Annyeongz One-shots

95. Risk ( 2 )

Back at a sleek, dimly lit office far from the quiet apartment, the staff member—still shaking from the encounter—paced nervously in front of a tall man seated behind a black glass desk. The man’s expression was unreadable, but the subtle twitch of his fingers on the desk betrayed irritation.

“Boss,” the staff member said, bowing slightly, voice tight. “I almost—almost got her. She was there, at the market. Alone.”

The boss leaned back in his chair, eyes glinting like dark steel. “Alone?” His voice was calm, chillingly precise. “And this… girl? You didn’t manage to take her?”

The staff member swallowed hard. “No, sir. A man—somebody was with her. He… he intervened. I don’t know who he is, but he’s fast. Professional. I barely got away.”

The boss’s eyes narrowed, the faintest edge of a smile on his lips. “Interesting.” He leaned forward, elbows on the desk, voice dropping to a quiet menace. “So the girl has… a guardian. Someone to protect her. That makes things… complicated. Very interesting.”

The staff member shivered, unsure whether to be afraid or relieved. The man behind the desk didn’t shout. He didn’t need to. Every word he spoke carried the weight of danger.

“She’s stubborn,” the staff member added nervously. “She… she tried to go out alone. I almost—”

“You almost?” The boss interrupted, his tone sharp. “Almost is not enough. Almost never is. You saw her clearly, didn’t you?”

“Yes, sir. Blonde hair, small build, seems ordinary—innocent—but there’s something about her. She’s not like the others.”

“Exactly.” The boss leaned back again, steepling his fingers. “That’s why she’s important. That’s why she can’t simply be… removed quietly. Not yet. But you came close. And that… informs us.”

The staff member blinked, heart hammering. “Sir?”

The boss’s grin was slow, deliberate, and terrifying. “We will tighten the net. Next time, there will be no man to protect her. No interference. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.” He waved a hand dismissively, but his eyes lingered on the staff member, cold and calculating. “Bring me constant updates. I want to know her every move. Every meal, every store she enters, every step she takes. I want her tracked. And the man who protects her… find out who he is. If he stands in our way again… remove him.”

The staff member nodded, swallowing hard, suddenly aware of how small and insignificant he felt in the presence of a mind so deadly.

Outside the office, the city continued its usual rhythm, oblivious to the fact that the girl who had simply wanted vanilla ice cream was now at the center of a dangerous game. Every moment she spent outside, every small act of independence, was being watched. Every step, recorded. Every heartbeat, a countdown she didn’t yet understand.

Back at the apartment, Yujin sat in the dark, reviewing surveillance footage from the market. His eyes were sharp, scanning every frame until he found her. She had slipped out, alone. The rage that usually simmered quietly in him flared into ice-cold panic.

He didn’t wait. Not even a second.

Grabbing his coat, his gloves, and a concealed weapon, he ran through the rainy streets, calling for her silently through every alley and side street. The city blurred around him. Every instinct screamed that she was in danger, and that instinct never failed.

The SUV raced through the quiet, rain-slick streets. Wonyoung clutched the edge of her seat, heart still hammering from the near-miss at the market. The drizzle outside blurred the city lights, turning the streets into streaks of neon and shadow. Inside, the tension was suffocating.