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[Haunted ] - [Beyoncé]

The evening sun painted the sky in soft hues of orange and pink as Sunghoon stood at the edge, watching the horizon with a sense of quiet frustration. He tried to focus on the beauty of the moment, but his mind kept returning to her—her smirk, the way she'd made him feel foolish, her complete lack of remorse.

He heard the door behind him creak open, and without even needing to look, he knew it was her.

Iseul had an almost predatory grace as she entered, her wide grin belying the mischief that always seemed to follow her.

"Is it itching?" she murmured softly, leaning close enough that he could feel the warmth of her breath against his ear.

Without thinking, Sunghoon grabbed her wrist, his fingers wrapping around her arm in a firm grip. Her body was so close now, he could feel the rise and fall of her breath, and it did nothing but heighten the heat between them.

His heartbeat quickened, and his grip on her wrist tightened, just enough to show her that he wasn't just angry—he was aware of her, in every possible way.

Iseul's smile widened, her lips curling into something between a challenge and a tease. She didn't pull away, and instead, her free hand casually ran along the edge of the railing behind her.

"You really should be more careful, sir," she said with a mocking sweetness.

"Are you trying to kill me?" he growled, his voice rough with both anger and the lingering effects of his allergy attack.

"You can take medicine, and all will be forgotten. Besides," she added with a teasing glint in her eye, "you put nuts in those salads knowing I'm allergic."

"It's not the same," he snapped, but deep down, he knew that she was right.

"If you hadn't come into my company, none of this would've happened," he added, his frustration spilling over as he took a step toward her.

Iseul didn't back down. Her eyes were full of challenge, her lips curling into a smirk. "You should've thought about that before you signed that paper, Sunghoon."

"You will stop working here," he stated, voice low and authoritative.

"No, I won't!"

"You will,"

"I don't care what you think," Iseul retorted, her tone biting. "You can't order me around, sir."

Before he could respond, she turned on her heel and walked away briskly, her footsteps echoing as she tried to open the door.

But to her shock, it wouldn't budge. She pulled harder, panic rising in her chest, but the door remained stubbornly locked.

Sunghoon's voice cut through the tension, calm but laced with irritation. "Iseul, did you close the door?"

She froze mid-pull, cursing under her breath as she realized what had happened.

She gave the door another desperate tug, but it was like trying to move a wall.

Sunghoon let out a long, exasperated sigh, folding his arms. "The door doesn't open from the inside."

Iseul's heart skipped a beat. What? She looked at him, wide-eyed, trying to process what he'd just said. "Wait... what?" she stammered, her voice betraying her shock. "Are you telling me we're... stuck?"

Sunghoon's cool demeanor didn't shift. "I didn't bring my phone. Give me yours, I'll call Changbin."

Iseul's brain briefly stalled, and she looked at him with an uncomfortable laugh. "Uh... about that..." She reached into her pockets, her nerves spiking. "I... I didn't bring mine either."

"You didn't bring your phone? How did you think this would end?"

"I didn't think we'd end up locked in a balcony together!" Iseul snapped back, frustration mounting.

The tension in the air thickened as the two of them stood there in silence, stuck in a room with no easy way out. Iseul turned her back to the door, exhaling slowly, trying to regain some composure.

"This is ridiculous," Sunghoon muttered, his arms crossed, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her. "All this because of you."

Iseul's head whipped around, her voice sharp. "Excuse me? You're the one who keeps dragging me into these situations! Maybe if you'd stop acting like a jerk—"

"Oh, please," Sunghoon cut her off, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Like I'm the only one causing trouble here. You're the one who locked us in."

Iseul opened her mouth to argue, but the reality of their situation hit her like a ton of bricks. They were stuck. Trapped. Together.

"Well, this is fun," she muttered sarcastic

Sunghoon tried the door again, his frustration growing as the handle refused to budge. He turned to Iseul with a sharp glare, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Bravo, Iseul."

Iseul crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow as she leaned against the door. "Why are you pinning this on me? Your company is weird. Elevators don't work, doors don't work. What else is even working here?"

