Chapter One. Knight in shining armor
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Ever since the news broke to Jin-ae about her grandfather's terminal condition, she had been going out of her way to spend as much time with him as she could.

Jun-ho was trying to be supportive of her since he had heard. His girlfriend rarely ever expressed sadness and now, she seemed like a completely different person. She was trying to hold it together the best she could, but Jun-ho could tell.

Jin-ae returned home after Jun-ho that evening, but he already had dinner prepared for the two of them when she arrived. Since she did not work, Jin-ae did pretty much everything around the apartment, but Jun-ho had no problem stepping up and taking over for the time being.

Hearing the door open and close, Jun-ho walked from the kitchen and to the entryway to greet her.

"Hi," he greeted with a smile, Jin-ae returning it halfheartedly as she pulled off her coat.

"Hi," she returned, hanging up her coat and running a hand through her hair.

She met Jun-ho's eyes, and her own eyes began to well with tears. He immediately went forward and pulled her into his arms, Jin-ae letting out a muffled sob into his chest.

Stroking her hair, Jun-ho allowed her to let out her emotions. This was the first time she had cried since finding out about Il-nam's brain tumor.

"Is everything okay?" Jun-ho finally asked, Jin-ae bringing her head away from his chest and wiping her eyes primly.

"He– he's already getting worse," Jin-ae shook her head, her chin trembling. "I-I don't know how much longer he's going to make it–"

Her voice cracked, more tears spilling over her cheeks as Jun-ho pulled her back in and embraced her tightly.

"It's going to be okay, Jin," he comforted her, placing a kiss to the top of her head. "You're okay."

Jin-ae cried a little longer until she finally managed to pull herself together, drawing in a couple of deep breaths and wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Do you want some dinner?" Jun-ho finally chanced, giving her a soft smile. "I made kimchi stew."

She raised her head to him, returning his smile momentarily. "You didn't have to cook, I know you had a long day–"

"Hey," he cut her off, raising her chin with a finger as he met her eyes. "You had an even longer day. Let me take care of you."

Jin-ae held his gaze, finally giving in with a sigh. "My knight in shining armor," she smiled, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss Jun-ho.

He chuckled softly, turning and following Jin-ae as she made her way to the kitchen.

"It smells good," she remarked, hopping up onto the counter to sit as Jun-ho returned to the stove with some amusement at her action. It seemed she was somewhat returning to her usual self, now.

"I doubt it'll be as good as yours, but I tried my best," he replied, preparing their bowls as Jin-ae watched from behind.

She hopped off of the counter at once, approaching Jun-ho and wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. He paused what he was doing momentarily, looking over his shoulder as Jin-ae kissed his back.

He smiled as she rested her chin against his shoulder. "You're clingy today."

"Are you complaining?" Jin-ae retorted, Jun-ho stopping what he was doing at once and turning around fully to face her.

She had a hint of a smirk on her face as she brought her arms up around his neck, Jun-ho placing his own around her waist.

Tilting his head to the side, he said, "Are you going to eat dinner or are you going to keep flirting?"

Fidgeting with the collar of Jun-ho's shirt, Jin-ae gave a playful shrug. "I'm not that hungry."

Jun-ho broke away with soft laughter, bringing a hand up to tuck Jin-ae's hair behind her ear. Their eyes locked, Jun-ho leaning down closer to her until their lips met. Jin-ae melted into the kiss, wanting to further it before Jun-ho pulled away.

He moved his head to her ear, speaking in a low voice.

"After dinner."

Drawing back, he saw a rather excited grin on Jin-ae's face, who did not appear flustered at all. It was the first time he had seen her fully smile in days.

He served their bowls, the two sitting beside each other at the bar as they ate.

"How was work?" Jin-ae asked at once, knowing Jun-ho wasn't really the type to talk about it but still curious.

He gave a small shrug, fidgeting with the chopsticks in his hand. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Well, except that a man came in rambling about something kind of odd. And I– never mind."

Jin-ae immediately frowned, turning her head to him. "And you what?"

Letting out a sigh, Jun-ho shook his head a little. "I– I haven't told you, because of everything that's been going on with you and your grandfather, but... I think my brother is missing."

Eyes widening, Jin-ae dropped her chopsticks and turned to fully face Jun-ho. "Jun-ho. Are you serious? Why haven't you told me?"

He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes momentarily. "I didn't want to stress you out more. I'm sorry."

Her frown softened after a moment, pulling her lips in. "Well, what makes you think he's missing? What did that man who came in the station say?"

Jun-ho was reluctant to be telling Jin-ae any of this, because he feared getting her involved. But he also did not like to keep secrets from her.

