Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

&.

🫧„Renegade‘s bout to get this started.
Let‘em sing like the birds in the morning
Light a flame in the darkness.“

The lyrics rang out through the quiet night, echoing against the marble walls of a luxurious penthouse tower in Seoul. Sunoo, dressed in a loose Balenciaga hoodie and satin joggers, was spinning around his vast living room, barefoot on the heated floors, belting the chorus of “Renegade” like he was on stage again.

The concert had gone perfectly, of course—it always did. He had the Midas touch. Millions screamed his name every time he appeared. But tonight, all he wanted was to be alone, drink his matcha tea, and scream-sing his favorite Lucas track.

Because Renegade wasn’t just a song. It was his therapy.

“Never basic, let haters stay hating,” he repeated, this time dancing across the marble floor, his bare feet gliding across the warm surface. “No debatin', I’m a fan favorite…”

Sunoo wasn't rehearsing. He wasn't filming. He wasn’t livestreaming for his millions of fans.

He was just a fanboy tonight.

Of Lucas Wong.

Kim Sunoo hit the final note in a single breath, laughing at himself as he flopped dramatically onto his massive custom-made cloud couch. The speakers cut off mid-chorus, and the room returned to its usual quiet hum—except for the pounding of his own heart.

“You’re insane,” he whispered to himself. “You just did a sold-out dome tour and now you’re screaming your bias’s song at midnight like a trainee.”

But something about Renegade always did this to him. Lucas’s energy, the unapologetic lyrics, the smooth-but-aggressive delivery—it made him feel… less alone in this spotlight he’d been born into.

Meanwhile... Next Door.
Ni-ki yanked out his AirPods, eyes narrowing.

“What the hell?”

He padded barefoot across his living room to the floor-to-ceiling glass that separated his penthouse from the night sky. The noise was unmistakable. Someone next door—his next-door neighbor—was singing Renegade. Not just singing it… screaming it. And really well.

“Wait,” Ni-ki whispered, squinting toward the other balcony. It was mostly obscured by a privacy divider and a few overgrown bonsai trees, but whoever lived there clearly had good taste in music. Lucas wasn’t mainstream anymore. Not since he left NCT.

Grabbing his phone, Ni-ki typed furiously in his chat with Lucas.

Ni-ki: yo
Ni-ki: someone in my building is SINGING ur song rn?? like top volume. it sounds… insane.
Ni-ki: like professional idol level vocals?? bro u got fans here fr

A minute passed.

Lucas: lmaoo fr? which song?

Ni-ki: Renegade.

Lucas: damn… that's wild. someone still bumps that??

Ni-ki smiled faintly. Lucas deserved all the love. Still, something was bugging him.

Ni-ki: who even lives next to me anyway. they sound familiar af

Lucas: find out 😏

Ni-ki: chill, I’m not about to stalk my neighbors tbh

But curiosity was burning through him like wildfire.

Chapter Text

🥂 The Event – Seoul Art Hall, 9:48 PM

The room shimmered with high fashion and ego. Champagne flutes clinked against polished nails, camera flashes went off every two seconds, and the perfume in the air probably cost more than a small apartment.

Sunoo adjusted the cuff of his Dior blazer, his expression politely unreadable. He stood near the back of the rooftop ballroom, far from the red carpet where cameras waited to devour him. These events weren’t for him.. they were for the brands, the headlines, the networking deals.

Still, he looked perfect. He had to.

A stylist had said the color brought out his eyes. His manager said it brought out the media. Either way, he couldn’t blend in if he tried.

He reached for a drink, only to grab the same glass as someone else.

Their fingers brushed.

Sunoo blinked.

The guy turned slightly, tall, sharp eyes, black suit that looked custom, lips curled in the tiniest smirk.

“Sorry,” he said. His voice was lower than expected, velvet-dipped and just a little bored.

Sunoo let go of the glass.

“You can take it.”

The guy raised a brow, but didn’t argue.

He took a sip, turned halfway toward Sunoo. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Sunoo tilted his head. “You know me?”

“Who doesn’t?” the guy said, leaning against the bar now. “You’re everywhere. Billboard charts. Vogue covers. That skincare collab with Hera.”

Sunoo smiled, controlled. “I could say the same. Though I don’t think I’ve caught your name.”

The guy paused just long enough to make it feel intentional. “Ni-ki.”

Sunoo’s smile almost twitched. “Enhypen?”

“Guilty.”

“Didn’t recognize you without the eyeliner.”

Ni-ki let out a short laugh, more exhale than sound. “Didn’t recognize you without the four security guards.”

“Touché.”

A beat passed. The conversation wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t cold either. It hovered in that charged space between curiosity and calculation.

Sunoo took a sip of his own drink. “You here for a brand?”

“Lucas invited me,” Ni-ki said easily.

Sunoo blinked.

His grip tightened on the glass for a half second, but his face stayed calm. “Lucas Wong?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s here?”

“No,” Ni-ki said, smirking. “But his song’s on the playlist. Which means he won anyway.”

Sunoo laughed, softly. It escaped before he could stop it.

The DJ was playing the instrumental of Renegade, right on cue.

Sunoo glanced sideways. “You like that track?”

Ni-ki’s eyes gleamed. “More than most people.”

Sunoo nodded, lips pursed thoughtfully. „Same..”whispered to himself, making sure that Ni-ki didn’t hear him. It was his secret.. To be a fanboy of Lucas, Lucas Wong.

A pause. Neither of them looked away.

Then someone called Ni-ki’s name across the room. His staff, probably. And he pushed off the bar.

“Well,” he said, slipping the rest of his drink down. “See you around.”

Sunoo watched him go. Noticed how he walked like he didn’t care about being watched, but still knew he was.

He took another sip, but it tasted different now.

Weird. He hadn’t expected the quiet kid from Enhypen to say that much. Or make him laugh. Or mention Lucas.

But he’d remember the name now.

Ni-ki.

Didn’t realize that in just a few nights…
That would be the same boy standing barefoot on the next balcony over.
Saying, “Nice vocals.”

Chapter Text

🍵 The B-Side Hours – Penthouse 1702, 1:12 AM

&.

The penthouse lights flickered on with a quiet hum as the door swung open. Sunoo stepped inside, dropping his Dior blazer onto the floor without a second thought. One shoe came off near the door, the other somewhere by the kitchen island. His black button-up was unbuttoned halfway, his earrings already missing, and the subtle champagne buzz in his blood had made his cheeks soft and pink.

It was past 1:00 AM. Seoul was sleeping.
But Sunoo’s mind wasn’t.

He stood in front of the massive glass windows, staring out at the skyline like it might give him answers.

That night had been weird.

Not bad. Just… weird.

Ni-ki had surprised him. The way he talked, that subtle smirk, the fact that he mentioned Lucas so casually. And then that laugh.. Not rehearsed. It caught Sunoo off guard. Not many people in this industry managed that anymore.

He sighed, dragging his fingers through his hair as he wandered into the kitchen.

“Just one glass,” he whispered to himself, pulling a wine bottle from the counter. Leftover rosé from a brand gift. He didn’t even like it that much, but it felt right tonight. He poured lazily into a tall glass and padded back across the marble, barefoot, already grabbing his phone with the other hand.

The playlist was already open.
Of course it was.

He scrolled, heart pulling toward the one track he knew would match his mood.

“Dip It Low – Lucas Wong.”

He hit that play button without even thinking.

The beat rolled in soft and smooth, low synths curling through the penthouse like silk smoke. His head tilted, eyes closing for a second.

God, Lucas’s voice…

That tone. That flow. The way it sank into your bloodstream without warning. If “Renegade” was rage and power, “Dip It Low” was the aftermidnight haze. The kind of song you weren’t supposed to love so much, but couldn’t stop replaying.

🫧 See you work so hard, you're professional
It's been a long week, let me make you smile
You be looking innocent, but you so wild
Damn, I love your style.”

