Dangerously Yours [JEONGCHEOL]

08: Echoes of Gelan

"Did you get the message decoded?" Seungcheol’s voice cut through the silence of the nearly deserted BOMG office. The others had gone home; Dino and Minghao returned to the dormitory, and Woozi decided to stay over with Soonyoung. But for now, it was only the core team remaining, and tension hung thick in the air.

Two heads turned toward Seungcheol from behind the computer, their expressions grave. Wonwoo broke the silence, "Seokmin's close."

Seungcheol joined Seokmin, hovering beside his chair, the flickering computer screen casting a cold light across their faces. But Seokmin shifted uncomfortably, glancing up with a faint scowl. "Could you two, I don't know, back off a bit? You're suffocating me."

A quick smack landed on the back of Seokmin’s head, courtesy of Seungcheol, as Wonwoo found a nearby chair, but neither looked amused. "Focus," Seungcheol ordered.

Seokmin grumbled under his breath and leaned closer to the screen, fingers flying over the keys. Minutes passed in tense silence, broken only by the soft tapping of the keyboard.

Then, suddenly, "I'm done!" Seokmin announced, his voice barely above a whisper, yet it felt like a shout in the quiet room.

Seungcheol and Wonwoo immediately leaned in, eyes glued to the screen as the message unfolded before them.

"Thirty days," Seungcheol murmured. "That's all Gelan needs to pull the president’s son into their plans."

Wonwoo’s brow creased. "What happens after thirty days?"

Seungcheol didn’t answer immediately, his gaze hardening. "Whatever it is, it won't be something we can afford to wait around for. Get everyone here now." He turned back to Seokmin. "You’re done here—head out."

With a quick nod, Seokmin gathered his things and slipped out of the office. Silence thickened as Seungcheol began pacing, his mind racing, until finally, he turned to Wonwoo. "I need every last piece of intel we have on Gelan. Nothing’s too small."

Wonwoo immediately dove into the confidential police files, fingers moving rapidly as he hunted down any scrap of information. Soon, the others arrived, each one looking tense.

"What’s going on?" Dino asked, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Seungcheol shot him a quick look, barely concealing a hint of annoyance. "You're not needed here. Let the others handle this."

Unbothered, Dino left, and Seungcheol quickly brought the remaining team up to speed. He placed the decoded message on the table, letting the gravity of the situation sink in. "Jigeo sent this. Something big is in the works, and it's only a matter of time before Gelan moves."

Soonyoung’s eyes went wide. "Are you serious? Gelan's back? I thought they disbanded after their leader died."

Wonwoo glanced up from the stack of files. "That’s what the records say. But apparently, they were wrong."

Minghao sifted through the files with Wonwoo as Woozi and Soonyoung exchanged tense glances.

Woozi frowned. "Was there any indication the leader had an heir? No one knew much about his private life, right?"

Seungcheol’s gaze sharpened. "Forget speculation. What matters now is finding out who’s pulling the strings—and fast."

Woozi gave a quick nod, accepting the reprimand, and leaned in as Seungcheol turned to Wonwoo and Minghao. "Find anything?"

"Nothing concrete," Minghao said with a sigh. "The previous leader was meticulous about covering his tracks."

Seungcheol clenched his fists, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "Then we’ll need a new strategy." His gaze turned to Soonyoung, a calculating look in his eyes. "You look like someone who could blend in with the right people."