At the hospital, Taewoo was blissfully unaware of the chaos heading his way. He was in the middle of checking a patient's chart when he felt a familiar prickle at the back of his neck...the sensation of being watched.
He looked up, scanning the hallway. Nothing. Just nurses and patients going about their business.
Probably just my imagination, he thought, turning back to the chart.
Meanwhile, around the corner, three heads ducked behind a potted plant.
"Did he see us?" Jiho whispered.
"I don't think so," Doyoon whispered back.
"He definitely didn't see us," Junseo confirmed. "But we need to be more careful. He's got those doctor instincts."
They watched from their hiding spot as Taewoo moved through the ward. He was all business...efficient, calm, the picture of professional competence. He smiled at patients, reassured worried family members, and consulted with nurses in a way that made everyone feel at ease.
"He's really good at this," Jiho observed, a note of pride in his voice.
"He's always been good at pretending to be nice," Doyoon muttered.
"You're just bitter because he doesn't let you use him as a muse."
"He's the best muse I've ever had. He just won't cooperate."
Their attention was suddenly caught by a figure approaching Taewoo...a tall, dark-haired man with a friendly smile and a doctor's coat. The man said something that made Taewoo pause, and the two of them stood in conversation for a moment.
"Who's that?" Jiho asked, squinting.
Doyoon read the name on the man's badge. "Dr. Kim. A senior resident."
"He's looking at Taewoo like he wants to eat him," Junseo observed.
Jiho's eyes widened. "Oh! Oh! Maybe he's the one! Maybe he's Taewoo's secret boyfriend!"
"Or maybe he's just a coworker who happens to be attracted to our little brother," Doyoon said, though his eyes were sharp with suspicion.
"I should go over there," Jiho declared, already rising from his crouch. "I'll pretend to be a patient and see if..."
"No!" Doyoon grabbed his arm, yanking him back down. "We're supposed to be subtle, remember?"
"Subtle is boring."
"Jiho, I swear to God..."
Their argument was interrupted by Taewoo's head snapping up. He had noticed them. His eyes narrowed, and he started walking toward their hiding spot.
"He's coming!" Junseo hissed. "Back up! Back up!"
They scrambled backward, but it was too late. Taewoo rounded the corner, his expression thunderous.
"What the hell are you three doing here?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
"Nothing!" Doyoon said quickly. "We were just..."
"Visiting!" Jiho cut in. "We wanted to see you at work!"
"And I'm not feeling well," Doyoon added, faking a cough. "I think I'm coming down with something."
Taewoo stared at him flatly. "You're not sick. You're the healthiest person I know. You run marathons for fun."
"They're not for fun. They're for the aesthetic."
"Get out."
"But Taewoo..."
"I said get out. Now."
Reluctantly, the three brothers began shuffling out of the hallway. Jiho was the last to go, his face a mask of disappointment.
"We were just trying to be supportive!" he whined.
"Supportive by spying on me?"
"We weren't spying! We were... observing. From a distance. With great interest."
Taewoo pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to kill all three of you. Slowly. And painfully."
"Kinky," Doyoon muttered.
"GET OUT!"
They scurried away, but not before Jiho stumbled over his own feet and crashed into a cart of medical supplies. The clatter was spectacular...syringes, bandages, and bottles scattering across the floor in a cacophony of noise.
Every head in the ward turned to stare.
Jiho looked up from the floor, his celebrity smile firmly in place. "Sorry about that! I'm fine! Everything's fine!"
A group of nurses recognized him, and a chorus of excited whispers spread through the room.
"Is that Kang Jiho?"
"The K-pop idol?"
"Oh my god, it really is him!"
Before Jiho could escape, the nurses swarmed him, asking for autographs and photos. Doyoon and Junseo tried to disappear into the crowd, but Taewoo's eyes found them and pinned them in place.
"You three," Taewoo said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "My office. Now."
He grabbed Jiho by the collar, dragging him out of the crowd of screaming nurses. Doyoon and Junseo followed meekly, their heads bowed.
In the privacy of Taewoo's office, the youngest Kang brother locked the door and turned to face his siblings. His expression was calm, too calm, the kind of calm that preceded a storm.
"Explain," he said. "Now."
Doyoon opened his mouth. "We were..."
"I don't care what you were doing," Taewoo interrupted. "I want to know why you were doing it."
Junseo sighed, deciding that honesty was the best policy. "We wanted to see if you were dating anyone."
"And we wanted to know if you were a top or a bottom," Doyoon added, completely unrepentant.
Jiho nodded vigorously. "Doyoon thinks you're a bottom, but I said you were a top because you're an Alpha, but Junseo says reverse Alphas exist, so..."
"YOU WERE SPYING ON ME TO FIND OUT MY SEXUAL PREFERENCE?" Taewoo's voice rose to an almost comical pitch.
"We were just curious!" Doyoon protested. "You're so secretive about everything! You never tell us anything!"
"Because it's none of your business!"
"We're your brothers! Everything is our business!"
Taewoo opened his mouth to respond, but a knock interrupted him.
"Dr. Kang?" It was Dr. Kim's voice. "Are you in there? I have news..."
Taewoo unlocked the door and opened it a crack. "What is it?"
Dr. Kim's face was flushed with excitement. "The hospital director just announced that the police are coming to handle the isolation situation. Apparently, there's been a security breach, and all outsiders are being escorted out."
Taewoo's eyes widened, then narrowed as he turned to glare at his brothers. "Did you hear that? Outsiders. That means you."
"But..." Jiho started.
"No buts. Get out. Through the back exit. Now."
"But Taewoo..."
"NOW."
The three brothers scrambled toward the back door, but Doyoon paused at the threshold, turning back with a grin.
"By the way, little brother," he said, his voice sing-song. "I still haven't decided whether you're a top or a bottom. I'll need more evidence."
"GET OUT!"
Doyoon laughed, high and bright, as he disappeared through the door. Jiho and Junseo followed close behind, their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.
Taewoo slumped against his desk, his heart pounding, his face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and fury. He was going to kill them. All of them. Slowly. Painfully. And maybe with a little bit of creative revenge, just to make it interesting.