing, “But I’m afraid I have nothing to offer in exchange. Maybe you can be a kind gentleman?”

Jay’s lips curl into a small smirk, “I’m tempted, Mister—”

“Jungwon?”

Both Jay and the other male turn to the sudden voice; the older male’s eyes light up upon seeing his friends, while the younger’s amused expression intensifies. Sunoo and Riki are there, looking at Jay as if expecting something from the male.

“Mr. Jungwon.” Jay smiles at the younger male, raising an eyebrow.

Jungwon mirrors the gesture, humming in acknowledgement before crossing his arms. Riki gives Jay a stern look which clearly screams “What are you doing? Let’s go!”. The older male then ignores Riki’s nagging expression, instead turning to Sunoo, “You know him?”

“Hm.” Sunoo nods with a smile, “We were friends in high school.”

Jungwon waves, smile still perfect and pretty, “Hey, Sunoo. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

The older male nods, looking between him and Jay, “So…did we interrupt something…or…?”

Jungwon chuckles, patting Jay’s chest in a teasing manner. “Not really. Just…” he looks at the older male knowingly.

Jay offers a practiced smile and completes Jungwon’s words, “Getting acquainted.”

Riki can tell what the expression on Jungwon’s face meant, and he has to hold in his gasp before bringing a palm to his forehead. “No way.” the male takes a deep breath, “Jay, how — why? I mean, really?” 

Jay sighs at the panic in Riki’s voice. “Well, this is unexpected.” he muses, “And a bit of a predicament.”

The youngest male looks at Jungwon, raising both eyebrows, “Did you really…?”

“Catch this handsome man taking what isn’t his?” Jungwon looks at Jay sweetly, eyes never leaving his, “Yes.”

Jay looks at Jungwon with the same energy, except there is no smile on his face — just a semblance of irritation and embarrassment. Sunoo breathes out, pacing back and forth a few times before pointing at Jay.

“How are you going to deal with this? Oh, we’re in trouble!”

Jungwon giggles, shaking his head and finally breaking eye contact with Jay. “Relax, I won’t tell a soul.” he addresses, “I promise.”

Riki looks at him in disbelief, so the latter softens his smile and turns to Sunoo. “I’ve never broken a promise, right Sunoo?” Jungwon asks.

Sunoo shrugs, a bright and rather calm expression on his face, “Well, yeah. If Jungwon says he promises something, he never breaks it. So…”

Jay believes his friend's words, but he isn’t completely sure he can trust Jungwon’s. He then turns to him, raising an eyebrow as if to test or challenge the younger.

Jungwon chuckles, “Relax, pretty boy.” he says in a joking manner, “I really won’t tell anyone. Not when you have a face like that. Pretty privilege, right?”

Jay continues to look at him with a deadpan yet unamused expression, sighing in resignation. “Whatever.” he waves a hand dismissively, “Let’s go.”

Riki takes the older male’s word, nodding as he turns on his heel and walks away. Sunoo waves at Jungwon, mouthing a quick “see you” at the male. Just as Jay is about to follow Sunoo and Riki, Jungwon calls out.

“You owe me for allowing you to walk away without me snitching.” Jungwon’s pretty smile curls into a mischievous, cat-like grin, “I suppose I’ll be seeing you again, Jay.”

Jay looks over his shoulder, and though the younger can’t clearly see it, there’s a small smirk playing on his lips. “I highly doubt that.”

The older male then jogs after Sunoo, slinging an arm around the shorter male’s shoulders. Jungwon watches them walk away, a smile on his lips as he shakes his head in amusement.

Silly guy, he thinks to himself, turning to walk towards the opposite direction, a certain golden necklace in his hands.

After the boys regrouped by their cars and got organized, Heeseung and Jay drove off to their next destination — an empty pier where they usually meet a third party in charge of taking their stolen loot. Said third party is the one who donates the boys’ loot to charities or people who could make money out of it for more donations. More often than not, those charities, people, or organizations were the ones who were in more need or struggling financially.

The poorer sectors from which the rich benefited from, as Sunoo would put it.

While Heeseung was coordinating with the third party, the rest of the boys were either waiting around or keeping watch of the perimeter. Jay leans on one of the cars’ hood, arms crossed as he watches the eldest male do their usual business. Next to Jay is Sunoo, eyes cast on the moon’s reflection on the body of water nearby.

“You said you knew him from high school?” Jay’s voice suddenly breaks Sunoo’s little sight-seeing.

The younger male looks at Jay, tilting his head in response. “Him? Oh, Jungwon.” he nods, “We became friends ‘cause we worked together a lot in the student council.”

Jay only nods, humming almost inaudibly. So, Sunoo continues, nudging the older male with his elbow. “What? Have you fallen for him? A little crush, maybe?” he teases.

Jay looks at his friend with an expression of both shock and disgust. “No, it’s not that. It’s just…” he trails off, pursing his lips into a thin line.

“What?”

Jay doesn't respond, eyes now on the water Sunoo was previously staring at. There’s a little irritation clouding his pupils, but also a hint of amusement and intrigue. Sunoo connects the dots, having known his friend for years and was thus familiar with his moods and mannerisms.

“Don’t tell me he stole the necklace from you…” the younger male whispers.

Jay looks at him with a “don’t push it” expression, and it takes all of Sunoo’s strength to not break out into a teasing fit of laughter. Instead, he controls himself with a wide grin, leaning closer to the older male.

“You’re one of the best at heists…you! You of all people got out-smarted — no, ‘out-heisted’ — by Jungwon!” Sunoo squeals.

Jay looks at him with his deadpan expression, lips jutting out in a small pout. “I did not…” he tries to defend, but Sunoo’s mischievous grin is too powerful.

The younger male shrugs. “He’s always been a smart one though. Just…didn’t know he’d be like us.” his smile becomes smaller, but it’s still there.

“Did you ever know or have an idea that he was into stealing as well?” Jay asks.

“We steal for good.” Sunoo reasons before shaking his head, “Anyway, no. He was very lowkey in high school. Smart, but lowkey. After high school, we didn’t keep in contact anymore, so it’s a bit of a surprise for me as well, considering he’s from a fairly wealthy family.”

“I see.”

“What are you gonna do about it?”

“Nothing.” Jay sighs, resting his hands on the surface of the car’s hood so he could lean back a little, “What’s done is done. Guess you can’t trust a pretty face all the time.”

“Oh, so you do find him pretty…” Sunoo wiggles his eyebrows.

“Just because I do doesn’t mean I like him.” Jay playfully and gently shoves his younger friend away before standing up from the car’s hood, “Come on. Let’s help the others keep watch.

A few hours later, the six boys are back in their condominium unit, resting and feeling the adrenaline of another successful heist. Heeseung is already planning out their next heist in the living room, Riki is watching Netflix, and Sunghoon is taking a shower. Sunoo and Jake, on the other hand, crash in Jay’s shared room with Sunghoon, plopped out on his bed as they pester him with jokes and questions about Jungwon.

“I can’t believe it!” Jake chuckles, “You let him steal from you!”

Sunoo is laughing with the other male, clutching his stomach from finally letting his chortles out. Jay lays on his bed, looking at them with a side-eye. 

“You’re both enjoying this, aren’t you?” he sighs.

“Of course! It’s not everyday you get a taste of your own medicine!” Jake laughs.

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Jay protests.

Sunoo sing-songs, “You were too infatuated to notice!”

At this, Jay gets up from his lying-down position, lunging at his two friends. The three end up in a tickle-fight, with Jay powering over the two and tickling them with no mercy. Sunoo and Jake’s giggles fill the room, but it doesn’t stop them from continuing to tease their beloved friend.

When their energy has finally died down, Sunoo leaves to shower as Sunghoon has just finished. Jake excuses himself as well, craving a snack. As he exits the room, Sunghoon enters and lays on the bed next to Jay’s.

“What were those two on about?” the taller male grins, “I could hear them from the bathroom.”

Jay rolls his eyes, falling back with his head on the pillow. “There was this guy—” he begins.

Sunghoon’s dramatic gasp cuts him off, “A guy?”

One corner of Jay’s lips lifts into a smirk — typical reaction from Sunghoon, of course — before he continues his explanation.

