Systemism

One Night (Epilogue)

An hour after Hyeonwoo and Jisoo made their escape, the remnants of the brutal skirmish painted a grim picture. Blood stained the concrete, and the faint echoes of groans filled the air as Kwang Sun and Evan stood amidst the carnage. Their eyes scanned the wreckage, assessing the damage done to their comrades, and their enemy alike.

Kwang Sun knelt, his fingers brushing against a splatter of blood. He looked down at the battered bodies of his crewmates, their chests rising and falling in shallow, laboured breaths.

Kwang Sun: "Well... it looks like he's exceeded our expectations."

His voice was calm, even, but there was a hint of surprise as he surveyed the scene. Jin Na, the very boy they had thought little of, had managed to stand toe-to-toe with the likes of them—something even their previous enemies hadn't managed to do. For all of Jin Na's arrogance and cockiness, he had awakened something terrifying.

Evan stood beside him, wiping blood from his mouth, his knuckles still red from the earlier fight.

Evan: "I agree. I think you were right."

There was a grudging respect in Evan's tone, but his expression betrayed no hint of admiration. This wasn't about respect—it was about survival. Jin Na had proven himself a dangerous player in the game.

Bae Ji-Woong stirred, coughing as he began to regain consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, and the pain coursing through his body made him wince. He rubbed his jaw, still tender from the hits he'd taken.

Ji-Woong: (groaning) "Maybe I went too hard on the brat..."

His attempt at a laugh turned into a cough, but there was no denying the satisfaction in his voice. The thrill of the fight still lingered, even though he had been bested in the end.

Kwang Sun stood, dusting off his hands.

Kwang Sun: "Jin Na and his crew are more than qualified to take over our territory."

Ji-Woong raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious despite the throbbing pain in his head.

Ji-Woong: "How so?"

Kwang Sun's smirk returned, a knowing glint in his eye as he recalled the events of the past few days.

Kwang Sun: "Those same brats took out Kai the other day."

At this, Ji-Woong let out a deep, resonating laugh—though it quickly turned into a grimace as the pain in his ribs flared up. Still, the idea of Jin Na taking out someone like Kai was enough to amuse him.

Ji-Woong: (chuckling) "The world is changing..."

Kwang Sun's eyes flickered to the moonlit sky, his gaze distant as if he was contemplating the very nature of the world around him.

Kwang Sun: "Yet some things don't."

The cryptic statement hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning. Ji-Woong sighed deeply, his chest heaving with the effort. He closed his eyes, a sense of melancholy settling over him.

Ji-Woong: "It was that bastard who caused all of this. Why is Hyeonwoo taking the blame?"

There was a bitterness in his voice, but it was laced with guilt. Hyeonwoo had been dragged into something much larger than any of them, and Ji-Woong couldn't help but feel responsible.