Chapitre 22: Hidden Scars

The morning after the battle against Crimson Shield, an unusually peaceful atmosphere settled over Lotus. Seo-jin woke slowly, his body aching but his mind surprisingly clear. A sliver of morning sunlight pierced through the shattered windows, casting luminous patterns across the damaged floor.

He turned his head slightly, almost expecting to see Min-ji asleep beside him, but she wasn't there. A small pang of disappointment settled in his chest. Slowly, he sat up, every muscle protesting the movement.

As he stepped into the main corridor, he found Min-ji seated on a dilapidated bench, carefully tending to a wound on her arm. She looked up, giving him a teasing smile.

"Sleep well, hero?"

Seo-jin smiled faintly, easing himself beside her. "Like the dead."

Min-ji rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement. "Very funny." Her expression turned serious as she inspected her injury again. "Think it'll get infected?"

Seo-jin gently took her arm, examining it closely. The cut was shallow but poorly cleaned, still swollen and red around the edges. "Maybe."

She sighed in frustration. "Great."

Without a word, Seo-jin stood up, returning moments later with a small, worn medical kit. He crouched before her, carefully pulling out a clean compress. "Hold still, this might sting."

Min-ji gritted her teeth but didn't flinch as he gently cleaned the wound. For a moment, they sat silently, interrupted only by distant, muffled sounds as Lotus gradually resumed its daily rhythm.

"You know," Min-ji spoke softly after a while, "I think I've forgotten what it's like to live without fighting."

Seo-jin looked up at her, surprise flickering in his eyes. "Really?"

She shrugged slightly, avoiding his gaze and staring at an invisible point on the wall. "It's been so long since all I've done is survive. Run, fight, repeat." She paused, as if the words hurt to speak. "But last night, after the battle, it felt different."

Seo-jin frowned slightly. "Different how?"

Slowly, she turned to meet his gaze, her features softening unexpectedly. "Different, like I finally know why I'm fighting."

Seo-jin felt his chest tighten slightly, moved despite himself by her sincerity. He finished bandaging her wound quietly, searching for the right words. "And… what are you fighting for now?" he finally asked softly.

Min-ji hesitated, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she looked away. "For this. For you, for us, for Lotus. Because I've finally found something worth staying alive for."

Seo-jin swallowed hard, startled by the intensity of her words. He sat down again beside her, a comfortable and genuine silence settling between them.

Finally, he whispered softly, "Me too."

A shy smile slowly brightened Min-ji's face, her shoulders visibly relaxing with his simple but deeply sincere confession.

A moment later, heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway. Ko appeared, his imposing figure filling the doorway. He paused briefly when he saw them together, raising a skeptical yet amused eyebrow.

"Cute," he growled. "But when you're done playing lovers, we have matters to discuss."

Min-ji sprang up abruptly, her cheeks reddening even further. "We're not playing, Ko."

He shrugged, turning away, a faint smile briefly crossing his lips. "If you say so. Hurry up, we have to plan our next moves."

Once he was gone, Min-ji exaggerated a sigh of exasperation. "I swear he enjoys embarrassing us."

Seo-jin chuckled softly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I think he's just relieved we're alive."

She smiled weakly, standing and slowly stretching her aching body.

A few days after the confrontation with Crimson Shield, a palpable tension had settled over Lotus. Seo-jin felt this pressure every morning upon waking, a quiet and constant unease that seemed to weigh heavily on everyone. He knew the temporary peace wouldn't last.

That morning, Ko abruptly summoned Seo-jin and Min-ji to the main hall. His grave expression bode ill.

"Black Sun is attacking Sector Eleven," he announced without preamble. "They want to claim territory before Crimson Shield can regroup."

Seo-jin crossed his arms, frowning anxiously. "Do you think we can really stop them this time?"

Ko nodded slowly, his eyes hard with determination. "We have no choice. If Black Sun takes that sector, it'll put us in too vulnerable a position."

Min-ji leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, a provocative smile on her lips despite the seriousness of the situation. "Then let's go. We'll show them they can't do whatever they want without consequences."

Ko nodded again, but Seo-jin noticed concern flicker briefly in his gaze. "Be careful," he murmured, averting his eyes. "Black Sun won't take prisoners."

A few hours later, Seo-jin and Min-ji carefully approached Sector Eleven. The streets were eerily silent, the heavy sky feeling about to burst. The tension was palpable, quickening their heartbeats.

"Do you feel it?" Min-ji whispered cautiously, glancing suspiciously around them.

Seo-jin nodded slowly. "Yes, they're close."

As if responding to their intuition, a rough voice suddenly echoed from a nearby alley. Dae-won, the brutal leader of Black Sun, emerged in front of them with a handful of armed fighters, clearly eager for battle.

"Well, if it isn't Lotus' famous heroes!" he sneered, laughing mockingly. "You always show up at the worst times."

Min-ji stepped forward, eyes blazing defiantly. "Someone has to stop idiots like you."

Dae-won smirked cruelly, signaling his men discreetly to spread out. "You talk big for someone about to die."

Min-ji returned the smile, wild and bold. "You can try, but I can't guarantee your survival."

Without further warning, violence erupted instantly. Seo-jin reacted immediately, fracturing space around them to disorient their enemies. Min-ji plunged into the fight explosively, her fists wrapped in compressed air, every strike unleashing powerful shockwaves.

Black Sun's fighters were numerous and organized, but Seo-jin and Min-ji moved instinctively in sync, covering each other without speaking. Every dodge, every attack, every breath was perfectly coordinated.

Seo-jin narrowly avoided a blade slicing toward his face, immediately retaliating by fracturing the ground, flinging his attacker into a wall. Min-ji leaped behind him, sending two assailants flying with a powerful gust.

"Holding up?" she shouted through the chaos, breathless but exhilarated.

Seo-jin offered a tight smile, quickly wiping blood from his cheek. "As long as you're here, yes."

She grinned brightly before diving back into the fray, renewing her determination. They continued fighting fiercely despite the growing fatigue.

Seeing his forces dwindle, Dae-won roared and charged at Seo-jin, dark fragment energy pulsing dangerously. Exhausted yet determined, Seo-jin braced for the attack when Min-ji suddenly intercepted, blocking the blow intended for him.

"Min-ji!" he shouted in horror.

She grimaced from the impact but stood firm, fiercely pushing Dae-won away. "I'm fine! Focus!" she gasped.

Seizing the opportunity, Seo-jin unleashed a massive fracture that threw Dae-won to the ground. Wounded and humiliated, Dae-won rose shakily, glaring murderously before disappearing into the shadows.

Seo-jin fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Min-ji sank beside him, equally breathless but triumphantly smiling.

"Told you we'd do it," she murmured tiredly but happily.

Seo-jin nodded slowly, a weary smile on his lips. "You were right."