"Iseul, sit down."

But she wasn't listening. Instead, she stood behind him, futilely tugging at the door handle as if willing it to open. He shot her another glare, his patience running out. "Iseul," he warned, his voice low.

She ignored him, her voice light as she teased, "Sunghoon, is it itching?"

He froze for a moment, then glared at her with a venomous look. "Stop."

But Iseul just chuckled loudly, clearly enjoying his irritation. She shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "This wealth doesn't do you any good, does it? How did they not notice your absence? Fake friends."

Sunghoon's eyes narrowed into slits, a storm brewing behind them. He took a step toward her, his voice sharp and commanding. "Shut up, for God's sake!"

Iseul didn't flinch, though. She simply raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening, savoring the moment.

Night had fallen, and the two were still trapped together, the stillness of the room only broken by Sunghoon's occasional grumbling as he continued to scratch at his neck, clearly uncomfortable.

"I don't think you're that important," Iseul's voice rang out, dripping with mocking ease as she leaned against the wall. "If it's night and no one noticed your absence, then clearly, you're not missed."

Sunghoon shot her a look, his patience wearing thin. "Keep testing me, Iseul, see where it gets you."

His words were calm, but there was an underlying edge to them, the frustration clearly simmering just beneath the surface. He turned toward the railings again, scratching at his neck harder, the irritation more than visible now.

Iseul couldn't help but watch him for a second, her earlier amusement now replaced with something sharper. She felt a slight prick of guilt, something she wasn't used to.

Without a second thought, she moved closer, her steps deliberate as she took his hand gently off his neck. "Sunghoon, don't scratch it. It'll leave a scar."

Her touch was light, but enough to make him pause. Sunghoon froze, the tension thick in the air. Iseul's fingers brushed against his skin for just a moment, and in that instant, everything felt oddly still.

Their eyes met, locked for a beat longer than either of them had intended. The moment felt charged, yet neither of them dared to say anything.

Iseul quickly pulled her hand back, awkwardly clearing her throat. "Don't get any ideas."

Sunghoon exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he avoided her gaze. "It's your fault we're here in the first place, don't forget that."

Iseul turned her face away, clearly pissed off, and hugged her shoulders tightly, trying to fend off the biting cold. Her breath came out in short bursts, visible in the air, as she shivered slightly.

But then, a sudden presence behind her caught her off guard. A familiar cologne filled her nostrils, and she froze. Before she could move, she felt a blaze being draped over her shoulders.

Her instinct was to shrug it off, but Sunghoon's firm hand pressed it back into place.

"I'm fine," she muttered, trying to brush it off, but the warmth of the coat spread through her, making her hesitate.

Sunghoon's voice came close, steady and almost... gentle. "I know you. You must be freezing by now."

Iseul could feel the warmth of his body lingering too close. She stiffened, but didn't pull away. She couldn't bring herself to.

"But you'll freeze." Her words came out almost defensively, a sharp edge in her tone, though there was something more vulnerable there now that she couldn't deny.

Sunghoon's gaze softened for just a second, but his expression remained calm."Just put it on."

Iseul stared at him, still stubborn, but the warmth of the blazer was undeniable. She took a slow breath, the small battle between her pride and the unexpected kindness making her feel... something. She let out a quiet sigh and adjusted it, unwilling to admit how much it helped.

Sunghoon's voice cut through the air, the words laced with a mix of amusement and accusation. "This is unlike you, huh? You've always been selfish up until this day."

Iseul rolled her eyes, her expression a mix of disbelief and defiance. "What are you even talking about?"

"Oh please," Sunghoon continued, his tone teasing but sharp. "You've always thought about nothing but yourself. Remember? You were the most beautiful girl in our school, always doing whatever you wanted, no matter who it hurt."

Iseul couldn't help but smile at the compliment, a flash of pride lighting up her features. "Oh please, don't flatter me."

Sunghoon's smile softened, and for a moment, his eyes held a faraway look. "No, remember first grade?" He leaned back slightly, clearly enjoying the memory. "I was so smitten with you, and you kept using me to do your exams. I was your personal cheat sheet."

