"Betrayal"

Seung Min stood in front of the two coffins about to be cremated. His eyes were empty, his body felt light, as if his soul was being burned along with the fire that would consume his parents.

Behind him, Jae Hoon, Dae Hyun, and Jin Ho stood in silence. They were still struggling to process everything. Just yesterday, Seung Min was laughing and going to school with them, and now he stood alone, orphaned.

The entire class had been talking about it that morning. Rumors spread like wildfire—his father's accident, his mother's murder. But for the three of them, the bitter truth was that they knew nothing. They weren't there when everything happened.

Without hesitation, they skipped school and headed straight to the funeral.

Seung Min clenched his hands, staring downward with an unreadable expression. Then, in a quiet voice, he muttered, "Forgive me…"

Jin Ho and Dae Hyun exchanged glances. Jae Hoon watched Seung Min's back with frustration—not because he was angry at him, but because he hated seeing Seung Min like this—broken, as if he had given up.

A short distance away, Lee So Mi stood in silence. Her expression was blank, but her eyes burned with resentment.

As the atmosphere grew heavier, a man approached. His face was somewhat familiar, yet something about him felt distant.

The man stopped directly in front of Seung Min, staring at him intently.

Seung Min frowned, turning to face him. "Who are you?"

The man let out a deep sigh, his eyes weary. "Why did you forget me, Seung Min?"

Seung Min didn't respond, only staring at the man in confusion.

"I'm your uncle," the man continued, his voice heavy. "Forgive me… for failing to protect your family."

Seung Min remained silent. His eyes slowly fell to the name tag on the man's chest.

And the moment he read that name, his mind spiraled into deeper chaos.

Jin Ho, Jae Hoon, and Dae Hyun finally arrived at the cremation site. Their breaths were still slightly ragged from rushing, but as soon as they saw Seung Min, they walked straight toward him.

Jin Ho remained silent, his eyes staring blankly at Seung Min, who stood stiffly in front of the altar. Jae Hoon crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at the heavy atmosphere. Dae Hyun, usually the most cheerful among them, looked awkward. He scratched the back of his neck before glancing at Lee So Mi, who stood a little farther away with her head bowed.

Without hesitation, Dae Hyun approached her, trying to offer some comfort. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked softly.

Lee So Mi didn't respond immediately. Her eyes were vacant, her mind still consumed by last night's events. Slowly, she turned to look at Dae Hyun and gave a small nod, though it was clear she was still shaken.

But before the moment could settle, someone suddenly appeared in front of them.

Jin Seok.

He arrived alone, dressed in all black, his expression unreadable. With calm steps, he walked toward the altar and placed a bouquet of white flowers on it. "My condolences," he said softly, his voice carrying a rare sincerity.

The entire room fell silent, especially Seung Min.

His eyes burned with rage. His jaw clenched, his breathing heavy. Without warning, he grabbed Jin Seok's collar and yanked him forward.

"Are you behind all of this?!" Seung Min's voice trembled with fury, his gaze filled with nothing but hatred.

Jin Ho instinctively moved to intervene, but Jae Hoon stopped him. "Wait," he whispered.

Yet, Jin Seok remained calm. He stared at Seung Min, completely unbothered. His lips curved slightly—but not into a smile.

"I'm not the culprit," Jin Seok replied in a low, steady voice. "I came here because you were once my close friend. I just wanted to pay my respects."

Seung Min's grip loosened slightly, though his glare remained.

Jin Seok adjusted his collar, brushing off the wrinkles. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

Dae Hyun, Jin Ho, and Jae Hoon exchanged glances.

They all knew—this wasn't over.

In the grand and elegant office, Lee Joo Hyun sat calmly at his desk, his fingers busy typing on his laptop. In the corner of the room, Jin Seok lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, but his gaze was sharp and serious.

He stared at his father and asked in a flat tone, "Do you know anything about Seung Min's parents' deaths?"

Lee Joo Hyun paused his work for a moment, looking at his son with a sharp yet composed gaze. "How could I have killed them?" he said with a sigh. "Seung Min is your old friend, and I have no grudge or issue with his family."

Jin Seok remained silent, his expression unreadable.

Lee Joo Hyun continued, "I only ordered Min Joon to retrieve some evidence from Ms. Park's house. That's all."

Jin Seok's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then who's the culprit?" he muttered to himself.

Without waiting for an answer, Lee Joo Hyun pulled out a folder and a flash drive from his drawer. He placed them on the table and slid them toward Jin Seok. "This is the evidence Min Joon gave me."

