Lines We Cross ||Front Man x Reader||

I lay in bed in my laced robe, the fabric delicate against my skin. It had been almost two days since I'd left my room, almost two days of isolation that left me feeling lost, broken, and suffocated by my own thoughts. In-ho had tried talking to me during his hourly check-ups, but I ignored him completely. I wasn't ready to deal with his bullshit, and honestly, I didn't even know what I wanted anymore.

But that night, something shifted inside me. I realized that if I ever wanted to find a way out of this mess, I needed to step up and face my own confusions. I couldn't hide behind fear and isolation forever—if I was going to reclaim some semblance of control, I had to confront everything head-on.

When I heard the familiar knock at my door that hour, I couldn't stand it any longer. Before In-ho could even knock, I swung my door open and, without hesitation, grabbed him by his arm. I dragged him into my room, slamming the door behind us. My heart hammered as I pushed him to sit on my bed, and I watched his eyes widen in surprise.

"Woah," he chuckled, a playful glint in his eyes that barely masked his confusion. "You wanna do it on the bed now? We can take mine—it's bigger."

I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly spat on the floor. "Stop. In-ho, please, for the love of God, just let me figure everything out," I snapped, my tone raw and desperate. I didn't care if his smooth words or his arrogant charm made me weak—I was done with his games, at least for tonight.

He sat there, and for a moment, everything was silent except for the steady hum of my racing thoughts. Then, slowly, as if compelled by something he couldn't quite fight, he slid his hand down my arm. I felt his gloved fingers trail over my skin, continuing down past my wrist. He pulled me gently toward him; I found myself standing between his knees as he wrapped his hand around my waist. His eyes searched mine as if trying to read every secret I had locked away.

"Since the day I gave you the key, you've been free to go," he said softly, almost tenderly, "I let you figure it out, and I still am. Seemingly, I knew you were smart enough to stay. Good girl, Y/N."

I shivered as he burrowed his head into my stomach and began humming—a low, almost hypnotic sound that sent shivers down my spine. In that moment, I hated him fiercely for what he was, for the way he'd manipulated every move, every emotion. And yet, I couldn't help but feel drawn to him. His toxic charm was a dark magnet, pulling me deeper into a maze of conflicting desires and guilt.

God, why couldn't I resist him? Why did his presence make everything so fucking complicated? I thought about all the times I had sworn I'd never let him control me, but here I was—conflicted, angry, and inexplicably vulnerable. I cursed under my breath, wondering how many more lines I'd have to cross before I was swallowed whole by this madness.

When I was alone, I'd convinced myself I'd leave, that I could escape this nightmare and start over somewhere far from his toxic grip. But the moment he appeared, everything shifted. Suddenly, despite all the anger and betrayal, I found myself wanting to stay, trapped by a twisted need I hated to admit.

Then, as if reading my thoughts, he said, "Y/N." I looked down at him, and he slowly raised his head to meet my gaze. "I'm a monster," he said, his voice low and raw. He paused, and I felt every word like a punch. "But you made me feel something I haven't felt in years."

He paused. It was a long agonizing pause. "I love you Y/N. I wound do anything for you. Anything."

I was flabbergasted. I didn't know what the hell to do with that. It didn't make me feel bad, it touched my heart. But at the same time, it made me sick to my stomach. I wanted to scream at him, to curse him out for dragging me into this mess, for making me question everything I thought I knew about hate and desire.

Before I could gather my thoughts, In-ho cut me off. He stood up abruptly and grabbed my face, pulling me in to kiss me. His kiss was aggressive, demanding. I tried to muffle my reaction, pushing him away as hard as I could. In the scuffle, he stumbled back onto the bed, and I saw him flailing for a split second.

But he wasn't finished. With a sudden, almost animalistic urgency, he grabbed my arm and pulled me on top of him as he fell. We landed on the bed, and I landed right ontop of him. For a long, breathless moment, we just stayed there. I could feel his heartbeat, wild and fast against mine, and the heat of his skin sent shivers down my spine.

Then, as if on cue, he reached up and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. I felt a flush rising in my cheeks, genuine and unexpected. For a second, everything slowed down—the world narrowed to just this moment of chaotic intimacy.

I pulled back, my mind screaming that I couldn't fold for him like this, that I had to lock myself away from his influence, even though every part of me was already tangled in his web. "Fuck," I muttered, sitting up and straightening my disheveled clothes. "I can't let myself fall for you again."

But even as I tried to regain control, I knew deep down that leaving him—letting go of the dangerous pull he had—wasn't an option.

"Give me a chance, Y/N," he said as I turned away, his voice low and pleading. I spun around, eyes blazing with anger and disbelief. "You can't change after killing thousands and hurting the people you love!" I barked, the words coming out sharper than I'd intended.

For a moment, his expression faltered. I swear I saw a flash of hurt behind those dark, intense eyes. My own heart pounded as I watched him. I could see that my words had cut deeper than I'd planned. I could feel him retreat into himself, his shoulders tensing before relaxing ever so slightly. I stood there, chest heaving. I shut up abruptly, my eyes widening in silent shock at the weight of what I had just been said.

Correct, In-ho was hurt—words can cut deep, making a deeper scar with each uttered insult—and that was exactly what Y/N did. In that moment, the cold, calculated façade he'd meticulously built cracked just a little. He'd truly wanted to change for her, to redeem himself from the monstrous path he'd been forced onto. But she was right: he couldn't just end everything, couldn't simply erase his past atrocities with a few heartfelt words. And he wouldn't gamble everything—his life, his power, his very soul—in exchange for nothing.

Yet, despite it all, he wanted things to work out. Deep down, no matter how sick and cold of a person In-ho was, Y/N made him actually feel human. He hated himself for it. For years, he'd believed that his path was set, that his duty was to uphold the brutal system he managed. But now, with Y/N's words echoing in his ears and her fierce eyes searing into his, he realized there was a part of him that still yearned for redemption—a part that desperately wished to believe he could be better.

He stepped back from the conversation they'd just had, his mind churning with conflicting thoughts. In the quiet of his private office, away from the prying eyes of the guards and the oppressive weight of the games, In-ho sat down heavily at his desk. The cool lamplight illuminated his face, revealing every trace of pain and conflict etched into his features. He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture both weary and reflective, as he pondered Y/N's words.

In-ho's mind raced back to that moment, the way Y/N's furious words had echoed in his ears. "You can't change after killing thousands and hurting the people you love!" It was as if she'd laid bare the truth he'd been avoiding all these years. He knew he couldn't simply erase his past, couldn't undo the horrors he'd been complicit in. But if he truly cared about Y/N, if he truly wanted to salvage something of himself, maybe he had to try. 

He then recalled how a couple of days ago, Y/N had threatened to tear his world apart. "I'll take this whole place down, even if it means I'm going down with it." Those words, though laced with anger, had awakened something in him—a desperate desire not to lose her, even if it meant sacrificing everything. The paradox was maddening: every time she pushed him away, every time she reminded him of the monster he'd become, it only made him want her more.

In-ho knew that his actions had consequences. He couldn't let her go, not when he was so deeply entangled in her life. Even as he tried to maintain control, his inner conflict raged. Was he truly a monster, or was there still hope for redemption? Could he change, for her?

Or will he make her as rotten as him, too the core.

With a heavy heart, he whispered, "I have to be better... for you."

A/N~ Long chapter as an apology for the late update <3 Thank you everyone for the love and support!