A Card and a Curiosity

The hum of the city filled the air as Jisung sat in his favorite spot in the university library. He was surrounded by a fortress of textbooks and papers, his laptop open to a page filled with medical diagrams. The faint aroma of coffee wafted through the air, but no amount of caffeine seemed to ease the nerves bubbling inside him.

Felix flopped into the chair opposite him, holding two steaming cups. "You need this more than I do," he said, sliding one toward Jisung with a grin.

"Thanks," Jisung mumbled, taking the cup without looking up. His mind was far away, replaying the morning's encounter for the millionth time.

Felix noticed. He propped his chin on his hand and squinted at Jisung. "Okay, spill. You've been weird all day. Who was he? Tall? Handsome? Brooding? Come on, you can tell me."

"Felix," Jisung groaned, dropping his pen. "I told you, it was nothing. Just a guy I bumped into on the street. He wasn't even that nice. He told me to watch where I was going."

Felix's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Sounds like a love story waiting to happen."

Jisung snorted. "More like a nightmare. Besides, I don't even know his name."

Felix smirked but decided to let it go. For now.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Minho stood in the sleek confines of his penthouse office, the ID card resting on his desk. His younger brother, Seungmin, lounged on the couch nearby, scrolling through his phone.

"Are you seriously just staring at that card?" Seungmin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you have more important things to do? Like running a whole criminal empire?"

Minho didn't answer right away. He picked up the card, turning it over in his hands. Han Jisung. Age 22. Medical Student.

"He left it behind," Minho finally said, his tone unreadable.

"And? Return it and move on. Problem solved," Seungmin replied, clearly unimpressed.

"It's not that simple," Minho said, more to himself than his brother.

Chan and Changbin walked in then, both carrying an air of confidence that matched their status as Minho's right-hand men.

"What's got you so quiet?" Chan asked, plopping down in one of the leather chairs.

"Jisung," Minho said simply, holding up the card.

Changbin grinned. "Ah, the kid you ran into this morning. What about him?"

"He's... interesting," Minho said, his voice softer than usual.

The three men exchanged knowing looks. Minho was never one to fixate on anyone outside their circle. His attention was rare and intense, like the sharp edge of a blade.

"So, what's the plan?" Chan asked, leaning forward.

Minho slipped the card into his pocket. "I'm going to return it."

Seungmin snorted. "And by 'return it,' you mean stalk him and figure out every detail of his life?"

Minho's lips quirked into the faintest smirk. "Something like that."

The next day, Jisung was walking home from campus, his bag slung over one shoulder. The evening air was cool, and he was too lost in thought to notice the sleek black car trailing him from a distance.

He turned a corner into a quieter street, and that's when he heard the low rumble of an engine slowing behind him. Jisung glanced over his shoulder, his heart skipping a beat. The car came to a stop, and the tinted window rolled down.

It was him.

The man from yesterday.

Jisung froze as Minho stepped out of the car, his sharp suit and confident stride making him look like he owned the entire city.

"Han Jisung," Minho said, his voice smooth and calm.

"How do you know my name?" Jisung asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Minho held up the ID card with a small smile. "You left this behind."

Jisung's eyes widened. He quickly checked his pocket and realized his ID was, indeed, missing.

"Oh," he said awkwardly, taking a step closer. "Thank you." He reached out to grab it, but Minho didn't let go right away. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world seemed to still.

"You should be more careful," Minho said softly, his voice carrying a warmth that contradicted his intimidating appearance.

Jisung blinked, caught off guard by the sudden gentleness in Minho's tone. "Uh, yeah. I will. Thanks again."

Minho released the card, and Jisung quickly pocketed it, still feeling the weight of Minho's gaze.

"Wait," Minho said before Jisung could walk away.

"What?" Jisung asked, his heart pounding.

Minho hesitated for the briefest moment, then said, "Let me give you a ride home. It's late."

Jisung's instincts screamed at him to say no. This man was clearly trouble. But there was something about the way Minho looked at him-like he wasn't used to hearing no.

"I'm fine," Jisung said, taking a step back. "Really."

Minho's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Suit yourself."

Without another word, Minho stepped back into the car. Jisung watched as the vehicle disappeared down the street, his chest tight with confusion.

Inside the car, Minho leaned back in his seat, his mind replaying the encounter.

"Playing it cool?" Chan asked from the driver's seat, smirking at Minho in the rearview mirror.

"For now," Minho replied, a rare softness in his voice.

Chan chuckled. "You're really hooked on this kid, huh?"

Minho didn't answer, but the faint smile on his lips said everything.