Chapter 17 : Scene Reenactment

Rembrandt-like lighting filtered through the hospital window, casting reflections on the pristine white floor. Inside the hospital's VIP room, Daejin sat by Soyou's bedside, watching the girl—who now looked much better—leaning gently against her pillow.

Soyou offered him a faint smile.

"Thank you again, Oppa... for saving me. I don't even want to think about what could've happened if you came any later."

Daejin returned her smile calmly.

"You don't need to thank me. Of course I came for you. Didn't I say I'd always protect you?"

Soyou's smile warmed even more as she looked at Daejin with affection.

"I'm not trying to control your life, especially since a pretty teenager like you is at the peak of her rebellious years. But Oppa gets worried, so please, just let me know where you are, so I can make sure you're safe. Okay?"

"Since when have I ever been rebellious, Oppaaaa…" Soyou pouted in protest.

"Haha, just humor me."

She eventually nodded, chuckling with him.

A soft knock came at the door a moment later. Her parents entered, faces drawn with worry. Her mother rushed to hug Soyou, while her father nodded politely at Daejin.

"We're sorry, Mr. Daejin… We're truly grateful you saved Soyou once again," the father said with sincerity.

Daejin stood up and bowed respectfully.

"I only did what I could. Please take good care of Soyou. I'll take my leave now, sir, ma'am."

He then gently patted Soyou's head, said goodbye once more, and walked out with composed steps.

But as Soyou watched his retreating back, her mind drifted elsewhere.

She was grateful for Daejin… but the memory of the man who had been with her in the warehouse wouldn't fade.

That man—his face, his presence—still lingered. He'd been tied up, yet he'd fought to protect her from the kidnappers. His movements were swift, precise, full of resolve. Even with his hands bound, he still tried to shield her.

And what baffled her most was how someone with no apparent internal energy, no real momentum, could land such powerful blows. His face… it felt strangely familiar.

Who was he...? I swear I've seen him before.

Her thoughts were in disarray. Not because Daejin lacked meaning to her—but that man, despite being older and plain in appearance, felt more real. More… alive.

…

Not far from the hospital, inside a black van parked in a dim alley, Daejin sat in the back seat with two muscular men—the same thugs who had kidnapped Soyou.

One of them clutched his badly bruised stomach, still hurting from Daejin and Jinhyuk's earlier assault.

Before Daejin even spoke, the man quickly explained Soyou's condition, afraid Daejin might punish them.

"We're sorry, Mr. Daejin. When we tried to grab Miss Soyou, she put up a real fight. We had no choice but to use force… that's why she ended up with those injuries. Please forgive us."

Daejin waved his hand dismissively.

"It's fine. That actually made everything look more realistic. But… why did you grab the guy too?"

The other thug answered,

"He came out of that martial arts building while I was on watch. He saw me. We thought he might be a skilled fighter and witnessed the kidnapping. Rather than risk it, we decided to take him down too. Surprisingly, he was pretty easy to handle."

Daejin nodded slowly.

"I see… Well, at least he didn't ruin our plan. What matters is, everything's moving in the right direction. Soyou is getting closer to me."

He gazed out the window, muttering,

"Hero saves the beauty… Such a classic. I don't know why so many women fall for it, but it always works as a manipulation tool."

Leaning back in his seat, Daejin let a faint smirk appear.

"If that's what gets her to open up, that's good enough for me. Good job, both of you."

He pulled out a small bag, handing over a wad of cash to one of the men.

"This is your payment. Now leave the city. Don't show your faces again. The police might start searching, so be careful."

Both men nodded and quickly disappeared down the alley.

Daejin looked up at the sky, where the moon had begun to climb higher.

"Soyou was never meant to be part of Jinhyuk's fate," he whispered. "She was supposed to be with Lee Gyeol… So why is Jinhyuk involved? Is this a domino effect? I don't know. As long as it doesn't interfere with my plans…"

He exhaled slowly and clenched his fist, a golden-black aura pulsing from within.

"…I'll get everything I want."

