My two hot Neighbors

Chapter 8: Shadows Behind the Curtain

I walked through the silent corridor of the university after music class ended, still thinking about the weird glances I'd received throughout the day. Sure, some were just envy—Jeon Jungkook and Kim Taehyung walking beside me practically guaranteed that. But a few were... too intense, too calculating. Eyes that didn’t look at me like a rival or a fan, but like a puzzle to be solved—or a target.

Jungkook, for some reason, had become unusually quiet after music class. His usual smug smile was absent. He kept stealing glances at me, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. Taehyung, on the other hand, had returned to his calm, polite self, acting like the lunch scene hadn’t bothered him, even though I had seen the fire in his eyes earlier.

We walked out of the building, and I turned to head toward the parking lot. That’s when a subtle buzz in my left wrist broke the rhythm of the day.

Message received: Unknown Source.

I tapped the band discreetly and activated the holographic screen on the inside of my wrist.

> Phoenix, you're not safe. He's watching again. This time, he's closer than ever. Don’t trust anyone, not even the boy with the soft smile or the one with the steel eyes.

My heart thudded in my chest. Was Dark Rose here? How had he found me so soon?

I quickly closed the message before either of the boys could notice. My instincts kicked in, and I scanned the parking lot. Everything looked normal—students laughing, couples walking hand-in-hand, a few seniors smoking behind the old literature building. But something was off. A presence I couldn’t see but could feel... like a shadow leaning against my spine.

That night, I was in the attic, curled up on the swing with a hot cup of cocoa, trying to make sense of the day. I’d met two insanely attractive guys—both my neighbors, both walking magnets of chaos and charm—and I was enjoying the smallest hints of normal life for once. But of course, peace never lasted long in my world.

I stared out at the starry Seoul sky. Maybe that message was just a scare tactic. But if it was really from Dark Rose… then things were going to get ugly fast.

The soft ding of my phone broke the silence again. It was a message from Brit.

> You okay? You looked spaced out in class today.

> Yeah, just adjusting. Miss you, Queen B, I replied with a smirk.

> You better. My sister asked about you again… weird, right?

> Weird? Brit, your sister gives me “I’ll kill for you” vibes whenever she looks at me.

> Right?! She’s been acting strange ever since we got back from that trip to France. Anyway, stay safe. I’ll call you later.

I laughed softly but felt a chill crawl up my spine. Something told me Brit’s sister was hiding something.

---

The next morning was unusually foggy. Seoul’s skyline looked like it had been swallowed by a white dragon. I stepped out for my morning jog, hoodie on, headphones plugged in—but I didn’t play music. I needed to listen. Watch. Feel.

Halfway through my route, I noticed something strange. A black van parked by the side of the road. It hadn’t been there yesterday. I jogged past it and pretended not to notice the faint glow of a camera lens inside. Agent training 101—don’t react to the threat unless you want to get burned.

I returned home and found a package at my doorstep.

Not again.

The black box was wrapped in velvet, and when I opened it, a single red rose stared back at me, perched on top of a gold-encrusted locket with a phoenix etched into the metal.

Inside the locket was a picture of me—taken yesterday—as I helped the chef in the cafeteria.

No note. No name. Just proof that someone was watching.

---

By evening, both the Jeons and the Kims arrived for the dinner I had promised them. The atmosphere was light, warm, full of laughter. Eomma Jeon complimented my interior design. Mr. Kim asked about my culinary skills. Sehun clung to my leg like a koala and wouldn’t let go.

Taehyung and Jungkook were unusually quiet around each other. The tension between them was so thick it could be sliced with a butterknife.

After dessert, Mrs. Jeon leaned in and whispered something that caught me off guard.

“Dear, are you sure you’re safe here?”

I blinked. “I—I don’t understand.”

“I’m a mother. I know how to read faces. You flinch at shadows and smile too carefully. If there’s something you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”

I gave her a tight nod. “Thank you, Eomma. I appreciate it.”

Later, after the guests left and I started clearing the dishes, someone knocked at the door.

It was Jungkook.

“Hey,” he said, not looking me in the eye. “Can we talk?”

I stepped aside to let him in.

He paced the living room for a moment before speaking. “That locket you had earlier today... the one you tried to hide in your pocket. I saw it.”

I froze.

“I’m not stupid, Ellanora. I don’t know who you really are, but you’re not just some rich girl who moved to Seoul.”

“What do you want, Jungkook?”

He stepped closer. “To help. You’re not the only one with secrets.”

He held out a silver pendant shaped like a tiger claw. “I used to be part of an underground protection program for threatened heirs. My family doesn’t even know.”

My eyes widened. “Wait, you’re with the Shadow Bureau?”

He smirked. “Bingo.”

Before I could process that information, the security system in my house blared.

Breach detected: Back entrance.

Jungkook rushed to the window. “We’re surrounded.”

I threw him a hidden earpiece from under the shelf and sprinted toward the secret weapons drawer near the kitchen counter. Jungkook followed, and for a second, our eyes met—not as neighbors or classmates, but as soldiers.

“Looks like we’re going to see the real Seoul tonight,” he muttered.

I armed myself, slipped my golden phoenix mask from the secret compartment, and turned to him.

“Let’s go, Tiger Claw.”

End of Chapter 8

> Next chapter coming soon: Can Ellanora trust Jungkook now that she knows he’s not just a bad boy with a fast mouth? And what about Taehyung—will he stay on the sidelines, or does he have secrets of his own? As the night unravels, so do the layers of betrayal, loyalty, and the mysterious identity of Dark Rose.