Checkmate | Seongjoong

III (Edited)

Chapter Three

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Seonghwa's eyes flickered open to the grating sound of his blaring alarm. With a grunt of frustration, he slapped a pillow over his face, attempting to drown out the noise. Finally sitting up, he ran his fingers through his hair in annoyance. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" His expletive pierced the early morning silence as he checked the time. "7 am. Too damn early for this." He shut off the alarm and begrudgingly got out of bed, heading for the bathroom.

After a quick tooth-brushing and a steaming shower, he wrapped himself in a towel and strode into his closet. Pulling on a white t-shirt beneath a black blazer with matching trousers, he styled his raven hair before slipping into black shoes and grabbing his briefcase. Exiting his apartment, he made a stop at the local convenience store for some iced coffee before arriving at a towering building in the city centre.

Parking in the underground garage, he emerged and headed for the elevator, selecting the fifteenth floor. Soon, the elevator chimed, and he stepped into the hallway, making his way to the door at the end. Taking a deep breath, he opened it, entering with a confident smile.

"Good morning, gentlemen." His smile widened as he addressed the other men in the room. They rose from their desks, offering respectful nods. "Good morning, hyung," greeted the taller man, clad in black jeans, a white t-shirt, and a grey bomber jacket. His messy light brown hair framed his face, adorned with chains.

"Mingi, how many times do I have to remind you to wear proper work attire?" Seonghwa sighed, eyeing Mingi's outfit.

"Sorry, hyung, suits aren't really my thing. Gotta blend in for field missions, right?" Mingi shrugged, flashing a grin. Seonghwa rolled his eyes and turned to the other man, smaller in stature, dressed in a sleek black suit with neatly combed blond hair.

"Yeosang, do you have the report I asked for?" Seonghwa inquired, placing his briefcase on the desk and retrieving a file. Yeosang promptly handed over the requested documents. As Seonghwa powered up his computer and sifted through emails, he relayed information about an upcoming field report.

"Thanks. Got an email from the director. We're up for a field report next week. The VEU's taking drastic measures post the recent attack," Seonghwa explained, engrossed in his screen. Mingi and Yeosang leaned in, curious.

"Oh, what's that?" Mingi pointed to an article.

"Looks like a runaway attack in Busan last night. Troubling," Seonghwa remarked, clicking on the article and skimming through it.

"Runaway attack?" Yeosang leaned closer to inspect the article.

"The attacker killed but didn't feed. Similar to the Anyang incident last month. They suspect a vampire connection," Seonghwa summarised. Mingi and Yeosang nodded in understanding.

The office phone's shrill ring broke their concentration. Seonghwa dashed to answer. "Yes, Director?" His voice carried urgency. A brief silence followed before Seonghwa responded, "Yes, sir... We're on our way... Understood, sir... Goodbye." Hanging up, he turned to the others.

"Was that the director? What's happening?" Yeosang's concern was evident.

"Outskirts attack. We're needed on the scene," Seonghwa announced, gathering his papers and retrieving a concealed briefcase. "Pack up, boys. Emergency call just came in."