#Flashback
I was peacefully sipping tea on the couch when the first sign of trouble arrived.
A sock.
In Leo's mouth.
A very familiar sock.
"Is that… Tae-hyun's?" I narrowed my eyes as the little lion cub pranced into the room like he'd stolen a national treasure. Behind him, Tora carried what looked suspiciously like my pajama top.
Then Tora returned.
With lingerie in his mouth.
I choked on my tea.
"YAH—WHAT THE—!!"
I lunged at the tiger cub, who darted away gleefully, clearly enjoying the chase. Leo joined him, turning the hallway into a runway of stolen laundry, suggestive items, and chaos.
"STOP! DROP THAT! OH MY GOD!"
I turned the corner—and crashed right into a shirtless Tae-hyun.
The universe hated me.
I stumbled back and slapped a hand to my eyes. "Why are you always half naked?!"
"Why are my kids parading my stuff like gifts for their future mom?" he muttered, trying to pry a sock from Leo's mouth. "And why are they bringing that?" He pointed at Tora proudly prancing around with the foil packet like a trophy.
"I don't know!" I shrieked. "Ask your pervy babies!"
The cubs weren't helping. In fact, they circled us like tiny furry matchmakers, pushing me closer to him with soft little headbutts.
I tried to escape, but Leo jumped on my foot and meowed pitifully until I picked him up.
And just like that, I was nose-to-nose with Tae-hyun.
"See?" he whispered with a smug grin. "They like you."
"They're troublemakers," I muttered.
"They're matchmakers," he corrected, eyes sparkling. "And you didn't deny liking them."
I refused to answer. Instead, I turned around dramatically—only for Tora to trip me.
Right into Tae-hyun's arms.
Of course.
My face was burning. "Put me down—"
"No."
"You—"
"Admit it," he murmured, lips near my ear. "You're falling for my kids."
"…Maybe."
"And their father?"
"Don't push it."
Leo sneezed, and Tora wagged his tail like a devil.
These damn furry traitors.
---
It's late.
Too quiet.
Suspiciously quiet.
I was just about to go to bed when Leo—the little lion—trotted in and gently tugged at my pajama hem with his teeth, eyes big and shiny like he had something urgent to show me.
"What is it now?" I sighed, standing up.
He meowed and ran out.
I hesitated. Then followed.
Bad. Idea.
Because the moment I turned the corner—
CLACK. SLAM. CLICK.
The door shut behind me. And locked.
I froze.
I was inside Tae-hyun's massive dark study.
With Tae-hyun.
Shirtless.
Again.
He looked up from his chair, surprised. "What the hell—?"
I tried the knob. "I—It locked behind me! I swear I didn't—"
Meow. Snort. Scratch.
From the other side, I could hear Leo and Tora making their little sounds of victory.
Those little traitors locked us in.
"Oh my god," I whispered, turning around slowly. "Your demonic children locked us in."
Tae-hyun stood up, crossing his arms, a slow smirk spreading across his lips. "Clever little devils, aren't they?"
"I hate you," I muttered, cheeks already warm.
"No, you don't." He walked toward me, slow, dangerous, charming. "You love them."
"I tolerate them."
He chuckled. "You feed them, kiss their heads, let them nap on your lap. You'd die for them."
"…That's beside the point!"
He stopped just a few inches from me.
"Why are you shirtless in every scene of my life?"
"I like your reactions."
My fists clenched at my sides. "One day I'm going to really punch you."
He tilted his head. "I look forward to it."
I turned away, heart thumping, and slumped on the couch dramatically. "Great. Now I'm trapped. Again."
Tae-hyun stepped over, grabbed a blanket, and tossed it on me before sitting beside me—too close, as always.
The door stayed shut.
Tora sneezed outside. Leo scratched once.
Tae-hyun smirked. "I think they won."
"…I hate how they act like tiny furry mafia bosses."
"Maybe they learned from the best."
I narrowed my eyes. "Your ego is disgusting."
"You're still blushing."
"I'm still plotting your murder."
He leaned back, head resting near mine on the couch. "Good. Keep plotting. Just don't leave. Ever."
The cubs lay down outside the door like proud guards, tails wagging.
Inside the study, it was quiet again.
But this time... warmer.
---
I don't even remember when I fell asleep.
One second I was sulking on the edge of his massive leather couch, wrapped in a blanket and threatening to kill him in his sleep... and the next?
I was out cold. Warm. Safe. Wrapped in something that smelled like sandalwood, danger, and him.
When my lashes fluttered open, I realized the blanket was gone.
Because now I was in his arms. Arms. Muscular, possessive, infuriating arms.
My head rested against his chest, his hand splayed protectively over my back, his heartbeat a steady thump against my ear. His other arm was wrapped under my thighs, caging me in like a precious, dangerous secret.
I blinked sleepily. "What the…"
"Shh," he whispered, not even opening his eyes. "You talk too much for someone half-asleep."
"I'm in your lap."
"You sleep better that way."
My face heated. "Let me go—"
RIIIPPP.
A sharp sound echoed through the room. My eyes snapped down.
"Oh. My. GOD."
My pajama top—my favorite one—was shredded.
Shredded.
Not by me.
Not by him.
But by a tiger cub chewing the sleeve like it was a toy.
"TORA!!!" I shrieked.
The baby tiger flinched, then dropped the half-eaten sleeve with the guiltiest face on the planet.
"MY CLOTHES?!"
Leo the lion cub blinked innocently beside him, half-buried under my blanket like he had no part in the crime.
Tae-hyun tried to suppress a laugh. "To be fair… I did warn you not to leave your things near them."
"You set me up," I accused. "You trained them to destroy my clothes!"