“Yeah, a guy — Jungwon. He was at the party, and we bumped into each other. He basically witnessed me taking a couple of accessories from another guest and wanted the necklace. The rest arrived to rush me.”

“So, this Jungwon…” Sunghoon starts, “He stole your heart?”

“Hoon, you are so disgustingly cliched.” Jay teases with a fake grimace that has his friend laughing, “He stole the necklace from me either way. Without me knowing, at that.”

Sunghoon’s laugh is just as explosive as Sunoo’s and it makes Jay internally groan.

“Well, at least you’ve found someone on the same wavelength as you.” Sunghoon says in between fits of laughter, “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Jay says with sarcasm dripping in his voice, “I’m honored.”

“What’s he like?”

“Pretty, smart,” Jay lists, and he can sense Sunghoon’s teasing grin, so he throws a pillow at him before continuing, “gets on my nerves, challenges me—”

“But you like that, you competitive idiot.”

“Yes, but—”

“You think you’ll see him again?” Sunghoon asks, genuinely this time.

“I don’t know.” Jay admits, though a part of him thinks that tonight’s encounter wasn’t the last — something about Jungwon’s knowing yet mysterious eyes told him so.

His friend then adds, “Do you want to see him again?”

Jay’s lips press into a thin line as he remains silent for about five seconds. Sunghoon smiles at his friend's “silent answer”, humming to himself before using his phone. The question loops in Jay’s mind, and he finds himself asking the very same question in his mind.

Is this what they called a crush? Infatuation? 

Yet he could clearly hear the answer that his mind — and his heart — made up in that instant. He feels like a teenager getting a crush for the first time in his life. Smitten, but will not admit it explicitly. Still, he quietly blurts it out for Sunghoon to hear.

“Maybe.”

Several days pass by since the boys’ last heist, giving the team enough time to rest and do other things in their lives, such as doing their actual work or schoolwork — their real jobs.

Not too long after, however, Heeseung finalizes the plans for their next operation, and the other members polish out any other preparations. With things ready for the team, they decide to kick their heist into action; this time, the event they’d be attending was a socialite’s auction gala, teeming with corrupt politicians and businessmen, as well as high profile celebrities. Thanks to Sunghoon and Sunoo’s connections, they manage to get invitations.

While at the event, the six boys continue to blend in and “make friends” by socializing and mingling with the guests. Some are familiar faces, and some are newer. After a plated dinner at each of the tables — where, of course, the boys manage to snatch a few things unnoticed — a man appears on the temporary stage, tapping his finger on the mic to get everyone’s attention.

“Good evening, esteemed guests!” he greets brightly, earning a few greetings from the guests, followed by a chorus of applause. 

As the host continues his welcoming speech, a familiar figure makes his way up the stage, clad in yet another extravagant suit. Upon stepping onto the stage fully, Sunoo and Riki immediately snap their heads towards Jay who is already staring in disbelief.

“That’s the Jungwon guy?” Sunghoon whispers.

Riki nods his head, “Yeah…”

“Sunoo filled us all in with the details.” Heeseung teasingly smiles at Jay, “I am amused. Very, very, very amused.”

“Now why am I not surprised Sunoo did that?” Jay recovers from his initial surprise to rub at his temples before shooting Sunoo a playful grin, “You and Heeseung chose this event on purpose, didn’t you?”

“No.” Sunoo shrugs coyly before flashing a smile, “I didn’t know at all. All Heeseung and I factored in was that a lot of wealthy individuals would be here tonight.”

Jay leans back on his seat, sighing as he forces his eyes back on the stage. Just then, while waiting for the male host to finish his remarks, Jungwon turns his head, eventually spotting Jay’s familiar face in the crowd. Flashing that knowing and sly smile, the younger male’s eyes twinkle with a glee that only Jay can see. The older male, in return, knits his eyebrows together in an attempt to show his irritation. Jungwon stifles a giggle, recovering just in time for the host to hand the mic to him. 

“Carrying on from where Mr. Choi left off, I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to come here. The Center for Culture and Arts Appreciation is glad to auction off these paintings and antiques as any profit will be donated to their partner charities.” Jungwon begins his speech.

While the rest of the boys are genuinely engaged and listening to him, Sunoo, leans over and whispers to Jay, “Think you wouldn’t fall anymore, huh?”

Jay raises an eyebrow at him, “Sunoo…”

The younger male chuckles, leaning back on his own seat before turning his attention to Jungwon. Jay does the same, and before he knows it, the male finishes his speech and steps off the stage to give way for the host to start the actual bidding. 

Within minutes, the guests are absorbed in the bidding, overwhelmed with the adrenaline, partnered with the male host’s energetic and enthusiastic personality. This allows the six boys to split up; Heeseung and Riki remain in the hall to steal from the distracted bidding guests. Jake returns to the car, responsible for the hacking and communications through his laptop. Sunoo and Sunghoon dress in disguise, blending in with the auction staff to monitor their drop off points. Jay leaves the hall to roam and explore to see if they can snatch something along the way.

He eventually finds himself at a temporary viewing room where a large, famous painting is hung on the wall for guests to admire. Although no one is in the room except for two guards, Jay knows it would be foolish to steal a painting that big. A voice then echoes his sentiments, a hushed whisper tickling the shell of his ear.

“That is one of The Center for Culture and Arts Appreciation’s most prized paintings, fully vintage and maintained by the best museum artists.”

Jay smirks to himself, turning his head to see Jungwon standing next to him, “Stalker much?”

Jungwon laughs, shaking his head, “The washroom is literally down the hall. Obviously I’d see your face even if I was just passing by.”

The older male smirks, “Miss me?”

“Hmm. Right back at you.” Jungwon chuckles, looping his arm around Jay’s, “Come with me?”

“You know I can’t do that.” Jay sarcastically pouts, earning another chuckle from the younger male.

Jungwon smiles at him, whispering lower so the guards don’t hear, “What? Are you actually planning on stealing that?”

“Obviously not, smarty pants.” Jay airily laughs, “I’m still working now. You know how it is.”

“Right.” the other male responds, but it doesn’t stop him from whisking the older male away.

Jay doesn’t seem to resist when Jungwon leads him out of the viewing room, walking down the hall side-by-side. Though wary and watchful, Jay lets the younger take him to the elevators, eventually ending up in the venue’s rooftop deck. Before them is the city skyline’s bright lights, mirroring the starry sky.

“You must really be enamored by me.” Jay teases as he stands by the railings of the deck, city view before him, “You wanted to be alone with me that bad?”

Jungwon stands next to him, eyes on the male as he chuckles, “Events like this bore me, so don’t blame me for wanting to escape.”

“Yet you prepared an elaborate speech for such an event.” Jay’s smile is dazzling, “Which was honestly pretty nice.”

The younger male’s eyes twinkle, reflecting the stars as he looks away with an amused grin, “Thanks. I had no choice anyway.”

“No choice? You work for The Center for Culture and Arts Appreciation?” Jay asks.

Jungwon shakes his head, following it with a shrug afterwards, “No, not directly. I just…work with a lot of organizations like this.”

“Got it.” Jay doesn’t push the topic.

He reaches hand out, ghosting a touch near the side of Jungwon’s face to which the younger responds with a raise of an eyebrow.

“Aren’t you too close? Too touchy?” he grins.

Jay smiles again, bringing his hand away as his eyes focus on a string of gold hanging around Jungwon’s neck. He finds himself releasing a brief chuckle, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement.

“I see you found good use for that.” Jay tilts his head, a charming smirk on his lips, “Hm?”

Jungwon’s smile is coy as he looks down, “I’d say I’m sorry but…I don’t think it’s my fault you let your guard down.”

Jay hums, “Well, I can’t get mad. It looks better on you than it would on me.”

Jungwon laughs louder; it makes Jay laugh a little too. “I can lend it to you some time. I’m sure it’d look good on you too.” the younger male goes along with his playful banter.

“I have to admit that I didn’t expect someone like you would be into…stealing.” Jay says.

Jungwon shrugs, “Perhaps there are things you are yet to know about me.”

The older male smiles, stroking Jungwon’s cheek with a knuckle. “I don’t suppose you actually want me to get to know you.”

“Who knows?” Jungwon grins, looking into the Jay’s eyes as if wanting to drown in the galaxies reflected in them, “What if I said I wanted you to?”