The van slowly drove off, leaving behind the hospital—and the false scene he had so carefully crafted.

---

Elsewhere, Jinhyuk and Han-na were sitting in the backseat of a taxi, cruising along the quiet streets of Seoul. Streetlights blurred against the windows, fogged slightly from the AC. Han-na looked outside with a soft smile, while Jinhyuk stared at her face, thankful she had been there for him tonight.

"You hungry, Jinhyuk? Let's grab a bite. My treat," Han-na said, breaking the silence.

Jinhyuk turned to her.

"That's new. What's the occasion?"

"I got a little lucky today," she grinned. "I just signed a deal to become a tester for a new product line from J.O.Y CosmeTech."

"Tester?" Jinhyuk raised a brow. "You sure that's not a scam?"

Han-na nodded confidently.

"I double-checked everything. The company's legit, the contact's official. I think we're good."

Jinhyuk studied her eyes, analyzing her like a psych major evaluating a client. Finding no sign of hesitation, he gave a small nod.

"Alright, if you're sure."

They arrived at a cozy little restaurant not far from Han-na's place. The place looked simple, but it was clean and welcoming. As they opened the door, the aroma of hot broth filled the air. The restaurant was nearly empty that night—but one figure instantly caught their attention.

Lee Gyeol.

The man who had helped them fight off thugs at Han-na's previous workplace. He was sitting by the window, quietly eating a steaming bowl of soup.

"Lee Gyeol-ssi?" Jinhyuk greeted him with a smile.

The man looked up, eyes blinking in mild confusion.

"Ah… you guys… from that time… Sorry, what were your names again? I'm terrible with names."

Jinhyuk shook his head.

"I'm Jinhyuk—Ryu Jinhyuk. This is Kang Han-na, the lady we helped that day."

Gyeol finally nodded, a bit embarrassed.

"Ah, right. Sorry, my memory's a little slow sometimes."

Soon, the three of them were sitting together, conversation flowing smoothly.

"So, you're new to Seoul?" Jinhyuk asked.

Gyeol nodded.

"I grew up in a small mountain village in Jeju. Only moved to Seoul two years ago."

Jinhyuk leaned in, curious.

"By the way, back then you handled those thugs like a pro. If I may ask… are you a martial artist?"

Gyeol smiled faintly and nodded.

"Yeah. I've been training since I was a kid. There was a master in our village who taught me. Ugh, don't even remind me… I get chills just thinking about him."

Jinhyuk's heart stirred—he saw potential, a path to becoming strong like Gyeol.

"Sorry, but… do you think I could train there too? Could you take me? I've really gotten into martial arts and want to learn more," Jinhyuk asked quickly.

Han-na looked intrigued too and nodded.

"M-Me too, I'd love to try."

But Gyeol slowly shook his head.

"Really? I'm sorry… My master's no longer there. He decided to leave… to travel. I honestly don't know where he is now."

"I see..." Jinhyuk murmured. "Then, maybe you could…"

"Sorry, Jinhyuk-ssi. If you're asking me to train you, I can't. I'm tied up with… other things."

Jinhyuk looked disappointed, but changed the subject.

"That's a shame. Then… why did you come to Seoul?"

Gyeol paused, his face clouding with a somber expression.

"It's… related to some people I need to meet. People I have a deep connection with. But… sorry, I can't say more."

The psychology student in Jinhyuk flared to life, curiosity piqued. He was about to ask more, but Han-na nudged his arm gently. Her eyes were clear—That's enough. Don't push it.

Jinhyuk chuckled softly and nodded. They continued their meal in a slightly calmer mood.

After they finished eating, they stepped outside, standing near the restaurant entrance as they prepared to part ways.

The night had grown late, the chill beginning to nip at their skin. Across the street, two fashionable women stood under a streetlight, watching the trio with intrigued eyes. One wore a black leather jacket and mini skirt; the other had bright blond hair and subtle, elegant makeup that made her beauty glow.

They were waiting.

But for whom?

One of them began to step forward…

---