"He was going on about some game where a bunch of people died playing it. I don't know, it seemed like he may have been a drunk," Jun-ho brushed it off like he didn't believe him, though he very much did.

Jin-ae's face contorted. "A game where people died? What kind of game?"

Giving a shrug, Jun-ho replied, "He said it was a children's game. It sounded crazy. He probably was crazy."

She sat there for a moment, silent. A children's game that ended in death? It did sound unbelievable.

"So... what about your brother?"

There was a card in Jun-ho's pocket, a card that matched the one he had seen the man in the station leave behind. Jun-ho had found it in his brother's apartment earlier that day, after going by to see if he was there.

He contemplated showing to Jin-ae, but ultimately decided against it. Jun-ho had a bad gut feeling about those cards, and he did not want to risk Jin-ae's involvement.

"I don't know," Jun-ho finally replied. "I went by his apartment and he wasn't there. I... I'm going to have to report him missing."

Bringing a hand to her mouth, Jin-ae tried to mask her shock. She reached over and placed her other hand over Jun-ho's, moving her hand from her mouth.

"Jun-ho... I'm so sorry, my love. Are you going to start looking for him?"

Placing his hand in Jin-ae's, he inhaled slowly before giving a nod. "Yeah. I am a police detective, after all. It's my job."

Jin-ae's hand was swallowed by Jun-ho's, but she still squeezed his tightly. Giving him a reassuring smile, she said, "I can help you. Maybe– maybe it will get my mind off of Grandpa."

He raised his head to meet her eyes, hesitant.

"Jin-ae, I love you, but... I don't think that's a good idea. It could potentially be dangerous, and I–"

"Then I'll have you there to protect me," Jin-ae interrupted with a sharp smile, reaching over and ruffling Jun-ho's hair before sliding off of the stool she sat in.

Gathering their bowls while Jun-ho sighed, Jin-ae walked around the bar and placed them in the sink, continuing, "You could at least humor me and take me on a ride along. It's not like I have anything better to do."

Jun-ho watched her with a hint of frustration on his face, huffing at once. Jin-ae knew that he had a hard time telling her no.

Once she had the dishes washed and put away, she set off to take a shower. Jun-ho's mind was reeling with everything he had discovered today, and he was not ready to give up his investigation before the day was over.

The only problem that stood in the way, however, was Jin-ae.

He needed to go find the man from the station, and he already had his name. Seong Gi-hun of Ssangmun-dong. Jun-ho had a file with everything he needed to know about him, including his address. But there was no way Jin-ae was going to let him go out in the pouring rain to talk to him.

Sitting on the bed in he and Jin-ae's bedroom, Jun-ho held the card from his brother's apartment in his hand. One side had three shapes: a circle, a triangle, and a square. The other side had a phone number.

He had already called the number earlier, receiving no reply.

Hearing the shower cut off, Jun-ho quickly put away the card, shoving it in his back pocket. Jun-ho raised his head as he heard someone clear their throat, looking over to see Jin-ae leaning against the doorway of the bathroom in only a towel.

His eyebrows jumped up slightly, licking his lips as he held back a smirk.

"So if I recall... you made me a promise earlier."

Jun-ho chuckled softly as Jin-ae came closer, the girl stopping as her knees brushed against his from where he sat on the side of the bed.

"I did make you a promise, didn't I?" he replied, Jin-ae biting her lip and tilting her head down at him.

She looked down at her own body wrapped in the white towel, her hair pulled back into a bun and untouched by water.

Raising her head with a tantalizing stare, she said, "Well? Are you going to take it off of me, or do I have to do it myself?"

Jun-ho's hands were on her in instant, stripping the towel away and running his hands on either side of her bare abdomen. He soaked in the sight of her naked body, his mouth falling slightly agape before realizing it. Jun-ho finally snapped out of his trancelike state, rising to his feet. His hands still gripping Jin-ae's hips, he turned her around and forced her backwards onto the bed, the girl giving a giggle as she looked up at him.

He removed his white t-shirt, discarding it to the floor and unbuttoning his pants. Jin-ae rested her head against her hand as she watched him undress, Jun-ho noting her smirk with a scoff of his own.

"Don't be too cocky," he remarked, Jin-ae feigning innocence as Jun-ho leaned down onto the bed and rested his hands on either side of her.

"Am I ever?" Jin-ae retorted, almost cut off by Jun-ho's lips smashing against hers. Her hands were in his hair, Jun-ho wrapping his arms around her body as he pressed into her.

He was even more of a gentleman when it came to sex, treating Jin-ae as a princess. Whatever she wanted, she got.