“You’re very smart,” Jay gently cups his cheek, “and very sly. But you’re not always such a good liar, are you? Your eyes tell me that you aren’t sure if you want me to.”

At this, Jungwon smiles and looks away again, humming in response. “I do want you to get to know me, just as I want to get to know you — Sunoo’s friend, handsome and smart, and a bit intriguing.” he says, “But not everyone manages to stay long enough. Not everyone looks beyond the surface.”

Jay nods, retracting his hand from the latter’s cheek. “What’s stopping you — us — from doing that?” he challenges with a smirk.

Jungwon slowly smiles, bringing a hand up to adjust the tie on Jay’s neck. “If I see you after this event and your…little heist, I’ll take that as a sign. Maybe.”

“Deal.”

The younger male giggles, taking a step back before saying, “Then I guess we should head back down before your friends panic over your disappearance again.”

Jay nods, offering a hand which Jungwon takes. Together, they go back to the elevators and press the floor button where the auction was being held. Inside the elevator, Jungwon smiles once more before quietly speaking.

“Before we part ways, I feel like there would be something you’d like in Viewing Room C. Just a thought.”

“And you’re telling me this because…?” Jay smirks.

Jungwon mirrors his smirk, “Is this not a charity event? What’s a charity event without donations?” 

Then the elevator doors open, allowing the two to step outside. Before parting ways, they face each other once more, knowing smiles on both their faces.

“I don’t suppose you’ve taken anything from me, have you?” Jungwon jokes.

The older male grins, “Your heart?”

Jungwon laughs again, “You are so cheesy.”

Jay chuckles with him, putting his hands up in mock-surrender. “My friend’s words, not mine.” he adds.

“Maybe he was pertaining to you then.” the younger male starts with a grin, “But anyway, I really should head back.”

Jay nods, so Jungwon continues, “Have a good evening, Jay. Thank you for coming.”

The male nods with a smile; with that, the two go their separate ways with Jungwon returning to the auction hall and Jay to Viewing Room C.

Later that evening, after their usual exchanges with the third party, the boys arrive at their condominium, calling it a day and kicking back to rest. On the way to their respective rooms, Sunoo shares a knowing look with Jay who winks before bashfully looking away and rough-housing Sunghoon as they head to their room.

Sunoo smiles to himself, shaking his head. “He’s definitely in love.” he whispers to himself, but Jake still hears him.

“Good for him.” the older male responds, earning a chuckle from Sunoo.

The team puts a halt to their heisting for a while, focusing on their non-heist related jobs.

Riki is in his room preoccupied with schoolwork to be submitted within the week as it was his senior year in college. Jake was finishing a thesis for his master’s program in computer science. Jay and Sunoo are in the living room, sheets of paper and coloring materials sprawled everywhere as they revise designs for the fashion company they were working with. Sunghoon was in a Zoom meeting with potential clients who wanted him to model for their brand. Heeseung is also glued to his laptops, finishing tasks given to him by his in the company he was working in. 

The condominium unit falls silent as everyone becomes absorbed in their work, except for the music Sunoo plays in the background. Later in the afternoon, however, Riki runs down the stairs and states, “Hey, who’s hungry? Let’s get some snacks.”

“You get it then.” Jay teases, earning a childish pout from the younger male.

“That’s boring.” Riki reasons, “Let’s play a game, and the loser has to buy and pay for whatever snacks.”

Sunghoon ends his meeting, nodding as he removes an AirPod from one ear, “Let’s do it.”

Heeseung nods, suggesting they play a classic game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The rest of the boys gather around and begin an overly competitive and intense game of RPS. Round after round, no one emerges as a winner or loser, and their yells get louder and louder out of exasperation or excitement. Or a bit of both.

Fortunately, a winner is chosen bit by bit until it’s only Jay and Jake left. The fateful result leaves Jay as the loser, and Jake yells in victory before running around the dining area. The older of the two sighs, unconsciously pouting his lips as he speaks.

“Alright, fine. Make a list of what you want.”

The boys make a list of the snacks they wanted to eat, taking turns typing things in the Notes app of Jay’s phone. Afterwards, the male excuses himself to go to a nearby grocery store.

“You’re the best, Jay!” the other boys call out before he exits the door.

“I know.” he calls back, chuckling.

The male makes it to the nearest grocery store within a few minutes, browsing the shelves for the snacks his friends asked for, as well as the ones he wanted for himself. He grabs a few canned coffee and soda as well before paying and thanking the staff. 

When he exits and walks down the street, he however, overhears a conversation taking place by a cafe’s outdoor tables.

“I know your sister has a lot to give. Everyone knows that.”

“Look, we wouldn’t be asking this desperately if our boss didn’t ask us to.”

“Just give what you have and we’ll be on our way.”

“Let me make myself clear once more.” the voice is familiar, “My sister’s business is hers alone, and therefore, I have no right to give what she owns. Doesn’t matter if you were told to ask for it or whatever, but it’s not my call. If you want it so bad, then go see my sister yourself.”

“You—!”

The man’s chair grates the concrete as he abruptly stands up, eyes glaring down at someone. Upon closer inspection, Jay notices that it was none other than Jungwon, arms crossed in disinterest as he picks at the cake on his plate. Before he can stop himself, his feet move on his own, approaching the group without much thought.

“Is there a problem here?” he asks.

The men look at Jay with raised eyebrows while Jungwon’s dull eyes glimmer with joy upon seeing the older male standing beside his chair.

“And you are?” one man asks.

Jay smiles politely, “Just a friend.”

Jungwon nods, standing up to loop his arm around Jay’s. “Yes, and we still have other plans today, so if you’ll excuse us.” he announces.

Without another word from anyone — and despite the protests of the other men — Jay escorts the younger male away from the group, walking further away from the cafe. They end up walking along a nearby park, the late afternoon breeze tickling their skin like gentle kisses.

“Thank you.” Jungwon says, breaking the silence as they walk.

Jay smiles, “No need.”

Jungwon’s eyes land on the plastic bags held in the older male’s hands, and a smile forms on his lips. “Errand day?” he inquires playfully, “Did you steal that?”

“Haha, very funny.” Jay says sarcastically, “Contrary to what you think, I — we — don’t steal everything. We have proper jobs and all that.”

Jungwon looks at him amusedly, nodding in acknowledgement. Jay sighs, playfully rolling his eyes at the latter’s teasing expression.

“And you? What was that about?” he asks.

The younger male hums, looking straight ahead as he crosses his arms. “Just people wanting something out of my older sister’s company…or something like that.” Jungwon answers, “I’m told she frequently donates large sums of money to other organizations, but I don’t work with or for her, so I’m not sure why they’re asking me.”

“Who do you work for then?” Jay asks in an exaggerated manner, comically acting out how a detective would ask such a question.

Jungwon laughs at him, “I just work in event management, that’s all. The auction gala from the other night? Yeah, I was assigned to work on that.”

“And then you steal by night? Like Catwoman?” Jay continues to joke.

“Cute.” the younger male laughs, eye corners wrinkling as he does so, “But I…don’t really steal…”

“Yeah, right.” Jay snorts.

“Really!” Jungwon defends, laughing when Jay looks at him incredulously, “I’m serious! I was just lucky that night since you were too distracted or whatever. I was actually intending to return the necklace somehow.”

“Whatever you say, pretty boy.” the older male chuckles, “But…you can keep it. Like I said — it looks good on you.”

Jungwon playfully rolls his eyes in response. It’s his turn to ask questions, “Ok, then why do you and Sunoo and the rest of your friends steal? From pretty high profiles and wealthy people at that.”

“Robin Hood?” Jay tries; Jungwon laughs again, but the male knows it’s not the answer the younger was looking for, so he continues, “I mean, it’s the same concept, I guess. Many of those people get rich by exploiting and taking advantage of the poor without helping them or giving anything in return. All six of us are just…trying to help. We don’t harm anyone anyway.”

“Hmm.” Jungwon looks at him with awe, lips curling into a small smile, “Do you ever steal anything for yourselves?”

“No.” Jay answers, “We all have jobs that support us. In fact, one friend, Sunghoon, is a model, so he is kind of responsible for getting us into events and all that.”

“And you? What do you do?”

