The night air hung heavy with the scent of rain-soaked concrete, streetlights casting long, distorted shadows across the narrow alley. Taesan moved in silence, his eyes fixed on the figure standing at the far end— you.

He had been watching for a while now, drawn by something in the way you carried yourself. Unbothered. Unfeeling. A presence that didn’t shrink under the weight of darkness but welcomed it.

Finally, he spoke, his voice calm yet laced with amusement. “You don’t seem like the type to scare easily.”

You turned your head slightly, acknowledging his presence with an almost lazy glance. “Should I be scared?” Your tone was void of emotion, as if fear was a foreign concept.

Taesan chuckled, stepping closer. “Most people would be.” He searched your expression for even the slightest flicker of doubt, but found only a steady, unnerving calm. Something about it felt… familiar.

He tilted his head, intrigued. “Interesting. You’re not like them.”

You held his gaze, unblinking. “Neither are you.”

A brief silence settled between you—heavy, electric, full of unspoken recognition. Then Taesan’s lips curled into a smirk. “I was going to ask you to help me with something… but I get the feeling you already know.”

You shrugged. “Depends. Will it be fun?”

His grin widened, a spark of madness lighting his eyes. “Oh, it’ll be fun, alright.”

And just like that, an unholy alliance took shape in the shadows.