Short stories | IZONE

ㅡ2kimㅡ

The moon hung high over the city of Seoul, its light casting silvery shadows across deserted alleyways and sleek rooftopsj.

Under its watchful gaze, Minju adjusted her stance on the rooftop, her eyes scanning the streets below. She thrived in this chaotic world, where the pulse of the night intertwined with her own.

With raven hair cascading around her shoulders and a scar across her lips, she was a vision of dangerous beauty, a name feared in the underworld.

Across the street, hidden in the shadows, stood Chaewon, her rival among assassins. Chaewon had a softness about her that made her seem almost delicate, with her flowing chestnut hair and warm, inviting eyes.

But beneath that gentle demeanor lay a deadly assassin whose skills matched her own. The two had crossed paths numerous times, their competition sharpening their edges in this unforgiving profession.

But their encounters often ended in heated clashes and heated exchanges—nothing ever resolved.

Minju grunted in irritation as she recalled the latest job, one that Chaewon had snatched right from under her nose.

“Damn that woman,” she muttered, fists clenching at her sides.

“I’ve had enough.”

Chaewon's style was infuriatingly effective. Where Minju relied on brute strength and a quick temper. Chaewon moved like a whisper through the night, her every action imbued with an almost ethereal grace. And when they met in conflict, their differences sparked an electric tension that neither could ignore.

Later that evening, while nursing her anger at a shadowy bar in the heart of the city, Minju found herself on the same side of a darkened booth with Chaewon. It wasn’t an accidental encounter.

No, this was a calculated moment borne from mutual need. They both had targets tonight—not each other, unusually enough—but in this field, nothing was ever guaranteed.

“Here for the same reason I am?” Chaewon asked, her tone smooth as silk, but there was a sharpness beneath it.

Minju clenched her jaw, the heat of rivalry flaring between them. “If you think you’re going to outsmart me again tonight, you’re mistaken.”

Chaewon smirked, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes. “I’d never underestimate you, babygirl. Your reputation lead you.”

Minju glared at the other woman hearing the endearment.

The bar vibrated with tension as the two sat, angry silently over drinks. Minju’s anger simmered just below the surface, while Chaewon’s tranquility was a facade, masking her own kindling frustration.

Then out of the blue, Chaewon said, “Do you ever wonder why we keep facing off against each other? Maybe we should just settle this once and for all.”

Minju’s expression hardened, confusion mingling with her fury. “Settle what? Our little rivalry? I don’t think so. I won’t back down to anyone, especially YOU.”

Chaewon leaned closer, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Who said anything about backing down? I’m talking about a different kind of battle. Something far more… intimate.”