The place they arrived at following Jin-hyuk wasn't the regular passenger terminal.
It was a private terminal set up for those using chartered flights.
And even among those, it was the spot reserved for the most expensive private jets.
Why'd we suddenly come here?
She stared at the plane right in front of her.
Tsubasa knew this plane.
The Palace in the Sky.
It got that nickname because of its outrageously lavish interior— a super-luxury jet worth over 500 billion won.
After the Awakening Era kicked in, jets loaded with all sorts of tower gear and upgrades started popping up that cost more than 10 trillion, but before that, this model was exclusive to the Qatari royal family.
"Wait, is this...?"
Tsubasa, picking up on a certain possibility, pointed back and forth between Jin-hyuk and the plane.
"It's mine."
That had to be the most ridiculous and unrealistic answer she'd heard in a while.
Tsubasa stood there frozen for a second before letting out a quiet sigh.
"Mr. Yu Jin-hyuk. You're a Runner, right?"
Jin-hyuk nodded with a smile.
Silence hung in the air again.
"You weren't even trying to hide it from the start."
If he'd wanted to keep it under wraps no matter what, he wouldn't have brought her to a private jet terminal.
A insanely pricey private jet in his early twenties? Anyone would get suspicious.
"So if you're admitting it this easily now, why deny it at first?"
"There was no trust back then. Now there's a bit."
Jin-hyuk pinched a tiny gap between his thumb and forefinger.
Tsubasa burst out laughing.
"Is this payback for cluing you in on Sugihara? Pretty generous of you."
"I don't want the whole world knowing I'm a Runner. Some people might love the spotlight and all the attention pouring in, but not me. I hate how it puts limits on what I can do."
"But why come clean so easily? The trust between you and me is just that little sliver you showed with your fingers."
"I don't like it getting out, but it's not like it'd be the end of the world if it did. I'm not about to give myself a headache bending over backward to hide it."
"You've probably seen it blasted all over the news. Players who recklessly revealed who they were and ended up tangled in some mess that got them killed."
She was right.
When your identity gets exposed, it's not just harmless curiosity or fame that comes flooding in.
There are bound to be people out there thinking, if I can't have it, might as well break it.
Jin-hyuk knew that all too well, which is why he'd hidden his identity harder than anyone in the early days.
But not anymore.
"You think you could pull something off?"
"Huh? What do you...?"
"You couldn't. Even if someone figures out I'm a Runner. Even if they've got bad intentions."
A smile brimming with confidence spread across Jin-hyuk's face.
Tsubasa's expression, on the other hand, filled with surprise instead of a smile.
The guy in front of her was dead certain, not a flicker of doubt.
No matter who showed up, he wouldn't take even a scratch.
If anything, they'd be the ones getting wrecked.
And based on the calm, level-headed vibe Jin-hyuk had shown so far, this wasn't some empty boast.
Odds were high it was spot on.
His call.
'Just how strong is this guy?'
She swallowed hard.
For real, there weren't any real signs of a fight left at the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi headquarters.
More precisely, no back-and-forth scuffle marks.
It was a straight-up one-sided slaughter.
Same deal at the spot where Chairman Hosaka bought it.
Security chief Uryu.
The guy was tough even pre-awakening, and after the towers showed up, he blasted straight to the 70th floor and made a name for himself.
Even with a powerhouse like Uryu on site, the place was spotless.
Proof of another lopsided beatdown.
Which meant the Jin-hyuk right here was on a level where even Uryu couldn't lay a finger on him.
"Like I said before, I get the value of a secret better than most. I'm not gonna go spreading around that Mr. Yu Jin-hyuk's a Runner."
And using that fact to blackmail this monster? No way in hell.
"I trust you. That's why I said it. So, ready to board?"
They climbed aboard the private jet together.
Situation aside, she couldn't help but gawk.
She'd met plenty of so-called tycoons before, but facilities this flashy and over-the-top were a first.
"Welcome aboard the Palace in the Sky. Pleased to meet you, VVIP client Mr. Yu Jin-hyuk."
The flight crew waiting on the plane bowed low to Jin-hyuk.
His buddies weren't manifesting today, so he'd put in a special request for cabin service.
Tsubasa, standing nearby, couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath again.
On top of the Palace in the Sky, they had Black Wings, the specialist in private jet management.
A outfit that only catered to world-class billionaires, dishing out top-tier security and service.
'I heard the yearly membership upkeep alone tops 10 billion won.'
She snuck a glance at Jin-hyuk's side profile.
Even for a Runner pulling national-level backing, this jet and membership were way overkill.
Which meant it wasn't just the government in his corner.
There were other forces throwing full support his way, resources and all.
"It's an honor to serve you again."
The captain off to the side chimed in with a greeting.
"Where to today? Black Wings can touch down anywhere, so just say the word."
"Kansai Airport, if you would."
"Got it. We'll get you there safe and sound, as always."
The captain headed off, and the crew scattered to their stations, bustling into action.
A quick flight, just over two hours.
All to deliver service worthy of a VVIP in that window.
Plop.
Sato Tsubasa sank into her seat and let out a quiet sigh.
One mind-blowing thing after another.
