진홍색 그림자 | Crimson Shadows (bbangsaz) [COMPLETE!]

X The Meeting

The dimly lit bar was crowded, a cacophony of voices and clinking glasses that reverberated through the room. Minji sat at a corner table, nursing a drink she had barely touched. The date on the calendar—Valentine's Day—was a cruel reminder of the love she had lost.

She watched the couples around her, their laughter and whispers grating on her nerves. The sight of them made her stomach churn, a bitter reminder of what she could never have again. The world had moved on, but Minji was stuck in a perpetual state of mourning.

The door to the bar opened, and a man walked in, scanning the room before his eyes landed on Minji. He was tall, with a rough exterior that spoke of a life lived on the edge. He made his way to her table, his movements deliberate, controlled.

"Kim Minji?" he asked, his voice low, almost a growl.

Minji nodded, her hand tightening around her glass. She didn't know this man, but there was something about him that set off alarm bells in her mind.

The man took a seat across from her, leaning in close. "You're a hard woman to find," he said, his eyes narrowing as he studied her.

Minji forced herself to remain calm, though her heart was pounding in her chest. "Do I know you?"

He smiled, but it was a smile devoid of warmth. "Not yet," he said, "but you will."

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper, sliding it across the table to her. "I think you'll find this interesting."

Minji hesitated, then picked up the paper, unfolding it carefully. Her breath caught in her throat as she read the words scrawled across the page, 'I know who you are, and I know what you've done. Meet me at midnight at the old warehouse on 5th Street. Come alone.'

She looked up at the man, her mind racing. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice sharper than she intended.

He leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "Just someone who wants to help," he said. "Or maybe someone who wants to watch you burn. That's up to you."

With that, he stood up and walked away, leaving Minji alone with the note and a thousand unanswered questions.

Minji stared at the paper, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Who was this man? How did he know about her? And what did he want from her?

She knew she had no choice but to go to the warehouse. If someone knew her secret, she needed to find out who they were and what they wanted. But the thought of walking into what could be a trap made her blood run cold.

As the hours ticked by, Minji prepared herself for the meeting, her mind focused on the task at hand. She had been in dangerous situations before, but this felt different. This wasn't just about survival—this was about protecting the only thing she had left, her secret.

When the time came, Minji left her apartment, the note clutched tightly in her hand. The city was quiet, the streets empty as she made her way to the warehouse. The darkness pressed in around her, but Minji felt no fear—only a cold, steely resolve.

The warehouse loomed ahead, its windows shattered, its doors hanging on broken hinges. It was a place forgotten by time, just like Minji herself. She stepped inside, the air thick with dust and decay.

In the center of the room stood the man from the bar, his face partially obscured by shadows. He watched her approach, his eyes gleaming with something Minji couldn't quite place.

"You came," he said, his voice echoing off the walls.

Minji stopped a few feet away from him, her posture tense. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

The man smiled again, that same cold, empty smile. "I want to make a deal," he said. "You give me what I want, and I'll make sure no one ever finds out about you."

Minji's heart raced. "And what exactly do you want?"

His smile widened, and for the first time, Minji saw a flicker of something in his eyes—greed, lust, or maybe something even darker. "I want you to kill someone for me," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Someone who deserves to die."

Minji felt a wave of nausea wash over her. This was what she had become—a tool, a weapon to be used by others for their own ends. But she had no choice. If she refused, her secret would be exposed, and everything she had worked for would be destroyed.

"Who?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man's smile faded, replaced by a look of pure hatred. "His name is Kim Taehyung," he said, venom dripping from every word. "And he's the reason my sister is dead."

Minji's heart sank. She knew the name—Kim Taehyung was a powerful man, untouchable by the law. But if she agreed to this, she would be crossing a line she could never come back from.

She looked at the man, seeing the desperation in his eyes, the raw pain that drove him. And she understood—because it was the same pain that drove her.

"Fine," she said, her voice cold and detached. "I'll do it."

The man's expression softened, gratitude flickering in his eyes. "Thank you," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "You don't know what this means to me."

Minji nodded, turning to leave. But as she walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just made a deal with the devil.

And she knew, deep down, that there would be a price to pay—a price far higher than she was willing to admit.

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