“I’m in the fashion industry with Sunoo.” Jay smiles, “Mostly designing and creative direction.”

“You all live together, or…?” Jungwon asks, careful not to intrude too much, “Must be a blast being under the same roof as Sunoo. He’s always been a lively one.”

The older male nods and grins fondly, “Yeah, we share a condominium unit. It’s pretty big, so all of us pitched in for it. Never a dull day, but that’s ‘cause all of us are equally…loud. You?”

“Interesting.” Jungwon chuckles before answering, “I live alone. I’m not exactly very close with my sister or my parents so…yeah.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Jungwon nudges Jay with his shoulder, smiling warmly.

“Will you let me steal from them?” Jay jokes with a wink, prompting another hearty laugh from Jungwon.

After a few more minutes, the pair arrive at the other end of the park, sky now painted a dull purple-pink shade from the disappearance of the sun. Jay turns to Jungwon, a small smile on his lips.

“I should get back to the boys.” he holds the plastic bags in his hand up, “They need their snacks.

Jungwon grins, nodding his head, “Alright. Thanks again…for stepping in back there.”

“It’s alright. I…” the older male clears his throat, “I enjoyed this — whatever this was.”

The younger male smiles in kind, hoping the lack of daylight hides the shade of pink dusting his cheeks. “Me too.” Jungwon says softly.

“Also…” Jay smirks, a mischievous sparkle swimming in his eyes, “Remember what you said the other night?”

Jungwon looks to the side, recounting the events from the other night — the auction gala.

“If I see you after this event and your…little heist, I’ll take that as a sign. Maybe.”

“Yeah, I remember.” a small grin curls at his lips upon the recall of his own words.

Jay shrugs, his cocky, little smirk turning into a slightly toothier smile. “Is this your little sign?” he asks.

Jungwon chuckles. “You really are charming in an adorable way, Jay. It’s annoying…” he laughs at the pouty expression the older male makes, “but I also like it.”

Jay lets out an airy laugh, ignoring how his cheeks rise in temperature at the sight of Jungwon’s pretty smile and admission. “Likewise, Jungwon.”

The pair then say their goodbyes, parting ways with poorly-hidden, giddy smiles. As Jay walks away, Jungwon remains in his spot for a few more seconds and takes his phone out of his pocket to check the time. Upon pulling his phone out, he sees a piece of paper falling from his pocket. Piqued with curiosity, he takes it and can’t help the chuckle that leaves his mouth.

On the paper is a number, signed off with “JAY ;)” — Jungwon realizes that Jay must have slipped it in his while they were talking and walking throughout the park.

Silly, sly boy, he tells himself, shaking his head.

Later in the evening, while everyone is doing their own thing, Jay crashes in Sunoo’s room, thankful that Riki was still on a Netflix marathon downstairs. The younger male looks at the elder, tilting his head when Jay plops down on his bed.

“What’s up?” Sunoo asks.

Jay sighs, rolling around to hug one of Sunoo’s pillows, “I saw Jungwon today.”

“Is this fate?” the younger playfully gasps before laughing, “How was it? Is that why you took longer to return with the snacks?”

“Yes.” Jay drags out his answer, “I…how do I put this…”

Sunoo lies down next to Jay, hugging his fox stuffed toy. “Go on, you got this.” he encourages, “You always listen to me when I rant, so I’ll listen to you.”

Jay chuckles, smiling at his younger friend as if looking at a little brother. “It was nice…and…enjoyable.” he starts slowly, obviously choosing his words carefully, “We walked in the park and talked about stuff.”

“Nice. How’d you guys meet? Or like where’d you see each other?” Sunoo asks.

“I was walking back from the grocery, and he was in an outdoor cafe with some guys. They were asking him for money, I assume. Jungwon said it was probably about his older sister or something.”

“His sister is a pretty successful woman.” the younger male points out, “Corporate world or something of that sort.”

“Were you both close?” Jay inquires, “Jungwon, I mean.”

Sunoo chuckles, “In high school, yeah. Like I said, we worked together a lot with student council stuff. He was really nice and fun to be with, and even if he was from a wealthy family, he wasn’t a snob like you’d expect.”

Jay hums, eyes glued to the colors on the ceiling that Sunwoo’s sunset lamp was casting. “He does seem easy to get along with.” he says in a carefree manner.

Sunoo gently nudges his friend’s leg with his own, “Do you like him?”

Jay turns to the younger, a playful yet gentle smile on his lips — his Bruni smile, as Jake would put it — it’s all Sunoo needs to see for him to arrive at an answer. The younger male grins, an obvious method to try and stifle his giggles.

“You do!” he squeals, grabbing Jay’s arm and hugging it giddily, “You actually do! Oh my gosh! Look at you!”

Jay pretends to be cringed-out by trying to free his arm from Sunoo’s grasp, but the shade of pink that dusts his cheeks betrays him. “It’s not that big of a deal, Sunoo.” he reasons.

“Yeah, but it’s not everyday you actually find someone who interests you…other than us, fashion, and your guitar collection.” the younger male teases.

“Come on. It’s not that drastic.” Jay rolls his eyes.

“Are you going to keep seeing each other? Have you exchanged numbers? Talked about your next date?” Sunoo throws a bunch of questions.

The older male laughs, pouting his lips out in thought, “I may have slipped my number in his pocket…”

“Ey, look at you, Smooth Criminal.” Sunoo teases, but another giddy squeal escapes him, “I’m genuinely happy for you.”

“You’re too dramatic.”

“Shut up, lover boy.”

Just as Sunoo expected, Jay and Jungwon continued to see each other the following days and even weeks after their last encounter. The older male tried to keep it lowkey at first since he was 100% certain the other boys would never pass up an opportunity to tease him.

Of course, no secret stays a secret for long in their residence, and before Jay knew it, the rest of his friends found out about what was going on between him and Jungwon.

The younger male also ended up befriending the other boys, establishing a fairly close friendship with each one, particularly Riki, and redeveloping his friendship with Sunoo. Throughout time, all seven of them would hang out every now and then, go on shopping trips, dine out, or stroll in the park together. Jungwon would visit their condominium every now and then, enjoying the company of his newfound friends.

When asked about friends outside this particular circle, Jungwon would avoid such questions, only explaining that making friends was difficult for him in his latter years because he “had trust issues”; the boys would not push for more details.

Jay and Jungwon were also certain that there was something — an indescribable feeling of affection and fondness — going on, swimming in between them like fish waiting to be caught. Despite the clear signs and obviousness in such feelings, neither of the two have acted upon it, much to the disappointment of Riki and Heeseung who Jay refers to as their “number one shippers”.

Whether it was uncertainty of a new feeling, lack of experience, or fear of what would happen next, no one really knew why. Still, the pair maintain their pleasant relationship, simply enjoying each other’s presence in their lives. 

Jungwon, born into wealth, learned that people don’t necessarily befriend you to actually be your friend — a vast majority of people he’s met in his life have only wanted to become close to him because of the money his family had. He never felt the depth of friendships or relationships, which is why he often chooses to do things himself.

But meeting Jay has made Jungwon realize that perhaps there were still some people who were genuine and noble.

Jay may have shown a facade when they first met, but spending more time together allowed Jungwon to see glimpses of what Jay was really like. The older male treated Jungwon in a way that let the younger male be less guarded, creating a space where Jungwon could be assured that he wasn’t after the money or the family name or whatnot. Maybe Jay did steal something from him, but it certainly wasn’t money or wealth.

Jay knew that being wealthy didn’t automatically make one corrupt, but it was safe to say that it was rare to find those who weren’t. His intrigue with Jungwon initially started as shallow infatuation — a small crush, if you will. But time has allowed him a deeper dive into the younger male’s heart, and there, Jay finds a mischievous yet passionate and selfless soul that he finds himself falling for each day.

Jungwon wakes up to a faint noise in the kitchen. He sits up, stretching on his bed like a cat. He cranes his neck side-to-side to get rid of the stiffness before pulling the sheets off — that’s when he realizes that he’s completely naked. A smirk curls at his lips as he remembers what transpired between him and Jay last night.

Meanwhile, said male is in the kitchen preparing breakfast. He’s humming to the tune of one of the songs Jake keeps on repeat back at their place while placing eggs and toast on a plate. Jay vaguely registers light footsteps approaching the kitchen, and before he knows it, a pair of arms are circling around his torso from behind.

