#agent au

You felt it immediately - the shift in his breathing, the way his body tensed beneath yours. He reached for the phone on the nightstand without letting go of you.

He checked the screen.

Didn’t smile.

Didn’t groan.

Just exhaled through his nose.

“…It’s them,” he said quietly.

You sighed, but didn’t pull away. “Of course it is.”

He hesitated. “We don’t have to answer.”

You tilted your head to look up at him. “Yes we do.”

A beat.

Then he answered.

“Jungwon,” he said, voice already slipping into that calm, professional tone. “Go ahead.”

You listened to the silence on the other end, watching his expression change - sleep fading, focus sharpening.

“Yes,” he said.

Another pause.

“…When?”

His jaw tightened.

You sat up slightly. “What is it.”

He covered the phone with his hand. “LAX.”

That got your attention. LAX? Why?

“They’re rerouting something,” he continued, quieter now. “Unscheduled. Quiet. They want eyes on it.”

You frowned. “That never ends well.”

“No,” he agreed.

You were already reaching for the edge of the bed. “What gate.”

He uncovered the phone. “Say that again.”

A pause.

Then his eyes flicked to you.

“…Gate C13.”

You froze.

“That gate doesn’t exist,” you said slowly.

Jungwon stared at the wall, listening.

“…That’s what we said.”

Silence stretched.

He hung up.

The room felt colder.

You swung your legs off the bed. “Okay. So we’re getting dressed. Now.”

“Yeah,” he said, already standing. “We are.”

He watched you for a second - really watched you - before reaching out and cupping your cheek softly.

“Stay close to me,” he said quietly.

You met his gaze. “Always.”

♡ 

You didn’t drive together.

That alone told you how serious it was.

Jungwon dropped you off two terminals away, the car barely slowing before you slipped out into the cold morning air. He didn’t look at you as he pulled away - eyes already scanning, jaw set - but his hand brushed yours once, quick and grounding.

Inside the employee entrance, you changed fast.

The uniform wasn’t yours.

Airport operations - neutral gray jacket, ID badge clipped low, hair tucked into a bun that screamed don’t notice me. You looked like someone who belonged everywhere and nowhere at once.

Your earpiece clicked on the second you stepped back into the terminal.

“You’re clear,” Jungwon said quietly.

You glanced up.

He stood across the concourse near a coffee stand, dressed like another exhausted traveler - dark coat, baseball cap pulled low, backpack slung over one shoulder. If you didn’t know him, you’d never look twice.

“Wow,” you murmured. “I don’t even get to see you in sweatpants anymore.”

“Focus,” he said, but his voice softened just a fraction. “You’re walking point.”

You fell into step, not beside him - never beside him - but close enough to feel the gravity of his presence.

“So what’s the play,” you asked under your breath. “Because fake gates don’t just…generate.”

“They do when someone wants control,” he replied. “Temporary listings. Manual overrides. It’s meant to confuse staff, not passengers.”

“And whoever’s holding that boarding pass?”

“Either bait,” Jungwon said, “or leverage.”

Your fingers curled slightly. “And if it’s the second one?”

“Then we don’t let them isolate you.”

You shot him a look. “You say that like it’s optional.”

“It’s not,” he said immediately. “That’s why you don’t engage. You observe. You stall if you have to.”

“And you?”

“I’ll be close enough to intervene,” he said. 

Then, quieter, “But far enough that they don’t clock me.”

You exhaled slowly. “I hate this part.”

“I know.”

You reached the C-gates.

The air felt different here - too controlled, too neat. Like a stage waiting for actors who didn’t know they were in a play.

“Remember,” Jungwon said. “If anything feels off-”

“It already does,” you replied.

A pause.

“…Yeah,” he admitted. “Fair.”

Then you stepped forward.

♡ 

LAX was already alive by the time you arrived.

Too alive.

The terminal buzzed with early-morning chaos - rolling suitcases, boarding calls, exhausted travelers clutching coffee like it was their lifeline. You stood behind the desk near the C-gates, system pulled up, fingers moving automatically.

Gate C11.

Gate C12.

Gate C14.

You frowned.

No C13.

You refreshed the system.

Nothing.

