Season 2 - Nocturne

That evening Seung Min walked slowly among the neatly lined graves, a bouquet of white flowers clenched tightly in his hand. The soft evening breeze rustled the falling leaves. His steps halted before two adjacent headstones. His gaze fell upon the names engraved on the stone: his father and his mother.

He crouched down, gently placing the flowers on the graves. Silence surrounded him—only the rustling leaves and the faint wind filled the air. His memories drifted back...

"Seung Min, come exercise with me. Your body needs to move," his father's voice echoed in his mind.

"No, I'm tired! Why bother?" His past response now felt foolish. If only he had known how little time they had left...

His eyes welled up. Taking a deep breath, he tried to push back the lump forming in his throat. Yet another memory surfaced—

Just a week ago, during martial arts training...

They had been sitting on the empty training grounds, both exhausted.

Hae Jin lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Seung Min... Ever since I ended up in your body, everything's been a mess. Your parents... everything... it's my fault."

Seung Min had gazed at the orange-tinged sky. "No... You're not to blame. You've helped a lot. I've... accepted it."

Hae Jin's voice had cracked. "Still... Seung Min-a... I'm sorry."

That memory struck him like a lightning bolt. Seung Min stood facing the gravestones, his tears finally falling. "I'll be okay... I'll keep going..." he whispered.

As he walked back to his sports bike, his phone vibrated. Jin Seok's name flashed on the screen. Hesitating for a moment, Seung Min answered.

"What is it?" His voice was cold.

"There's... an interesting show tonight. Come if you want to see how it ends," Jin Seok's voice sounded relaxed but carried a dark undertone.

Without another word, Seung Min started his bike and sped off. The night wind cut against his skin, but his thoughts were colder.

At the abandoned building—

Dim lights barely illuminated the scene inside. Bodies lay sprawled across the floor, groaning in pain. The air was thick with the smell of blood and sweat. At the center stood Jin Seok, looking unfazed. His clothes were disheveled, stained with blood splatters.

Seung Min killed the engine, stepped off his bike, and took in the scene. His gaze hardened. Slowly, he approached, pulling a knife from his jacket pocket. Tension thickened—one wrong move could ignite everything.

But instead of striking, Seung Min placed a hand on Jin Seok's shoulder.

"Hey... old friend," he said quietly but firmly. "I'd rather break the rules... than stand by while people are treated like this."

With that, Seung Min turned and walked away, not looking back.

Jin Seok stood still, watching his retreating figure. His expression was unreadable, something stirring beneath the surface.

In the shadows, Min Joon clicked his tongue. "Tch... acting like a hero."

The wind swept through the empty space, carrying the weight of the silence left behind.

But this... was far from over. It was only the beginning.

At Seung Min's House The rapid clicking of buttons echoed from the living room.

"Come on, come on! Attack from the left!" Dae Hyun shouted, tilting his body as if it would somehow influence the game.

"Relax, I've got my strategy set!" Jin Ho shot back, eyes glued to the screen displaying an intense fighting match.

The front door creaked open. Seung Min stepped inside, lazily kicking off his shoes. His body ached from the earlier events, but a faint aroma of instant noodles reminded him how hungry he was.

"Hey, you're back," Jin Ho greeted without looking away from the TV, fingers still tapping away at the controller.

"Win a round for me," Seung Min replied briefly.

He trudged toward his room, tossing his jacket onto a nearby chair. After a quick shower, he emerged, towel-drying his hair. Droplets of water slid down from his damp strands.

Lee So Mi, his younger sister, emerged from the kitchen holding a glass of water. Her eyes followed him as he passed by.

"Oppa..." she called softly.

"Hm?" Seung Min paused, glancing at her.

"Did you... go to Mom and Dad's grave again?" she asked hesitantly.

Seung Min froze. The question was simple but hit deep.

"You... always go there, don't you?" So Mi continued, her voice laced with concern.

Seung Min lowered his gaze. In his heart, he reflected:

"Ever since Hae Jin has been in this body... after Mom and Dad died... he's always visited their grave. The guilt... it's been too heavy for him."

He exhaled slowly, pushing back the swirl of emotions.

"I just... wanted to clear my head," he finally responded.

So Mi studied him for a moment, then nodded. "If you need anything... just tell me. You don't have to carry it all alone."

A faint, bittersweet smile tugged at Seung Min's lips.

"Thanks."

Back in the living room, Dae Hyun let out a triumphant cheer, "YEAH! I won again!"

Jin Ho grumbled, "That's cheating! You saw me talking just now!"

Seung Min merely shook his head at them, warmth and an odd heaviness mingling in his chest.

