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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The morning was crisp as we walked up to Eun-ji's school, her tiny hand nestled in mine while she bounced along, excited for another day with her friends. San was on her other side, carrying her backpack and listening to her chatter about the new drawing she'd made for her teacher. It was a calm, ordinary moment, and I was savoring it, feeling grateful for this little family we'd somehow pieced together.
But just as we reached the school gate, my attention snapped to the sleek black car that pulled up next to us. Out stepped a man, sharply dressed, with the kind of polished confidence that only came from a lifetime of wielding power. He walked around to open the door for a young boy—presumably his son—who darted off into the building with a quick goodbye. But instead of watching his son, the man turned, his gaze settling directly on San with a smile that made my stomach tighten.
"San," he greeted smoothly, his voice carrying that practiced, assured tone that only came from years in the business. He took a step closer, his eyes trailing over San with open admiration.
San's brow furrowed slightly, but he returned the nod, his posture still relaxed. "Do I know you?" he asked, his tone polite but reserved.
The man laughed, his eyes lingering on San a bit too long for my liking. "Not exactly," he replied, reaching out to clap a hand on San's shoulder. "But I've definitely heard about you. You're well known, after all—quite the figure around here."
San offered a polite smile, shrugging off the man's hand, but his curiosity was piqued. "I see. And you are...?"
"Oh, where are my manners?" The man chuckled, extending his hand. "I'm Min-jun. Family's been in the area a while now, and I've heard a lot about your... talents." His voice held a hint of something more, a sort of casual flirtation as he let his eyes roam over San, as if he didn't care that I was standing right there. He barely acknowledged me at all, and when he did, it was with a brief, dismissive glance.
The tension started to coil in my chest, but I kept my expression neutral for Eun-ji's sake, silently seething as I kept a firm hold on her hand.
"I see," San replied, still calm, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Nice to meet you, Min-jun."
Min-jun's smirk widened as he leaned in slightly, as if sharing some private joke. "I've heard you handle... quite a lot. Must get exhausting managing all of that on your own, hmm?" he asked, his tone almost teasing, as though he knew exactly what he was doing.
I could feel my jaw tightening, but I forced myself to take a steadying breath. Without a word, I crouched down, looking at Eun-ji and giving her an encouraging smile. "Come on, sweetheart, let's get you to the gate, okay?" I said, doing my best to keep my tone light for her.
She nodded eagerly, skipping along with me as we walked the rest of the way to the school entrance. I crouched down again, fixing her bow and giving her a warm smile. "Have a wonderful day, Eun-ji," I said softly, hugging her tight. She smiled brightly, waving as she disappeared into the building, completely unaware of the tension simmering just behind her.
