Code Red || Lee Dong Wook x Reader

Chapter 1

The morning sun filtered through the gauzy curtains of Y/N's luxurious property, casting a golden glow across the room. The first sound to greet her was the repetitive click of her phone camera when she stirred. She reached over and looked at the computer, studying the picture of the rice terraces taken at daybreak the day before. 

The gentle pastel colors, the fluttering clouds, and the lone farmer silhouetted against the horizon were all perfectly rendered. It wasn't quite genuine, though. The sky had been a drab shade of gray, and the farmer was a visitor who had interrupted her well-planned snapshot. She let out a hollow sigh that reverberated through the huge empty space of the room.

Y/N was a social media sensation, with her username "NomadLuxe" linked with wanderlust and excellent taste. Her perfectly manicured page depicted a life of five-star resorts, stunning scenery, and exotic excursions. Millions followed her, hoping for a look inside her supposedly ideal existence. 

 However, when Y/N stared at the filtered sunlight, she felt a gnawing discontent. The incessant performance and pressure to maintain an illusion were taking their toll. She was lost in a sea of likes and comments, unfamiliar even to herself.

Dong Wook lived in a realm of pure logic, across the globe, in a messy apartment illuminated by the blue glow of his computer screen. Lines of code flowed down the display, forming a symphony that only his educated mind could comprehend. He enjoyed the challenge of algorithms and the gratification of solving a complicated issue in an elegant manner. However, he did not understand social interaction. His connections with the outside world were confined to brief online conversations with delivery services and the odd awkward encounter with his equally reclusive landlady.

Dong Wook's computer's pleasant hum abruptly halted. The stillness was terrible. He felt a flash of frustration. He was offline, isolated from his digital sanctuary. He looked out the window, restless and confused. A group of individuals in the park across the street were huddled over easels, pouring brilliant colors on a giant painting. A spark of inquiry sparked within him, in sharp contrast to the binary decisions of his computerized world. He reluctantly forced himself away from his chair, a rare adventure into human interaction.

Dong Wook shuffled across the street, feeling the unfamiliar weight of self-consciousness with every step. He hovered on the edge of the park, the cacophony of laughter and chatter a sensory assault. The group, a mix of ages and styles, seemed oblivious to his presence, completely absorbed in their artistic collaboration. He yearned to turn back, retreat to the comfort of his code-filled haven.

Then, a stray paintbrush clattered to the ground, rolling towards his feet. He bent down to pick it up, his face burning with a blush hotter than any compiled error message.

"Oh, no! Here, thanks!" A bright voice cut through his awkwardness. He looked up to meet the sparkling eyes of a young woman with a paint-splattered smock and a mane of unruly hair. Her smile was disarming, genuine, a stark contrast to the filtered faces on his social media feeds.

"Uh, no problem," Dong Wook mumbled, his voice rusty from disuse.

"You interested in art?" she asked, gesturing towards the mural. It was a kaleidoscope of colors, depicting a bustling cityscape merging with a lush forest - a strange but captivating juxtaposition.

Dong Wook hesitated. Explaining the intricacies of his code-based fractal art felt impossible in this setting. "It's...different," he finally managed.

"Different is good," she winked. "We always welcome new perspectives."

Before he could retreat further into his shell, the woman introduced herself as Sun-mi. One by one, he met the others: Min-ho, the gruff but kind older artist, his weathered hands surprisingly gentle with the paintbrush; Ji-woo, the bubbly college student overflowing with artistic energy; and Jae-hyun, the quiet observer with a keen eye for detail.

Despite his initial discomfort, Dong Wook found himself drawn into their conversation. He hesitantly shared his fascination with fractals, the self-similar patterns found in nature and mathematics. To his surprise, they were intrigued, peppering him with questions that forced him to articulate his thoughts in a way he never had before.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Y/N had impulsively booked a single room in a quaint Seoul guest house. The stark contrast to her usual luxury stays was a deliberate choice. Armed with a hand-drawn map gleaned from a local bookstore, she set out to explore the city on foot, determined to experience Seoul beyond the tourist hotspots.

Her wanderings led her to the same park where Dong Wook and his newfound friends were engrossed in their mural. Drawn by the vibrant colors and the infectious energy they exuded, Y/N approached cautiously. She recognized the discomfort in Dong Wook's posture, a reflection of her own struggles in unfamiliar territory.

As she stood there, unsure of whether to interrupt, Sun-mi's bright voice rang out once again. "Hey there! Come check out our masterpiece in progress!" Y/N found herself pulled into the conversation, her carefully constructed online persona momentarily forgotten as she delved into a genuine, unfiltered exchange with these strangers.

The afternoon sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in a breathtaking display of orange and purple hues. The unfinished mural stood as a testament to their unexpected connection, a bridge between their vastly different worlds. With a shared sense of accomplishment, they reluctantly decided to call it a day.

"We'd love to see you again tomorrow," Sun-mi said, her smile warm and inviting. Y/N hesitated for a moment, then surprised even herself by saying, "Me too. I'd like that."

As Y/N walked away, a flicker of hope ignited within her. Perhaps, just perhaps, this unexpected encounter was the start of something real, something that went beyond the curated world she had built for herself. Across the park, Dong Wook watched her go, a strange mix of excitement and apprehension swirling within him. His virtual world had always offered solace, but for the first time, he felt a yearning to step outside his comfort zone, to explore the possibilities that lay beyond the lines of code.