Chapter 18 - Chapter 16: Episode 15 - Anger and Worry
Yu-rin had a place she visited whenever she needed to clear her head.
Now, with time running out and anxiety gnawing at her, it was the first place she went after finishing dinner with Seon-ah.
The Hwaryong Guild, where her mother, Yu-ra, served as an executive, was a powerhouse with nationwide influence, maintaining branches and tactical bases across the country.
Yu-rin was currently pushing herself in the training hall of the local branch.
There was no guaranteed method to become an Awakened, but it was an open secret that the transformation was triggered by a singular, overwhelming desire.
Some awakened when faced with mortal peril, while many others did so through the desperate, agonizing pursuit of power during intense training.
She had been at this since she was twelve, but now, the clock was ticking.
She had to bypass standard military conscription and enlist as a Duty Hunter instead. It was the only way she could stay by Seon-ah's side.
With Gates manifesting all over the globe, military service was unavoidable, regardless of one's wealth or status.
Her plan was to at least qualify for the Duty Hunter role, which offered a much shorter service period.
But for that to happen, she had to awaken first.
Soaked in sweat after hours of grueling exertion, Yu-rin finally stopped.
How long had she been at it?
Today was another bust.
She couldn't feel even a glimmer of the power she sought.
The desperation was starting to turn into a frantic rush, but Awakening wasn't something that could be forced through sheer impatience.
If it were that easy, the whole world would be full of Awakened.
Sighing, she gathered her thoughts and began packing her bags to head out.
A notification popped up on her phone.
It was a message from the agency she'd hired. The job was almost complete.
The target: Choi Yunsu, Choi Min-ji's younger brother.
While Min-ji's parents showered her with affection for her perfect grades and upright behavior, her twin brother had spiraled into delinquency.
The dossier from the private investigators was detailed. It chronicled the various messes Yunsu had made with his high school gang, his failure to get into college, and his nightly habit of loitering with street punks.
His behavior was so shameful it couldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as my Seon-ah.
"Even if a man isn't expected to be a saint, this is just pathetic."
I'd orchestrated a "special project" based on that dossier and handed it off to people who specialized in dirty work.
The plan was simple: get Choi Yunsu hooked on a highly addictive narcotic, then stage a series of humiliating photos—the kind of filth a man could never show the world—to use as blackmail.
He'd had his first taste of the drug a week ago.
The latest update said the initial dose had been high, which had accelerated his dependency. He was already hooked.
This was my insurance. If Choi Min-ji ever dared to cross the line, I'd destroy her brother to keep her in check.
I already had several photos in my possession. It was more than enough leverage.
Time to go home.
The training hall was located right in the heart of the city.
Since major guilds operate on a policy of immediate response to urban Gate manifestations, local governments often provide land and buildings to ensure guilds have multiple branches stationed throughout each city.
I started walking home, feeling drained and frustrated by my lack of progress.
But as I passed the movie theater, I spotted two familiar figures walking toward a cafe.
I froze, unable to believe my eyes.
It was my boyfriend, Seon-ah... and Min-ji, the very woman I was keeping tabs on.
Grit—!
My brow furrowed as a vein throbbed in my temple. The sound of my teeth grinding together was audible even to me.
.
.
.
Had I trusted him too much?
Was this the result of giving him too much space?
No matter the reason, Seon-ah shouldn't be doing this. Not to me.
I was living my life solely for him, working toward our future.
And yet, here he was, looking at another woman.
A massive wave of betrayal made my stomach churn.
Was he looking for something in her that I couldn't provide? I needed to know what he was up to. I decided to follow them.
Maybe I had been too negligent. I wanted to see exactly what he was doing with her.
I forced myself to endure the sight, just for a little longer.
The two of them grabbed coffee and headed back out.
Suddenly, Seon-ah grabbed Min-ji's arm and gestured for her to follow him somewhere.
They kept walking, deep in conversation.
On this crowded street, their voices were drowned out by the city noise. I couldn't make out a word.
A dark, damp sensation began to fester in my heart.
Wrapped in gloom, I trailed them like a shadow.
They eventually turned into an alleyway within an office complex—a place that was deserted even during the day.
With the silence of the alley, their voices finally became clear.
I strained my ears, and the words hit me like a physical blow.
"I can't take it anymore. I'm going to end things with Yu-rin. Min-ji, I've wanted you for so long. I love you."
"..."
Min-ji didn't say a word.
My heart shattered at Seon-ah's confession.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to rush out, beat the living hell out of that bitch Min-ji, and drag Seon-ah away.
And once I had him?
I'd do whatever my heart desired.
Just then, I heard footsteps approaching.
.
.
.
The Scavengers had already "secured" their first prize and were hunting for the next.
The first target had been subdued by force after they broke into his house. They'd drugged him and kept him alive for transport.
He was currently locked in a rented warehouse at the port, ready to be sold to the Chinese black market at a moment's notice.
Now, it was time for the second target.
This one was a student at Han-il University. Since the target usually stayed in the dorms—which were heavily fortified and linked to the guild—kidnapping them there was impossible.
They had been waiting patiently for the target to venture out into a secluded area.
Finally, today, the target had moved. They just had to wait for them to reach a spot without witnesses.
The only complication was that the target wasn't alone.
Killing or knocking one out and leaving them behind would trigger an immediate investigation. The decision was made: kidnap both.
Signaling his accomplice, they moved with practiced speed. They lunged at the man and woman, pressing drugged handkerchiefs over their faces.
The accomplice was efficient, proving their experience was every bit as real as mine.
They each slung a body over their shoulders and hurried toward the getaway car.
They had no idea that someone had been watching from the shadows, and that she was already on their tail...
.
.
.
Seon-ah opened his eyes in a dark, cramped space.
The last thing he remembered was a woman in a black suit covering Min-ji's mouth with a cloth, silencing her instantly.
Then, his own eyelids had grown heavy, and the world had faded to black.
He'd bought coffee. He'd taken Min-ji aside. He'd confessed.
And then this.
He'd been kidnapped.
Panic flared, but he forced himself to think. He turned his head, searching for Min-ji.
In the gloom, he could see a mass of long hair sprawled on the floor nearby.
It had to be her.
Since they'd both been taken together, it made sense they'd be dumped in the same place.
What was going to happen to them?
Anxiety, as thick and suffocating as the darkness around him, seeped into his very bones.
.
.
.
Yu-rin was reeling.
First, Seon-ah's betrayal—an affair she'd thought was just a minor flirtation—and then the sudden abduction of both Seon-ah and Min-ji.
It had all happened in less than five minutes.
She had stepped back for a moment, not wanting him to see her furious expression, and in that heartbeat, they were gone.
Suppressing her rage, she dialed her mother.
Yu-ra promised that the local Hwaryong Guild branch would dispatch a team immediately.
Yu-rin opened the location-tracking app she'd secretly installed on Seon-ah's phone ages ago. She tracked their movement in real-time, hailed a taxi, and ordered the driver to follow the signal.
Terror for Seon-ah's safety and a violent, burning rage at his betrayal warred within her.
But everything else could wait. First, she had to get him back.
She still couldn't let him go.
She wouldn't be satisfied until she heard the truth from his own lips—what he was thinking, and how he really felt about her.