Chapter 26: Ryu Taesan

The night stretched long and quiet, the dim glow of streetlights flickering above as Sera walked alone down the familiar path toward our apartment.

Or at least, that's what it looked like.

In reality, Dohyun and I were there, watching from the shadows.

We had spent days waiting for this moment, studying every detail of the past CCTV footage. The attacker wasn't just following Sera—he knew her routine. He knew where she worked, what time she usually came home, and even the places she stopped along the way.

That meant he was watching closely.

Which also meant—tonight, he would take the bait.

I gripped my phone tightly, my heartbeat steady but my body coiled with tension. I hated this plan. Hated making Sera the bait.

But we needed to draw him out.

And then—

My phone vibrated.

A message from Sera.

Sera: I think someone's following me.

I sucked in a sharp breath and quickly typed back.

Me: Where exactly?

Sera: Across the street. Black hoodie. He stops when I stop.

I lifted my gaze, scanning the area ahead. Then, I saw him.

A shadow lurking just beyond the streetlights, his hood pulled low, his stance rigid and alert.

Dohyun, who had been monitoring from the other side, met my eyes and gave a small nod. We had him.

Now, we just had to wait for him to make his move.

10:35 PM

The man hesitated, his head tilting slightly as he watched Sera from a distance.

Then—he took a step forward.

I felt every muscle in my body tense.

Sera must have sensed it too, because she stopped walking for a brief second.

And that's when it happened.

The attacker must have realized something was off. Because suddenly—he turned and bolted.

"Shit—MOVE!" I barked at Dohyun before launching forward.

The chase began.

The man was fast, dodging between parked cars, vaulting over low fences, weaving through the narrow alleys like he had done it a thousand times before.

But we were faster.

I pushed harder, my pulse hammering in my ears as I closed the gap between us.

Dohyun, never one to let a target escape, veered off to the side, scanning for an opening. Then, suddenly, his eyes landed on something.

A discarded brick near the alley's entrance.

Without a second thought, he grabbed it.

And before the attacker could take another step—Dohyun hurled the brick straight at his leg.

CRACK.

The sound of impact echoed in the night.

The attacker let out a sharp cry, his leg buckling as he collapsed onto the ground.

I didn't hesitate.

I lunged, tackling him before he could crawl away.

His body twisted beneath me, struggling, but I pressed my knee into his spine, pinning him down.

"Got you, bastard."

His breath came in harsh pants as he thrashed beneath my grip.

Dohyun caught up, panting slightly but grinning. "That was way too easy."

I ignored him, gripping the attacker's hoodie and yanking it back to see his face.

And then—I froze.

My breath caught in my throat.

My entire body locked up.

Because staring back at me, his face twisted in pain and rage—

Huh Hajoon.

My assistant.

The man I had worked with every day. The man I had trusted with confidential reports, sensitive company details—

The man who had been standing right beside me this whole time.

Sera let out a sharp gasp, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Hajoon hyung?" Her voice trembled. "No. That can't be—"

Dohyun, who had been looking smug just seconds ago, now stood completely still, his brows furrowing in disbelief.

"Wait. You know this guy?"

I swallowed hard, my fingers still gripping Hajoon's collar. My mind was racing.

How?

Why?

Hajoon hyung's lips curled into a smirk, despite the pain. "You weren't supposed to figure it out this soon."

I felt a surge of rage and betrayal crawl up my spine.

"You." My voice was low, dangerous. "It was you this whole time."

He chuckled weakly, his breath uneven. "Not just me."

Sera took a step back, her body visibly trembling. "You worked for my father, didn't you?"

Hajoon hyung's smirk deepened. "Still do."

My grip on his collar tightened.

Because now—this wasn't just about catching an attacker.

This was about stopping a traitor.

And I was going to make sure he regretted ever getting close to us.

The ride to the Seoul Gangnam Police Station was silent.

Sera sat beside me in the back of the car, her arms wrapped around herself, her face pale. She hadn't said a word since Hajoon was arrested.

I didn't blame her.

I could barely process it myself.

Huh Hajoon. My assistant. The man I had trusted, worked with every day.

He had been the one watching her all along.

The realization left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I looked at her hands—they were trembling.

I reached out, gently placing my hand over hers. She flinched slightly but didn't pull away.

"It's over, Sera," I murmured.

She let out a shaky breath but didn't answer.

And somehow, I knew—it wasn't over for her. Not yet.

Seoul Gangnam Police Station – Interrogation Room

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a harsh glow over the cold, gray walls.

Hajoon hyung sat at the metal table, handcuffed, completely calm.

Too calm.

 Seok Hanbin and Seok Hana, the twin senior detectives, stood by the door, arms crossed, their expressions unreadable.

I sat on the other side of the glass, watching. Sera was beside me, silent, her gaze locked on the man she once never even knew existed.

Chief of the Investigation Division, Kim Jihoon, sat across from Hajoon hyung, flipping through the file. He finally looked up.

"Huh Hajoon. Thirty-four years old. No prior criminal record. No suspicious activities—at least, nothing we caught before now. Care to explain how a regular office worker became a stalker and attempted murderer?"

Hajoon hyung let out a low chuckle.

"Stalker?" He tilted his head. "That's such an ugly word."

Jihoon hyung's gaze remained cold. "Then what would you call it?"

Hajoon hyung sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Love."

Sera visibly stiffened beside me.

Park Jeonghan, the prosecutor, sat beside Jihoon, his expression blank but sharp.

"You call this love?" Park Jeonghan asked.

Hajoon hyung chuckled again, the sound slow, deliberate.

"I call it devotion."

Sera's breath hitched. My fists clenched.