Jin Seok stared at the items, deep in thought. Then, without a word, he got up from the sofa, pulled out his phone, and dialed Min Joon.

"Where are you now?"

After receiving an answer, Jin Seok grabbed his black coat and left the office to meet Min Joon.

Inside the dimly lit, abandoned hideout, Jin Seok and Min Joon stood alone. The air was thick with tension, heavy and suffocating.

Without warning, Jin Seok slapped Min Joon hard. The sharp sound echoed through the empty space.

"Damn you, Min Joon!" Jin Seok growled, his jaw clenched tight. "What the hell did you do?"

Min Joon touched his reddened cheek but kept his composure despite Jin Seok's piercing glare. "I already told you, it wasn't me! I only told Jung Ha Joon to take care of Miss Park. That's all!"

Hearing that name made Jin Seok's eyes narrow even further. In an instant, he drove a powerful punch straight into Min Joon's stomach.

"Ugh—!" Min Joon collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air as fresh blood dripped from his nose.

Slowly lifting his head, he looked up at Jin Seok, his expression a mix of pain, anger, and fear. "Damn it… I told you, I didn't kill them…" he muttered, his voice trembling from the pain.

Jin Seok remained standing, his breathing heavy. He stared down at Min Joon, trying to make sense of everything. But one thing was becoming clear—

someone else was behind all of this.

Min Joon remained on the floor, blood dripping from his nose. His breath was ragged, not from pain—but from the fury burning inside him.

Jin Seok, now standing at the doorway, looked down at his stepbrother with a cold gaze. "Listen carefully, Min Joon. Stay out of this. This isn't a game for you."

His tone was firm, not just a warning but a threat. Without waiting for a response, Jin Seok turned and left, disappearing into the night.

Silence filled the empty space.

Then, Min Joon smirked, wiping the blood from his nose with the back of his hand. His eyes burned with anger—but there was something else, too— a dangerous excitement.

"That bastard…" he muttered under his breath, his voice barely a whisper. "He actually hit and slapped me? Hah… interesting."

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips, but his gaze remained sharp. Min Joon wasn't going to let this slide.

Meanwhile, Jung Ha Joon walked casually along the sidewalk after school. His steps were light, but his expression was unreadable—a faint smirk played on his lips, yet his gaze was cold and sharp.

The evening air was chilly, but it didn't bother him. He looked like someone who thrived in chaos, someone who found amusement in the unfolding events.

As he passed through a quiet alley, he paused for a moment, leaning his shoulder against a brick wall with ease. His phone vibrated in his pocket. With one hand, he pulled it out and read the new message.

A message from Min Joon:

"What about Ms. Park? I hope you didn't mess around with your task."

Jung Ha Joon smirked before replying briefly.

"I always finish my work cleanly, don't I? But there's something far more interesting now."

He sent the message and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Stepping out of the alley, he looked up at the darkening sky and let out a quiet chuckle.

"It looks like this is just the beginning."

Shin Kyung sat in the back seat of his black car, the glow of the streetlights reflecting off the tinted windows. His sharp eyes were locked onto Min Joon, who was walking alone in the distance. His fingers tapped idly against his phone as he dialed a number.

After a few rings, Jin Seok picked up.

"What?" Jin Seok's voice was cold and impatient.

Shin Kyung smirked, watching as Min Joon's posture stiffened slightly, as if he could feel the weight of his gaze.

"It looks like your little brother is getting ambitious," Shin Kyung said smoothly, his voice laced with amusement. "I don't think he's satisfied staying in your shadow anymore."

There was a pause on the other end before Jin Seok responded.

"Explain."

Shin Kyung exhaled a soft chuckle and leaned back against the seat. His men sat silently around him, waiting for his next move.

"He's gathering people, Jin Seok. Quietly, but surely. The way he's moving… it's like he's preparing for something big. And trust me, I don't think it's just about getting back at you for that punch."

Jin Seok remained silent for a few seconds before replying.

"Keep an eye on him. Report everything."

Shin Kyung's smirk widened.

"Of course. But tell me something, Jin Seok… What will you do when your own blood turns against you?"

Jin Seok's voice came through the phone, low and emotionless.

"If he wants to play dirty, then I'll remind him who's really in charge."

With that, the call ended.

Shin Kyung pocketed his phone and glanced at his men.

"Follow Min Joon. Let's see just how far he plans to go."

🎵 "God's Menu" – Stray Kids