That night, amidst the soothing silence, the weight on his shoulders refused to lift...

Elsewhere, Hae Jin, now in Kie Ran's body, sat in a dimly lit corner, the pale glow from his phone illuminating his face. His fingers moved swiftly, opening a secret chat he had just received. Each message contained clues—pieces of a puzzle he had been desperately trying to solve.

His eyes narrowed as he read through the lines.

"...all traces lead to Jin Seok..."

Hae Jin clenched his jaw. "So it's true... everything ties back to him."

Meanwhile, in the underground parking lot, the atmosphere was tense. Dim overhead lights flickered above rows of neatly parked cars. In a shadowy corner, the sharp sounds of punches and muffled groans shattered the silence.

Jae Hoon stumbled forward, his arm yanked harshly by Jin Woo, whose face remained cold and expressionless. Blood dripped from Jae Hoon's battered form, his clothes torn and smeared with dirt. Behind them, Do Jin delivered another blow to his abdomen, making him double over in pain.

"Stop... I told you—I don't know anything," Jae Hoon gasped, blood staining the corner of his mouth.

"Don't lie," Jin Woo's gaze hardened. "Do you think we're fools?"

They shoved him toward a black car. Jin Woo glanced at Do Jin.

"Get him inside."

Without hesitation, Do Jin grabbed Jae Hoon and forced him into the backseat. Jae Hoon struggled, but exhaustion weighed him down.

With a heavy thud, the door slammed shut. Jin Woo pulled out his phone and dialed.

"It's done. We have him."

On the other end, a deep voice responded curtly, "Make sure he talks."

The car engine roared to life, pulling out of the parking lot, leaving behind only a dark stain of blood on the cold concrete floor.

In a dimly lit room, Min Joon leaned against the window, phone pressed to his ear. The city lights flickered in the distance, casting a faint glow that outlined his face, twisted in a smirk.

"The betrayal starts tomorrow," he said smoothly, his voice laced with satisfaction.

He paused, gazing at his reflection in the glass. His eyes darkened, filled with malicious delight.

"Jin Seok won't stand a chance this time."

Lowering his voice, he added,

"Sorry, dear stepbrother... You've always been on top—"

A soft, cruel chuckle escaped his lips. "But soon, you'll be the one getting trampled."

The call ended with a quiet click. Slipping his phone into his pocket, Min Joon's smirk lingered, savoring the looming taste of victory.

Meanwhile, at Lee Joo Hyun's office, an unsettling calm filled the air.

Jin Seok sat composed in the chair across from his father's polished wooden desk. His posture was relaxed—too relaxed for someone supposedly cornered. Fingers interlaced, he leaned back slightly, gaze unwavering.

The office exuded understated luxury: shelves lined with books, awards gleaming under soft lighting, and framed photographs of business partnerships meticulously arranged. Before him, a glass of untouched whiskey sat on the desk, its amber hue glinting under the pendant light above.

Beneath the calm surface, a storm churned silently. A faint smile tugged at the corner of Jin Seok's lips. "Let them try," he thought. "This game... is only just beginning."

In the school office at night, the room was silent, filled only with the rapid clicking of keyboard keys. The glow from the laptop screen illuminated Nina Park's focused face as her eyes scanned through lines of data—secret files, recorded notes, and intricate diagrams. Her brow furrowed, absorbing every detail.

"This goes deeper than I thought," she muttered under her breath, pausing before resuming her typing.

Meanwhile, in the parking garage of another building, Jin Seok's steady footsteps echoed across the concrete floor. Dim parking lights cast long shadows over the neatly parked cars. His phone vibrated in his pocket, breaking the silence. Without slowing his pace, he pulled it out and answered.

"Yeah," he greeted briefly.

On the other end, Shin Kyung's concerned voice came through.

"Are you alright? I... I'm suspicious of Min Joon. I'm worried he'll pull something like last time. If our plan falls apart, your father might end up taking the blame for a huge mess," Shin Kyung warned, tension clear in his tone.

Jin Seok stopped beside his car, exhaling slowly. His gaze drifted into the distance, weighing the worst-case scenarios Shin Kyung described. Yet his voice remained calm and composed.

"Just stick to the plan," he said. "You're the one controlling the game, aren't you? Make sure Min Joon doesn't mess it up again."

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Shin Kyung finally replied, "Got it... I'll make sure everything goes smoothly."

Ending the call, Jin Seok slipped his phone back into his pocket. His eyes sharpened as a breeze rustled his jacket. This game isn't over yet.

🎵 "God's Menu" – Stray Kids