ESPION [English]

#4

T was carefully tending to his wound when he finally spoke.

“I owe you my life. So, what do you need?”

Blade’s gaze stayed locked on T’s hands, watching as he attempted to treat his own injury with one hand, the other too hurt to help. He clenched his jaw as the sting of the surgical spirit bit into his skin, though his mind was more preoccupied with what Blade had to say.

“So?” T pressed, his voice calm but expectant, eyes still focused on his work.

Without saying a word, Blade stepped forward, gently taking the cotton pad from T's hand. His eyes seemed to say, Let me help you first. Then we can talk.

T blinked, a little surprised at the gesture from the gang leader. But he didn’t resist, letting Blade take over. The hardened leader’s touch was surprisingly delicate as he carefully cleaned the wound, his usual tough exterior softened by the task at hand. For a moment, Blade looked up at T, silently asking what the next step was. T handed him the medicine and a fresh cotton swab, watching with quiet amusement as Blade tackled the task with the same intensity as if he were on a dangerous mission.

T couldn’t help the warmth spreading in his chest. It was the kind of feeling that came with being looked after—something he hadn’t experienced in a long time. He glanced at Blade, his full-sleeve tattoos, eyebrow piercing, the silver chains, and black clothing giving him the look of a hardened gangster. Yet, in this moment, the man was concentrated, almost childlike in his care. The contrast between his tough appearance and the tenderness in his actions made T’s lips curl into a small, soft smile.

Blade noticed, his eyes wide, almost like he was searching for something in T's expression. T quickly neutralized his face, raising a brow as if to ask What is it?

“Is it okay now?” Blade asked, his voice quieter than usual.

T glanced down at his arm—Blade’s bandaging was sloppy, but it would hold.

“Good enough,” T said with a slight nod before circling back. “Now, what do you wanna know?”

“I want to know who tried to hack our system,” Blade responded, his voice firm.

T exhaled, his gaze turning thoughtful. “The name is easy to find. Zero will probably dig it up by tomorrow. But right now, your priority should be reinforcing your protection and hitting back before tonight. Wouldn’t you say?”

Blade stood silent, considering T’s words. He was right. Even if he got a name now, it wouldn’t mean much. Proving their strength by hacking the intruder back would send a clearer message—and if this was some test from the higher-ups, it would show them they were strong enough to handle it.

“Yeah. I’d rather take the second option,” Blade agreed, his voice steady with newfound resolve.

“As you please,” T said, reaching for his phone. He typed something quickly, his movements efficient, while Blade watched—not because he was suspicious, but because he was captivated by the boy in front of him.

T was like a living masterpiece. Every feature of his face, from his sharp jawline to the mole under his eye, was perfectly crafted, each movement as smooth and precise as a painter’s brush on canvas. Blade couldn’t tear his eyes away. Meanwhile, T calmly packed up his first aid kit, the air between them quiet but charged with a newfound connection.

The silence in the storage room was interrupted by the soft creak of the door as a young man strolled in. He wore a black cap pulled low over his eyes, a loose white T-shirt with “FG” emblazoned across the front, and black pants—looking like he had just rolled out of bed.

“What's up, T(ae)?” he muttered, his voice groggy, barely clear. He sounded thoroughly annoyed at being woken up.

“Hyung, can you help him out?” T asked calmly.

The newcomer gave a lazy nod, as if he knew T wouldn’t be asking unless this was someone important. Blade couldn’t quite tell if the guy was awake or sleepwalking—the mint-colored hair peeking out from under his cap covered his eyes, adding to the sleepy vibe.

“Blade, meet Ghost. Ghost, this is Blade from the Black Vipers,” T introduced them casually.

Both men gave each other a slight nod of acknowledgment.

“So, what’s the job?” Ghost asked, his voice barely rising above a murmur.

“We need you to hack back into their system.”

Ghost gave another silent nod, already turning to head back out the door.

“Aren’t you coming?” he asked, glancing back at Blade, who was still processing the laid-back hacker's nonchalant attitude.

Blade, though surprised, quickly followed, his curiosity piqued by this mysterious hacker who seemed so unfazed by the situation.

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Ghost- Mint hair, sugar like skin, small figure, swag attitude, hacker who is a ghost to world.