And then-

“Excuse me,” a man said politely. “Is this Gate C13?”

Your stomach dropped.

You looked up.

Unremarkable. Intentional. Calm.

You glanced down at the boarding pass.

Gate: C13 Seat: 14A

You opened your mouth-

“Problem?”

Jungwon’s voice slid in beside you.

And everything snapped into place.

The man didn’t jump.

Didn’t stiffen.

He just turned his head slightly, eyes flicking to Jungwon - quick, assessing - before settling back on you with the same polite half-smile.

“I was asking her,” he said calmly. “Did I do something wrong?”

His voice was even. Friendly. Like someone who knew exactly how not to cause a scene.

Jungwon didn’t miss a beat.

“No,” he said easily. “Just thought she might need help pulling up the system.”

You swallowed.

Right. Help.

Your fingers moved again, tapping keys you already knew wouldn’t give you answers.

“No listing under C13,” you said, keeping your tone neutral. Apologetic. “That gate doesn’t appear to be active.”

The man hummed softly, like this was mildly inconvenient at worst.

“That’s odd,” he said. “It was printed this morning.”

You angled the boarding pass slightly, pretending to examine it more closely. The paper was crisp. Real. Bar code intact.

Too intact.

“Sometimes the system lags,” Jungwon added smoothly. “Happens with reroutes.”

The man’s eyes flicked to him again.

“And you are…?”

A pause. Barely a pause - but you felt it.

Jungwon smiled.

Just enough to be disarming. Not enough to invite questions.

“Just another passenger who hates delays,” he said. “Figured I’d listen in.”

The man studied him for a second longer than necessary.

Then he nodded.

“Of course,” he said. “Holiday travel.”

You let out a quiet breath you didn’t realize you were holding. Jungwon smiled a bit before stepping away towards a nearby seat.

“I can check with operations,” you offered. “It may take a moment.”

“That’s fine,” he replied pleasantly. “I’ve got time.”

That was the problem.

You glanced at the screen again - and then noticed it.

The time stamp on the boarding pass.

Too recent.

“Did you print this here?” you asked, casual.

“Yes,” he said. “Kiosk near security.”

Jungwon’s voice slipped into your earpiece, low and controlled.

“That kiosk was decommissioned last night.”

Your pulse spiked - but your face didn’t change.

“Okay,” you said aloud. “I’m just going to step away and confirm the gate.”

The man smiled wider.

“Take your time.”

You slid out from behind the desk.

And that’s when he leaned in - just enough for only you to hear.

“You should tell your friend,” he murmured, voice still pleasant, “that he’s not as subtle as he thinks.”

Jungwon stilled on the seat.

The man straightened, smile returning, hands visible at his sides.

“I’ll wait right here.”

You met Jungwon’s eyes for half a second.

That was all it took.

He nodded - once.

And in your ear, barely audible-

“Okay. He knows. We proceed carefully.”

Your stomach dropped.

Because Gate C13 didn’t exist-

-but whatever this was?

It had already boarded.

♡ 

You didn’t walk far.

Just far enough that your hands could shake without anyone noticing.

A pillar near the windows. A departure board humming softly above you. Planes taxiing outside like nothing in the world was wrong.

Your breath came shallow.

“Okay,” you whispered. “Okay. He knows about you. He knows the gate isn’t real. And he’s still waiting.”

“I know,” Jungwon said immediately. Too immediately. He’d been listening to your breathing. “You’re doing fine. Look at me.”

You didn’t - couldn’t - but you imagined him anyway. Calm face. Steady eyes. The way he always grounded the room without trying.

“What’s the move,” you asked. “Because he’s not leaving.”

“No,” Jungwon agreed. “He’s waiting for a trigger.”

You swallowed. “Like boarding.”

Silence.

“…Yes.”

Your stomach dropped.

“Listen to me,” Jungwon said, voice lowering. “If he wanted chaos, he’d have caused it already. He’s counting on crowds. On noise. On you doing your job.”

“That makes me feel so much better,” you muttered.

A pause.

“You don’t go back alone,” he said. “I’ll reposition. Two o’clock from the desk. If anything happens - anything - you freeze. Let me handle it.”

“And if he isolates me?”

Jungwon didn’t answer right away.