Sunoo let the lyrics slip past his lips before he even realized he was singing. Not loud at first. Just under his breath, swaying slightly with his wine glass in hand, hoodie sleeves too long past his fingers.

But by the chorus, he was gone.

🫧 It seems like everywhere I go
They just want a photo, shutting down the show
Can we take it slow, slow? Do a little more
Show me how it'd go now, baby, dip it low
Drop down to the floor, let me know, like..”

His voice echoed in the high ceilings, smooth and golden, the kind of late-night tone that sounded better when no one was around.

Only someone was.
Next door.

🫧 Meanwhile, Next Balcony Over

Ni-ki paused the video game he’d been pretending to play after the « Seoul Art Hall Event » for the past hour and sat up.

“…Seriously?”

He stood, walked to the window, and opened the glass door just a crack.

There it was again. The voice. Not yelling this time. Just singing. Low. Sultry. Clean. Too clean to be casual.

And the song?

“Dip It Low.”
Lucas. Again.

Ni-ki blinked, letting the cool air hit his face as he leaned his elbow on the railing. He couldn’t see anything, same privacy wall, same trees, but the sound was unmistakable.

“They aint just a fan,” he muttered, amused “That’s a disciple.”

He pulled out his phone and opened his chat with Lucas.

Ni-ki: bro.. ur mystery fan’s at it again.
Ni-ki: different song this time 😰 they’re doing a full Lucas discography tour in their penthouse rn
Ni-ki: kinda impressive ngl

Lucas: LMFAOOOOO
Lucas: WHICH SONG

Ni-ki: Dip It Low.

Lucas: bro i forgot that song even existed
Lucas: they fr a deep cuts stan
Lucas: tell them i said bless their soul

Ni-ki: they sound legit. not even joking.
Ni-ki: could be an idol. or like… someone trained for years.

Lucas: bet it’s someone you already know
Lucas: just not who you expect.

Ni-ki stared at the message for a second longer than he meant to.

He glanced back toward the balcony, where the voice was still drifting through the night, unbothered, unfiltered, like the singer didn’t care if anyone heard.

Whoever they were... they were way too good.

He took a mental note. Again.
That was two Lucas songs.
Two late nights.
Two vocal performances that didn’t sound like a regular neighbor letting loose.

And something in his gut told him…
this wasn’t the last time.

Ni-ki: Nah prob dont know them

Lucas: okay now i’m invested
Lucas: u gotta record them next time
Lucas: i need to hear this “mystery stan”

Ni-ki: you’re lucky i like you
Ni-ki: bc this is borderline creepy

Lucas: whatever
Lucas: feed my ego

Ni-ki: deal
Ni-ki: if they sing “crushing on you” next i’m calling Dispatch

Lucas: LMAO PLS

Chapter Text

🎞️ All Alone - Tower 9, 2:40 AM

&.

The rain wasn’t part of the plan.

But neither was breaking down.

The night had started like any other, another glossy, high-society gathering full of laughter that didn’t reach anyone’s eyes. Sunoo was used to the attention, the flash of cameras, the weight of compliments that always came with fine print.

He wasn’t used to this.

They said it was a casual luxury party. Just some drinks and fresh air on a rooftop in Apgujeong.

But it wasn’t.

They made it seem like a celebration. Like they missed him.

“You’ve changed,” one had said, smiling too wide. “You’re the prettiest, Kim Seonwoo. But your face doesn’t even move when you laugh anymore.”

Another one laughed. “Let’s test it. Someone tell him a joke.”

Sunoo had laughed along, stiffly. Tried to swallow the tightness in his throat.

But it got worse.

They took a group photo without him.

“You’re too famous now, right?” someone had joked when he approached. “Don’t wanna be seen with us peasants.”

He reached for a drink. They pulled it away.

Laughed like it was nothing.

But it wasn’t.

It was one of his oldest “friends” who pulled him aside first. Said they needed air. Said the rooftop would be quiet.

Sunoo followed.

The moment they stepped outside, everything started.

The others were already up there, drinks in hand, smiling too wide.

He didn’t understand what was happening.. until one of them pulled out their phone.

“Remember this?” they said.

And played a video.

An old clip. From Sunoo’s trainee days. His voice cracked mid-note, his cheeks blotchy from crying. He remembered that day. It was the day he almost quit.

They laughed.

Hard.

Another one pulled out their phone and snapped a photo of Sunoo’s stunned expression. “A real-time reaction of our pretty crier” they joked.

The rain came down harder. Sunoo tried to back away, but someone grabbed him by his waist.

“Come on, don’t be dramatic,” they said. “You cry prettier now, anyway. Let’s get a shot for the memory.”

The flash went off.

They were recording him crying.

He left the party before they get worse.
Ran through the city like he was running from their words. The rain covered his tears, but it didn’t wash them away.

Now, soaked and shaking, Sunoo stumbled into the lobby of Tower 9.

His vision blurred as he pressed the elevator button. He didn’t want to be seen like this;
ruined eyeliner, wet hair, his designer coat dragging on the floor like it was ashamed of him too.

The elevator opened. Empty.

Good.

He stepped inside, curled into the corner like a paper doll left in the rain. Silent sobs crawled up his throat, raw and aching.

Then..

The elevator stopped.

The door opened.

Someone else stepped in.

Sunoo didn’t look.

He turned away sharply, hiding his face behind damp sleeves, breath hiccupping in his chest. He didn’t want to be known like this. Not like this.

Ni-ki paused.

He wasn’t expecting company at 2:40 AM.

But the boy beside him wasn’t just quiet, he was shattered.

Ni-ki didn’t stare.

But the way the boy’s shoulders shook, the way he curled in on himself like he was trying to disappear, it lingered.

He said nothing.

The elevator climbed.

When it stopped again both of them stepped out.

Ni-ki glanced once.

No recognition.

Just empathy.

Sunoo kept his head down.

He didn’t know.

Didn’t see.

Didn’t realize that the boy who had seen him fall apart was the same one who’d laugh at his Renegade cover a few nights later.

Two doors. One wall between them.

One moment neither would forget.

🗝️ 3:19 AM – Ni-ki’s Penthouse.

Ni-ki sat on the edge of his bed, hoodie still on, city lights flickering faintly through his blackout curtains. He stared at his phone a second longer before hitting “call.”

It rang once. Twice.

“Yo.”
Lucas’s voice was scratchy with sleep.

“Hey,” Ni-ki said, quietly. “You awake?”

Lucas groaned. “Barely. What’s up?”

Ni-ki hesitated. Then:

“There was someone crying in my elevator tonight. like… whole-body shaking, soaking wet. looked like they’d been out in a storm. it messed with my head a little. you ever just feel someone’s pain? even if they don’t say anything? it was like that.”

A pause. Lucas didn’t laugh it off.

Ni-ki continued, voice lower now. “Like, full-on breakdown. Hoodie up. Dripping wet. They didn’t look at me. Didn’t say anything. Just… stood there.”

Lucas was quiet for a beat. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I mean, it wasn’t me crying.”

Another pause.

“…But they got off on 49.”

“Your floor?”

“My neighbor,” Ni-ki said softly. “Next door.”

Lucas sat up. Ni-ki could hear the rustle of sheets. “You saw their face?”

“No,” Ni-ki said. “Too dark. And they wouldn’t look up.”

Silence.

Lucas exhaled slowly. “You think they were… okay?”

Ni-ki swallowed. “No. Not even close.”

There was a beat of quiet between them. Not awkward. Just heavy.

“I’ve seen idols cry before,” Ni-ki added. “Trainees. Staff. Stressed people. But this... this felt different. Like they weren’t crying to be noticed. They were trying not to be.”

Lucas didn’t respond for a while.

Then he said, “Maybe that’s why you noticed.”

Ni-ki let that sit.

