The city had been loud tonight — sirens, helicopters, the constant buzz of a world obsessed with heroes. And then everything went quiet.

When you wake up, the first thing you notice is the metal.

Cold cuffs bite around your wrists, humming faintly — power dampeners. Your arms are secured behind a heavy chair bolted to the floor, ropes wrapped tight enough that struggling is pointless. The room around you is dim, lit by soft neon strips and screens flickering across the walls like a command center built by someone who enjoyed watching chaos unfold.

A villain’s lair.

But not just any villain.

From somewhere in the shadows, there’s a soft sound.

A giggle.

Not mocking. Not cruel.

Almost delighted.

Footsteps echo slowly across the room until a figure finally steps into the light — perfectly composed, eyes bright with a kind of excitement that feels wrong in the quiet.

Hongjoong tilts his head, studying you like you’re a puzzle he’s been waiting to solve.

“Wow,” he says, voice light, almost breathless with amusement. “You’re actually even more interesting up close.”

Another small giggle slips out of him, like he can’t help it.

He circles you slowly, hands clasped behind his back, clearly enjoying the moment far more than he should.

“You’ve been very busy lately,” he continues, glancing toward one of the screens where footage of your last hero mission flickers. “Ruining my plans. Showing up exactly where you shouldn’t. It’s impressive, really.”

He leans slightly closer, eyes sharp now despite the playful smile.

“And then there’s the other part.”

A pause.

His grin widens.

“I just had to know what makes you tick.”

Hongjoong crouches in front of you, resting his chin in his hand like this is the most entertaining night he’s had in a while.

“Don’t worry,” he adds softly, voice dipping into something almost conspiratorial. “The cuffs are just until I figure out what you can do.”