Choi San, a revered and feared mafia boss, reigns over Seoul's underworld with an iron fist, his influence extending seamlessly across both legal and illegal domains. But his empire is shaken to its core when his beloved daughter, Eun-ji, is kidnapp...
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.·:*¨¨* ≈ᴄʜᴏɪ ꜱᴀɴ≈ *¨¨*:·.
Later that evening, I stood in the doorway of the foyer, watching my little girl, Eun-ji, running around with her dolls. Her laughter echoed through the room, soft and carefree, filling the space with a lightness that was rare in my world. There was nothing—nothing—in this life that could stop me from protecting her. Since her mother's death, everything had fallen on me.
I'd been left alone to raise her, and truth be told, I didn't know how to do it, didn't know where to start. But somehow, Eun-ji had brought out a side of me I thought had died with her mother—a softness I had buried deep, locked away for so many years.
Her long hair bounced with every step she took, her small feet pattering across the floor as she twirled in her girly dress, singing some little song as Hongjoong spun her around. He was one of my toughest men, but the moment Eun-ji was around, he, like the others, softened. Weakness? No, it wasn't that. It was a different kind of strength—the kind that made every man in my circle ready to protect her with their lives.
Her laughter rang out as Hongjoong lifted her up, spinning her in the air as if the weight of the world didn't matter. She squealed with joy, her giggles filling the space, and for just a moment, I allowed myself to feel it too—allowed myself to forget the world outside, the danger that always seemed to loom closer.
Then the door creaked open, and Seonghwa stepped inside. His irritation was palpable, the tension hanging over him like a storm cloud. But as soon as he saw Eun-ji, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. She had that effect on all of us. Hongjoong approached him, still holding her, and leaned in to give Seonghwa a soft kiss on the lips. A fleeting moment of affection, but it was enough to ease some of the tension in the room.
"You bought new cologne?" Hongjoong teased, sniffing him playfully.
Seonghwa shook his head, his expression relaxing just a bit. "No. I was sitting in a car with one of the drifters from the other side of the city."
At that, my attention sharpened. I frowned, stepping forward. "Why the hell did you go there?" My tone wasn't accusatory, but there was a hint of curiosity. I trusted Seonghwa, but I didn't like surprises. Especially when they involved the other side of the city.
He looked at me, shaking his head as if it was nothing, but I could tell something was weighing on him. "Because a lot of people like the idea of you taking over the other part of the city," he muttered, his voice low, "but there's one little bastard who doesn't."
My eyebrows shot up at that. "Who?"
Seonghwa glanced back toward the door before answering, his voice dropping. "Jung Wooyoung. A drifter who runs the streets over there. Cocky, stubborn, thinks he's untouchable. He made it very clear he's not going to fall in line."
I crossed my arms, thinking. The name was familiar, but more than that, his type was familiar. Someone who thought he could stand in the way of something much bigger than him. I had dealt with people like that before. Men who thought they could stop me, who thought that their stubbornness, their pride, would somehow protect them.
