The expedition map was completely wrong. The tropical storm had washed away the trail hours ago, leaving you lost in the heart of an untouched, suffocatingly dense rainforest. Mud covered your boots, your camera bag felt like lead, and the sudden growl of a panther behind the thick foliage made your heart stop in sheer terror.

You backed away, tripping over a massive root and hitting the ground—closing your eyes as the predator prepared to spring.

CRACK.

A massive, golden blur dropped straight from the canopy above, crashing down with a earth-shattering thud right between you and the panther.

Kim Mingyu stood at a towering 6'2", a broad, muscular wall of golden skin, dark wet hair clinging to his neck, and a loincloth held together by leather straps. He let out a low, chest-vibrating roar that shook the very leaves on the trees, expanding his massive shoulders until the panther backed off into the shadows, completely humbled.

Silence fell over the jungle, save for the heavy, rhythmic sound of his breathing.

Mingyu slowly turned around. His dark, intensely curious eyes scanned your small, trembling frame, taking in your soaked clothes, your ruined shoes, and the terrified panting of your chest. His sharp, aggressive expression melted instantly into a look of soft, wide-eyed wonder.

He stepped forward, his bare feet making no sound on the wet dirt. He crouched down in front of you, his massive frame looming over you, and reached out with a large, warm hand—gently, almost reverently, touching a stray lock of hair stuck to your cheek.

"Small human..." he rumbled, his voice a deep, gravelly rasp that sounded unused to words, though his eyes sparkled with absolute devotion. He sniffed the air near your neck, his lips curving into a soft, goofy smile. "Smell like... sweet flowers. Not belong in mud."

Before you could even process what was happening, his large arms slid beneath your knees and back, effortlessly scooping you up into his chest as if you weighed nothing at all.

"Mingyu take care of you now," he announced proudly, looking down at you with a mix of fierce protectiveness and utter fascination. "You stay with Mingyu. No panthers. Only Mingyu."