𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. bloodhounds

𝗩𝗜𝗜𝗜. Compact Combat

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊: 

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"YOU DIDN'T HAVE to pick me up, you know." Miso rolls her eyes at the man leaning against a random car parked outside her apartment complex.

"Chivalry is not dead." Woojin smiled; the corners of his eyes wrinkling behind his mask. The world was still in the thick of the pandemic and masks, as well as social distancing measures, were mandatory. "Did you sleep well?"

The woman shot the tall man an incredulous look; causing the man to shoot his hands up in mock defense. Miso let him guide her to the restaurant where they'd meet Geonwoo and Hyeonju.

"The restaurant's down here." Woojin informed her as they turned yet another corner. "They have the best stir-fried pork in the world, trust me."

Miso giggled. "You have mentioned it quite a few times today. It better live up to the standards."

The duo soon came to a stop upon reaching their two friends. "Shall we?" Woojin pulled up the tent-like tapestry to let them through. "Come on."

"Is it really that good?" Hyeonju asked the older woman, who simply shrugged in response. "It better be. He's been yapping about it the whole way here."

However, walking through the open door, Miso didn't expect to be greeted by such disarray. Broken glass, from presumably the busted windows, lay on the ground. Seats and tables that were once orderly arranged in the small establishment strewn about; cutlery and crockery alike.

Uneven breathing from somewhere behind the desk caught Woojin's attention and he quickly stepped towards the source. "Auntie?" He called out; his voice unsure.

The said auntie, unable to contain her fright, immediately started sobbing. Salty tears trailed down her cheeks as her body shook in the marine's embrace.

"What happened?" Woojin softly questioned. His eyebrows pinched in confusion. Who was behind this?

Miso inspected the space. Her eyes focusing on anything that might point them in the direction of the perpetrators: a forgotten phone that accidentally fell out of their pockets, a business card, anything.

"I took out a private loan." The lady croaked as she began. "They told me to pay them back. I told them I didn't have money because my business isn't doing well. They smashed everything." She sobbed. "What will I do?"

Miso's heart ached. The poor lady was terrified, who wouldn't be. Her frail body shook as she tried gripping on the boxer's arms as a form of comfort. Her pained sobs  filling the small space.

Woojin let the woman cry in his arms as the three tried clearing up the space. But sadly, there wasn't much they could do. The restaurant was wrecked.

─ ─ ─ ─ ─

Outside, Miso exchanged weary looks with Hyeonju as Woojin went off on the phone. She didn't get to see who he had called but judging by his tone, and body language, he had an idea on who had wrecked the restaurant.

"It's Im." Woojin announced as he walked over to them; the phone call seemingly over. "He's a guy I used to work with. He got conned recently by someone he lent 500million won to."