Tae Jihwa POV
Me and my colleagues had picked a small café for our meeting, hoping to discuss our new project in peace. It wasn't popular — no crowd, no noise, just the low hum of music and the occasional clink of cups.
As time passed, we got comfortable. Someone cracked a joke about the office printer exploding again, and I laughed — maybe too loudly. That's when I felt it.
Someone was staring at me.
Not a casual glance. A steady, unblinking stare. Do I have something on my face? Or… do I have a fan now? Great. I'm handsome, but this is new.
Across the room, by the window, sat a man with long light-brown hair falling into his dead grey eyes. Fragile — that's the first word that came to mind. He wasn't glaring. His stare wasn't cold or creepy. It was… sad. Like he'd forgotten how to blink. His coffee sat untouched, fingers clenched around the cup as if letting go would make him crumble.
Our eyes met.
Most people would flinch or look away. He didn't. His gaze was heavy, empty but searching — like I was something he wanted to remember. It made my chest tighten unexpectedly. So I smiled, just a polite one. Maybe it would make him feel lighter.
Then came the smack.
A sharp crack echoed through the café. I looked up just in time to see his head jerk to the side. My brain blanked for a second. Standing over him was a man with unnatural green hair and blue eyes. Older. Taller. And furious — but in that calm, ice-cold way that says I've done this before and I don't care who's watching.
He yanked the man's head down, slamming it onto the table. I froze. My first thought? Mafia. Definitely mafia. I do not want to mess with this guy. So I looked back at my colleagues, pretending to focus on the discussion. But uneasiness clawed at me.
When I glanced back, it was worse — another smack, just as brutal. Nobody moved. People stared, then quickly looked away, the way everyone does when they hope someone else will handle it.
The green-haired man — I'd learn later his name was Park Hyok — muttered something I couldn't hear and wrenched the kid's wrist in a grip so tight I saw the bone whiten. He started dragging him toward the door.
That was it. I couldn't just sit there.
That's when I decided to muster up some courage.
I shoved back my chair. It screeched loud enough to turn heads.
"HEY!" My voice rang sharper than I intended. "CALL THE POLICE! THERE'S AN ASSAULT GOING ON!"
The café froze. A few people jolted, fumbling for their phones.
My colleagues stared at me like I'd grown two heads — Are you crazy? their eyes screamed. Maybe I was. Crazy enough to step in for a stranger. Crazy enough to not let this slide.
Park Hyok stopped, his blue eyes narrowing at me like I was dirt. His fingers clamped even tighter around the other guy — Dohyn, I'd later hear someone whisper his name — until he flinched. But Dohyun didn't cry out. Didn't fight. Didn't even ask for help. He just bit his lip so hard a drop of blood hit the table.
"Mind your own business," Hyok growled.
My pulse spiked, but I took a step closer. "Let him go. Now. People are filming you."
Hyok's gaze flicked to the phones aimed his way. His jaw tightened, rage practically radiating off him. I could see him calculating whether to drag Dohyun out anyway.
Dohyun looked at me again. His eyes — dead, flat, but with the faintest flicker of fear. Not fear of being hurt.
And that look — that resigned look — made my blood boil.
I clenched my fists. I'm not letting this slide.
I stepped toward them, but one of Hyok's men — built like a wall in a black suit — blocked my path. Creating a wall between us.
"Hey, Dohyun, right?" I said louder, ignoring the wall of muscle. "I heard him call your name. I'm Tae Jihwa. If he's hurting you—"
Before I could finish, sirens wailed outside.
The door burst open. Two uniformed officers stormed in, one with his hand already on his holster.
"I heard there's an assault going on," the taller one barked.
I pointed at the green-haired bastard without hesitation. "It's him, sir. I saw him hurting this guy — slammed his head on the table, twisted his arm."
Park Hyok didn't even flinch. "That's a lie," he said smoothly, like he'd practiced this a hundred times. "He's my assistant. He fainted. I was helping him up."
Dohyun's lips parted slightly — but no words came out. His silence made my stomach twist.