“I didn’t say anything,” he admitted. “Didn’t even ask if they were okay. I just stood there like an idiot while the elevator moved.”

Lucas’s voice softened. “You don’t always have to say something in the moment, Ni-ki.”

“Yeah, but...”
His jaw tightened. “It felt like I should have.”

Another long pause.

“You’ll probably see them again,” Lucas murmured. “And if you do… maybe you’ll recognize the sound before the face.”

The call fell quiet again. Ni-ki didn’t hang up. Neither did Lucas.

They didn’t need to.

„I feel like you should check on them, Ni-ki..”

🫧 Beautiful - 4:02AM

He didn’t plan to write a song.

Sunoo padded barefoot across the marble floor, still damp from the shower, wearing only a long-sleeved sleep shirt and silk shorts. His hair hung wet and messy, clinging to his cheeks. His skin was flushed from heat, or maybe from crying. Probably both. The ache behind his eyes burned fiercely, but he couldn’t let himself cry anymore.

His fingers trembled as he reached for the sleek black keyboard perched near the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, the city was silent, a sea of muted lights and distant sirens but inside, his penthouse felt cavernous and empty.

His hands hovered over the keys. The silence was thick.

Then, softly, he pressed one note. A deep, lingering C. It echoed faintly in the space.

Then another, a minor chord.

His fingers found the melody, hesitant at first, as if testing the ground beneath.

But the music grew stronger.

The notes spilled out, weaving together like fragile threads trying to stitch a broken heart.

His lips parted slightly, and a voice, raw and uneven, broke the quiet.

”It's a beautiful life, beautiful day
미치도록 널 사랑했었던 날
Beautiful life, beautiful day
너를 잃고 싶지 않아
Beautiful my love
Beautiful your heart”

His hands faltered on the keys as his voice trembled, memories of the night flooding back.. the betrayal, the laughter, the cold rain.

He pressed record without thinking, capturing this raw moment of vulnerability.

The music swelled gently, wrapping around his cracked voice, turning pain into something beautiful.

As the last note faded, Sunoo leaned back against the window, letting the silence settle around him.

Maybe tomorrow, this song wouldn’t feel so heavy.

Maybe tomorrow, he’d be a little more… beautiful

🫧 Ni-ki’s..

The early sunlight crept through Ni-ki’s blackout curtains, cutting soft lines across his bedroom floor.

Sleep had escaped him.

The night’s quiet was still full of echoes.

Between fits of exhaustion, he had heard something remarkable.

A voice.

Not just any voice.

A voice that carried a song he’d never heard before.

It was Sunoo’s.

Ni-ki pressed his ear against the thin wall separating their penthouses, caught by a melody unlike any other. It was a song called “Beautiful.” He hadn’t realized it was Sunoo’s own unreleased track until the lyrics sank in, words that felt like a promise whispered to himself in the dark.

Ni-ki didn’t just listen. He was captivated.

The voice trembled sometimes, but never broke. It carried hope, pain and strength.

And a quiet belief that better days were coming.

Ni-ki pulled out his phone, fingers trembling as he typed a message to Lucas.

Ni-ki:
Just heard him singing. His own song. Beautiful.
It’s… my favorite now.
I’d do anything to hear it again.

He stared at the message, heart pounding as he hit send.

Meanwhile, somewhere not far away, Sunoo wiped the last tear from his cheek and whispered into the night:

“There will be better days.”

And for the first time in a long while, he meant it.

Chapter Text

🫧 Renegade’s plan - 7th day.

&.

Seven days of no posts, no text, no interaction.
Sunoo had disappeared, not just from social media but from the world around him. Everyone wondered where Sunoo had gone.
He came back with something different this time..

Above the restless city, Seoul’s skyline stretched out like a glittering tapestry, a mosaic of light and shadow beneath a deep indigo sky. The air was cool, touched by the faint scent of rain, and a quiet stillness wrapped the night in anticipation.

On the rooftop studio, a minimalist glass sanctuary perched atop one of the tallest towers, Sunoo prepared himself with deliberate calm.

Every detail was curated to perfection.

Soft, ambient lights traced the edges of the polished wooden floor, casting gentle reflections that shimmered beneath his poised figure. Behind him, a cascade of muted visuals rippled across a large screen, subtle and smoky, pulsing in harmony with the beat that hovered just beyond the silence.

His attire was an exquisite balance of elegance and edge; a sharply tailored black jacket, woven with delicate threads of metallic silver that caught the light like whispers of starlight; sleek leather trousers hugged his form, and the modern grace of his footwear promised fluidity and strength.

His hair, damp from hours of rehearsal, framed his face with effortless grace.

This was no mere performance.

This was a reclamation.

As the first note of Renegade rolled through the speakers, Sunoo stepped forward with a controlled intensity that drew the air taut around him.

His movements were poetry in motion. every gesture precise yet flowing, each beat met with a dancer’s perfect balance of strength and vulnerability. His voice, raw yet refined, wove seamlessly through the choreography, an unspoken narrative of resilience and defiance.

There was a magnetic tension in his eyes, a quiet fire, a story told without words, of battles fought in silence and the will to rise again.

When he spun low, a silhouette against the smoky backdrop, the room seemed to hold its breath. The final pose was a masterpiece of emotion, a clenched fist lifted in silent triumph, head tipped back as if to drink in the night itself.

The last note hung delicately in the air before fading, leaving an echo of reverence.

Sunoo’s chest rose and fell as he gathered his breath, a faint, knowing smile playing on his lips. With a gentle swipe, he sent the live video into the digital ether, an intimate offering to the world.

Within hours, the video exploded across social media. Clips circulated on every platform, praising the flawless fusion of vocals and choreography. Fans and critics alike lauded Sunoo’s artistry, heralding the performance as his triumphant return.

By dawn, Renegade was trending worldwide.

Streams skyrocketed, topping charts anew.

Sunoo wasn’t just back, he was reigning.

Number one.

The undisputed king of his own narrative.

Chapter Text

🫧 Seoul Concert Hall, 7:15 PM

Backstage at the Seoul Concert Hall, the air was thick with the scent of fresh flowers, faint perfume, and the quiet hum of anticipation. Spotlights flickered softly across mirrored walls, catching the subtle shimmer of sequins and polished leather. The faint rustle of stylists and assistants moved like whispers through the corridors, but at the center of this poised chaos, two figures sat in contemplative stillness.

Lucas leaned back in his chair, fingers lightly tapping the rim of his glass as his eyes traced the dim outlines of the bustling crew preparing for the evening’s show.

Ni-ki sat across from him, his gaze still lingering on the screen of his phone, replaying fragments of a video that had captivated the world.

“He dropped it after a week of disappearing,” Ni-ki said without looking up. “No announcement. Just… posted it. He was going through something.. After that night in the elevator, i thought it was worse, not just disappearing but.. something that i dont want to put in words. And we know that my neighbor is Kim Seonwoo now..”

Lucas watched in silence for a moment. When the video ended, Ni-ki spoke again.

“It’s strange,” said quietly. “The whole world’s just now seeing him again. But for me... it started with a voice behind a wall.”

Lucas didn’t respond immediately. His gaze was fixed somewhere over Ni-ki’s shoulder, distant, calculating.

Ni-ki went on.

“It was late. Past midnight. And someone was singing Renegade like it was stitched to their ribs.”
He hesitated.

The quiet between them stretched. Then Lucas spoke, his tone low, precise.

“That’s not someone asking to be found.”

Ni-ki looked up.

Lucas met his eyes.
“That’s someone saying, ‘I was never gone.’”

He leaned back in his chair, tilting his head slightly.

“I figured it might be him.”

Ni-ki blinked. “How?”

Lucas traced the rim of a glass bottle absently.

“There aren’t many people who could sing those songs like that without training. But there’s only one idol I know who sings like he’s always trying not to drown in his own voice. That kind of control doesn’t come from ambition. It comes from survival.”

