Coded Life - Jeonglix

Chapter 2: The Weight of Purple

The morning sunlight trickled through the window of Jeongin's apartment, but it did nothing to warm him. His body felt heavy, as though gravity had doubled overnight, pinning him to his bed. For a brief, blissful moment, he forgot what had happened. He almost reached for his phone to call his mother, but then reality came crashing back in.

She was gone. The words still didn't feel real.

He stared at the ceiling, feeling hollow, his chest tight. His mind spun with questions, but none of them made sense. How could she be dead? She was fine the last time they spoke, just a few months ago. She'd sounded strong, healthy, like nothing in the world could take her down. So how the hell had she just... died?

The thought of having to plan her funeral tore at him, but there was no time to delay. His aunt Zeria would be arriving today, and they'd need to get everything in order. He forced himself out of bed, his movements robotic, and headed for the shower. The hot water did little to shake the numbness that gripped him.

As he stepped out, his phone buzzed on the counter. It was a message from Zeria:
"Landing in 20 minutes. I'll meet you at the apartment."

He stared at the screen, wondering how Zeria was handling this. She and his mom had always been close, even if they lived apart. This couldn't be easy for her either. With a deep breath, Jeongin threw on some clothes and tried to pull himself together. Whatever was coming next, he knew it wouldn't be simple.

When Jeongin opened the door to his apartment, Zeria stood there, suitcase in hand, sunglasses covering her eyes. She didn't say anything at first—just pulled him into a tight hug. Jeongin felt his throat tighten again, but he bit back the tears. He had to stay strong.

"You look like shit, Innie," Zeria muttered as she pulled back, her voice thick with emotion, though she quickly masked it.

"Feel like it too," Jeongin mumbled, running a hand through his messy hair. "I don't even know where to start with all this... I haven't done anything."

Zeria gave a short nod, glancing around at the half-packed boxes littering the apartment. "We'll take care of the funeral stuff soon, but there's something else we need to talk about first." She pushed her sunglasses up onto her head, revealing red, tired eyes. "Something your mother kept from you. Something that affects everything going forward."

Jeongin frowned. His mother had kept secrets? She was always open with him—or at least he'd thought so. "What are you talking about?"

Zeria's expression hardened, and she motioned for him to sit down. "You're not just some ordinary kid, Jeongin. You never were. Your mom, she wasn't running a normal business either." She sat across from him, her tone sharp and deliberate, like she was preparing to drop a bombshell.

Jeongin narrowed his eyes, already feeling his stomach churn. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that your mother was the head of an organization—one that deals in weapons, espionage, and assassinations. It's... complicated. But the simplest way to put it is that she ran a massive black-market operation."

Jeongin blinked, trying to process what the fuck his aunt had just said. "Wait... what? That's insane. My mom wasn't some criminal."

"Not criminal, Innie. She was a businesswoman in a world that operates outside the law. A dangerous world. She didn't tell you because she wanted to keep you out of it, to protect you, but now that she's gone, you're next in line."

Next in line? Jeongin's pulse quickened, and he shook his head. "No. No, I don't want any part of that shit. I'm not—"

Zeria held up a hand, cutting him off. "I get it. It's a lot to take in. But it's not about what you want. This is what you were born into. The second she died, this world became yours. You are Code Purple, Jeongin. And that means something—something huge."