“…Then we adapt.”

You exhaled slowly, forcing your shoulders down. Forced your face back into something neutral. Something forgettable.

“Okay,” you said. “I’m going back.”

“I’m with you,” he replied. “Always.”

You turned.

Walked back.

The man was still there.

Same spot. Same posture. Boarding pass in hand like it hadn’t weighed on your chest the entire time you’d been gone.

“Any luck?” he asked pleasantly.

“Still checking,” you said. “But there’s been an update.”

He tilted his head. Interested.

Before you could continue, a chime sounded overhead.

“Attention passengers on Flight 613 to Seattle. Boarding will begin shortly.”

Your heart slammed.

The man’s smile sharpened - just a fraction.

“That’s us,” he said.

You felt it before you saw it.

The shift in his stance. The way he stepped closer - not aggressively, not fast - just enough to block your path.

His voice dropped.

“You’re going to walk with me now.”

Something pressed into your side.

Cold. Solid.

Your breath hitched - but you didn’t scream. 

Didn’t flinch.

Around you, passengers lined up. Parents distracted. Phones out. No one looking at the right angle.

A ripple moved through the line anyway.

Someone behind you went still.

A suitcase tipped over with a hollow thud.

“Hey-” a man muttered, not loud enough to be brave, just loud enough to be scared.

A woman a few feet away pulled her kid closer, hand tightening around his backpack strap. 

Another passenger’s phone lowered halfway, camera forgotten as her eyes locked on your face - on the way you weren’t moving.

The line hesitated.

Not panic.

Not yet.

Just that awful moment where people know something’s wrong but don’t know what to do with it.

Jungwon’s breath clipped in your ear.

“Okay,” he said, tension threading every word. “They’re starting to notice. You’re doing great.” Gone was the calm. Gone was the ease. “Don’t move. Don’t look down.”

“He’s armed,” you murmured, barely sound. “Jungwon-”

“-I know,” Jungwon cut in immediately.

Too fast.

Too sharp.

His voice didn’t rise, but the edges of it went tight - like every word was being filtered through clenched teeth.

“Listen to me,” he said. “You’re going to keep walking. Slow. Match his pace. Don’t tense your shoulders.”

A breath - controlled, counted.

“One…two…”

You felt the pressure at your side again as the line began to move.

“He’s guiding you,” Jungwon continued, voice low and precise. “Not rushing. That means he wants you calm.”

Another breath.

“I’m right behind you.”

The jet bridge door loomed ahead.

Metal. Narrow. Loud.

Your heart thundered in your ear.

“He’s adjusting his grip,” you whispered, barely audible. “Jungwon-”

“I see it,” he said, too quickly again. “I see everything.”

You knew he didn’t.

That was the problem.

“Eyes forward,” he ordered, then corrected himself - softer, almost pleading. “Please baby. Just - eyes forward.”

The boarding scanner beeped.

Once.

Jungwon inhaled sharply.

You’d never heard him do that before.

“Okay,” he said. “Okay. We’re still good. You’re still with me.”

His voice dipped lower, rougher.

“You’re doing exactly what I need you to do.”

The man leaned in again, breath warm near your ear.

“Smile, baby,” he murmured disgustingly. “You’re shaking.”

Jungwon heard it.

You knew he did because his next words came out wrong - just barely.

“Don’t,” he said. “Don’t you touch her.”

It wasn’t part of the plan.

There was a beat.

The man paused.

Then laughed softly, like he’d just confirmed something.

“Oh,” he said. “So you do care.”

Jungwon’s breath hitched.

One fraction of a second - that’s all it took.

“Step away from her,” Jungwon said again, and this time the calm was manufactured. 

Forced into place like armor. “Now.”

The man turned.

Slowly.

And Jungwon moved.

Everything after happened fast - too fast for your brain to catch up.

Hands. Pressure gone. A body hitting metal. Voices shouting.

Jungwon was suddenly there, in front of you, between you and everything else, one arm braced across your chest like he was afraid you’d disappear if he let go.

“You’re okay,” he said, breath uneven now, control finally slipping. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

His hand shook where it gripped your shoulder.

You felt it.

He felt you notice.

His voice dropped, barely more than air.