With a chuckle, he greets, “Morning, pretty boy.”

Jungwon rubs his face against Jay’s back before responding, “Morning, handsome.”

Jay sets the plates aside before turning around, grinning amusedly when he sees Jungwon in nothing but his boxers and the older male’s hoodie. “Stealing that from me?” he jokes.

“Ah, you caught me.” Jungwon plays along, pretending to grimace.

He then pulls away from Jay to move to the counter nearby, pushing himself up to sit on the surface — Jay tries not to get distracted by his exposed legs. 

“I feel like it’s been a while since I had a decent breakfast.” Jungwon nods towards the meal Jay prepared, “I’m built on instant food and take-away meals.”

“I know you come from a family of wealth so you probably had meals prepared for you, but didn’t you ever learn to cook?” Jay asks before back-tracking, “No offense, I’m just curious.”

“None taken.” Jungwon giggles, “But yeah, we usually had meals prepared, but you know. Ever since I left home and got my job at event management, I’ve been too busy to really cook — I can cook simple stuff, but I don’t have time.”

“So, as soon as you became a legal adult, you left home and lived independently ever since?” Jay curiously asks again, leaning against the other counter.

Jungwon nods, “I wouldn’t say my family is corrupt like the people you steal from, but I guess they’re enablers — which is just as bad. So, I decided I didn’t want anything to do with them. They didn’t really care as long as I wasn’t wasting my life away.”

Jay tilts his head, and Jungwon can’t help but think he looks like a cute cat. “Let me guess…you were supposed to take over the family business?” 

The younger male replies, “Yup. Though my decision to refuse didn’t really deter them because as you can see, my sister took over. Ironically, I work at an event management company that works with such conglomerates.”

“Well,” Jay starts with a cheeky grin, “you can help us steal from the greedy people in the events you help organize.”

The younger male laughs, swinging his legs and opening his arms wide. Jay gets the hint and walks over to Jungwon, situating himself between the younger’s legs. The older male then circles his arms around Jungwon’s waist, and the latter gently cards his fingers along Jay’s dark hair.

“I honestly thought that the things you guys do only happened in movies.” Jungwon says softly, running a finger along the bridge of Jay’s nose, “But nonetheless, I’m glad you guys do it. Stealing is stealing, but…”

Jungwon tilts his head to the side, smiling coyly as he juts his lip out in a playful pout, “It’s for a noble cause. I’m not a saint or anything, so who am I to judge?”

Jay laughs at this, sharp eyes softening as he looks at Jungwon’s rounder eyes. His hand smoothly caresses the curve of Jungwon’s waist, running down the dip of his hip before stopping to lightly latch onto his exposed thighs. He then gives it a quick squeeze before leaving a chaste kiss on the younger's lips. 

“All of us guys weren’t born into wealth, but we are somewhat privileged.” Jay explains, “We’re in a position to do something for those less fortunate — even if it does involve…you know, stealing.”

Jungwon grins amusedly, round eyes shining in a cat-like manner as he licks his bottom lip playfully. “That’s ok, it kind of makes you a bad boy, which is kind of sexy.” Jungwon smirks, “Kind of.”

Jay mirrors his smirk; Jungwon understands why Jake says that Jay is their “head charmer” — one smirk alone from the older male had his knees weak, stomach doing a thousand flips, and cheeks burning up.

“So you’re the type who likes bad boys, huh?” he whispers dangerously deep.

Jungwon hums, feigning innocence, “No, not really. I don’t have a type, but I think I like this guy who’s handsome, smart, a bit stylish, has a kind heart, steals from the rich, and is actually pretty clumsy when you least expect it.”

“Oddly specific.”

“Oh, and it seems like he makes a badass egg and toast combo.”

“Jungwon.” Jay ends up bursting into laughter, a sound Jungwon deems as his favorite.

The younger male laughs with him, eyes bright and starry. He then follows up, “And he’s going to kiss me now.”

“As you wish, pretty boy.”

Jay’s hands latch onto the back of Jungwon’s knees to pull him closer, not wasting a second in claiming Jungwon’s lips. He hums in satisfaction when the latter kisses back, smirking against his lips when the younger lets out a little gasp. Jungwon then snakes his arms around Jay’s neck while his legs lock around the elder’s torso, keeping him in place.

Jay steals Jungwon’s breaths, tongue invading his mouth and taking the younger’s whimpers all for himself. Jungwon doesn’t protest and willingly gives it all, running his hands all over Jay’s body. The sounds of their lips smacking together echoes in the quiet kitchen, wet sounds piercing the morning calm. It doesn’t help that Jungwon lets a few breathy moans slip past, especially when Jay pulls him to the edge of the counter top and presses harder against his hips. 

He feels the older male’s hardness through his sweatpants, pulling away from the kiss to smirk teasingly.

“Easy there, big boy.” Jungwon chuckles, “You nearly broke my back last night.”

“You brought that upon yourself.” Jay smirks back, “Teasing me all night…”

The grin on Jungwon’s lips curls into something more mischievous, eyes twinkling with desire. He tightens his legs around Jay, arching his back at the same time he begins to move his hips against Jay’s hardened length. He was still wearing nothing underneath the hoodie, so the older male easily feels the friction of Jungwon’s ass against him.

“You’re really sly, aren’t you,” Jay whispers huskily, “kitten?”

Jungwon smirks when Jay meets his hips with his own thrusts, bringing his lips to the older male’s ear to whisper back, “Make me feel good before we have breakfast, hm?”

And after Jay does indeed make Jungwon feel good, right there and then on the counter top, they quickly retreat to the younger’s bedroom to get dressed before returning to the dining room for breakfast.

And when he laughs so hard at some corny joke that Jay cracks, Jungwon thinks that maybe the older male really has stolen his well-kept, hidden heart.

And maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.

On another evening, Jay wraps up a few more things in his office, polishing and submitting whatever designs his client needed. Afterwards, he gathers his things and heads for the elevators to take him down to the lobby. Just as he exits the elevator and removes his blazer, a receptionist from the front desk approaches him.

“Mr. Park, you have a guest but I will have to kindly request that you remain in the lobby as he isn’t cleared to enter any other premise in the building.”

Jay raises an eyebrow, “Oh? Did he say who he was?”

“A friend.”

“I see.”

The woman leads Jay to the open area of the lobby, a familiar figure greeting him with a playful smile on his face.

“Jungwon?” the older male questions with amusement.

“Surprise.” Jungwon laughs.

The receptionist bows and leaves the two to their business; as soon as she’s gone, Jay smirks, “A friend? After you let me—”

“Not sure if you wanted your workplace to know that you’re fucking someone.” Jungwon whispers with a sly grin.

Jay has to keep himself from smirking too much, “You really are enamored by me, Yang Jungwon. Visiting me in the office? You’re smitten.”

Jungwon laughs in amusement, shaking his head, “You’ve got quite an ego, Park Jongseong. But I’m not visiting for simple reasons.”

“Aww.” Jay brings a hand to his heart to feign hurt, “I thought you actually missed me.”

“I do, but that’s not the point.” Jungwon chuckles, “I need to speak to you about something…more important.”

Jay nods, offering his hand for the younger to take, “Let’s take a walk then.”

Jungwon nods, placing his hand in Jay’s. Together, they leave the building and head for their usual “date” destination — the park. As they bask in a comfortable silence, hands still wrapped around each other’s, the younger male speaks up.

“I saw Riki this morning.” he starts, a small smile on his lips, “He was buying bungeoppang.”

Jay chuckles, “Yeah, he makes it a point to pass by that bungeoppang stall near his university. Kind of routine for him.”

Jungwon hums in response, nodding. The older male can tell that he has something on his mind, but the preoccupied look in Jungwon’s eyes expresses that he was still trying to find the right words.

Jay takes a breath before addressing him, squeezing the younger’s hand that was still in his hold, “What’s up?”

“Hmm?”

“You said you wanted to talk about something,” Jay starts, “unless you don’t feel like talking about it yet.”

Jungwon nods, clearing his throat to reply, “So…I saw Riki this morning, right?”