He looked up again, eyes sharper now.

“It was never just a fan. It was someone who needed those songs. That’s how I knew.”

Ni-ki swallowed hard.

Lucas tilted his head thoughtfully, as if weighing his next words.

“And then the performance dropped.”
He nodded toward the phone on Ni-ki’s lap. “Choreographed. Styled. Shot like a confession.” He paused. “No press. No captions. Just... truth.”

There was no admiration in his tone. Only recognition.

“He didn’t come back because he missed the stage,” Lucas said. “He came back because silence stopped being safe.”

Ni-ki looked down. “It didn’t feel like a comeback,” he murmured.

Lucas raised a brow. “It wasn’t.”

Chapter Text

🫧 Balcony Reprise – Tower 9, 12:03 AM

The instrumental started soft, just a few notes threading through the quiet of the city and Ni-ki recognized it immediately.

Renegade, again. After the cover video that gone viral in seconds.

He slipped out onto his own balcony, hoodie loose over his frame, barefoot against the cool concrete. The night was deep and silent, save for the soft hum of Seoul below and the voice drifting from next door. He leaned casually on the railing.

There he was;

Kim Seonwoo.
Sunoo.

Completely unguarded in a way the world never got to see.

Hoodie slipping off one shoulder. Hair tied up loosely with strands falling out. His voice carried like a secret.

Ni-ki didn’t say a word. Just watched, listened.

Sunoo, for his part, hadn’t noticed him yet. He was singing to no one, eyes closed, half-lost in the moment, one hand loosely holding a wine glass like it grounded him.

Ni-ki’s lips curved slightly. He didn’t mean to smile, it just happened.

But then Sunoo paused.

Like he felt it.

His head turned slowly, scanning the skyline. His gaze passed right over Ni-ki, then backtracked. He froze with what he saw.

Their eyes met.

Sunoo blinked. Then straightened so fast he nearly knocked over the glass.

“Oh my god—”

Ni-ki didn’t move. “Nice vocals.”

Sunoo’s eyes widened in horror. “You heard that?!”

Ni-ki lifted one brow. “Again.”

Sunoo looked like he wanted the balcony to swallow him whole. “You—wait—again?!”

“You sang it last week too,” Ni-ki added calmly. “Around midnight.”

“Oh no,” Sunoo muttered, half to himself, dragging his hands down his face. “I really thought this place was soundproof.”

“Not that soundproof.”

There was a pause. Long. Awkward. Kind of tragic.

Then, Ni-ki added, “You’ve got good taste. It’s a solid track.”

Sunoo narrowed his eyes, like he was trying to place him. But the shadows between balconies were thick, and Ni-ki’s voice didn’t give much away.

“You… live next door?” Sunoo asked tentatively.

Ni-ki nodded, still casual. “About a year.”

Sunoo squinted. “I’ve never seen you.”

“Guess I’m quieter than you… but I make up for it in other ways.”

Sunoo groaned again, pressing his face to the edge of the glass rail. “I want to disappear.”

Ni-ki smirked. “Too late. You’ve already gone viral in my texts.”

Sunoo’s head snapped up. “You recorded it?!”

“Just audio,” Ni-ki said, unbothered. “Lucas liked it.”

Sunoo’s entire posture shifted. “Wait… Lucas?”

Ni-ki pulled his phone out like it was no big deal. “Said, and I quote, ‘whoever that is, they ate.’ Wants a duet.”

Sunoo blinked. His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

“I… think I need to go..”

Ni-ki tilted his head, amused. “Careful. Balcony railings aren’t a good place for life crises.”

Sunoo shook his head. “You’re joking.”

“About Lucas?” Ni-ki smiled faintly. “Never.”

Sunoo was still visibly trying to process, tugging at the sleeves of his hoodie, muttering something about “unreleased vocals” and “why did I sing with that much emotion.”

Ni-ki didn’t interrupt. Just let him flail.

Eventually, Sunoo looked back toward the mystery boy next door and cleared his throat. “So… do I thank you or sue you?”

Ni-ki shrugged. “Maybe both.”

There was another long pause. Softer this time.

“…You have a really nice voice,” Ni-ki said, quieter now. “That bridge? Hit different live.”

Sunoo looked at him, or at least at the outline of him, brow furrowing slightly like something was tugging at the edge of recognition. But it didn’t land.

Not yet.

“Thanks,” he murmured. “Whoever you are.”

Ni-ki just smiled. “Sleep well, Seonwoo.”

And with that, he turned and disappeared inside.

🫧 Lucas & Ni-ki — via text

Lucas:
wait, he still has no idea it’s you?

Ni-ki:
not even close.
and honestly it’s delicious watching him totally clueless. it’s addictive... and a little wicked.

Lucas:
Niki. you live six feet away.

Ni-ki:
exactly.
he sings those soft, heartbreaking songs
like he’s trying to lure me in, one note at a time.

Lucas:
man, that’s borderline stalker level, but also… hot?
I bet when he realizes it’s you,
his whole world’s gonna flip mid-performance.

Ni-ki:
he sings love songs with his window wide open,
and I’m practically living inside his personal concert.
I’ve memorized every breath, every crack in his voice.

Lucas:
you’re next-level obsessed.
he’s gonna freak when he realizes you’re the one lurking in the shadows.

Ni-ki:
he doesn’t know i’m watching…
but every note he sings feels like it’s pulling me deeper under his spell. waiting for that moment when he locks eyes with me on stage...

Lucas:
you’re playing with fire, man.
turn this duet into a deliciously dangerous game.

Ni-ki:
oh, I’m ready to burn. always when he sings drags me closer to the edge and i’m not sure i want to step back.

Lucas:
you’re a total menace but..
same here, man.
guess we’re both in deep.

Ni-ki:
guilty.
i’m invested. body, mind, and maybe a little more than i should be.
but mostly invested.

Chapter Text

🫧타워 9, 새벽 4AM

&.

They got closer after those balcony hours. nights spent trading stories between sliding glass doors, voices low enough to feel like secrets. Sometimes they talked. Sometimes they didn’t. But the quiet was never empty.

Sunoo called it friendship.

Said it with a laugh, casual and soft, like he meant it.
Like his heart didn’t skip every time Ni-ki leaned a little closer.
Like he wasn’t waiting at the glass some nights, pretending he wasn’t.

"Friends," he said.

But for Ni-ki, it had already outgrown that label.
He knew the difference. He felt it in the way his eyes always found Sunoo first in a crowded room. In how he memorized his neighbor’s schedule without meaning to.
In the ache behind his silence every time Sunoo smiled like none of it meant more.

To Sunoo, it was balcony chats and shared playlists.
To Ni-ki, it was something unraveling quietly in his chest.

And he let it.

Because even if Sunoo only ever called it friendship…
Ni-ki had never been good at pretending.

🫧

Ni-ki stood barefoot in his dark kitchen, one hand on the marble counter, the other holding a cold glass of water he hadn’t touched. The city outside Tower 9 was still alive, headlights streaking past, laughter echoing from somewhere far below.

He had been pacing his penthouse for almost an hour, the quiet ticking of the clock gnawing at him. Sunoo wasn’t home yet, something about that unsettled Ni-ki deeply. It wasn’t like him to be out this late, not without a word. The unanswered texts and missed calls made the knot in Ni-ki’s stomach tighten.

He pulled out his phone, thumb tapping Lucas before he could talk himself out of it.

Ni-ki: Where the fuck is that damn Kim Seonwoo.
Not even a damn light on.
I’m going crazy rn.
he didn’t open the balcony door either.
like he always does.
his toothbrush hasn’t moved.
he didn’t do his skincare,
didn’t watch his kdrama.
where the hell is he.

Lucas:
dude, you’re creeping me out.
are you sure you’re not just overthinking?
wait u check his toothbrush too..?

