Seungho hadn’t slept.
He stood by the window, tie loose, shirt cuffs rolled, eyes on the city that was both his crown and his cage. A faint reflection of himself glowed against the glass: the man he became when the world tried to touch what was his.
The door clicked.
“You called?”
“Report,” Seungho said without turning.
Jaewan came in, folder in hand. He looked like he’d been living out of caffeine and distrust.
“They’ve moved,” he began. “Quietly. Third-party intermediaries, cash payments. A couple of the contractors we blacklisted—fireproofing, event logistics—suddenly have new investors. Two old bouncers from Itaewon resurfaced. Nothing direct, but the pattern’s familiar.”
Seungho’s shoulders tightened.
“The Jangs.”
“Most likely.”
“They’re not done.”
“No. But still no overt threats. No paper trail. Just… coordination. It’s clean.”
Seungho turned then, slow and deliberate, the calm before a blade leaves its sheath.
“Double the detail on Sky.”
“Already did after the last letter he got.”
“Then double it again.”
“Seungho—”
“I don’t care if he can’t buy coffee without a shadow at the counter,” Seungho cut in. “Four men. Rotations every six hours. Eyes on every exit of the skating hall, the university, his building, Cha Yul’s club. Quiet, but absolute.”
Jaewan exhaled.
“You’re turning his life into a perimeter map.”
“If that keeps him breathing, I’ll draw the lines myself.”
A silence, thick enough to choke on.
Jaewan dropped the folder onto the desk.
“Look,” he said. “I get it. But you have to hold the line. The Jangs scheduled a face-to-face with you on the twenty-second, 6pm. If you cancel, they’ll smell fear. It’s a trap, sure, but it’s the kind we control if you show up. You miss it, they’ll know they rattled you.”
Seungho’s jaw flexed.
“And if something happens while I’m gone?”
“That’s why we keep the meeting. They won’t risk acting when your eyes are on them in daylight. Their kind likes shadows.”
“You’re gambling.”
“Always have been,” Jaewan said. “But this way we stay the ones holding the dice.”
Seungho rubbed a hand over his face, the motion almost violent.