When Jay nods, the younger male continues, “We had a little chat and all that, and I was told about your next…heist.”

“Ah, that one.” Jay hums, “You gonna be there?”

“Kind of required to be there.” Jungwon replies, but the older male can tell that something else is unsettling the former.

“Jungwon?” Jay stops in his tracks to turn and face the other male, “Talk to me.”

Jungwon doesn't waste a second in replying, “You need to tell Heeseung to sit this one out, Jay.”

The older male looks at the latter in confusion, tilting his head before speaking, “And why is that?”

“Dangerous people are going to be there.” Jungwon says with a low voice, urgency evident, “It’s not safe.”

Jay smirks, “What? Is the mafia going to attend a socialite’s party?”

Jungwon shoots him a glare, and in response, Jay puts his hands up in surrender.

“Ok, ok. Not that.” he corrects himself, “But what makes this different from all the other events we’ve attended? They also had esteemed guests in attendance.”

The younger male explains, “Some of the country’s most powerful and wealthy politicians and tycoons will be there. They also happen to be the most corrupt ones. You put two and two together, and you’re bound to have enemies. You get where I’m going with this?”

Jay nods, expression more serious. “Something tells me this isn’t just a party to celebrate the opening of that new mall complex…right?” he slowly asks.

Jungwon sighs, “I’m sure that’s just a facade for the shady business and deals they’ll be making in that party.” the younger male shakes his head, “Point is, it’s dangerous for you guys to pull a heist there, especially if you mess with the wrong people.”

“Then why are you going to be there?”

“I don’t…” Jungwon clears his throat, sighing deeply as he looks down, “Event manager, remember? My boss assigned me there.”

“Why didn’t you refuse?”

“You think I didn’t? I did several times. I even told him that accepting the invitation to organize the event was a bad idea, but no, my boss is just as hungry for money.” Jungwon laments, shrugging.

“Ever considered quitting?” Jay smiles apologetically.

“Yes.” the younger male lightly chuckles, “Maybe after this event. I don’t know. I have to find another job afterwards.”

Jay smiles gently, “It’s just as dangerous for you to be there, Jungwon. Maybe you’re the one who should sit out on this one.”

Jungwon sighs, putting his hands on his hips. “Jay, I know you guys don’t harm people when doing your heists, but these people…the people going to attend that party are dangerous because they have the power and money. They’re twisted. If you anger them, they’ll get back at you.”

Jay smirks, fingers hooking onto the belt loops of Jungwon’s jeans, pulling him close until their foreheads touch.

“Are you this worried for me?” he whispers, the smug smirk on his lips the only thing Jungwon sees.

Jungwon furrows his eyebrows, sighing, “Jay, I’m very serious. I—”

“Jungwon.” the older male removes his fingers from Jungwon’s belt loops, reaching for his hands and lacing their fingers together like perfectly woven yarn, “I know. It’s ok, I’ll make sure the boys and I are careful.”

Jungwon sighs, closing his eyes as he lets his forehead rest against Jay’s. “Please, Jay.” he breathes out.

“You really like me, huh? This attached to me…” Jay teases, but he knows the younger male is serious and genuinely appreciates his concern.

“I don’t bare my heart out often, you know that. I hide it as much as possible. But you…you’re an exception. So please, don’t take it for granted.” Jungwon says softly. Tenderly. Intimately.

“I know, I know.” Jay smiles, pressing a soft kiss to Jungwon’s cheek, “I promise you, and I mean it. The boys and I will be extremely careful. But you have to promise me you’ll take care while working during the party, alright?”

Jungown smiles as Jay’s arms wrap around him. He rests his head in the crook of the elder’s neck, closing his eyes as he feels Jay kissing the top of his head.

“I promise.” 

Fancy music fills the venue as waiters move around and offer glasses of champagne to the guests. The rich and powerful continue to laugh and chat like this was just a normal dinner gathering — but Jungwon’s words ring in Jay’s brain as he watches a few suit-clad men in a seemingly serious and hushed discussion by one of the tables. 

“I’m sure that’s just a facade for the shady business and deals they’ll be making in that party.”

Jay wonders if some shady business was going on in some of these discussions between the party-goers. Still, he promised Jungwon he wouldn’t get involved, so he focuses instead on the heist he and the boys were going to be pulling. 

Said boys were now standing by the fountain in the outdoor garden, observing the guests. Heeseung speaks to Jake through their in-ear communications, “Jake? You still good there?”

The younger male yawns, “I could fall asleep any moment, but I’m good. It’s taking longer to hack into the security and surveillance systems though…give me a few more minutes. I hope.” 

Heeseung smiles, “Alright, don’t worry.”

“I managed to swipe a few things already.” Riki laughs, grinning at his friends, “Easy-peasy. The dude was too distracted flexing to another person.”

“What did you get?” Jay eyes the youngest with mischief.

“A watch and ring.” Riki grins, “Dropped it off, so it’s probably enroute to Jake already.”

“I got some stuff too, just saying.” Jay smiles proudly, “Tennis bracelet…pure diamond, in fact.”

“Which owner did you flirt with this time?” Heeseung jokes, prompting Jay and Riki to laugh.

“But charm isn’t the only way to go, my friend. I used my brains.” Riki playfully jests, matter-of-factly.

“You both are a powerful duo when your minds are put together.” Heeseung laughs, “Unstoppable brain power.”

“And speaking of charms…” Riki trails off, grinning, “I see Jay’s charming baby.”

The boys turn their heads to the direction Riki was looking at and catch sight of Jungwon speaking with one of the guests, a well-practiced and hospitable smile on his lips. 

The youngest cheekily grins at Jay, nudging the elder with his elbow. “Ey, look who’s fallen head over heels again. Call him over!” he chuckles.

Jay raises an eyebrow, “Let him work, I’ll talk to him after the—”

“Jungwon!”

Jay’s expression deadpans as Riki calls out to the other male, earning a very mischievous outburst of laughter from Heeseung. Jungwon turns to the source of sound, eyes wide with surprise until he makes eye contact with the boys. Waving, he chuckles as Riki beckons him over.

The young male excuses himself from the other guest and makes his way towards the group. “Hello, boys.” he smiles.

“Busy?” the youngest asks.

The older male answers, “Hmm, not too busy. What’s up?”

“Jay.” Riki continues to jest.

“Oh?” Jungwon chuckles, turning his attention to the blushing male, “What’s wrong with him?”

Jay recovers and ignores his friends’ teasing, smiling instead at the younger male. “Nothing.” he smiles, pinching Jungwon’s cheek.

Jungwon playfully rolls his eyes and shakes his head before turning to all the boys, “Where are the rest?” 

Heeseung replies, “Sunoo is roaming around, looking for targets. Jake’s in the car as usual, trying to do his hacking, and I believe Sunghoon is…”

“Sunghoon has struck gold.” the man in question smirks, walking towards the group from inside the venue before lowering his voice to a whisper, “Quite literally a lot of golden accessories. I’ll just drop these off for Jake to—”

The male never gets to finish because a loud bang rings in the air — a gunshot. 

Jungwon and the boys all look at each other in shock, eyes wide and expressions mixed with confusion and worry. The guests seem to have noticed and began to murmur in worry as well. 

“That wasn’t my doing.” Sunghoon says in defense.

“Jake? Sunoo?” Heeseung speaks into the communication device.

A few seconds of static crackle in Heeseung’s ear before Jake’s voice is heard.

“You guys, I don’t think we were the only ones trying to get some stuff here.” the male informs them, “I can’t tell what’s going on. The whole security system was hacked by another group…can’t do anything about it. It’s professional level. I think it’s time to ditch this little party and go.”

Sunoo begins to speak as well, “I’m in the restroom right now but I can’t get out. There are some armed guys by the hallway. I’ll probably wait ‘til it’s all clear but you should go ahead to the cars!”

“Careful, alright?” Heeseung instructs.

Sunoo replies with an “ok” before the eldest male turns to Jungwon, flashing a cheeky smile, “I don’t suppose you’d know if some of this party’s guests are…criminals, of sorts, would you?”

“Corrupt tycoons and politicians are criminals.” Jungwon points out, “But all these guests were checked and none are armed, so I don’t know if it’s an inside job or an actual attack.”

