Two people stood.
Closer than before.
Deeper than before.
Trapped.
Together.
And the line between their worlds—
Was already gone.
The building no longer felt like just a place.
It felt like a trap.
Han Soo-min stood in the dim hallway, her back against the cold wall, her fingers slightly trembling. The air inside the Black Lotus headquarters was heavier than before—like something unseen was tightening around everyone.
She could feel it.
Something was about to happen.
"…You should stay in one place," Kang Jae-hyun said quietly.
His voice wasn't harsh.
But it wasn't soft either.
It was controlled.
Too controlled.
Soo-min looked at him.
"…And wait?"
"…Yes."
"That's all I do," she whispered.
A small pause.
"…Wait. Survive. Stay quiet."
Her eyes lowered.
"…I'm tired of it."
Silence.
Jae-hyun watched her carefully.
For the first time—
He didn't interrupt.
"…Then what do you want?" he asked.
Her lips parted slightly.
But no words came out immediately.
Because she didn't fully know.
"…I want to understand," she finally said.
A pause.
"…Not just your world."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"…You."
That—
Was unexpected.
Jae-hyun's gaze shifted.
Just a little.
"…That's harder."
"…Why?"
Silence.
"…Because I don't understand myself."
Her breath caught.
That answer—
Was honest.
Raw.
And dangerous in its own way.
Before the moment could settle—
Footsteps approached quickly.
"Jae-hyun."
Lee Min-jun.
His usual relaxed expression was gone.
"…We found something."
The air changed instantly.
Jae-hyun's eyes sharpened.
"…Where?"
"…Interrogation room."
A pause.
"…You should see this."
The room was darker than the rest.
Cold.
Closed.
Unforgiving.
Soo-min hesitated at the door.
"…Should I be here?"
Jae-hyun didn't answer.
He simply walked in.
And she followed.
Inside—
A man was tied to a chair.
Bruised.
Bleeding.
Barely conscious.
Soo-min's breath hitched.
"…This is—"
"…One of them," Min-jun said.
"…From last night."
The man lifted his head slightly.
His lips curved into a weak smile.
"…You came."
Jae-hyun stepped forward.
"…Talk."
The man laughed softly.
"…Straight to the point…"
Blood dripped from his chin.
"…I like that."
Jae-hyun's expression didn't change.
"…Who sent you?"
Silence.
"…You're running out of time."
The man tilted his head slightly.
"…So are you."
That answer—
Was wrong.
Jae-hyun grabbed his collar suddenly.
"Don't play games."
His voice dropped.
Dangerously low.
"…You attacked her."
A pause.
"…That was your mistake."
The man smirked.
"…No…"
A slow breath.
"…That was the plan."
Soo-min's heart stopped.
"…What?"
The man's eyes shifted.
Toward her.
"…You really don't understand, do you?"
Her chest tightened.
"…Understand what?"
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"…You're not the target."
Silence.
"…You're the bait."
Everything froze.
Soo-min felt like the ground disappeared beneath her.
"…No…"
She shook her head slightly.
"That's not—"
"It is."
The man interrupted calmly.
"…Everything we did…"
A pause.
"…was to pull him out."
His eyes moved back to Jae-hyun.
"…And it worked."
The room felt suffocating.
Jae-hyun's grip tightened.
"…Who's behind this?"
The man smiled again.
This time—
Wider.
"…Someone you trust."
Silence.
That word—
Echoed.
Trust.
Min-jun's expression darkened.
"…What are you saying?"
The man chuckled weakly.
"…You'll see."
Jae-hyun's eyes turned cold.
"…You're not leaving this room until you talk."
"…I already did."
A pause.
"…The traitor…"
His voice dropped.
"…is closer than you think."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Soo-min felt it.
The shift.
Something inside the room changed.
Subtly.
But enough.
Her eyes moved slowly.
From Jae-hyun…
To Min-jun…
To the men standing by the walls.
Someone here…?
Her heartbeat grew louder.
"…Stop looking around like that," the man muttered.
"…You won't figure it out."
Then—
Suddenly—
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
Darkness.
"Stay alert," Jae-hyun said instantly.
His voice calm.
But sharp.
Footsteps echoed.
Confused.
Fast.
"What's going on?!"
"Power outage!"
"Check the system!"
Voices overlapped.
Soo-min's breathing became uneven.
"…Jae-hyun?"
No answer.
Just his presence—
Close.
Then—
A sound.
A gun being loaded.
Her heart stopped.
"Down."
Jae-hyun's voice.
Firm.
She dropped instantly.
Gunshot.
A loud crack filled the room.
Screams followed.
Chaos exploded.
Lights came back—
And everything changed.
One of the guards—
Was on the ground.
Bleeding.
Another—
Pointing a gun.
At Jae-hyun.
"…Don't move."
Silence.
The traitor.
He smiled coldly.
"…Took you long enough to notice."
Min-jun's eyes widened.
"…You—"
"…Yes."
The man stepped forward.
Gun steady.
"…I'm the leak."
Soo-min's breath stopped.
"…Why?"
The man laughed softly.
"…Because power changes."
A pause.
"…And your prince here…"
His eyes darkened.
"…is losing control."
Jae-hyun didn't react.
But his gaze—
Turned deadly.
"…You chose the wrong side."
"…No."
The traitor smirked.
"…I chose the winning one."
He shifted the gun slightly.
Toward Soo-min.
"…And she's the key."
Everything slowed.
Jae-hyun moved.
But—
"Stop."
The gun pressed closer to Soo-min.
"…One more step…"
A pause.
"…and she dies."
Silence.
Deadly.
Jae-hyun froze.
For the first time—
He stopped.
Not because he couldn't fight.
But because—
He couldn't risk her.
"…That's it," the traitor smiled.
"…Now you understand."
Soo-min's body trembled.
Her mind screamed.
Move… do something…
But fear—
Held her still.
"…You said I was bait," she whispered.
The man tilted his head.
"…You are."
Her eyes shook.
"…Then let's end it."
Before anyone could react—
She moved.
Not fast.
Not perfect.
But enough.
She pushed the gun slightly—
Gunshot.
The bullet missed.
Jae-hyun didn't hesitate.
He moved instantly.
Closed the distance.
Disarmed the man.
A sharp удар—
The gun fell.
Another—
The traitor collapsed.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Final.
Jae-hyun stood there.
Breathing slow.
His eyes moved—
To Soo-min.
"…Are you hurt?"
She shook her head.
"…No…"
But her voice trembled.
"…I'm okay."
He stepped closer.
Checked her.
Carefully.
"…Don't do that again."
"…I had to."
A pause.
"…I'm not just going to stand there anymore."
Silence.
Something changed in his expression.
Not anger.
Not control.
Something deeper.
"…You're learning."
Her lips trembled slightly.
"…I don't want to."
"…Too late."
A small pause.
"…You already did."
Far away—
A phone buzzed.
"…The traitor failed."
A voice replied—
"…Then we move to the next phase."
A pause.
"…Bring the girl."
Back in the dim room—
The storm had only begun.
And now—
There was no turning back.