At this point, she had to just accept it.
Her sense of normal was about as broad as a frog's view from the bottom of a well.
She shifted her gaze to the window as the plane started easing forward.
Racking her brain wasn't gonna predict jack.
So, she'd just go with the flow for now.
Let herself get swept up in the massive current that was Runner Yu Jin-hyuk.
*
The National Intangible Cultural Heritage Management Site, tucked away at the outskirts of Osaka.
Confusion clouded the faces of the staff blocking the path.
One of them hurriedly dialed up somebody.
"Yeah, yeah. That's right. I'm telling you, it is."
He shot a quick look at the entrance to double-check.
"No doubt about it. It's Assemblywoman Sato Tsubasa from the Innovation Party. Yeah. Got it. We'll hold tight."
The guy hung up and sighed.
What the hell kind of curveball was this in the middle of the day?
No heads-up paperwork, and bam— a big-shot from the Innovation Party shows up out of nowhere.
"Oh man! Look who it is!"
Not long after, the site's manager came barreling in, all flustered.
Tie askew, hair a mess, shirt tail still hanging out.
Must've bolted out in a real hurry.
"I'm Yoshida Otsu, manager of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Management Site! Honor to meet you, Assemblywoman Sato Tsubasa!"
He belted out the greeting with gusto.
"Yeah, nice to meet you."
Tsubasa, though, took it in stride, totally chill.
"You really didn't have to come out here, manager. I just wanted to be let in. This isn't some top-secret government bunker or anything."
"Haha, secret? Nah, it's just government-managed— miles away from anything like that."
Which is what made it weird.
Fancy name aside, it was an open secret this place was basically exile central.
Somewhere nobody gave a damn about, and paying attention to it wouldn't do you any favors.
Tsubasa had to know that, so why the surprise drop-in?
Why?
"I'd like to poke around a bit. That cool?"
"Yeah, yeah. Totally. Just following protocol here— mind if I ask why you're visiting?"
Tsubasa nodded toward Jin-hyuk.
"Friend from Korea who's big into cultural heritage."
"There's not much to see inside, though."
"I know. You think I'd show up without knowing that? My buddy's dead set on checking it out, so I'm just humoring him."
"Alright then."
The manager mulled it over for a sec before giving the staff a nod.
It was under Gamin Party oversight, so they had to tread careful, but nothing could really go south.
'Cause there was jack squat here anyway.
With a rusty groan, the gate started creaking open.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Take your time, head out whenever."
Jin-hyuk trailed Tsubasa inside and scanned the area.
Weeds sprouting wild everywhere, facilities all rusted out.
Management site in name only— it was straight-up abandoned land.
On the flight over, Tsubasa had filled him in.
This spot was exile for the non-compliant types.
"Looks like nobody lives here."
"Not anymore. Everybody eventually caved and chose to bail. All except one spot."
The pair came to a halt.
The absolute back corner of the site.
A thatched hut that looked like it could crumble any second.
An old man was there.
Carefully carving away at some wood, one stroke at a time.
"Name's Hanamori. Family's been tending castle gardens since the Edo Shogunate days. Not that they got famous for the gardening itself. They started turning heads researching flowers that could bloom in any conditions. Generations later, when they pulled off the impossible— blooming all four seasons— their rep hit peak levels."
"Hit, as in past tense."
"Yeah, they faded out after ending up here. It's an exile rigged up under the guise of protecting and preserving national intangible cultural heritage. Craftsmen who wouldn't toe the line had no choice but to move in. Some got tricked, others backed into a corner. Whether the whole setup was organic or engineered? Nobody knows."
Jin-hyuk gave a slow nod, letting it sink in for a beat.
Then he headed into the house.
"Hello there, sir."
The old man turned.
His eyes had this detached, enlightened vibe, but with a weird undercurrent of strength.
"I already told you, no seeds. That crap's straight out of legends. And even if they existed, I wouldn't hand 'em over to scum like you. They're for folks who get the true value of beauty. Not greedy bastards blinded by cash, wrecking people's lives— you lot don't qualify."
His voice was a mix of exhaustion and raw anger.
Guy must've been hounded nonstop.
Sato Tsubasa hung back at the entrance, shrugging it off.
She stayed put on purpose.
'Cause if he pegged her for government, he'd lose it.
She just watched Jin-hyuk's back as he went in.
'What's a Runner want with Hanamori anyway?'
She'd brought him 'cause he asked to get in, but honestly? No clue.
What was he after?
That stubborn old coot wasn't gonna cough up anything.
Hell, it was iffy if he even had something to give.
"I'm Yu Jin-hyuk."
"I've heard a ton of names parked right here. Not interested, so beat it."
He repeated the get-lost, but Jin-hyuk didn't budge.
If anything, he kicked off his shoes and stepped up onto the veranda.
"I said beat it!!"
Old man's yell didn't faze him— Jin-hyuk strolled right into the room.
The elder froze up for a sec, then face flushing beet red, chased after him.
Sato Tsubasa, watching the whole thing, got thrown for a loop too.
What the hell was he up to?
A little while later.
"...!?"
An unfamiliar scent started drifting through the air.
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T/N:
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