Ni-ki:
don’t be dramatic.
i know his routine better than anyone.
he never vanishes like this.
he waters the basil at 11. opens the balcony door at 11:15.
tonight? nothing.

Lucas:
jesus christ you’re unhinged and just obsessed
you sound like you’re about to do something dangerous

Ni-ki:
he doesn’t know he’s mine yet.
but that doesn’t make it less true.
he’s soft when he’s drunk. people notice that.
and i don’t like when people notice what’s mine.

Lucas:
you’ve changed a lot.
just… don’t cross a line, okay?

Ni-ki:
i crossed that line the moment i decided he belongs to me.

Lucas:
bro… be careful at least

Ni-ki:
i’m already on my way inside.
he’s not alone.

Lucas:
fuck, ni-ki.
you’re a damn psycho.

Chapter Text

🫧 Peach-blonde, Apgujeong Bar

&.

The streets near Apgujeong were slick with leftover rain. Neon bled into puddles like bruises, harsh pinks, dizzy blues, the kind of color that made everything feel too loud and too quiet at once.

He knew Sunoo’s patterns.
He remembered every place the boy had smiled.
Every café he hummed about.
Every studio light he left on too long.

But tonight felt wrong.
Tonight, Ni-ki’s chest buzzed with the kind of worry that sat deep in the bones.

He passed by late-night crowds, scanning faces in every shadowed alley, until he saw it.

A bar.

Hidden behind a flower shop, half-shuttered and humming with low music.

Ni-ki’s steps slowed when he saw the glint of peach-blonde hair through the fogged glass.

Sunoo.

Perched on a velvet bench with two guys beside him. One too close. One with fingers resting on Sunoo’s leg, tracing small circles like he owned it. Another laugh. Another drink passed to Sunoo’s lips from ‘his’ hands.

Sunoo’s head tipped back as he drank, dazed and flushed. His eyes were wide but tired. Not comfortable.

Ni-ki’s heart twisted into something ugly.

That should not be happening.
Not to him.
Not while he was alone.
Not when Ni-ki had been right there all this time.

He pushed open the door.

Hard.

The sound of it slamming into the wall cut through the music like a blade.

People turned.

Sunoo looked up.

His face changed instantly.

Shock.
Recognition.
Then guilt.

The boy beside him raised an eyebrow like he owned the whole damn city.

Ni-ki didn’t speak at first.

He just walked forward, slow and deliberate, gaze locked on the hand still curled too comfortably against Sunoo’s thigh yet so hard that it’d probably leave a mark.

“Touch him again,” he said quietly, “and I’ll break that hand.”

The guy blinked. Laughed, nervous now. “he’s not yours,” he turned to Sunoo, face to face, too close. “Sunoo-ya don’t you belong to me-”

Ni-ki didn’t let him finish. He bent down, sliding an arm around Sunoo’s waist, another under his knees, and pulled him up like he weighed nothing at all.

Sunoo didn’t even protest.

He just leaned against Ni-ki’s chest, too warm and too quiet, eyelids fluttering from the motion.

“I said,” Ni-ki muttered, looking at no one in particular, “he’s leaving. With me.”

And he did.

Out of the bar.
Into the cold night.
Carrying him like something sacred.

Chapter Text

🫧 Bad Desire, 너는 내 거야

&.

The penthouse was silent when they entered. Niki turned on the lights.

He set Sunoo down gently on the bed, not the couch, not a spare room. His bed.
Pulled off the other’s coat, peeled back the layers soaked in cheap perfume and bad decisions, wiped away the glitter clinging to his cheek.

Sunoo mumbled something incoherent. His lips were pouty and red from drinking, face glowing and helpless. He was too drunk.

“You shouldn’t have gone there,” Ni-ki said, voice flat but edged like broken glass. His fingers ran through his hair, damp from mist and sweat, eyes storm-dark as they stared down at Sunoo. “You shouldn’t have let anyone touch you. Like that.”

Sunoo’s lips parted, lashes fluttering as he tried to sit up. His movements were sluggish, fingers fumbling at the throw blanket, eyes half-lidded with wine and moonlight.

“He.. wasn’t like before…” he mumbled. “He was nice.”

Ni-ki’s jaw twitched.

“That fucking bitch.”

His voice dropped lower. Colder.

“He’s not me.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Sunoo gave a lazy, dazed smile. “You sound jealous, Ni-ki-ya…”

He dragged out the honorific just enough to make it feel like a tease. Ni-ki didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer and leaned down, grabbing Sunoo’s wrist again, not rough this time, but not soft either.

“What if I told you that I want you?”

He breathed heavily.

“But i see your heart is pure, Sunoo.”

His tone darkened, eyes narrowing.

“What if i told you that I’m a monster?”

Sunoo’s eyes widened slightly, his breath hitching as Ni-ki leaned in, too close.

“Niki-yaa… so dramatic,” he whispered, smiling like he wasn’t trembling inside. “Do you always follow your neighbors?”

Ni-ki didn’t smile back.

“You don’t know what I do when you’re not looking,” he said simply. “Don’t test me.”

Sunoo blinked, the haze in his head thick but not thick enough to miss the threat buried under the words.

And yet his voice came softer.

“Are you always like this when you're jealous?”

Ni-ki’s hand curled tighter around his wrist.

“I’m not jealous.”

“Mm.” Sunoo tilted his head. “Then why do you look like you want to.. kiss me..”

Ni-ki let go abruptly. His jaw clenched. He turned his back to compose himself, but Sunoo leaned forward, clumsily pressing his weight into him.

“Niki-ya…” he sang again, this time lower, breathier, too close to his ear. “You’re kind of hot when you’re mad.”

That made Ni-ki freeze.

Sunoo smiled into his shoulder. “I’m not yours Niki-ya. But you found me and carried me home, why?”

Ni-ki slowly turned to face him, grabbing both of Sunoo’s shoulders this time, not hard, but with intention.

“Because you’re mine,” he said.

Then, quieter. Almost to himself.

“You just don’t know it yet.”

Sunoo’s breath caught. His drunken fog didn’t clear, but something in him stilled, not fear, not surprise. Something worse.

Interest.

Ni-ki exhaled slowly, brushing a hand down Sunoo’s cheek, just once. Then he stood, jaw tight.

“Sleep,” he said, voice unreadable. “Before I change my mind and kiss you just to fucking shut you up.”

Sunoo looked up at him, pupils dilated.

“Promise?”

Ni-ki didn't answer.

He just turned off the lights.

Chapter Text

🫧 Memory, Hae? - 12:14AM

&.

It had been three days.

Three days since that night.

Three days since Sunoo woke up in Ni-ki’s bed, tangled in sheets that didn’t belong to him. He never asked why he was there. Never brought it up. And Ni-ki never offered an explanation.

But they both knew..

They shared the elevator again after three days to be exact.

He was already inside when Sunoo entered.

Ni-ki, leaned back against the steel panel, hair damp from rain, hoodie dark like ink, hands in his pockets.

Sunoo stepped inside without a word, gaze flicking up just once. arms wrapped loosely around himself. He didn’t meet his gaze at first. He stood across from him, pretending not to notice the way the lights above cast sharp shadows across Ni-ki’s jaw. Pretending not to feel the shift in the air every time the doors slid closed.

Somehow the silence wasnt awkward.
So quiet you could hear the click of the elevator cables above, like tension straining between two people who had run out of excuses, thick enough to drown in.

“Thanks for the coffee the other morning,” Sunoo said, his voice was light.

Ni-ki didn’t glance over. “Didn’t realize you remembered that.”

“Mhm.” Sunoo leaned slightly against the wall, arms crossed. His voice was soft. Like he was afraid speaking louder might break something. “I remember a little.”

Ni-ki let out a quiet breath,

“Just the parts that make me look good, huh?”

Sunoo gave a faint laugh, unsure. “You did bring me home… right?”