"Do you need medical help, sir?" the officer asked Dohyun directly.
Dohyun hesitated. His eyes darted to Hyok. Then to me. Then down at the floor. "…No. I'm fine." His voice was barely above a whisper.
I stepped forward, frustrated. "No, he's not fine, I literally saw—"
"Sir, calm down," the second officer warned, holding up a hand to me. "We'll sort this out."
Hyok gave a small, polite smile. "See? No problem."
The first officer frowned, unconvinced. "Still. We'll need to make statements."
Hyok's fingers dug into Dohyun's arm again — subtle, but I saw it. A warning grip. Dohyn didn't even wince this time. Just stared at the floor like his soul had left his body.
"Officers," Hyok said smoothly, "can we step outside to discuss this?"
Over my dead body, I thought, stepping closer. "I'm coming too."
After we left the Cafe.
The officers glanced between us, clearly weighing their options. One already had his notebook out, pen poised.
Park Hyok didn't miss a beat. "Look, I understand how this must look," he said smoothly, voice calm as still water. "But there's been a misunderstanding. My assistant here—" he gave Dohyun's arm a light shake, almost affectionate, but I saw his knuckles tighten "—hasn't been feeling well. He collapsed. I just caught him before he hit the ground. You can ask him yourself."
The officer turned to Dohyun. "Is that true, sir?"
Dohyun hesitated. I leaned forward slightly, willing him to speak up. Tell them. Say something. Just nod if he's hurting you.
But Dohyun lowered his gaze, his hair hiding his eyes. "…Yeah... J-Just dizzy." His voice was barely a whisper.
"Bullshit," I muttered under my breath.
Hyok shot me a look so cold it could have frozen heat itself, but the officer caught it too. "Sir," the cop said sharply, "no intimidation, please."
"Of course not," Hyok replied easily, releasing Dohyun's wrist at last. He even had the audacity to smile. "Look, I'll take him to a clinic right now, make sure he's alright. You're welcome to follow up later."
The second officer looked uncertain, but the first one sighed, snapping his notebook shut. "If he says he's fine, there's not much we can do right now. We lack evidence as well."
"The camera, CHECK IT."
"There isn't any in that cafe."
How the hell do they expect me to get evidence now?
I took a step forward. "What do you mean, not much you can do? I saw him hit—"
"Sir, please calm down," the officer warned me again. "We'll file a report and keep an eye on the situation. But if the alleged victim won't cooperate…"
"Alleged victim?" I snapped. "He's standing right there just–"
"Enough." Hyok's voice cut in, polite but laced with venom. He rested a hand on Dohyun's shoulder as if they were best friends. "We appreciate your concern, Mr…?"
"Tae Jihwa," I said sharply.
"Mr. Tae," Hyok repeated, a smile never touching his eyes. "But this is family business. Don't make trouble where there isn't any."
Family business. The phrase made my stomach twist.
The officers gave a final warning glance, then stepped back. "Alright. Everyone calmed down. We'll be on our way, but we'll have this on record."
Hyok inclined his head politely. "Thank you, officers."
As they turned to leave, he leaned down slightly toward Dohyun, his lips barely moving — but I saw it. A whisper. A threat. Dohyun stiffened, then nodded once, expression blank again.
I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palm.
Hyok started to lead him out. I stepped forward, blocking their path for half a second. "Hey." I forced my voice low, steady. "You okay?"
Dohyun didn't look at me. Didn't even blink. Just followed Hyok out the door, silent as a ghost.
My chest burned with frustration.
"Jihwa, let it go," one of my coworkers muttered nervously behind me. "You don't know these people. He's dangerous."
Maybe he was. But as I watched that green-haired bastard shove Dohyun into a black car and drive away, I knew I wasn't letting this slide.
No one smiles like that unless they're free, I thought bitterly. And I've never seen someone look so trapped. But again, I didn't even know him or who he was? Except his name is DohyUn, not even his first syllable. I'll leave this to the detective