Weeks passed, and things between Euihyun and Taejoo fell into a strange rhythm. The tension between them never fully disappeared, but it transformed—becoming something more comfortable, even... natural. They'd meet, sometimes to hack, sometimes for coffee, and sometimes just to talk.
But it wasn't all easy. The underground hacking scene was a dangerous place, and not everyone played by the rules Taejoo and Euihyun set for themselves. Competition wasn't always friendly, and whispers of something bigger—something darker—started circulating. A name kept coming up in these whispers: Blue Rider.
"Have you heard of him?" Taejoo asked one night as they sat in his apartment, monitors glowing softly in the background.
Euihyun looked up from his laptop. "Blue Rider?"
Taejoo's face, usually relaxed, was serious. "He's a problem."
Euihyun frowned, setting his laptop aside. It was rare to see Taejoo this tense. "What kind of problem?"
Taejoo leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "He's one of the best—no, the best. He's been taking down networks all over the country, but not just for fun. He's targeting people. Hacking them, stealing everything—personal data, financial records. Then he destroys their lives, erases them."
"Erases them?" Euihyun's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"Complete identity wipe," Taejoo said. "No trace left behind. He ruins them, then makes sure they can't even rebuild."
Euihyun felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He'd heard of dangerous hackers before, but nothing like this. "Why would someone do that?"
Taejoo shrugged, but there was a hardness in his eyes. "Power, control, revenge—who knows? But Blue Rider is dangerous. People are scared of him. And now... he's after me."
Euihyun sat up straighter, his heartbeat quickening. "What? Why?"
Taejoo didn't respond right away. His gaze drifted to the window, his expression dark. "I've crossed paths with him before. Didn't realize who I was up against at the time. But I stopped one of his hacks—one that could've wiped out a major corporation. It cost him a lot of money, and now he's gunning for me."
Euihyun's mind raced, trying to process what Taejoo was saying. This wasn't just a game anymore. If Blue Rider was as dangerous as Taejoo described, then they were both in serious trouble.
"What does he want?" Euihyun asked, his voice steady despite the anxiety building inside him.
Taejoo looked at him then, his gaze sharp. "He wants to take me down. And if he knows about you, he'll come after you too."
Euihyun's stomach twisted at the thought. He had always been careful, keeping a low profile, avoiding unnecessary attention. But now, because of his connection to Taejoo, he was on Blue Rider's radar. It wasn't just about hacking anymore—it was about survival.
Taejoo stood, pacing the room, his usual calm demeanor nowhere to be found. "We need to be ready," he said. "Blue Rider doesn't play fair, and he won't stop until one of us is finished."
Euihyun stood as well, his mind already calculating the next steps. "Then we'll take him down first."
Taejoo stopped, turning to look at him. There was something unreadable in his eyes, a mix of worry and something else. "This isn't a game, Euihyun. Blue Rider will destroy us if we're not careful."
"I know," Euihyun said, meeting Taejoo's gaze with determination. "But I'm not going to sit around waiting for him to come after us. We can outsmart him."
Taejoo stared at him for a moment, then a small, almost proud smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You're serious, huh?"
Euihyun's eyes narrowed slightly. "Of course I am. If he's as good as you say, we need to be smarter. And faster."
Taejoo nodded, his usual laidback attitude returning just a little. "Alright. Then let's start preparing. If Blue Rider is coming for us, we need to make sure we're ready for him."
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As the days passed, the tension between them and the looming threat of Blue Rider grew. Taejoo and Euihyun worked together, setting up defenses, creating decoys, and preparing for the inevitable showdown. The atmosphere between them became more intense, not just because of the danger, but because of how much they relied on each other. Every glance, every shared moment felt charged with something deeper—something unspoken.
But Blue Rider wasn't just a shadow in the background. He was getting closer, leaving traces of his presence in systems Taejoo had secured, taunting them. It became a cat-and-mouse game, with Blue Rider always seeming one step ahead.
One night, as they sat in Taejoo's apartment, monitoring their systems for any signs of Blue Rider, an alert flashed on Euihyun's screen.
"He's here," Euihyun muttered, his fingers flying over the keys.
Taejoo leaned over, eyes scanning the code. "Damn, he's fast."
Euihyun's mind raced as he worked, trying to keep up with Blue Rider's attacks. But no matter how quickly he moved, Blue Rider was always just out of reach, slipping through firewalls and breaking through security systems with ease.
Then, suddenly, everything went black. The screens flickered, and all their data disappeared.
"What the hell?" Taejoo stood up, his eyes wide with disbelief. "He wiped us out."
Euihyun's hands tightened on the edge of the desk, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never seen anything like this before. Blue Rider wasn't just skilled—he was ruthless.
Before they could react, another message appeared on the screen.
Blue Rider: You thought you could outsmart me? Cute. But now, it's game over.
Euihyun's blood ran cold. This wasn't just a threat—it was a declaration of war. Blue Rider wasn't playing around anymore, and neither could they.
But Euihyun wasn't about to back down. Not now. Not after everything.
He glanced at Taejoo, who stood beside him, his usual calm replaced with a fiery determination. "We're not done yet," Euihyun said, his voice low but firm. "Not by a long shot."
Taejoo looked at him, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "Damn right."
And with that, they dove back into the fight—because if Blue Rider wanted a war, then that's exactly what he was going to get.
To Be Continued ...
Hope you really like this chapter....❤️❤️❤️