Ni-ki finally turned.

His eyes were unreadable.

“What are you asking me?”

Sunoo blinked. His hands tightened slightly around his own arms.
“I just… I didn’t know if you stayed. Or left.”

Ni-ki’s stare didn’t waver.

“You shouldn’t let people touch you like that,” he said his voice low. Almost a growl. “Especially when you’re way too drunk to notice.”

Sunoo’s lips parted in surprise, but he didn’t answer right away.

“You keep saying that,” he whispered. “Like it’s my fault.”

Ni-ki moved before he could think. Stepped forward and his hand closed around Sunoo’s wrist, like it had before. tight enough to remind him of what it felt like.

Sunoo froze. Not out of fear. Just uncertainty.

Ni-ki leaned down, his voice cutting like wind across ice.

“What,” Sunoo asked quietly. “You knew I’d drink too much?”

“I knew everything.”
Ni-ki’s voice dropped, flat and emotionless.
“Where you were going. Who you were with. How many shots. Who touched you. How long. Where.”

His fingers tightened.

“I always know.”

Sunoo looked up at him slowly, eyes wide.

He didn’t ask how. He didn’t deny it.

His voice was barely there.
“You followed me?”

Ni-ki smiled. His expression didn’t change, his voice did. But it was hollow, he was tired of pretending.

“You should turn off location sharing, jagiya,” he murmured, voice brushing just past Sunoo’s ear. “Unless you want me to keep finding you.”

Sunoo’s breath hitched, not from fear. From the closeness. He was surely blushing of the way he talks and the position they’re in.

He wasn’t used to people speaking to him like that. Especially not Ni-ki.

He turned his face slightly, eyes cast down.

Ni-ki saw the flush on his cheeks, delicate and too pink.

The elevator dinged.

Sunoo pulled his wrist back gently, and this time, Ni-ki let go. He stepped out, turning just once at the hallway’s edge. His voice floated behind him like a ribbon in the wind, smooth as ever, sounded so sweet.

”Goodnight, Niki-ya.”

Ni-ki didn’t follow. Just watched him walk down the hall in silence, a shadow cast across his face.

Knowing damn well Sunoo remembered everything. But also knowing that he was too pure for this.

Chapter Text

불장난 하지 마, 1:14AM

&.

- N’s pov.

He wasn’t sleeping much lately.

Sleep didn’t come easy when every time he closed his eyes, he saw him.

Seonwoo laughing in that bar, drunk and glowing.
walking away like nothing happened.

He was about to lose his mind because of the fact the boy doesn’t belong to him.

Ni-ki stared at the dim light filtering through his blinds, the city outside alive and loud. The digital clock on his nightstand blinking red, showing 1:00AM.

He’d stopped pretending to be subtle.

Because Sunoo wasn’t innocent anymore.

Not with the way he looked back after the elevator.

Not with the way he stood too close in the mailroom today, brushing his fingers against Ni-ki’s hand like it meant nothing.

Not with that tiny smile when he said, “See you later, Ni-ki-ya.”

He was playing.

And Ni-ki had never been good at losing.

🫧

It was exactly 1:14AM when it happened again.

A soft noise outside his door.

He didn’t move at first and just listened.

Then he opened the door.

And there he was.

Sunoo stood in the hallway, hoodie slipping off one shoulder, cheeks warm from wine or a shower or both. His keys had fallen. Or maybe he’d dropped them.

“Oh,” Sunoo said breathless. “You heard me?”

Ni-ki didn’t answer.

He just stepped forward slowly. His voice was barely above a whisper.

“What exactly are you trying to do, kim seonwoo?”

Sunoo tilted his head, smiling like he didn’t hear the threat in his voice.

“Nothing, Niki-ya. What do you think? You’re the one always watching me.”

Ni-ki’s hand slammed against the wall beside Sunoo’s head, hard enough to make the frame rattle. He leaned in close, too close.

“Then stop giving me something to watch.”

The smile faded.

Sunoo blinked, startled. “I—”

“You want me to act normal?” Ni-ki whispered, eyes locked on his. “Then stop playing.”

“I’m not playing—”

Ni-ki grabbed his chin gently but firmly. He tilted his head up.

“Don’t lie,” he said coldly. “You remember everything. You liked it.”

The hallway was too quiet yet the tension between them was screaming.

Sunoo’s breath hitched. He didn’t pull away.

“You think you’re innocent,” Ni-ki said, his voice was soft and sharp. “But you’re not. You’re tempting.”

His thumb brushed across Sunoo’s jaw.

“Dont look at me with those eyes”

For a long moment, neither moved.
Then Sunoo’s lips parted barely audible.

“I dropped my keys.”

Ni-ki smiled slowly. not a kind of sweet smile.

“Pick them up, then.”

Sunoo bent down while shaking slightly.

Ni-ki didn’t move. Just watched him. Every second of it.

When he stood again, he was blushing.

Ni-ki leaned closer once more, brushing a stray hair from Sunoo’s face with the back of his fingers.

“You’re playing with fire, Seonwoo” he whispered.

Then he turned and walked back into his apartment, shutting the door softly behind him.

Leaving Seonwoo alone in the hallway while his heart racing, cheeks flushed, key still trembling in his hand.

Chapter Text

나한테 무슨 짓을 한 거야? Dance studio.

&.

Sunoo had come back to the practice room after everyone left. Said it was for extra stretching.
But the truth was simpler, he couldn't sleep.

Not when his chest still ached from the way Ni-ki looked at him earlier that day like he knew something Sunoo hadn’t said out loud.

He was tying his shirt around his waist when the door opened.

Ni-ki, he was there, as always.

Still in his black hoodie, his hair damp, eyes darker than the rest of the room. He let the door close behind him quietly.

“You followed me,” Sunoo said without turning around.

“I always do,” Ni-ki answered coldly.

A pause.

"You dropped your water bottle outside," he added like that made everything better.

Sunoo turned slowly. “You could’ve just left it.”

“I could’ve.”

He took one step forward.

Sunoo’s eyes flicked to his reflection in the mirror. He hated how small he looked compared to Ni-ki. Hated how fast his heart was beating.

“You’re rough with your things,” Sunoo said softly, trying to deflect, to pull the tension somewhere safer.

Ni-ki didn’t even look at the bottle he’d dropped by the door.

“I’m not good at gentle.”

Sunoo gave him a smile. “You say that like I didn’t know already.”

Ni-ki moved closer to him in one clean motion and Sunoo backed up instinctively. But there was no space. His back hit the mirror, hard enough to make him gasp quietly.

Ni-ki’s hand pressed next to his head.

His voice was quiet now, like a low hum of thunder just before it breaks.

“You flirt like you don’t care who’s watching.”

Sunoo’s breath caught.

Ni-ki’s gaze dragged over him slowly, not soft of kind, almost resentful.

“And you act like you don’t know what you’re doing to me.”

Sunoo’s eyes widened, but he didn’t move.

Ni-ki tilted his head.

“I don’t like games.”

“I’m not—” Sunoo started, his voice was barely there.

Ni-ki leaned in, so close their noses almost touched. His tone turned colder.

“You shouldn’t play like this if you’re not ready to lose.”

Sunoo’s fingers curled slightly at his sides. “I didn’t think I was.”

Ni-ki stared at him for a long second. Then his voice dropped lower.

“I don’t do nice.”

“I know.”

“I don’t do soft.”

“I noticed.”

“Then why…” Ni-ki’s eyes narrowed,

“Why do you keep walking toward me like you want to be ruined?”

Sunoo swallowed. His lips parted.

“Because part of me thinks… you already did.”

And for a second, neither of them moved.

Just breathing and staring each other.

And in the mirror behind them, their reflections looked like something dangerous, like the moment before something broke.

Chapter Text

일곱 번째 감각.?

&.

The door shut behind Sunoo, too soft for what it felt like.

