[L]ee Ju-hee stepped into the cold streets, the cool wind ruffling her clothes.
The night air was refreshing, as she inhaled in deeply, attempting to cleanse herself from the stifling atmosphere of the club they had just left behind.
"U-unnie?" Shin Ha-eun's nervous voice broke through her thoughts.
Lee Ju-hee turned to her, noticing the lingering hint of a slur in her speech, although she seemed somewhat sobered up now.
"What were you doing back there?" Lee Ju-hee asked, her tone stern, as if reprimanding a little child. Disappointment was evident in her austere, blue gaze.
"I-I just... thought..." Shin Ha-eun stammered, avoiding eye-contact.
Seeing this, Lee Ju-hee's expression softened slightly, and she place a reassuring hand on the trainee's shoulder.
"Dealing with heartbreak is tough," she said flatly, a hint of empathy in her voice, "but going to a host club isn't the right place to heal. Things could've gone wrong back there!"
Shin Ha-eun looked down, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Unnie. I won't do it again..."
Lee Ju-hee sighed, choosing to overlook it for now. "Let's get you home safely, and tomorrow, we'll discuss it over coffee, alright?"
Shin Ha-eun nodded gratefully. Lee Ju-hee used this opportunity to signal for the prearranged cab, which was already waiting for them.
The sound of the Taxi pulling up interrupted Shin Ha-eun's trend of thoughts. Lee Ju-hee moved to open the door and gently guided Shin Ha-eun inside.
"Would you like me to accompany you?" Lee Ju-hee offered, slightly concerned for Shin Ha-eun's well-being.
After giving it some thought, the female trainee shook her head, not wanting to cause her Unnie any more trouble. "I'll manage on my own, don't worry!"
Though uneasy about letting her go alone, Lee Ju-hee didn't want to insist since they weren't that close yet. "Alright," she agreed with a nod.
As the cab drove away, Lee Ju-hee found herself deep in thought, still bothered by her earlier encounter with 'that stranger'. A sense of unease settled in the pit of her stomach.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated, alerting her to a new message. She unlocked her phone and saw it was from her cousin, Park Min-ho.
Lee Ju-hee opened the message, reading through the contents:
['Finally confirmed the intel on Yoo Jin-ho, aka Reaper. We've got a lead now... see the pictures I've attached.']
Her eyes quickly scanned the words until they landed on the photographs, causing her to release an involuntary gasp.
***
It had been an unusually quiet night at the club, with Shin Ha-eun as his only client.
When his shift had ended early, Yoo Jin-ho gladly offered to help Han-sol and Flame serve the remaining drinks. But since there wasn't much to be done, he was relieved of his workload.
Exhaling the last remnants of his cigarette, he tossed it away and stomped on it, heading back in the direction of Han-sol's apartment, where Yoo Jin-ho was staying temporarily.
Since leaving the club, the darkened streets seemed eerie and Yoo Jin-ho quicked his pace, trying to brush off the sense of unease that clawed at his insides.
The nagging feeling of being followed persisted, making him come to a halt and growl menacingly into the darkness, demanding, "Who's there?" Yet, silence was the only response.
Deciding to stay on his guard, he resumed his walk.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The brisk sound of something cutting through air alerted him to danger.
Instinctively, he was nimble on his feet as he side-rolled on the ground, quickly ducking and dodging the weapons thrown his way.
Clunk! Thump!
'This is?' Examining the fallen weapons, he realized they were small daggers.
It was clear that whoever had tried to attack him was intent on killing him. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed a shadowy figure not too far behind him. Though he couldn't see the person's face, their ominous presence nearly sent shivers down his spine.
"Finally decided to show yourself, heh?" Yoo Jin-ho spat smugly, straightening himself as a cocky half-smirk played at the corner of his lips.
The figure stepped forward, moving into the light, revealing a guy of moderate height with a lean built, dressed in a leather biker outfit and wearing a black helmet.
As Jin-ho faced his mysterious assailant, the attire made it difficult for him to discern the person's identity.
A gust of wind blew past them, heightening the sense of foreboding that hung between them.
Unexpectedly, the stranger dived in, jumped and sent a swift spinning-kick at Yoo Jin-ho, hoping to land a hit. As if anticipating the attack, Yoo Jin-ho effortlessly blocked the kick using a left hand high block to defend himself.
The assailant seemed taken aback by Jin-ho's skills, promptly retracting 'his' leg and stepping back, creating a safe distance.
Yoo Jin-ho's expression turned grim and menacing as he demanded, "Who sent you? I'm willing to bet it was Han Si-hyun!"
At the mention of that name, the stranger emitted a gasp, but quickly retorted in a deep and aggravated voice, "Who? This has nothing to do with your... Han Si-hyun!"
Jin-ho arched an incredulous eyebrow, observing the guy closely. His hoarse voice suggested some kind of disguise to conceal his true identity. "Then who are you? Why are you here?"
In response, the stranger threw a photograph on the pavement. The picture glided across the gritty ground and came to a halt at Yoo Jin-ho's feet.
"Remember her?" the stranger asked cryptically.
Narrowing his eyes, Jin-ho stared at the familiar image of a woman with black hair, her face bearing the scars of horrific abuse.
She looked lifeless, and the sight sent a sting through his heart. She looked to be in a hospital gown, sitting on her bed with an IV drip in her right hand.
"Why do you have that picture?" Jin-ho's voice trembled with intensity as he picked it up, his eyes locking onto his attacker's figure. "What did you do to her?"
The stranger's response was venomous. "Why do you care? Weren't you the one who made her this way?"
His heart sank at the accusation. The gravity of the situation hit him hard, and he realized that this mysterious person held him responsible for the woman's suffering.
The suffocating wave of guilt and remorse overwhelmed Yoo Jin-ho as he grappled with the truth of his actions, leaving him filled with profound regret.
Putting two and two together, he finally concluded, "So you're here for her? For revenge?"
"Who knows!" The stranger chuckled maliciously, 'his' face concealed behind the helmet.
"If you wanted revenge for her, why now of all times?" Jin-ho's gaze narrowed, his grip on the photograph tightening, causing it to crease.
"She's dead now! You fuckers killed her!" The person's voice remained hoarse, cold, and filled with placid accusation. "How does it feel, huh? How does it feel to know that you've got the blood of an innocent person on your hands?!"
Those words struck Yoo Jin-ho hard, triggering some unwanted memories of the past.
"S-she's dead?" Jin-ho repeated, his expression turning to one of bewilderment. "No... No! This can't be! We gave her 'that'... she should've..."
"W-what are you talking about, you asshole?" The person demanded, scoffing bitterly in Jin-ho's direction.
Despite the prodding, Jin-ho remained quiet, visibly unsettled. He buried his face in the palm of his hand, horror evident on his face, as he kept mumbling to himself repeatedly, "That's impossible! We made sure... I made sure she lives..."
The wording seemed to momentarily confuse his opponent, who demanded, "Why? Why would you? Weren't you the one who planned the whole thing?"
"T-this can't be! This can't be!" Yoo Jin-ho's voice sounded deranged as he repeated, struggling to accept the sudden revelation. His mind was racing, trying to reconcile the truth with the memories he held.
"I have no idea what you did to 'her'... or how you did it... but whatever it was, nothing could've saved her from the nightmare she endured!" The guy's words were laced with venom, leaving an underlying insinuation.
"Are you saying she took her own life?" Yoo Jin-ho snapped, glaring pointedly in 'his' direction.
Dismissing his question with a shrug, 'he' responded blankly, "Now, it's time to pay! Yoo Jin-ho, codename Reaper!"