Work Text:
The police were called at exactly 4:17 p.m.
The report?
A suspicious group of dangerous-looking men surrounding a teenage girl.
Location: A quiet street near the Yu residence.
Description: Tall. Armed-looking. Intimidating. Possibly kidnapping.
Reality?
Dayeon was in the middle of the sidewalk, pouting.
“I told you I don’t need all of you to walk me home.”
Around her stood eight of the most dangerous mercenaries to ever survive The Numbers.
Which, to be fair, did look bad.
At the front walked Ijin—hands in his pockets, expression calm, eyes scanning the street like it was a battlefield instead of a residential neighborhood.
To his right, 002 moved in silent coordination, posture straight, presence so oppressive that even passing adults crossed the street.
Behind them—
004 was twirling something between his fingers.
It was a lollipop.
He wasn’t allowed to carry knives near Dayeon anymore.
“This is humiliating,” Dayeon muttered.
“You were almost late to math club,” 018 replied evenly from behind her, eyes scanning rooftops out of habit.
“That doesn’t justify a full tactical formation!”
“It does,” 002 said calmly.
006—Liam—grinned. “Look on the bright side. No one’s going to confess to you today.”
Dayeon gasped. “Liam!”
032 walked quietly beside her, platinum hair catching the sunlight. “We can leave if you prefer.”
“No,” Ijin answered immediately.
Dayeon sighed.
She knew that tone.
That tone meant: Not negotiable.
Across the street—
An elderly woman watering her plants stared in horror.
A group of tall men in black.
One with long blond hair.
One with red eyes.
One who looked like he hadn’t slept since 2012.
One built like a refrigerator (008, who was currently holding Dayeon’s backpack because “it looked heavy.”)
And in the center—
A very small, very pretty teenage girl.
The woman gasped.
Her phone was out in seconds.
—
Two patrol cars arrived three minutes later.
Lights flashing.
The Numbers stopped walking instantly.
Dayeon blinked. “Huh?”
Officers stepped out cautiously.
“Hands where we can see them!”
The street went silent.
004’s smile stretched slowly.
“Can I—”
“No,” 002 said flatly.
Ijin raised his hands first.
The rest followed.
008 looked deeply apologetic despite not knowing why.
One officer approached carefully. “Miss, are you in danger?”
Dayeon looked between the officers and the line of mercenaries behind her.
Then she burst out laughing.
“In danger? From them?”
004 looked offended.
“Yes,” the officer said carefully. “We received a report that you were being harassed.”
“I’m with my family,” Dayun told the officer firmly,
There was a long pause.
The officers slowly looked over the group again.
002, stoic and terrifying.
004, looked like he wanted to attack them.
008, who looked like he could bench press the patrol car.
018, masked and silent.
006 smiling like this was the highlight of his week.
032 blinking innocently.
005 (Maya) stepping out from behind the patrol car where she’d appeared unnoticed, sipping a juice box she’d taken from Dayun’s bag.
The officer swallowed. “…All of them?”
“Yes.”
004 crouched slightly so he was eye-level with the officer.
“Do I look like I’d kidnap her?”
The officer took one step back.
“Yes.”
“Rude.”
Dayeon grabbed 004’s sleeve and yanked him upright. “Stop scaring them!”
“I’m not scaring—”
“Your face is scaring them!”
002 stepped forward smoothly.
“We apologize for the misunderstanding,” he said calmly. “We prioritize her safety.”
The weight of that statement settled heavily in the air.
The officers hesitated.
Then one asked gently, “Miss, are you truly comfortable?”
Dayeon beamed.
“They’re annoying. And overprotective. And dramatic.”
004 nodded proudly.
“But they’d never hurt me.”
Silence.
Ijin looked down at her briefly.
Softly.
“Never.”
The officers finally relaxed.
“…Alright. We’ll clear the report.”
As the patrol cars drove away, the elderly woman across the street slowly retreated inside her house.
Dayeon crossed her arms.
“See? This is why I said you didn’t all need to come.”
“It was efficient,” 018 replied.
“We maintained perimeter control,” 016 added from somewhere on a rooftop.
Dayeon looked up. “WHY ARE YOU ON THE ROOF?!”
“For overwatch,” he answered calmly.
004 leaned closer to Ijin.
“She called us annoying.”
“She’s right,” Ijin replied.
004 looked betrayed.
006 laughed loudly.
008 gently handed Dayeon her backpack.
“You dropped this earlier,” he said kindly.
She smiled brightly at him. “Thank you, 008 oppa.”
008 froze.
004 gasped dramatically. “Favoritism.”
“I’ll call you oppa too if you stop terrifying civilians,” Dayeon shot back.
“…I refuse.”
They resumed walking.
Formation slightly looser this time.
Dayeon in the center.