Ni-ki didn’t move at first. Just stood there in the same spot, breathing hardly. The mirror still held their reflection or at least, the ghost of it. His own image stared back at him blankly and tight-jawed.

That smile on Sunoo’s face when he whispered "you already did."

That look in his eyes like he knew exactly what he was doing.

It made Ni-ki’s skin crawl in the worst way.

Not because he was mad at Sunoo.

But because he wanted him more now than ever.

He shoved off the mirror too fast. His shoulder hit the edge of the barre, sent it rattling against the wall.

“Fuck!” he hissed under his breath.

He kicked the water bottle near the door so hard it hit the opposite wall and cracked. Water spilled across the floor, pooling under the fluorescent lights like glass.

He hated this.

He hated how much he cared, watched and «wanted»

How much he remembered every word, every breath, every time Sunoo looked at someone that wasn’t him.

Ni-ki pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead, pacing fast now, hoodie falling half off one shoulder. His voice, when he spoke, was more to himself than anyone else.

“You’re not scared of me? You should be, Kim Seonwoo.”

He dragged a hand through his hair, frustrated pulling it back. His fists clenched tight.

Why did he let him get close?

Why did he hold back when every part of him wanted to pin him there and not let go?

Because Sunoo looked at him like he wasn’t a monster.

And that made everything worse.

Ni-ki looked down at the spot on the mirror where Sunoo’s back had been just minutes ago. He pressed his hand to the glass.

"You don’t even get it, do you? You drive me crazy."

His voice cracked there just once.
Not loud but it was enough.

He stepped back and grabbed his phone from his pocket with a shaky hand.

Opened Sunoo’s location.

Still green, still shared, still on.

He didn’t text him or didn’t call, just stared at the little dot on the map for minutes straight.

He was still close to practice room, where he left Ni-ki.

He locked the screen and let the phone drop to the floor. He didn’t care if it broke.

The only thing breaking right now was him.

Chapter Text

🥂 불면 (Sleepless) – 2:03AM

&.

He wasn’t supposed to be here.

That’s what Sunoo said, at least.

Ni-ki was leaning against the cold concrete wall of the stairwell, one foot on the step above, eyes locked on the boy standing two steps down, hoodie half-zipped, hair still damp from a shower.

Ni-ki didn’t move when Sunoo said, “You could’ve knocked on my door.”

He tilted his head slowly. “And give you time to hide?”

Sunoo frowned. “Hide from what?”

Ni-ki started walking down the steps toward him, slow enough to make Sunoo’s shoulders tense.

When he reached him, he didn’t stop, just kept moving until Sunoo had to step back. And back. And back—

His shoulders hit the metal railing. No more room.

Ni-ki’s hand came up suddenly, not to grab, but to drag his fingertips down the zipper of Sunoo’s hoodie. Not opening it, just tracing it.

“You flinch like you’re scared,” Ni-ki murmured. “But you keep coming back.”

Sunoo’s breathing went a little uneven. “…You’re acting strange.”

Ni-ki smiled at that. “You have no idea.”

In one motion, Ni-ki’s arm slid between the railing and Sunoo’s back, his palm pressing into the small of his spine forcing him to arch just slightly forward.

“Do you know what I think about when you’re not looking?” Ni-ki’s voice was dangerously calm.

Sunoo shook his head.

Ni-ki leaned in so close the tips of their noses almost touched. “I think about how easy it would for me to make you forget anyone else’s hands ever touched you.”

Sunoo’s fingers curled tightly into the hem of his hoodie. “..you shouldn’t say stuff like that.”

Ni-ki’s hand pressed harder against his back, his other palm bracing on the railing beside Sunoo’s head.

“You shouldn’t look at me like you want me to do the worse.”

The stairwell was too small too quiet and Sunoo’s heartbeat was so loud Ni-ki swore he could hear it.

Then, without warning, Ni-ki reached behind him and plucked something from Sunoo’s back pocket,

his phone.

he held it up between them.

“You stopped sharing your location,” Ni-ki said angrily.

Chapter Text

넌 내 거야.

&.

Ni-ki’s fingers tightened around his phone.

His voice dropped to a low and dangerous tone,

“Did you think that would stop me?”

Sunoo swallowed hard, his breath shaky but eyes defiant. “I thought maybe you’d let me breathe.”

Ni-ki’s jaw clenched. Without breaking eye contact, he slammed the phone against the wall next to Sunoo’s head, it cracked. Still Ni-ki didn’t flinch.

“Breathe?” he spat. “You think this is a game?”

His grip on Sunoo’s waist suddenly jerked, pulling him flush against the cold concrete. The heat of their bodies collided, neither willing to back down.

“Every time you try to run,” Ni-ki growled, his lips dangerously close to Sunoo’s ear, “I’ll find you.”

Sunoo’s breath hitched, heart pounding faster than ever, caught between fear and something thrillingly reckless.

“I’m not scared of you,” Sunoo whispered, his voice trembling.

Ni-ki laughed harshly raw. “You should be.”

In a second, like a storm breaking, Ni-ki’s hands gripped Sunoo’s face, thumb brushing over his flushed cheek, fingers tangling in damp hair.

“Because when I lose control…” he whispered,
“…it’s not just your location I’ll be taking.”

Sunoo’s eyes widened, a delicious mix of shock and surrender washing over him as Ni-ki’s lips crashed onto his.

The stairwell echoed with the sharp edge of chaos unleashed, two souls spiraling into something dangerously close to fire.

Ni-ki’s mouth was relentless,

claiming, demanding & devouring.

His hands gripped Sunoo tighter, his fingers digging into his hair as if to anchor himself to the moment.

Sunoo’s breath hitched, caught somewhere between shock and wanting more. His hands trembled but didn’t push Ni-ki away and He didn’t want to.

When Ni-ki finally pulled back, his forehead rested against Sunoo’s. His voice was a low growl, barely more than a whisper.

“You think you’re in control? You think you get to decide how this ends?”

Sunoo’s chest rose and fell unevenly. “Control me..”

Ni-ki’s laugh was dark, almost savage. “You’re a fool but mine.”

He pressed a hand to the wall beside Sunoo’s head, trapping him in place. The heat radiating from Ni-ki was unbearable.

“Tell me,” Ni-ki whispered. “Tell me what you really want.”

Sunoo swallowed hard, eyes darting to Ni-ki’s lips, then back up into his eyes.

“Don’t stop Niki-ya.”

That was all Ni-ki needed.

His hands slid from Sunoo’s hair down his neck, fingers trailing fire along the looking delicious pale skin.

His lips found the sensitive spot beneath Sunoo’s ear.

Sunoo shuddered, a soft moan escaping his lips.

The world outside the stairwell ceased to exist. There was only heat, only breath, only the raw edge of two people dangerously close to breaking.

Ni-ki’s voice rumbled against Sunoo’s skin.

“You’re mine,” he growled. “In every way I want you to be.”

Sunoo’s hands reached up to clutch Ni-ki’s shirt, pulling him closer despite the chaos spinning in his head.

“I’m not running,” he whispered fiercely. “Not from you.”

Ni-ki smiled a fierce, wild thing and kissed him again, harder this time.

Because chaos was the only thing that ever made sense to them.

Chapter Text

🍸&.

Ni-ki’s hands didn’t stop. Every touch of him was a claim that boy is only his.

Sunoo’s hoodie did little to shield him from the fire radiating from Ni-ki’s skin. His fingers traced Sunoo’s sides, brushing against the tender spots that made him shiver involuntarily. Sunoo’s breaths came faster now, He wanted to tell Ni-ki to stop. But every time he opened his mouth, the words tangled in the thrill and fear of what was happening.

“You’re playing with me,” Sunoo whispered while his voice trembling. “I’ve stopped playing,” Ni-ki responded breathlessly. His lips pressed to the sensitive hollow of Sunoo’s neck, leaving a trail of heat and marks all over it behind. “You’re the one who keeps walking into my fire.”