Just then, more gunshots are heard, followed by screams and shouts of terror. Within seconds, chaos ensues and the party goers are panicking for their lives and running around like headless chickens. Some push and bump into each other in an attempt to escape the venue. Security tries to escort and guide the guests as calmly as possible, but it does very little to quell the panic.

“We should go.” Jay says.

Heeseung nods, “Regroup to where Jake is. Jungwon, come with us.”

The boys all nod their heads and begin to move, blending in with the crowd and pushing their way through the frenzy. Jay’s grip on Jungwon’s hand is tight, and he can tell that the younger is holding on just as tightly. He gives Jungwon’s hand a quick squeeze, making sure he was still following as Heeseung maneuvered and led the group away from the crowd.

Just as they reach the venue’s entrance, they see Jake running over to them.

“I overhead some of the drivers in the parking lot.” he catches his breath from running, “Apparently there was gonna be some sort of business transaction to take place, organized by one of the party’s hosts, and well…”

Riki continues for Jake, “Someone didn’t like that idea and decided to interfere.”

Jake shrugs, “Most probably.”

“Did you know that?” Sunghoon asks Jungwon.

“No.” the younger male replies, “There are five hosts for this grand party, and I wouldn’t have known any in-depth details since I’m literally here just to make sure the guests are enjoying themselves. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if there is some ulterior motive and underhanded things going on in the background. Like I told Jay…these people are powerful and rich but evil and corrupt as well.”

Jay sighs, “Well, we can’t do anything about this but call the police, which I’m sure is being done already.”

“We leave as soon as Sunoo is with us.” 

“I’ll get him.” Jay offers, and the eldest looks ar him with concern.

“Jay—”

The younger male reassures him with a hand on the shoulder, “I’ll be quick. Sunoo’s smart and capable, but the chaos might overwhelm him. I’ll go and get him, and you can call the police.”

“Hmm, alright.” Heeseung sighs, eyes still filled with concern, “But be very careful, ok? I’m coming to get your ass if you take too long.”

Jay smiles and nods at the older male. Heeseung walks over to a more quiet spot, pulling his phone out to make a call. Jay moves to take a step and head towards the venue, but he can break into a sprint, a tug on his wrist stops him.

He turns around, faced with a very concerned Jungwon; he doesn’t say anything, but his eyes convey the worry nonetheless.

“I promise you, and I mean it. The boys and I will be extremely careful.”

Jay flashes Jungwon a very Jay-like smirk before giving him a quick and chaste kiss, “I promised, didn’t I?”

A small smile graces the younger male’s lips as he slightly nods. “Ok.” Jungwon says softly, letting go of Jay’s wrist.

Jay grins warmly before nodding at Sunghoon. The male mirrors the action, smiling back, “Be quick.”

“Got it.”

Jay then runs off, leaving Sunghoon to lead Jungwon to where the boys’ two cars are parked. 

Back inside the venue, Jay pumps his legs as fast as he can, avoiding the panicking crowds evacuating, as well as the security guards trying to usher everyone out. The gunshots have stopped, perhaps signaling that the armed men have either gotten what they came for or are talking to whoever was in possession of it.

From the corner of his eye, Jay notes that there are people — whether guests or the attackers — taking advantage of the chaos and are looting the place as well. He ignores them, searching for Sunoo instead. He checks the restrooms, empty function rooms, and even the kitchen area for signs of his friend. Jake explains that because the attackers hacked the systems, communications might be difficult to get through.

Just as Jay decides to check the basement level of the venue, he hears Sunoo’s voice from one of the function halls down the hall.

“Wait, wait, wait! I swear, I don’t have anything worth stealing, nor do I know anything about this place!” Sunoo exclaims with well-practiced, faux panic.

Jay runs into the hall and is met with the sight of his younger friend being held by the collar by a masked man. The older male isn’t quite sure what brought that about or what happened prior, but he wastes no time in running towards them and tackling the man who crashes and breaks a nearby table.

“Jay!” Sunoo exclaims.

“Hey, Sun. Got caught up?” Jay smiles, standing next to his friend.

“Yeah.” the younger male chuckles, pointing to the other end of the room, “There’s an emergency exit there.”

The two make a run for the exit, but before they can grab the door’s handle, the attacker recovers and begins to shoot at them. Sunoo yells before he gets pulled by Jay, running across the hall and using the tables as cover.

While ducked under one of the tables, Jay whispers, “I’m gonna buy us some time, alright? Make a run for the exit and wait for me behind the door.”

“What are you gonna do?” Sunoo asks in pure disbelief, “You’re good at a lot of things, but you’ve never fought an armed and possibly trained man.”

“I’ll…get by. I always do.” the older male laughs, prompting a chuckle from his friend.

With that, Jay crawls away, grabbing some cutlery from the abandoned tables. He uses one of the bread knives and bangs it on the chairs before yelling, “Hey! Over here!”

The man begins to shoot at him again, but Jay reacts in time and gets down behind another table. The attacker approaches him, allowing Sunoo to safely slip away. When Jay stands up, the man prepares to shoot him, but Jay puts his hands up and calls out.

“Wait! Stop! What do you want? We can talk about this like intelligent men.”

The attacker grumbles, withdrawing his gun from its aimed position, but still ready in case Jay tries anything funny. “Hand over anything of value and maybe I’ll let you go.” he says.

“Yeah, about that…” Jay sharply inhales, “I’m just an employee here…I don’t have any expensive stuff.”

“The suit you’re wearing is an expensive brand, and so is that watch on your wrist.”

“Have you ever heard of imitations? Fakes?” Jay smirks.

“Hand it over!”

“Ok, ok! Fine.”

Jay walks over to the attacker, slowly taking off the watch he was wearing; fortunately, it wasn’t actually his and belonged to a guest whom he stole from — he wasn’t lying about it being fake though, which was, in his opinion, quite funny. As soon as the watch is in the attacker’s hand, Jay opens his mouth to speak.

However, the attacker begins to move his gun towards the male.

“Yeah, I knew this was gonna happen.” Jay mutters to himself.

Hoping for the best, Jay uses as much strength as he can to smack the gun away just before the trigger is released. A bang echoes in the empty function hall, and the bullet barely misses Jay’s face, leaving a slight graze on his cheek. The initial shock freezes Jay in place, but he recovers in time to dodge a punch. The young man tackles the attacker once again, landing on the floor with a thud.

Jay pins the man down, but it proves to be quite a struggle even for someone as strong as himself. Nonetheless, he quickly thinks of anything to give him the upper hand, even for a split second. He spots a vase that had fallen to the floor and reaches over to grab it. He hits the attacker’s head with the item; his opponent yells in frustration as the vase breaks apart.

Jay grimaces, grabbing one of the roses that was in the vase before getting up and breaking into a sprint towards the emergency exit.

Sunoo is already there, waiting by a staircase. “Hurry!” he calls out, motioning for Jay to run faster.

The two friends descend the staircase, adrenaline rushing through their veins as they hear footsteps following them.

“I know I’m a James Bond enthusiast, but I never said anything about living it out in real life!” Jay yells, running down the stairs with Sunoo following him.

The younger male laughs, “Plot twist, I guess!”

As they reach the bottom of the flight of stairs, Jay reaches for the handle of the door, but his instinct tells him to turn around. Just as he does, the attacker from earlier has caught up to them, reaching out to grab Sunoo. The older male moves quickly, switching places with his younger friend and ends up getting punched on the lip instead.

He stumbles back against the stairs behind him, so the attacker goes for Sunoo next. However, Jay lunges forward and hugs the man’s leg. 

“Sunoo, go!” Jay exclaims, “I promise I’ll be right behind you!”

The younger male has an internal conflict, torn between listening to his friend or not; he chooses to do the former, trusting Jay’s words as he nods and makes a beeline for the exit. The attacker clicks his tongue, using his other knee to get Jay to let go of his leg.

“Something tells me you’ve still got some stuff on you.” he sneers as he knees Jay’s nose.

Jay rubs at the impact and scoffs, “Yeah, I have a rose. You want a rose? Aren’t you a romantic?” 

The man grabs Jay’s collar and lifts him from the ground, pushing him against the wall. “Cooperate and I’ll actually let you off the hook.” the attacker commands.

“Look where that got us last time.” Jay comments.