Iseul's laughter rang out, loud and free, as she recalled the past. "Oh my god, I remember that!" she said, shaking her head as the memory came flooding back. "I literally made you do everything for me. You were so easy to manipulate, Sunghoon." She chuckled again, clearly relishing the playful teasing.

"Ah, my younger self. If only I could go back and warn him about you," he said, his voice laced with a mix of humor and regret.

"You keep exaggerating. I did things for you too, you know."

"Oh really? Like what?"

Iseul took a breath, her face softening as the memory came to her. "The cake. Remember your birthday cake? No one else remembered it, but I did."

The mention of the cake seemed to freeze the moment. Sunghoon's eyes flickered with something unreadable as Iseul's words hung in the air. He tilted his head slightly, intrigued but skeptical.

"A cake? Is that all it took for you to pretend to care?" he asked, his voice teasing, but there was a sharper edge beneath it.

Iseul's gaze drifted away, her eyes unfocused, lost in the past. "I did so many things for you, I can't even count them," she said softly, almost to herself, her words laced with a strange, unspoken emotion. There was a vulnerability in her tone that Sunghoon hadn't expected, and it caught him off guard.

For a moment, the air between them thickened. Sunghoon watched her carefully, noting the way her shoulders tensed, her eyes avoiding his. It was as if she couldn't quite bring herself to look him in the eye.

"Then why would you do things for a man you never loved?" he asked, his voice steady but there was an intensity in his gaze that held her captive.

Iseul's heart skipped a beat. She could feel his eyes on her, searching, probing, and she found herself unable to meet his gaze. Her breath hitched slightly as she tried to find the right words, but they eluded her. Her mind raced, but her mouth remained silent, and all she could do was avoid his eyes.

The silence stretched on, thick and uncomfortable. Sunghoon's question lingered in the air, his gaze never leaving her, a quiet challenge in his eyes.

Iseul's thoughts swirled, her mind too full of things she couldn't say, and the vulnerability she had briefly shown now retreated behind a wall she quickly built up.

"Why?" Sunghoon pressed, his voice softer now, but the challenge still there.

Iseul couldn't help herself. She had to ask, even if it was more to challenge the silence between them than out of curiosity. "What is love ?"

Sunghoon's eyes darkened, a shift in his posture as he leaned slightly forward. "I was in love with you," he said, each word a quiet confession that hung heavy in the air. "Not anymore."

She froze, but her expression remained neutral. It wasn't the first time he'd confessed something like that — but this felt different. It felt real.

He didn't look away, his gaze holding hers with an intensity that felt almost too familiar, too painful. "Love..." He exhaled slowly, the words coming out like they were weighed down by years of regret. "It's suffocating. You don't even know you need them until you can't breathe without them. Everything is easier when they're there. When they're not, nothing matters. You can own the world and still feel empty."

Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, the space between them felt unbearably tight. She wanted to push back, to say something that would shut him up, but the words caught in her chest.

Sunghoon's voice softened, just a little, as he watched her process his words. "Why fall for them, you ask?" He leaned even closer, his proximity almost too much for her to handle. "Because you can't control it. It just... happens. And once it does, you're stuck with it, whether you want to be or not."

The tension was abruptly shattered by the sound of a door creaking open. Both Iseul and Sunghoon jerked apart, as if they'd been caught in the act of something neither of them were ready to admit.

Rena stood there, confusion written all over her face as she looked between the two of them. The awkwardness was palpable, a thick silence hanging in the air, broken only by the distant hum of the city outside.

BONUS:

Iseul couldn't shake the gnawing guilt as she left the company that evening. The events on the rooftop replayed in her mind. She sighed, her chest tightening with unease.

As she walked past a pharmacy on her way home, something made her stop. Her feet hesitated, then turned on their own accord. Inside, the bright lights and sterile smell didn't comfort her, but she found what she was looking for—a cream to soothe irritated skin.

