The hallway felt tighter the moment Ji-hye showed up.

She walked with purpose—chin lifted, shoulders squared, Union jacket half-zipped like she didn’t bother hiding who she was. A folded paper rested between her fingers, tapping against her knuckle as her eyes locked onto Hyun-tak and the boys behind him.

“So,” Hyun-tak drawled, stepping forward, unimpressed. “They send you now? You’re just Na Baek-jin’s minion.”

Ji-hye scoffed, actually laughing as if he’d said something stupid instead of insulting. She tilted her head, eyes sharp, mouth curling into a dangerous little smirk.

“Careful,” she said lightly. “Keep talking out of your ass and I’ll make sure your other knee gets destroyed.”

Gotak stiffened. Baku shifted. Hyun-tak didn’t move.

Ji-hye walked past him—but not before slamming her shoulder into his on purpose. The impact was solid. Intentional.

Hyun-tak looked down.

She looked up.

They were too close now—close enough for him to see the challenge in her eyes, close enough for her to see that stubborn fire in his.

“Stop running that pretty little mouth,” she murmured, voice low and sharp, “and use it for a better purpose.”

Before he could respond, she slapped a piece of paper flat against his chest. An address. A phone number.

Then—without breaking eye contact—she flipped him off.

Ji-hye turned on her heel and walked away like she’d already won.

Hyun-tak stared after her, jaw tight, fingers curling slowly around the paper.

“…What the hell,” Baku muttered.

Hyun-tak exhaled through his nose.

“Trouble,” he said quietly.