The two men then continue to brawl and struggle with each other, but as time passes, Jay begins to lose energy; he was, after all, just a regular man compared to someone trained to do this. Jay’s legs lose a bit of strength, causing him to lose his footing and fall backwards. The attacker looms over him, ready to throw another punch. His fist never touches Jay’s face; instead, the attacker cries out in pain and lets Jay go, moving away as he clutches the back of his head.

Jay looks confused, initially, until he sees Jungwon standing there, a stiletto heel in his hand. 

“Well, that was unexpected.” Jay grins as he stands up, eyes on the heels in the younger’s hands, “Those are killer.”

Jungwon frowns at the wounds and slowly-forming bruises on Jay’s face. “Yeah, must have slipped off from someone while running away in panic.”

Jay smiles before taking Jungwon’s hand, and together they make a run for the exit that led them to the other outdoor garden near the parking area. Sunoo is there, ushering for them to follow him. 

While running down the street to where the other boys were, Jungwon lectures the older male, “You said you’d be fine…look at you!”

Jay sheepishly grins, scratching the back of neck with a laugh. “Yeah, just a slight pickle.” he says before raising an eyebrow, “And weren’t you supposed to stay with Sunghoon?”

“I wasn’t gonna sit around and wait!”

Jay drops the topic, chuckling at Jungwon’s actions — he was truly amused and enamored by this man. 

They can hear police sirens approaching from afar, as well as see the faint blue-and-red flashing lights. Vaguely, they also both hear Sunoo chuckle at their exchange, prompting both of them to laugh as well. Soon, the three of them regroup with the other boys.

“What happened to your face?” Jake exclaims.

“I fell down the stairs.” Jay shrugs.

Jungwon rolls his eyes and Sunoo laughs. “We’re all safe. No one’s hurt, right?” Heeseung says with a gentle smile.

“We’re alright.”

The siren sounds become clearer as the police arrive at the scene. The eldest then nods, “Let’s go home.”

Everyone else nods and files into either of the two cars. Jay and Jungwon’s eyes meet at the exact same moment, gazes never leaving one another’s as their hands are still clinging to each other.

Jungwon’s knows he’s welcomed by Jay and his friends, but he still thinks that he’s not part of that “home” just yet. They trust him and include him in their other activities, but he feels their heisting is something more intimate, close-knit. He doesn’t want to overstep and intrude that sacred circle.

Jungwon felt like he didn’t belong with his wealthy family. He never had any attachment to his workmates. He refrained from making friends because they never felt genuine.

“Come with us.” Jay says with warmth. 

But somehow, Jungwon feels like he has a chance with these guys.

So when he turns to Heeseung who gives an approving smile and nod, the younger male can’t help but grin. 

“Take me home?” Jungwon faces Jay once more, reaching up to brush a few stray strands of hair away from the elder’s face.

Jay smiles with affection, “Gladly.”

The condominium is quiet when Jungwon and the boys arrive; a chorus of exhausted sighs leave each of the tired individuals upon stepping foot inside the living room.

“I need a shower.” Sunoo announces, heading straight for the stairs to the second floor. 

“And I need a snack.” Sunghoon says, dragging Riki with him.

Heeseung looks at Jake and nods before saying, “Jake and I are just going to get in touch with our third party to tell them we’ll give them the items tomorrow instead.”

Jake grins playfully, “We’ll give you two some alone time.”

Heeseung puts his arm around Jake’s shoulder and goes upstairs with the younger male. With everyone else away from the living room, Jay sits on the couch, pulling Jungwon to sit next to him. There’s a silence that stretches between them, intense yet comfortable.

Jay opens his mouth to speak, but Heeseung quickly pops in to put a first-aid kit on the coffee table. “Just in case.” he smiles before making his leave again.

Jungwon chuckles, saying a quick “thank you”. Jay then turns to the younger, taking his hand in his. He rubs the back of Jungwon’s palm with his thumb. 

“You ok?” he asks.

“I’m fine. I should be asking you that.” Jungwon replies, shifting to face Jay better, “Does it hurt?”

“Kind of.” the older male admits, grimacing when he tries to smile, “Never expected this to happen.”

“Well, life is full of surprises.” Jungwon comments humorously, reaching over to grab the first aid kit.

Another silence blankets the two as Jungwon tends to the older male’s wounds, cleaning it up and applying ointment on the areas affected. Jay pouts and grimaces at the stinging sensation.

“Sorry.” the younger male stifles a giggle.

Jay smiles in return, “By the way…” 

When Jungwon turns his attention back to Jay, the older male pulls a rose from the inside of his suit’s jacket — a crushed but vividly red rose.

“Grabbed it during the action,” he chuckles, “which is why it’s probably ruined.”

Jungwon laughs, a wide grin spreading across his face as he takes the flower. “I can’t believe you actually thought of getting a flower amidst a fight.” he says in disbelief, raising an eyebrow at the other male.

Jay winks, his smile turning into his signature smirk, “I was planning on taking a ring for you or something, but yeah. Obviously, stuff happened.”

The younger male laughs again, playfully slapping Jay’s arm. The latter pokes his tongue out in response before clearing his throat.

“You said you wanted to quit your current job…after all this, do you think you’d want to join our little team? We could use someone like you…charming, resourceful, and smart.”

Jungwon shrugs, “You do know I’d still need to find a real, actual job, right?”

“I’m sure Sunghoon can help you find a spot in the modeling agency he works in. You are very beautiful, after all.” Jay says boldly, earning a flustered smile from the younger, “Or maybe a position in the company Heeseung’s at?”

Jungwon smiles, brushing a strand of stray hair away from Jay’s forehead. “I’ll gladly accept your invitation…but only because Sunoo’s here and he’s my friend.” he teases.

“Ah, ouch.” Jay laughs along, “You’re too much.”

“Who’s smitten now?” Jungwon chuckles, leaning over to kiss the older male’s cheek, “Can’t be without me for too long…”

“Mhmm, sure. Whatever floats your boat.” Jay comments with a playful roll of his eyes.

Jungwon raises an eyebrow as if to challenge him; Jay responds with a playful wink before pouting his lips as if asking for a kiss. Jungwon giggles, gently tapping the elder’s lips with his index finger.

“No, your lip is still wounded.” he says definitively, earning an intensified pout from the other male.

“Finally someone who can keep Jay in his place!” Sunghoon suddenly yells from the kitchen.

Jay yells back, a playfully offended expression on his face, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The male is about to stand up and “deal” with his friend, but Jungwon pulls him back down to sit. “Count your hours, Park Sunghoon!” Jay calls out.

Sunghoon laughs extremely loud while responding, “I know Jungwon will save me!”

Jay is about to say something once more, but Sunoo’s voice is the one that pierces the place, “Quiet down! I want to rest!”

Jay and Jungwon look at each other, breaking out into amused laughter and giddy smiles. The younger male then sets the first-aid kit aside before snuggling closer to Jay on the couch. He leans his head on Jay’s shoulder as the older male plants a gentle kiss on top of Jungwon’s head.

“Welcome to the team.” he says softly, carefully bringing his fingers to Jungwon’s chin so that he could make the younger face him, “And welcome home.”

The smile on Jungwon’s face is brimming with glee and affection. He leans up to leave a brief kiss on Jay’s lips before nestling back in the crook of the elder’s neck.

Jungwon has always hidden his heart, wary of people in a world full of greed and selfishness. He’s kept himself guarded, afraid to let the wrong people in — people who would just take his heart for granted for their own selfish gains and desires.

“Jay?”

“Hm?”

“You can keep it.”

Jay shifts around just enough to look at Jungwon, “Keep what?”

Jungwon lifts his head from where it lay on Jay’s shoulder, looking at the older male with playful but loving eyes. “The heart you stole.” he giggles, “It’s all yours now.”

Jay chuckles softly, kissing the tip of Jungwon’s forehead, then his nose, then his lips. “That’s only fair, considering you stole mine as well.”

Jungwon grins so beautifully, Jay can’t help but kiss him again. And again. And again, forgetting about the cut on his lip.

“We’re eating snacks in here, and they’re eating each other’s faces.” Sunghoon mumbles from the kitchen, low enough for only Riki to hear.

“Dude.” Riki looks at the older male with a judgemental side-eye.