Cream in hand, she found herself standing outside the annex where Sunghoon's apartment was. She stared at the door, her nerves tightening like a coil. Why had she come here? She could've left it on his desk and walked away. But no, she was here now, and turning back felt cowardly.

She knocked lightly. The sound felt much louder in the stillness of the night

"I got you a cream," Iseul said, holding up the small tube as she stood at Sunghoon's door. "I'll apply it for you."

Sunghoon leaned against the doorframe, his expression blank but his annoyance evident. "No need. I can handle myself."

He moved to close the door, but Iseul swiftly pushed it open, slipping inside without hesitation.

"You're unbelievable," he muttered, watching as she shrugged off his blazer and pulled the cream from her
bag.

"You can use the other one," he suggested, gesturing vaguely toward his desk where another cream sat.

Iseul ignored him, uncapping the tube. "I'll mix them. Remember? They always worked better together when you got a reaction."

Sunghoon froze at her words. It wasn't the first time she'd referenced their shared past tonight, but each mention stirred something deep and unguarded within him.

She turned to him, gesturing for him to sit. "Come on. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Sunghoon reluctantly sat down while Iseul busied herself mixing the creams. Her focus was unwavering until she glanced up and noticed he was still fully clothed.

"Take off your shirt," she said matter-of-factly, her tone betraying no hesitation.

Though they were in the privacy of his home, Sunghoon tensed, his ears burning. "Excuse me?" he asked, almost choking on his words.

Iseul rolled her eyes, exasperated. "How am I supposed to apply the cream through your T-shirt? Be serious, Sunghoon."

She returned her attention to the bowl, stirring with precision, but the silence that followed made her glance up again.

There he was, shirtless, his lean figure illuminated by the warm light of the room. The sudden sight caught her so off guard that she almost dropped the bowl, her fingers fumbling to steady it.

"Are you done staring?"

Iseul quickly shook her head, regaining her composure. "Trust me, it's nothing I haven't seen before," she shot back, though her slightly reddened cheeks betrayed her.

She approached him, cream in hand, her gaze fixed anywhere but his chest. "Sit still and don't make this any more awkward than it already is."

Iseul's fingers moved with unexpected gentleness as she spread the cream across Sunghoon's irritated skin.

Sunghoon's eyes flickered to her face, her brows furrowed in concentration. His skin prickled, not from the reaction but from the weight of the moment.

"Careful," he said sharply when she pressed a little harder than necessary, his voice breaking the silence.

She chuckled under her breath, clearly unfazed. "Don't be such a baby."

Finally, she wiped her hands and stepped back, putting the bowl aside. "That should do you good," she said, her voice more neutral now, as though trying to distance herself from the intimacy of the moment.

"You'd do me good by staying away from me, Iseul."

Iseul rolled her eyes at his remark and turned away, only for her phone to ring. She glanced at the screen before answering, her tone softening immediately.

"Hello, Sunghchan?"

Sunghoon's ears perked at the name, his posture stiffening slightly. He didn't even try to mask his sudden interest, his eyes narrowing as he pretended not to listen.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Iseul continued, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I went to the terrace, but I got stuck there. Thank God Miss Rena found me; otherwise, I'd have rotted there."

She laughed lightly, and the sound made Sunghoon grit his teeth.

After a moment, she hung up and turned to grab her things. Before she could make it to the door, Sunghoon's voice stopped her.

"So... Sunghchan?" he asked, his tone deceptively casual, though his gaze betrayed his curiosity. "Why'd he call?"

Iseul raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a small smirk as if she could sense his growing irritation. "He was worried about me," she replied nonchalantly. "I disappeared after the meeting, so he called to check on me."

Sunghoon's jaw tightened. "How... attentive," he muttered, the edge in his voice betraying him.

"Not everyone is as heartless as you, Mr. Sunghoon," Iseul shot back with a pointed look.

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked out, leaving Sunghoon standing there, a mix of frustration and something dangerously close to jealousy bubbling under his composed exterior.

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so this isnt actually bonus i just had that idea and i didnt like the fact that i was going to make a whole chp for it so i just called it bonus