Sunoo’s hands clutched at the wall behind him, trying to keep steady. The stairwell felt impossibly small as if the walls themselves were closing in, forcing them together. He could feel the tension in every line of Ni-ki’s body, hear the low growl in his chest, see the dark, dangerous glint in his eyes.

“Niki-ya, you can’t be serious,” Sunoo breathed, but there was no defiance in his tone, only awe.
Ni-ki pulled back just enough to look into Sunoo’s small and frightened eyes. His thumb traced along Sunoo’s jaw, tilting his face toward him.
“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life,” he said softly. Then the growl returned. “Do you understand?” Sunoo nodded, though his body betrayed him. His chest fell in quick, shallow breaths. “Yes… I think I do.”

Ni-ki’s lips brushed Sunoo’s again, this time softer as if he’s trying to tease. Sunoo’s fingers twitched, he wanted Ni-ki, needed him, yet still innocently, still pure. It was like he was holding a candle too close to the flame and Ni-ki wanted to burn him but also protect him from the fire he didn’t even realize was inside.

Ni-ki pressed closer, his chest against Sunoo’s back now, and whispered into his ear,
“You’re mine, Kim Seonwoo. Only mine. Every inch of you. You belong to me.”

Sunoo’s breath hitched, his body stiffening under the weight of those words, the heat and the intensity. He wanted to say something, to push back, but instead he let himself be pinned, let Ni-ki’s dominance overwhelm him, let the chaos consume him. And Ni-ki wasn’t even done.
His hands slid under the hoodie, tracing along Sunoo’s sides, feeling the soft pale skin beneath the fabric. Sunoo’s breaths came faster, short little gasps escaping him. Every touch, every whisper, every growl from Ni-ki made Sunoo feel like he was unraveling.

“You think you can be innocent with me?” Ni-ki murmured, teeth grazing the shell of Sunoo’s ear. “You think you can stand there and look at me like you’re not burning inside?” Sunoo swallowed hard, “I… Maybe…” Ni-ki’s grip on him tightened, his hands pressing Sunoo firmly against the cold concrete wall. “Maybe?” he growled. “Do you feel how crazy this is?”

Sunoo nodded, unable to speak. The truth was, every inch of him was alive with heat, every nerve ending screaming, and he didn’t know how to stop it. He wanted Ni-ki to stop but he didn’t.

Ni-ki’s lips found Sunoo’s neck again, teeth nipping lightly, marking all over. Sunoo’s hands clawed at Ni-ki’s hoodie. “You’re… too much,” Sunoo whispered, a shiver running down his spine.

“Seonwoo.” Ni-ki said, voice low, dangerous, a growl that resonated in the small stairwell. “Youre perfect.” Sunoo gasped. His body trembled. “I’m not.” he tried to deny it. “You are,” Ni-ki cut him off sharply, pressing his forehead against the back of Sunoo’s neck. “Every time you look at me like that, every time you breathe, every time you pretend not to remember… you’re perfect for this. For me.”

Sunoo’s heart raced. The chaos was overwhelming and terrifying. He wanted to push away, to say stop but couldn’t. Not when Ni-ki’s hands were everywhere, not when his lips, his teeth, his voice were consuming him.

The stairwell wasn’t big enough for either of them. Ni-ki’s heat pressed against him, his scent invaded every corner of Sunoo’s senses, and the boy was drowning, intoxicated by fear, need, and something more dangerous.

And yet… Sunoo didn’t run. Not even a little.
Ni-ki let out a low, almost feral laugh, pressing closer, lips brushing the shell of Sunoo’s ear. “I should’ve known you’d come for me. Every single time.” Sunoo’s hands trembled as they grazed Ni-ki’s shoulders unsurely.

“I… I don’t know why I do,” Sunoo admitted it.
Ni-ki’s eyes softened for the briefest second before the chaos returned. “You know why. You want me. You always have.”

Ni-ki’s hands weren’t satisfied with just tracing the outline of Sunoo’s body anymore. He let his fingers explore in ways that left Sunoo gasping, every nerve ending alight.

“Baby, do you hear it too?” Ni-ki murmured
“Your pulse… it’s mine. I can hear it pounding just for me.”

Sunoo’s hands clenched the railing, knuckles white, as he swallowed hard. “…Ni-ki… I…” His words faltered, his voice breaking under the weight of what Ni-ki was doing to him. Ni-ki tilted his head, his lips brushing the curve of Sunoo’s jaw. “Shh… don’t speak. I want to hear you.”

Sunoo’s chest heaved. He could feel every inch of Ni-ki, his heat, his presence, like an invisible force pressing him against the wall. He tried to twist, tried to escape but Ni-ki had him pinned, perfectly controlled, his body just out of reach of freedom.
“You think you can find an escape” Ni-ki whispered, his breath hot against Sunoo’s ear. “But there’s only one escape. There’s only me. Only this. Only us… when I say.”

Sunoo shivered violently. “I… don’t…”
“Don’t what?” Ni-ki pressed, his lips grazing the sensitive spot behind Sunoo’s ear. “Say you can resist me? You’ve already lost. Every step you took down these stairs brought you closer to me. Every heartbeat you tried to hide, you failed. I always know.”

Sunoo’s fingers dug into the railing as his back arched instinctively. Ni-ki’s hands slid lower, firm against his sides, molding him into the wall, not hurting but claiming every inch.

“You can’t pretend you’re not burning for me,” Ni-ki murmured, teeth grazing Sunoo’s earlobe. “Not here, not now, not ever.”

“I’m not..” Sunoo started, but his protest dissolved into a ragged gasp as Ni-ki pressed closer, brushing his lips along the nape of his neck.
“You’re not?” Ni-ki’s voice was a growl,

“Then why does your body answer me before your mouth?”

Sunoo’s pulse was so loud he thought Ni-ki might hear it with every word, every touch, every slow, deliberate movement. His head tilted back, exposing his neck further, helpless, fragile… and deliciously tempting.

Ni-ki’s hands tightened slightly, fingers pressing, thumbs brushing, exploring. “You’re mine,” he whispered. “And I will have every part of you I want. Even if you think you’re safe, here, now I own you.”

Sunoo’s lips parted in a breathless sound, a mix of fear and need. “…Ni-ki… please…”
Ni-ki chuckled low, amused by the trembling in Sunoo’s voice. “Please what? Tell me to stop? Oh, Sunoo…” He leaned in even closer, forehead resting lightly against Sunoo’s back. “You’re the one who keeps coming closer. You’re the one who wants this.”

Sunoo’s hands slid from the railing, unsure where to hold himself, but his body betrayed him, arching involuntarily toward Ni-ki, drawn into the chaos of the man’s presence. Ni-ki whispered again, teeth grazing the sensitive skin behind his ear. “Do you feel it? The way you’re shaking? That’s me. That’s all me. And I can push it further…”

Sunoo swallowed hard, breath hitching. “Ni-ki… I don’t know if I can…” Ni-ki’s hand moved to grip Sunoo’s wrist, pressing it above his head against the wall. “You can,” he said simply. “You can because you’re already here. You’re already lost in me. I can’t fight it. I’m going crazy for you, Sunoo..”

“Do you like it?”

“I… I don’t…” Sunoo faltered helplessly against the intensity of Ni-ki. “Do you?” Ni-ki pressed, dragging a finger down Sunoo’s arm slowly and painfully teasing, watching every flinch, every breath. “You want it. Admit it.”
Sunoo’s lips parted, caught between fear and craving. “…I do…” he breathed finally, barely audible.

Ni-ki’s grin was feral. “Good,” he whispered. “Because I’ve wanted this since the moment you stepped into my stairwell. Every second you’ve been near me, I’ve wanted to break all your rules, all your control… and now you’re finally mine.”