Vet's Heartbeat | Minsung |

5

As Minho and his team raced through the night, determination fueled their every move. They arrived at the location where Jihoon had been spotted, an abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. The air was thick with tension, each member of the crew acutely aware that they were stepping into a trap laid by betrayal.

“Keep your guard up,” Minho instructed, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside him. “We don’t know what we’re walking into.”

Changbin nodded, his grip on his weapon tightening. “If Songyun is working with Jihoon, we need to be ready for anything.”

As they approached the warehouse, Minho's mind flickered back to Jisung. The thought of the vet's gentle smile sparked a fleeting moment of calm amidst the chaos. But the urgency of the mission quickly pulled him back. There was no room for distractions now.

They crept inside, the dim light casting long shadows on the concrete floor. The sound of hushed voices reached them, and Minho motioned for the group to take cover behind a stack of crates. Peering around the corner, he spotted Jihoon and Songyun deep in conversation, their faces taut with tension.

“What are they discussing?” Seungmin whispered, straining to hear.

“Let’s get closer,” Minho replied, inching forward.

The closer they got, the clearer the words became. Jihoon was negotiating terms with Songyun, who was clearly in the thick of it, looking nervous but determined.

“Your information is valuable, but I need assurance that you can deliver,” Jihoon was saying, his tone cold.

“I promise you, everything will go as planned. I’ve set them up for the fall,” Songyun replied, his voice shaking slightly. “But we need to act fast. Minho will come for us.”

At the mention of his name, a surge of rage coursed through Minho. It was time to end this. He turned to his team, his eyes fierce. “On my signal.”

He counted down silently in his head. If Songyun had betrayed him, there was no mercy in his plans.

“Three... two... one...”

Minho burst into the room, his crew flanking him. The shock on their faces was immediate. Jihoon scrambled backward, but Songyun stood his ground, a mix of defiance and fear in his eyes.

“Boss, listen—” Songyun started, but Minho cut him off.

“Save it. You betrayed us.” Minho’s voice rang out, raw and accusatory.

“I didn’t have a choice!” Songyun shot back, desperation creeping into his tone. “They threatened me!”

“Threatened you?” Changbin echoed, stepping closer. “You put all of us at risk. You think we’ll just let this slide?”

Jihoon interrupted, trying to regain control. “You’re in over your head, Minho. You have no idea what you're up against.”

“I know exactly what I’m up against.” Minho advanced, fists clenched.

Before Jihoon could respond, Seungmin lunged forward, seizing Songyun by the collar. “You’ll regret this, Songyun. You had a family here.”

“Move!” Jihoon shouted, trying to push past Minho, but he was met with a swift jab from Changbin, sending him sprawling back.

“Not so fast,” Minho growled, stepping forward. “You think you can escape this? You wanted to play with fire—now you’ll burn.”

Jihoon scrambled for the exit, but Minho was ready. A loud gunshot echoed, followed by a thud as Jihoon fell to the ground. Changbin and Seungmin kept a watchful eye on Songyun, who looked torn between escape and remorse.

“Please, Minho! I can help you!” Songyun pleaded, kneeling, desperation evident in his voice. "Please, give me another chance!"

Minho stood over him, the weight of the moment heavy on his shoulders. “Second chances don't exist."

“You will pay for this,” he said, his voice low and threatening. Bang!

With the tension thick in the air, Minho knew that this night was only the beginning of a much larger battle. As he glanced back at his team, he felt the resolve settle within him. Trust was now a fragile thread, hanging by a mere thread.

"Clean this up. I have somewhere to be." Somewhere peaceful.

___

"He looks different. Is he glowing?” Changbin spoke while starting to clean, convinced he saw a sparkle in Minho's eyes that lasted for a few seconds.

“Sure, smart guy,” Seungmin replied, rolling his eyes. He was too tired to care about Changbin’s nonsense.

“Maybe he’s finally embracing his inner angel,” Changbin teased, grinning. “You know, the one with the halo?”

Seungmin snorted. “More like the one with the permanent scowl."

Minho, overhearing them, shot them a cold glare but said nothing.

“He’s giving us the ‘ice king’ look,” Changbin whispered, mimicking a dramatic shiver. “I’m terrified!

Seungmin smirked. “I’d be worried about getting buried under his coldness.”

“Shut it, both of you,” Minho interjected, his voice steady and unyielding. He crossed his arms, maintaining his icy demeanor.

Seungmin chuckled, leaning back with satisfaction, facing Changbin. “And if you keep this up, we might have to start cleaning you too.”

Minho sighed, “If you two are done, I have work to do.”

“Aw, come on! Lighten up! You might even enjoy it,” Changbin said with a wink.

Minho merely raised an eyebrow, his expression remaining cold. “Enjoyment isn’t in my job description. Continue cleaning”

And he's gone.