“I thought I lost you.”

For a second, you couldn’t answer.

Your ears rang - not from sound, but from the sudden absence of it. The terminal felt like it had been muted, voices blurring into something distant and unreal.

Jungwon didn’t wait for you to respond.

His arm tightened, pulling you flush against him, his hand cradling the back of your head like he needed to physically anchor you to the present. His breath was still uneven against your hair - sharp inhales he clearly hadn’t meant to let you hear.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured again, more to himself than to you. “I’ve got you.”

Security swarmed in moments later -  too late, always too late - uniforms flooding the jet bridge as agents moved in to secure the man. He struggled only briefly before realizing it was useless.

“Careful,” he snapped as they wrenched his arms behind his back. “You have no idea what you just stopped.”

They hauled him past you.

Past Jungwon.

And that’s when he laughed.

Low. Hoarse. Almost satisfied.

“Gate C13 wasn’t for the flight,” the man said, turning his head just enough to look at you. “It was for her.”

Jungwon stiffened.

The agent nearest him tightened his grip. “Keep walking.”

“You think it was about getting on a plane?” the man continued, unfazed. “That gate was a handoff point. Clean. Unlisted. No cameras tied to it yet.”

Your stomach dropped.

“A ghost corridor,” he said. “Five-minute window. That’s all I needed.”

Jungwon’s jaw clenched so hard you felt it where you were pressed against him.

“And you ruined it.”

They dragged him away then, his voice fading into the noise of the terminal - into gasps, whispers, the frantic murmur of passengers finally realizing how close they’d come to something worse.

Only when he was out of sight did Jungwon move again.

He turned you fully toward him, both hands on your arms now, eyes scanning your face like he was checking for fractures only he could see.

“Talk to me,” he said quietly. Not a command. A plea. “Are you hurt?”

You shook your head. “No. I- I’m okay.”

His shoulders sagged - just a little.

But he didn’t let go.

Instead, he pulled you into him again, tighter this time, your cheek pressed against his chest. You could feel his heart hammering - fast, uneven, nothing like the steady calm he carried into missions.

One of the agents approached cautiously. 

“Agent Jungwon. We’ve got it from here.”

Jungwon didn’t look at him.

“Give us a minute,” he said.

The agent hesitated - then nodded and stepped back.

The terminal kept moving around you. 

Flights boarding. Announcements echoing overhead. Life resuming like it hadn’t almost shattered.

Not everyone went back to normal right away.

Someone nearby was crying quietly into their phone. Another passenger sat frozen in a chair, hands shaking around a paper cup of coffee that had long since gone cold.

A little boy stared openly at you from behind his mother’s leg, eyes wide - not scared anymore, just trying to understand.

You realized, distantly, that for some of them, this would be the story they told later.

For you, it would just be the one you survived.

Jungwon rested his forehead against yours.

His voice finally broke.

“I heard him breathe,” he said. “I heard how he called you baby, how close he was to you and I-” He swallowed hard. “I couldn’t slow it down. I couldn’t-”

You reached up, caressing his hair and dragging your hands down to his cheek.

“I’m here,” you said firmly. “I’m still here.”

His eyes shut.

His grip tightened suddenly, like his body was remembering the moment before his mind could stop it - the second where he’d truly believed he was too late.

For a long moment, he just held you - no urgency now, no strategy - just the quiet aftermath of fear finally catching up to him.

“I don’t care what they say,” he murmured. 

“You’re never walking away from me again.”

You huffed weakly. “That wasn’t in the debrief.”

“I’ll rewrite it,” he said immediately.

That earned a shaky smile from you - the first one since it all started.

Eventually, he loosened his hold just enough to look at you again.

Still there.

Still breathing.

Still his.

“Let’s go home,” he said softly.

As you walked away together, you passed the departure board again.

C11. C12. C14.

No C13.

Like it had never been there at all.

And for the first time that morning - really, truly -

the day stopped feeling dangerous.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ 

A/N: Yeah so I’m a little obsessed with airports recently. 😭 I hope you enjoyed it though! I’m gonna step away from airports and move to a new story 🤭 I also saw that you guys wanted a part 2 of Background Noise soooo I’ll work on that too!