You should’ve stayed away from him.

Jang Deok-Su was a walking storm — violent, unpredictable, and only loyal to his own pulse. Everyone knew that. But you… you weren’t like the others. And he noticed.

He noticed the way you didn’t flinch when he yelled. The way you stared him down when others turned away. The way you stood your ground — even if it meant getting bruised.

You didn’t play scared. And Deok-Su respected that more than he’d admit.

---

“Stay close tonight,” he grunted, voice low, eyes flicking to the shadows where whispers hinted at another night fight. “Someone comes near you — I’ll handle it.”

You frowned. “I can take care of myself.”

He smirked, leaning in just enough that you could smell blood and sweat on him.

“Sure you can. But I like keeping what’s mine.”

You knew he didn’t mean it sweetly. With Deok-Su, nothing was soft. Nothing was gentle.

But you’d long stopped craving gentle.

---

You didn’t trust him — not entirely. But in the game, trust wasn’t real. Power was.

And being next to Deok-Su? That was power. A twisted kind. But it kept knives out of your back.

In return, you gave him something no one else dared to: honesty. You didn’t flatter him, didn’t lie. You challenged him. And for a man used to control, that was addictive.