"A Quiet Start"

[4:00 AM – Safe House, Seoul, South Korea – Day Before the Application]

The early morning air was cold and quiet. Most of the city was still asleep, but Jahm wasn't. He was already in the garage, silently warming up the the vehicle purchased by Justice. His breath fogged slightly as he adjusted the mirrors and seat.

He hadn't slept much not because of nerves, but because he was used to this. Preparing in silence. Working while others rested.

He pulled out onto the quiet roads of Seoul. The sky was still dark, only the occasional cab,delivery truck and few people walking towards the bus stop and heading to their jobs passed him by Jahm while he is driving fast maneuvered through tight corners, ran precise stops, shifted smoothly between gears like he was in a drill.

"Focus. One shot at this. The Minister can't see even a scratch."

He practiced for nearly two hours—tight turns, sudden stops, reverse maneuvers, parking in narrow alleys—everything he could think of that might come up. It was his way of staying sharp, grounded, and ready for anything.

At the same time alarm buzzed softly, echoing in the modest two-bedroom apartment that Han Min-Yoon shared with her older sister. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as she mentally ran through her 12-hour hospital shift ahead. Her routine had become mechanical—wake up, get dressed, check her patients' charts through the hospital app, eat a quiet breakfast, and head out before the sun even rose.

She moved gently, careful not to wake Hanni. Her sister barely slept these days, often working late on her stories or pinning new connections to her wall of corruption.

In the kitchen, Min-Yoon toasted some bread and poured hot water into a thermos of instant coffee. She wore light brown scrubs, clean white sneakers, and tied her hair into a neat ponytail. She was also preparing her packed lunch for the day, which included a container of kimchi, a portion of bibimbap, and a few mandu

Before stepping out, she glanced at the small photo of their late father. His smile still made her heart ache.

"I'll be strong today, Appa," she whispered before slipping out the door.

Outside, the air was sharp with cold. She hugged her coat tighter around her as she walked to the bus stop a few blocks away.

As Min-Yoon walked past a narrow intersection, her attention was suddenly caught by the roar of an engine slicing through the quiet. Her eyes instinctively turned toward the sound.

A black Mustang blurred past the street—swift, smooth, like it belonged more on a racetrack than on Seoul's city roads. The car drifted tightly around a tight bend with a precision she had only ever seen in movies.

She froze for a moment, heart skipping a beat—not out of fear, but fascination. The way the driver handled the car... it was like the vehicle responded to his thoughts before his hands.

"Who drives like that this early in the morning?" she muttered, then shook her head and smiled slightly. "He's really good...but that's why many end up in the hospital because of those people who drive so fast just because there aren't many vehicles in the early morning"

She continued her walk, unaware that the man behind the wheel was about to change her life.

[6:00 AM – Han Residence – Morning of Han Hanni]

As Min-Yoon disappeared into the early crowd near the hospital, Han Hanni woke up with a groggy but sharp gaze. She stretched, glanced at her wall of clippings and notes, then grabbed her notebook and sat by her desk.

Today was no different. She was chasing the truth again—but now, her focus had widened. Aside from the Minister, she was now digging into a corrupt mayor of Incheon, Mayor Choi Sung-ho, rumored to be one of Kang's closest allies. If she could expose the mayor, the cracks in the Minister's empire might finally start to show.

She brewed a strong cup of coffee and checked her phone—no new tips yet, but she'd received confirmation for a source interview by the end of the week. Every detail mattered. Every piece of evidence brought her one step closer to justice.

she was on a bus to The Seoul Eye, the digital news outlet where she worked as a political reporter. No one there knew how personal this case had become. As far as they were concerned, she was just another passionate journalist. But inside, she was a daughter seeking retribution.

As she leaned her head against the bus window, she murmured, "You took him from us. Now I'll take everything from you."

By the time he returned to the safe house, the sun was just beginning to rise. Justice was still knocked out cold on the couch, snoring with his mouth open, half-hugging his laptop. Jahm chuckled slightly, took a quick shower, and prepared coffee.

As he sat down, Justice stirred awake from the smell.

"Bro… why do you smell like tire smoke?"

"Went out for a drive. Practiced."

"at dawn?" You insane?"

"It's called preparation. You should try it."

"I no longer need the preparation"

"Why did you sleep on the couch when you have a room?"

"I was a bit busy last night, so I ended up falling asleep here."

Justice shook his head and reached for his mug. He was about to sip when he remembered something important.

"Oh right—I texted the Minister's assistant while you were out. Told him I've got a candidate ready to apply for the driver job tomorrow."

"Did they confirm?"

"Yeah. They said show up at the compound tomorrow morning. You'll be driving the test car. No names mentioned, so they don't know who's coming yet."

"Perfect."

Justice yawned and rubbed his face.

"You know you might be up against someone good? I heard from one of my hacking forums that there's another applicant showing up Seo Joon-hyuk. Ex-delivery racer. Clean record. Guy drives like he was born behind the wheel."

"Minister doesn't know?"

"The minister knows, they say he has the highest chance of getting it for tomorrow."

Jahm leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. He had faced elite drivers before—but never under cover, never for a mission like this.

[That Night – Minister Kang's Residence]

Inside his private study, Minister Kang stared at a folder on his desk. His assistant stood beside him with a tablet, reviewing profiles.

"We need a driver who's not just skilled. He must be clean. Loyal. Quiet."

"It seems like the one you're looking for is really Seo Joon-hyuk"

"But who knows, there might be someone better than him but prepare the car. I'll be the judge."

He looked out his window, the moonlight reflecting off his garden's koi pond.

"If they don't impress me, send them away immediately"

[The Next Morning – Safe House]

Jahm suited up formal clothes, clean cut, no flash. He checked the time. Justice handed him a comms device and keys.

"Showtime. You nervous?"

"Never."

"Then go make the Minister fall in love with your driving."

As Jahm left the safe house, he didn't look back. He had no idea he was about to face one of the sharpest street racers in Seoul.

And the Minister had no idea that another driver would knock on his door.