On My Command •||• Seventeen AU

✪~~~✷14th✷~~~✪

Author's POV: ☆

Jeonghan’s posture shifted subtly as he caught Hoshi’s signal from across the room. It was time. The chatter around you both had been nothing more than a facade—light conversation to pass the time until the real mission could begin. Jeonghan leaned toward you, his lips brushing just close enough to your ear to keep anyone from overhearing.

"Don’t attract too much attention," he whispered, his voice low and smooth. Then, with a wink that carried just enough playful charm to ease your nerves, he excused himself from the conversation, leaving you standing among the guests.

Your eyes followed him as he navigated the room effortlessly, his movements blending in with the elegance of the event. For a moment, you felt the weight of his absence, realizing you were now alone amidst the social elite. You stood there, gripping your champagne flute a little tighter, trying to calm the sudden wave of nervousness. But you had a job to do—stay lowkey, stay unnoticed, and wait for Jeonghan to return.

Except, almost as soon as he disappeared, your plan started to unravel.

A tall, sharply dressed man approached you, his confident strides catching the attention of everyone around. He had a face that could easily grace magazines—chiseled features, piercing eyes, and a suave demeanor that made it clear he wasn’t just another guest. You noticed the two married women standing near you exchange glances, their gazes practically glued to him as he walked over with a glass of champagne in hand.

"May I offer you a drink?" he asked, his voice smooth and inviting. He extended the glass toward you, his eyes locking onto yours.

"Uh, thank you," you replied, carefully accepting the drink, though the last thing you needed was more champagne clouding your focus. The man’s presence was overwhelming, his confidence palpable as he lingered a bit too close for comfort.

"I don't believe we've been introduced," he continued, his voice a low murmur, almost as if the conversation was meant for just the two of you, despite the crowded room. "May I know your name?"

Your heart raced, your mind searching for a way to politely distance yourself from this conversation. Jeonghan’s words echoed in your mind—don’t attract too much attention. But the man’s gaze was intense, and refusing to speak would likely make things even worse.

"My name...?" you repeated, stalling as you tried to keep things light. "It's—"

Before you could think of a safe answer, the two women beside you, the ones who had been ogling the man since he arrived, chimed in with eager smiles. "Oh, Baekhyun, don’t be shy!" one of them giggled. "Introduce yourself properly!"

Baekhyun. The name clicked instantly, and dread began to sink in. He wasn’t just some random guest. Baekhyun was someone with influence, and from what you remembered during the briefing, he wasn’t just influential—he was dangerous. Of all people, why him?

You smiled faintly, trying to maintain composure. "I’m here with my partner. We were just—"

"I see," Baekhyun interrupted smoothly, his eyes glinting with intrigue. "But you don't seem like someone who needs a partner to shine. You’ve captured everyone’s attention the moment you walked in."

You could feel the two women beside you hanging on every word he said, completely enamored by him. Meanwhile, you were desperately trying to find a way out of this conversation without drawing more attention than you already had.

"Thank you," you replied, hoping to keep things brief. "But I really shouldn't—"

"Nonsense," he cut you off again, stepping closer. "I insist. Let me guess... You’re not from around here, are you?"

You bit the inside of your cheek, forcing a polite smile. Jeonghan couldn’t get back fast enough.

---

Meanwhile, Jeonghan was moving through the halls of the mansion, his eyes scanning every room he passed. He navigated with precision, his footsteps light, his demeanor cool. The mission was going smoothly so far, and the USB was now within his grasp, tucked safely into the inner pocket of his jacket.

But as he made his way back to the ballroom, a voice crackled through his earpiece. "Jeonghan," Hoshi's voice came through, tight with panic. "I can’t get through to Y/N’s earpiece. She’s talking with Baekhyun."

Jeonghan froze mid-step, his blood running cold at the name. Baekhyun. Of all people, him?

"Baekhyun?" Jeonghan repeated, his voice low as he quickly scanned the crowd from the entrance of the ballroom, his eyes darting to find you. And then he saw you—standing with Baekhyun, the two women beside you oblivious to the tension in the air.

His jaw clenched. This was bad. Very bad.

"How long has she been talking to him?" Jeonghan asked through the earpiece, already planning his next move.

"Too long," Hoshi responded, clearly agitated. "You need to get her out of there before things get ugly. Baekhyun’s too curious for his own good, and we can’t afford him figuring out why we’re here."

Jeonghan's mind raced as he made his way toward you, slipping seamlessly through the crowd. His eyes remained locked on Baekhyun, who was leaning closer to you, his smile widening with every word exchanged.

He reached you just as Baekhyun said something that made the women beside you giggle again, clearly enjoying the attention he was giving you. You stood there, tense but holding your ground, trying not to let your discomfort show.

"Excuse me," Jeonghan’s voice cut through the conversation like a knife, smooth but commanding as he stepped in beside you, his hand naturally sliding around your waist. "I hope I’m not interrupting."

Baekhyun’s eyes flickered with recognition as he looked Jeonghan up and down. "Ah, your partner, I presume?" Baekhyun asked, a hint of something unreadable in his tone.

"That’s right," Jeonghan replied, his smile sharp but polite. "We were just about to leave. I’m afraid we have some urgent matters to attend to."

Baekhyun’s eyes lingered on you for a moment longer before he gave a gracious nod. "Of course," he said smoothly. "But I do hope we can continue this conversation another time. It’s rare to meet someone as intriguing as your lovely partner here."

Jeonghan’s grip on your waist tightened ever so slightly as he pulled you away, his expression unreadable. "I’ll be sure to pass that along," he said, his tone cool.

As soon as you were out of Baekhyun’s line of sight, you let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of the tension slowly start to lift.

"That was close," you whispered, glancing at Jeonghan.

"Too close," he replied, his voice low and serious. "We need to get out of here. Now."

---

a/n: hope you guys enjoyed this one? if you did, vote for this chapter then (also for a quick upload of the next chapter. i already have it in my drafts hehe). i'll extend the next chapter, so be ready. (i'll post chapter 15 immediately if this gets at least 5+ votes!) thank you luviess! follow me to get updates.

wc: 1112