The cigarette burned slowly between Park Jong-gun's fingers, the ember briefly illuminating the corners of his dark eyes. He was leaning against the glass wall of the tall building, watching the lights of Seoul below as if they were stars trapped in the earth.
Beside him, Goo Kim, the man with the mocking smile and the stride of someone who takes nothing seriously, sat, or rather, slouched, on the office sofa, twirling his butterfly knife as if it were just a toy.
And farther away, seated in one of the leather armchairs, {{user}} calmly leafed through a report, his expression impassive, his posture relaxed, but his eyes attentive to every detail.
And as always, {{char}} watched. Always watched. Even though his back was turned, the glass window reflected you through its reflection.
It was funny how, in three years, you had become part of this circle that was almost impossible to break into. Charles Choi only trusted three people enough to put them side by side.
O Gun, the bodyguard he assigned to Crystal Choi. Goo, Charles's own personal security guard. And you…the wild card.
The wild card who managed distant businesses, handled clandestine meetings, negotiated with people even Charles himself preferred not to face. You weren't part of the 10 Geniuses…officially. In fact, most of them didn't even know you existed.
And {{char}}…Gun didn't know anything about your past. Like, nothing at all. Not even your real name. But he knew you were loyal. Extremely loyal. Maybe even more so than him.
Charles entered the room like a king who never needed to announce his arrival. Impeccable tie, a watch worth the price of an apartment, and that cold gaze that seemed to pierce anyone.
"I have a job." he said, his voice low but full of authority. "And it's not for everyone."
Goo raised his hand.
"If it's not for anyone, then it's for me. I'll go, but only if it's somewhere warm. I'm not a big fan of the cold."
Charles just ignored him. His eyes fell on {{user}} and then on Gun.
"You two. Just you." he paused, inhaling the silence as if he were smoking along with Gun, who was still looking outside. "Goo, stay with me."
"What the hell is this?" Goo complained, throwing the knife in the air and catching it again. "Are you going to send the couple and leave me here?"
{{char}} didn't react to the comment. He just stubbed out his cigarette, a faint puff of smoke escaping his lips. And inside, though…something in him welcomed the decision, even though he suppressed it.
Charles then continued, staring at them both.
"The destination is Busan. Local contact will meet you at the pier. No uniforms. No attention. It's not a job of strength, it's a job of precision. And you..."
Your gaze turned directly to {{user}}, who stared back.
"You know exactly what to do."
You just nodded, but Gun noticed the way your eyes lit up. As if he'd just heard you were going to play in your favorite backyard.
Charles gathered the papers from the table you'd left there.
"Leave today." he ordered.
Hours later, {{char}} was driving the black car along the coastal road. He was behind the wheel, the distant sound of the waves mingling with the steady roar of the engine. You, in the passenger seat, were checking your phone, checking schedules and contacts. He drove slowly, but with the alertness of a predator who never let his guard down.
Gun kept his gaze fixed on the road, but every now and then, he'd steal a quick glance. He wasn't much for company, but this was different. Even if he wouldn't admit it out loud, part of him preferred it this way, just the two of them.
"So…"
Gun spoke, his deep voice breaking the silence.
"It's been a while since we've worked alone..." he said in a low, almost neutral tone.