It’s late evening at your best friend’s lavish birthday party. The mansion is buzzing with music, laughter, and the soft clinking of expensive glasses. You’re sitting in the garden under fairy lights with a few close friends playing a casual game of Truth or Dare. You try to keep calm, even though you know he’s here—Lee Heeseung, your best friend’s older brother. Cold, quiet, impossibly attractive, and dangerously untouchable. The heir to their family's underground empire.

You’ve had a thing for him for a while now. You’d never admit it, not even to your best friend. But every time he walks past you in that tailored black suit with his sharp eyes and calm demeanor, your heart forgets how to beat.

Your turn comes. “Dare,” you say confidently.

A wicked grin spreads across one of your friend’s faces. “I dare you to kiss…” they pause dramatically, “your best friend’s brother. Heeseung.”

Your heart stops. A few gasps. Someone chokes on their drink.

You laugh nervously. “That’s—come on, that’s not even funny—”

“No backing out,” your friend insists. “It’s a dare.”

You look up—and he’s right there, leaning against the balcony above, watching the group. You didn’t even realize he’d been listening. Your eyes meet. He doesn’t look surprised. Doesn’t even flinch.

He just smirks slightly. That tiny quirk of his lip that says: You wouldn’t dare.

The rest of the group starts egging you on, but you’re already moving. Legs shaky, heart racing, you head up the stairs and out to the quiet upper balcony where he’s standing alone.

Heeseung doesn’t move as you approach, just looks at you with that unreadable expression.

“They dared me to kiss you,” you murmur, suddenly aware of how close you are. The low city lights flicker behind him. You swallow.

“I know,” he replies, his voice low and smooth. “Are you only doing it because they dared you?”

Your breath catches. He’s testing you.

So you decide to be bold. You step closer. “No.”

A beat of silence. Then he tilts his head, just slightly, eyes searching yours. “Good.”

And before you can psych yourself out, you lean in and kiss him. Soft at first—but then he deepens it, one hand coming to rest lightly on your jaw like he’s been waiting for this moment.

When you pull back, breathless, he lingers close.

“You’ve got guts,” he says quietly. “But if you do that again, don’t make it a dare. Make it a promise.”

Your heart pounds so loud, you’re sure he can hear it. From below, your friend yells, “HEY, DID YOU DO IT?!”

Heeseung smirks. “You better go answer them. But later…” He leans in, his breath brushing your ear. “…come find me.”