November 13th.
Kai sat on the edge of his bed, fists clenched as he stared at the floor. The rain pounded against the roof, filling the room with an unrelenting noise that mirrored the storm brewing inside him. "You're here again," he muttered, his voice low and edged with frustration. "Why won’t you just leave? It’s been a week."
Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the room. Kai rose from the bed, the cool fabric of his blue pajamas brushing against his skin as he moved to the bedside table. He opened the drawer and gripped the cold metal of a gun, its weight heavy in his hand.
Taking a deep breath, Kai walked to the door, hesitating for only a moment before pulling back the curtain. Outside, a slim figure stood motionless in the rain, drenched but unyielding. Dressed entirely in black—a mask over his mouth, leather jacket, boots, and pants—the man’s large, intense eyes locked onto the house, sending a shiver down Kai’s spine.
Kai threw open the door, raising the gun without hesitation. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded, aiming straight at the man’s head.
The man’s umbrella and bag clattered to the ground as he raised his hands in surrender. "Whoa! What the—why do you have a gun?!"
"Who are you?" Kai repeated, his voice icy as he pressed the barrel against the man’s forehead.
The stranger’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. "I can’t tell you that! Who do you think you are?"
Kai didn’t flinch. "I could ask you the same. Now talk."
The stranger hesitated, then moved with unexpected speed. In a flash, he grabbed the gun, shoving Kai back into the house with surprising strength. Kai found himself pinned against the wall, the man’s grip like iron as he held Kai’s hands immobile and blocked his legs. The gun was now in the stranger’s hand, his masked face inches from Kai’s.
"You’ve got some nerve, pulling a gun on me," the man said, his voice calm but laced with a dangerous edge. "Especially for someone called ‘angel.’"
Kai’s breath came in short bursts as he struggled to stay calm. "Who are you?" he demanded again, forcing his voice to sound braver than he felt.
The man’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "I’m here to protect you. That’s all you need to know."
"Protect me?" Kai scoffed, disbelief coloring his tone. "From what?"
"From someone worse than me," the man replied, his voice turning serious. "Your friend Soobin sent me."
Kai’s mind raced. This guy knew too much. "Soobin wouldn’t send you without telling me first."
"Call him if you don’t believe me," the man said lightly. "But don’t waste time."
Kai glared at him but pulled out his phone, dialing Soobin without breaking eye contact.