"They're just expressing their preference," he said, standing up with me still in his arms. "They like it when you wear mine."
"I'm going to burn this house down."
"No you won't."
"YES I WILL—"
"Because I know exactly what you'll wear until then."
He carried me out of the study like I weighed nothing and walked straight to his room.
To his closet.
To his black silk shirt.
And of course, he put it on me himself, slowly buttoning it while pretending not to enjoy the way it draped off my shoulders.
I glared up at him, cheeks red. "You're a menace."
He smirked. "And you're mine."
Behind us, the cubs peeked around the corner, tails wagging.
Matchmaking: successful.
Clothes: destroyed.
Tension: off the charts.
---
After the wardrobe disaster caused by two baby delinquents with paws, I thought I'd finally found some peace.
I locked the bathroom door.
I double-checked it.
I even left Tae-hyun asleep on the couch with a warning hiss:
"If you open that door, I'll flush your phone, your car keys, and your guns."
He only smirked.
Now here I was, standing under the warm water, finally alone. The pressure of the shower relaxed me, washing away the week's madness—kidnapping, revenge plans, mafia husband, matchmaker cubs with a clothing fetish.
Peace. At last.
Until I heard the scratching.
Soft at first. Then louder. Then—bam. A thud.
"No. No, NO—"
I pulled the towel quickly, dripping wet, and tiptoed to the door.
Silence.
...Scratch.
Scratchscratchscratch.
Then—
BAM!
The door flew open with a click. It wasn't broken.
They picked the damn lock.
Two little fuzzy shadows trotted in with tails up, looking smug and unbothered.
"TORA. LEO!"
They barked. They purred. They wiggled.
I scrambled. "OUT!! YOU LITTLE MONSTERS—"
"They missed you."
A deep voice.
Behind them.
I froze.
"T-TAE-HYUN?! YOU TOO?!"
He leaned against the doorframe, one brow raised, arms crossed, completely dressed in black slacks and a silk shirt while I stood—with a towel that was losing the will to live.
He looked at the towel. Then at me.
Then back at the towel.
His tongue clicked. "Poor thing's struggling. Want me to hold it for you?"
"I WILL KILL YOU!"
"I'm married to a very violent five-foot angel," he muttered, looking far too entertained.
He walked in.
Closed the door behind him.
Locked it.
The cubs scattered to the corners, wagging tails like they'd completed their mission. Tora sniffed the soap. Leo… sat like a damn guard.
Tae-hyun's gaze dropped to my legs, then slowly, slowly back up.
"You know," he said, low and casual, "I was going to wait longer before crossing the line again."
"Then keep waiting."
"But you called me into a room… wet… in a towel… in front of my sons."
"Your sons?"
"They love you. Obviously, they want us together. You're the one resisting fate."
He took another step closer.
I backed up. Right into the wall. My breath hitched.
"You're unbelievable," I whispered.
"I know."
He leaned closer.
"I've been patient," he murmured, voice like velvet.
My heartbeat stuttered.
"But if you keep tempting me like this… towel or not…"
His fingers brushed my damp shoulder.
"…I might stop being good."
His eyes were dark—but his movements were slow, controlled. Dangerous. He caged me against the cold tiled wall with his arms on either side of my head.
"Don't look at me like that," I snapped, cheeks flaming. "Y-Your sons are here—"
He smirked. "They've seen worse."
My jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"
"I mean fights. Gunshots. Fugitives jumping over walls," he added innocently. "Not your thighs. That's my privilege."
I raised my knee to kick him.
He caught it.
"Try again," he said smoothly, voice thick like molasses.
I tried again. He pinned both my wrists above my head with one hand, the other ghosting down my side, barely touching, but setting every nerve on fire.
"You hate me," he whispered.
"Desperately," I breathed.
"But you're shivering under my touch."
"It's because I'm vulnerable right now!"
"You think I'm complaining?" He leaned down, lips brushing just under my ear.
"This is the first time you've stopped threatening me for longer than thirty seconds."
I tilted my head back, eyes fluttering shut.
"Because I'm scared," I whispered.
He froze.
I opened my eyes slowly to find him staring, the darkness in his gaze slowly shifting into something softer. Still intense—but aching. He released my wrists, stepping back slightly.
"I'd never hurt you," he said, barely audible. "Even when I'm burning for you—I'd never force you."
I blinked, stunned. The man who kidnapped me, married me, ruined my life, was now holding his hands up like I was sacred.
And then—
"Mew."
Leo climbed up his father's leg. Tora dropped a box in front of me with a pink ribbon.
My dress.
I blinked at the cubs.
Tae-hyun didn't move.
"See?" I whispered, tugging the half-ripped towel around myself. "Even they know you're a monster. They're trying to save me."
He raised a brow. "They literally ripped your clothes yesterday."
"Because they learned it from you!"
He chuckled, low and dangerous. "Then they're good students."
"You're raising perverted jungle babies."
He smirked. "Better than spoiled princesses who think they can threaten mafia kings with a kitchen knife and five feet of sass."
I stepped forward.
"You don't scare me anymore."
He leaned down, inches from my lips.
"You should."
Then he stepped back—completely, to my shock—picked up the towel remains from the floor, handed me the dress, and whistled to the cubs.
"Out."
They obeyed, tails flicking like gossiping toddlers.
He turned one last time at the door.
"I'll wait downstairs. We're eating together tonight. No excuses. And if you try to escape again…" His eyes glittered with danger.
"…I'll chain you to my bed myself."
Click. Door shut.
I stared at the door. At the dress. At the cubs who betrayed me with their cuteness. At my heart that was thudding like a traitor.
Damn you, Tae-hyun.
And damn your cursed charm.