Hajoon hyung leaned forward, his voice quieter now, almost tender. "I've loved Sera since she was in high school."

Silence filled the room.

Sera froze.

Detectives Hanbin and Hana exchanged a sharp glance.

 Jihoon hyung remained calm, but I saw his fingers tighten slightly around the file. "Explain."

Hajoon hyung exhaled softly, as if reminiscing. "She doesn't remember me. Of course, she doesn't. She never even looked at me."

His gaze drifted toward the mirror, as if he knew we were watching.

"We were neighbors. But to her, I didn't exist. I was just another person living on the same street. She never knew that every morning, I watched her leave for school. That I walked the same paths she did, memorized the times she came home, learned her routines."

I felt Sera tense beside me.

"She was… breathtaking," he continued, his voice disturbingly soft. "The way she smiled, the way she talked to her friends. But there was one problem—"

His eyes darkened. "Other men."

Sera inhaled sharply.

"She was always surrounded by them. Laughing with them. Letting them stand too close to her. And I…" He smiled, tilting his head. "I couldn't allow that."

Park Jeonghan's gaze remained steady. "So what did you do?"

Hajoon hyung's smirk grew. "Accidents happen, Prosecutor."

My stomach twisted.

Sera let out a sharp breath, gripping the edge of her seat.

"What do you mean by that?" Park Jeonghan's voice was dangerously quiet.

Hajoon hyung shrugged. "A few of them stopped talking to her, didn't they? Some transferred schools. Some suddenly wanted nothing to do with her."

Sera's face turned white.

"You…" her voice was barely a whisper. "You were the reason…?"

Hajoon hyung grinned, tilting his head. "Oh, Sera, I did it all for you."

I shot up from my seat, but Dohyun grabbed my arm.

"Taesan, don't."

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to sit back down, but my hands shook with anger.

Hajoon hyung's expression darkened, his amusement still there but layered with something sinister. "I would've kept watching forever. But then you came along."

His eyes flicked to me, full of pure hatred. "You ruined everything."

I felt a sharp, cold rage crawl up my spine.

So that's why he targeted me. That's why he got close.

He wanted to get rid of me.

Hajoon hyung smirked, tilting his head. "You made it so easy, you know? All I had to do was get a job at your company. Be your little assistant. Earn your trust."

My fists clenched at my sides. "You bastard."

He leaned in slightly, eyes gleaming. "And then, I found her father."

Silence.

Sera sucked in a sharp breath.

Even Detectives Hanbin and Hana exchanged glances.

I felt my entire body stiffen. "...What?"

Hajoon hyung's smirk widened. "Yoon Seok. I searched for him. I tracked him down. Once, I even took his photo from you." He laughed, a sickening sound. "I told you it was to help you find him, didn't I?"

I remembered that day.

I had trusted him.

I had handed him that damn photo myself.

Hajoon hyung's voice was quiet but dripping with madness. "When I met him, I thought, 'How pathetic. A father wanting to kill his own daughter.'" He let out a breathy laugh. "And then, I understood him."

Sera staggered backward, her face pale.

"You… wanted to kill me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Hajoon hyung sighed dramatically. "Sera, Sera, Sera… you never would've been mine. I knew that. You would've rejected me the moment I spoke to you. You would've looked at me like you're looking at me now—like I'm disgusting."

His smile turned cold. "So if I couldn't have you… no one could."

Sera's breath caught. Her whole body trembled.

I slammed my fist against the glass.

"You sick bastard."

Detective Hanbin immediately stepped forward, grabbing Hajoon by the collar.

"Enough," he said coldly. "You're done talking."

But before detective Hana could push him out of the room, Kim Jihoon's voice cut through the tension.

"No. Not done."

Everyone turned toward the Chief of the Investigation Division.

Jihoon hyung's expression was unreadable, his sharp gaze locked onto Hajoon hyung.

"Where is Yoon Seok now?"

A tense silence filled the room.

Hajoon hyung's smirk wavered for the first time.

I straightened. That reaction alone told me everything.

He knew.

He knew where Sera's father was.

Jihoon hyung leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. "Talk."

Hajoon hyung let out a breathy chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "You're persistent, aren't you?"

Jihoon hyung didn't react. "Where. Is. He?"

Hajoon hyung exhaled, tilting his head. "Somewhere safe, I imagine. He wouldn't be stupid enough to stick around after I got caught."

Jihoon hyung's eyes darkened. "You met him. You worked with him. You helped him track Sera. You expect me to believe you don't know where he is?"

Hajoon hyung sighed dramatically. "I didn't say I don't know. I just said he wouldn't be where you last saw him."

"Then where is he now?" Detective Hana snapped, stepping forward. "Don't play games."

Hajoon hyung's lips curled into a slow smile. "You think he's hiding?"

Jihoon hyung's fingers tapped against the table. "What do you mean?"

Hajoon hyung's grin widened. "You think Yoon Seok is the type to run? No. He's waiting."

I stiffened. "Waiting for what?"

Hajoon hyung turned his gaze toward Sera through the glass.

She froze.

And then he whispered, "For her."

The room went silent.

A sharp, cold dread settled in my chest.

Jihoon hyung's expression didn't change, but I could see the shift in his posture.

Hajoon hyung leaned back, his voice disturbingly casual. "You don't get it, do you? You think he's hiding somewhere, afraid of getting caught? Yoon Seok doesn't care about that."

He chuckled darkly. "He wants to finish what he started. And the only thing stopping him—" his gaze flickered to me, "is you."

My breathing slowed.

I already knew what he was trying to say.

Yoon Seok wasn't going to wait forever.

He was going to make his next move.

And he was coming for Sera.