Jun-ho raised Jin-ae's body off the bed, moving her so that her head would be on the pillow. She looked into his eyes as his hand traveled down to her core, teasing around the entrance to gather how wet she already was. His fingers rubbed against her clit, Jin-ae's breath hitching in her throat as her eyes fluttered shut.

He brought his lips to her neck, trailing soft kisses down to her chest while rubbing her in circular motions. Jin-ae moaned quietly, Jun-ho's name falling from her lips.

She began to squirm underneath him, desperate for Jun-ho to stop teasing and fuck her already. Jun-ho could see her impatience, laughing under his breath while Jin-ae narrowed her eyes at him.

Before she could voice her neediness, Jun-ho was moving her arms above her head, pinning them to the pillow whilst lining himself up with her. He held on to her hip, slowly pushing inside of her while Jin-ae's voice caught in her throat. Her eyes went to the back of her head as Jun-ho slowly moved in and out of her, grunting slightly as he did.

Jin-ae's breathless gasps filled the room while Jun-ho's rhythm increased, thrusting into her a little harder now. He preferred to be gentle, but some nights it was a bit stress relieving to be more reckless. Not that Jin-ae minded it; she absolutely loved when he took over and didn't hold back.

He pulled out of her then, bringing his hand off of her wrists. "Flip," Jun-ho commanded with a gesturing motion, Jin-ae flashing a smile before turning over onto her knees, back arched into the air as she rested on her elbows.

Jun-ho wasted no time, aligning himself with her core and pushing inside of her once more. She felt absolutely divine around him, Jun-ho's head falling back with closed eyes as he yanked her back by the hips. Jin-ae's moans were muffled by the pillow, gripping the sheets tightly while Jun-ho continued to relentlessly pound into her. Her cried of pleasure only encouraged him more, removing one hand from her hip and down to her clit, massaging it while he fucked her.

Jin-ae could barely hold herself up now, Jun-ho's name being uttered from her mouth in the most unholy ways imaginable. He held on to her with a strong arm, grunting as he twitched inside of her. Typically on the first round he did not last extremely long, but the rounds after made up for it. Jun-ho pulled out of her once more, picking Jin-ae up with ease and flipping her onto her back once again.

"I want to look at you," he muttered before entering her once again, his arms wrapped around Jin-ae while she pulled him down into a passionate kiss. Her nails dug into his back while he fucked her slow, trying to pace himself but struggling to do so with the way Jin-ae was moaning onto his lips.

Their tongues brushed together before Jun-ho pulled away, his head falling to the crook of Jin-ae's neck as his breaths became more ragged. He took one hand from around her body and rubbed her clit again, planting meticulous kisses on her neck in the places he knew would satisfy her most.

It was not long before Jin-ae was reaching her climax, completely disheveled and undone by Jun-ho. He pulled away from her to watch as she finished, eyes rolled into the back of her head with the most beautiful sound escaping her lips. Jun-ho was close now as well, knowing that with the sounds she had just made that he was going to finish soon.

Jin-ae's eyes were locked onto his now as Jun-ho hovered over her, unable to look anywhere else while he thrusted into her as deeply as he could. She loved seeing that he would fall apart too, that she could make him fall apart.

Jun-ho gave one final thrust, his seed spilling into Jin-ae. He collapsed onto her, exhaling with pleasure. Jin-ae was still recovering as well, running a hand through Jun-ho's hair thoughtfully as she smiled to herself.

He finally removed himself from on top of her, eyes closed as he lay sprawled on his back. Jin-ae sat up, smiling over at him.

"Tired?"

Eyes opening after a moment, Jun-ho turned his head to her and caressed her arm.

"A little."

"I can't imagine why," she grinned, climbing out of bed to clean herself up and retrieve her pajamas.

Jun-ho got dressed as well, the two climbing under the covers and settling in for the night. It was still somewhat early, but both were tired and decided that lying in bed sounded like a pleasant idea.

Jin-ae lay in Jun-ho's arms, her head resting against his chest while they played a movie. Neither really cared much to watch it, but it occupied the silence.

Soon enough, Jun-ho could hear Jin-ae snoring lightly against his chest, smiling to himself as he rubbed her arm. Never did he imagine he would let his guard down enough for someone to get this close to him, but he didn't mind it one bit.

For the first time in his life, Jun-ho felt that he was experiencing true love.

Notes.
rip jinho (ship name) y'all would've loved living a normal happy life together

i guess we have il-nam and in-ho to blame for them not getting normal lives though!! what silly gooses they are

hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter!! they're a perfect couple in my mind tbh, except jin-ae is a little bit crazy pants but it's fine

the way i said fuck it and went ahead and wrote them doing it raw in chapter one, idk i'm kinda real i think

anyway... shit gets REAL in the next chapter