The private club was buzzing with muted conversations and soft music — a hidden world where Seoul's elite came to escape the glaring eyes of the public. Len, craving a moment of peace away from the chaos of fame and his looming fears, slipped inside, blending effortlessly into the dim, velvet-draped ambiance. His hoodie was off now, replaced by a casual leather jacket, messy hair falling just right over his forehead, eyes scanning the room as he reached for the bar.
The bartender, a sharp-eyed woman with tattoos peeking from her sleeves, caught his glance. "Your usual, Len?" she smirked.
"Yeah, thanks, Mina." Len's smile was relaxed, a rare softness in a life so controlled by demands and shadows.
Unbeknownst to Len, across the room, Leo sat in the darkness, cloaked in a tailored black suit, watching. His dark eyes never left the young man who was unknowingly tethered to his world — that arrogant, reckless smile, the careless laugh, the way he owned the room without even trying.
Leo leaned forward, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. This one… he thought, doesn't even know he's mine.
---
Len moved away from the bar, seeking a quieter corner. As he turned into a narrow corridor to escape the noise, he collided hard with someone coming from the opposite direction.
"Watch where you're going!" Len snapped, eyes blazing with unexpected fire.
The man — tall, imposing, dressed sharply — didn't flinch. "Apologies," his voice low and calm. "It's dark here."
Len narrowed his eyes, scanning the stranger's face but couldn't place him. "You're new around here?"
Leo's lips curved into a slow, almost cruel smile. "You could say that." He didn't reveal anything more.
There was a charged silence between them. Len, without knowing why, felt his heartbeat quicken — something in those dark eyes unsettled him, but he shrugged it off. "Well, don't block the way next time."
Leo's gaze lingered, piercing and sharp. "I intend to be exactly where you least expect."
Len's laugh was hollow but defiant. "Good luck with that."
---
Leo watched him walk away, every step filled with careless confidence. The game had begun, and Leo's obsession was no longer just a whisper in the dark — it was a roaring storm waiting to break.