"Hunting"
The night felt wrong.
Not just dark.
Not just quiet.
But… watching.
Han Soo-min stepped out of the small convenience store where she worked part-time, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. The streetlights flickered slightly, casting uneven shadows across the empty road.
It was late.
Too late.
She checked the time on her phone.
10:47 PM
"…I stayed too long again," she whispered.
The shop owner had asked her to clean extra shelves. She couldn't say no.
She never could.
The street stretched ahead of her—long, narrow, and almost deserted. A cold wind brushed past her, making her pull her thin sweater closer.
Her footsteps echoed softly.
Tap… tap… tap…
But then—
Another sound.
Tap… tap…
She stopped.
The sound stopped.
Her heart skipped.
"…It's nothing."
She forced herself to walk again.
Faster this time.
Tap… tap… tap…
The sound returned.
Closer.
Heavier.
Her breath became uneven.
Someone was following her.
She didn't turn around.
Didn't dare to.
Instead, she quickened her pace.
Almost running now.
Don't panic… don't panic…
Suddenly—
A hand grabbed her arm.
"Ah—!"
She tried to scream—
But another hand covered her mouth.
"Stay quiet."
A rough voice whispered.
Fear exploded inside her.
Her body froze.
Her eyes widened in terror.
Two men.
Dark clothes.
Cold eyes.
"Boss said bring her," one muttered.
"Alive," the other replied.
Soo-min struggled.
Kicked.
Tried to break free.
But she was too weak.
"Stop moving!"
Tears filled her eyes.
No…
Not like this…
Her voice came out muffled under the hand.
"Mm—!"
And then—
A sound.
A car screeching to a stop.
The men froze.
Slow footsteps followed.
Calm.
Steady.
Terrifying.
"…Let her go."
That voice.
Cold.
Familiar.
Deadly.
Kang Jae-hyun.
The man holding Soo-min tightened his grip.
"Stay back."
Jae-hyun stepped forward slowly.
His face was calm.
But his eyes…
Were not.
They were dark.
Filled with something dangerous.
"I said…"
A pause.
"Let her go."
The air felt heavier.
Like a storm about to explode.
The second man pulled out a knife.
"Walk away, kid."
Silence.
Then—
Jae-hyun sighed.
"…You chose the hard way."
Everything happened in a second.
He moved.
Fast.
Too fast to see clearly.
A sharp удар—
The knife fell from the man's hand.
Another move—
The second man collapsed to the ground.
Soo-min stumbled as the grip on her loosened.
She fell—
But strong arms caught her.
Jae-hyun.
Her vision blurred.
Her breath shaky.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head weakly.
"…N-no…"
Behind him—
The men groaned in pain.
Completely defeated.
Jae-hyun's expression darkened.
He turned slowly.
"Who sent you?"
Silence.
One of them laughed weakly.
"…You already know…"
Jae-hyun's eyes narrowed.
"…Answer me."
The man smirked.
"…She's just the beginning."
A dangerous silence followed.
Then—
Jae-hyun stepped closer.
The aura around him changed completely.
No longer human.
Something darker.
"You shouldn't have touched her."
His voice was quiet.
But filled with rage.
Soo-min felt it.
That shift.
That terrifying presence.
For the first time—
She was afraid of him.
"Take them," Jae-hyun said coldly.
From the shadows—
Men appeared.
Dressed in black.
Silent.
Deadly.
They dragged the attackers away without a word.
Soo-min stared.
Frozen.
"…Who are they?"
Jae-hyun didn't answer.
Instead—
He looked at her.
"…You shouldn't be walking alone."
Her voice trembled.
"…Who were they?"
Silence.
"…Answer me."
This time—
Her voice was stronger.
Jae-hyun's eyes softened slightly.
But only for a second.
"…People who shouldn't exist near you."
"That's not an answer."
"…It's enough."
Her chest tightened.
"No, it's not!"
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Silence fell.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
"You keep saying things like that…" she continued, her voice shaking,
"…but you don't explain anything!"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I almost got kidnapped!"
A pause.
"…Because of you, right?"
That question—
Cut deeper than anything.
Jae-hyun didn't answer.
And that…
Was the answer.
Soo-min stepped back slowly.
"…I knew it."
Her heart ached.
"I don't belong in your world."
She turned.
Ready to walk away.
But—
A hand grabbed her wrist.
"Don't."
His grip was firm.
But not rough.
"…Let go."
"No."
She looked at him.
Angry.
Hurt.
Confused.
"I'm serious," she whispered.
"…I'll only get hurt if I stay near you."
His eyes darkened.
"You already are."
Her breath caught.
"…Then let me go."
Silence.
For a moment—
It felt like he might.
But then—
"…I can't."
Her eyes widened.
"…Why?"
He stepped closer.
Too close.
"Because they won't stop."
A pause.
"…And I won't let them touch you again."
Her heart raced.
"That's not your decision to make!"
"It is now."
His voice was firm.
Unshakable.
"You're dragging me into something I don't understand!"
"I'll explain."
"Then do it!"
Silence.
A long one.
Then—
"…I'm not just a student."
Her breath stopped.
"I know that."
"…I lead an organization."
Her eyes trembled.
"What kind of organization?"
A pause.
"…One that people fear."
Her heart sank.
"…A gang?"
"…More than that."
The truth hung in the air.
Heavy.
Dark.
"…Mafia."
The word echoed.
Soo-min stepped back slowly.
Her world…
Shifted.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The fear.
The power.
The way people looked at him.
"…You're serious?"
"Yes."
No hesitation.
No denial.
Just truth.
She stared at him.
Like she was seeing him for the first time.
"…You're dangerous."
A small pause.
"…Yes."
He didn't deny it.
Didn't defend himself.
Just accepted it.
And somehow…
That made it worse.
"…Then stay away from me."
Her voice broke slightly.
"…Please."
Silence.
Rain started falling again.
Soft at first.
Then heavier.
Jae-hyun stood still.
Looking at her.
"…I told you."
A step forward.
"I can't."
Her tears mixed with the rain.
"…Why?"
His answer came quietly.
"…Because you're already mine to protect."
Her heart stopped.
Those words—
Were not romantic.
They were dangerous.
Possessive.
Terrifying.
And yet—
Something inside her…
Didn't want to run.
Far away…
Inside a dark room—
A man smiled.
"So… Kang Jae-hyun finally showed his weakness."
A photo lay on the table.
Han Soo-min.
"…Now we begin."
Back in the rain—
Two worlds stood face to face.
Light…
And darkness.
Innocence…
And danger.
And somewhere between them—
A bond was forming.
One that could either save them…
Or destroy them both.