One day in Seoul 🇰🇷

🇰🇷: 17

Francis' POV

The morning began like any other, but the weight of my responsibilities was heavier than usual. As I woke up and got ready for the day, I couldn’t shake the thoughts of Katarina from my mind. Still, work was calling, and it was time to push aside personal feelings.

Downstairs, Daniel and Nathan were having a blast in the living room, their laughter filling the space as I ate my breakfast. I joined them briefly, exchanging some casual banter before heading to the shower. A quick wash, and I was back in the living room, where Daniel and Nathan were still enjoying themselves.

“Alright, boys, it’s time to get serious,” I said, pulling out my phone and checking the latest updates on YoGo. “We’ve got a busy day ahead.”

Nathan gave me a playful salute. “Understood. We’ll hold down the fort here.”

“Good,” I replied, heading towards the door with Daniel. “Let’s get to work.”

Daniel drove while I focused on my phone, sorting through messages and checking on the bar’s status. The drive was uneventful, but I couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in the back of my mind. The business side of things was always complicated, but today felt different.

When we arrived at our destination—a high-end fine dining restaurant—I could feel the tension rising. We made our way inside and asked the receptionist for the name under Hugo. With a polite nod, she directed us to a private room.

Inside, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. Two men awaited us: Hugo, a familiar face in the underworld, and another figure who introduced himself as Mr. P. Their presence was enough to set me on edge.

“Francis Kim, good to see you,” Hugo greeted, his tone smooth but with an underlying edge. “And this must be Daniel.”

I gave a curt nod. “Let’s get down to business.”

We took our seats, and the conversation quickly veered into dangerous territory. Hugo and Mr. P wanted YoGo to be their front for illegal transactions, something I had no intention of allowing. My eyes narrowed as Hugo outlined their proposal.

“YoGo is a successful business, and we need it as a front,” Hugo said, his eyes glinting with a hint of menace. “You’ll make a lot of money, and it will help with our operations.”

My anger flared. “I’m not interested in dirtying YoGo’s reputation. I built this place with a lot of hard work, and I won’t let it become a front for your illegal activities.”

Mr. P chuckled, a cold smile playing on his lips. “You’re turning down a generous offer. But we have other ways to make you reconsider.”

The conversation continued, and it was clear that Hugo and Mr. P were trying to test my resolve. They hinted at a large sum of money, but I wasn’t swayed. I was firm in my refusal, unwilling to let YoGo become a part of their shady dealings.

Frustration mounted as the discussion dragged on. Hugo and Mr. P were persistent, pushing for more. I could sense that they were hiding something, and I was determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Fine,” Hugo said, his tone turning serious. “Since you’re not interested in our initial offer, let’s discuss another transaction.”

Mr. P’s grin widened as Hugo laid out their new proposal. “We need 20 kilos of illegal drugs. We need half of it smuggled to Malaysia. The other half, we can’t disclose any further details.”

I raised an eyebrow, my mind racing. “And what about payment?”

Mr. P pulled out a briefcase, placing it on the table with a satisfying thud. “Here’s 30 million pesos. Full payment for the 20 kilos, plus an additional 5 million because we need the item delivered tomorrow night.”