The early morning sky over Seoul was streaked with pale light, a quiet calm settling over the city as it roused from its slumber. But inside Hyun-soo's apartment, the stillness was anything but peaceful. His heart pounded, and every minute felt like an eternity. They had done it. They had stopped the deal and handed over everything to Chairman Kang. Yet, instead of relief, all Hyun-soo felt was a deep, gnawing sense of unease.
Soo-jin was pacing back and forth, her movements restless and deliberate. She hadn't slept; none of them had. The anxiety was palpable, thickening the air in the room. Ji-eun sat on the edge of the couch, her face pale but her eyes clear and sharp. The collapse of her father's empire was in motion, and they all knew the consequences that would follow.
"We should've heard something by now," Soo-jin muttered, glancing at her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. "It's been hours."
"It takes time for things like this," Ji-eun replied, her voice strained. "Kang will want to make sure everything is in place before he acts publicly."
"Publicly?" Hyun-soo said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "There's not going to be anything public about this. We've just handed over Soorin to a man who's as ruthless as my boss was. Do you think Kang is going to parade this in front of the world? He'll take Soorin, crush the pieces that don't suit him, and leave the rest of us to deal with the fallout."
Soo-jin stopped pacing and faced him, her eyes narrowed. "You knew what we were getting into. This was never about exposing the truth. It was about survival."
Hyun-soo felt his stomach twist. He did know. They hadn't gone to the authorities or the media for a reason: none of them believed in justice anymore. The system had been too deeply corrupted for them to trust anyone outside their circle. But knowing that didn't make the reality any easier to swallow.
"Survival is one thing," Hyun-soo replied, his voice tight, "but what if Kang decides we're loose ends? We gave him everything, and now we're just waiting for him to decide whether we're useful or expendable."
Ji-eun's gaze drifted out the window, her face unreadable. "We're not expendable. Kang knows that."
"And how can you be so sure?" Hyun-soo shot back. "Because we have nothing left to offer. We've played our hand."
Ji-eun turned her head to look at him, her expression hardening. "Kang might be ruthless, but he's not reckless. He's not going to make a move against us unless we give him a reason to. And right now, we need to stay quiet and wait for him to dismantle Soorin."
---
By midday, the first signs of the fallout had begun to ripple through the corporate world. The news of Soorin Corporation's sudden financial troubles hit the business channels like a bombshell. Investors were panicking, stocks plummeting as rumors swirled about internal corruption, bad deals, and criminal involvement. But the details were vague, almost deliberately so. There was no mention of the organized crime syndicates, no hard evidence tying Soorin to the underworld—just whispers of "financial mismanagement" and "unsound business practices."
Hyun-soo sat in front of the television, watching the coverage unfold, his gut churning. He knew what was happening behind the scenes. Kang was orchestrating a controlled collapse, stripping Soorin of its value piece by piece, and ensuring that when the dust settled, he'd emerge as the one holding the reins. The public would never know the full story—just enough to justify the takeover.
"Look at them," Soo-jin said, standing behind the couch with her arms crossed, her voice thick with disgust. "They're spinning this like it's just another corporate blunder. Like it's nothing more than bad investments."
"It's exactly what Kang wants," Ji-eun said from her seat, her tone resigned. "He can't expose everything. If he does, he risks blowing up his own interests. The criminal syndicates won't go after him if they think he's just cleaning up a mess. But if they know he's the one who leaked the real story, they'll retaliate."
"And we're caught in the middle of it," Hyun-soo muttered, rubbing his temples. "Again."
Ji-eun leaned forward, her hands clasped in front of her. "No, we're not. We've done our part. Kang's taking control, and now we need to figure out what comes next—for us."
Hyun-soo shot her a look. "What comes next? We just burned every bridge we had. We're lucky if we get out of this alive, let alone with anything resembling a future."
Soo-jin nodded in agreement. "He's right. Kang's not going to keep us around unless he thinks we can still be useful. We need to plan for the worst."
Ji-eun's eyes flickered, and for the first time, Hyun-soo saw a trace of doubt cross her face. She had always been the calm one, the composed strategist who saw things two steps ahead. But even she couldn't deny the reality they were facing. The world they had known was gone. Soorin's collapse was only the beginning of the chaos that was about to engulf them.
"I know," Ji-eun admitted quietly. "But we can't run yet. Not until we know what Kang's next move is."
---
The waiting was the hardest part. Hours passed, and the uncertainty gnawed at Hyun-soo like a slow poison. He couldn't stay still, couldn't quiet the voice in his head that kept telling him they had made a terrible mistake. Everything about this situation was wrong. They had aligned themselves with Kang, a man who cared only for his own power, and now they were depending on him to keep them safe.
It wasn't long before Hyun-soo's phone buzzed—a single message lighting up the screen.
*"We need to talk. Meet me at the usual place. – Kang"*
Hyun-soo's heart skipped a beat. This was it. Kang had made his move, and now it was time to see where they stood.
He showed the message to Soo-jin and Ji-eun, both of whom exchanged uneasy glances.
"Do you think he's calling us in to tie up loose ends?" Hyun-soo asked, his voice low.
Soo-jin's face was unreadable, but her tone was dark. "Possibly. Or he's about to let us know how he plans to use us next."
Ji-eun stood, her expression tight. "We have to go. If we don't show up, we'll look like we're hiding something."
"And if we do?" Hyun-soo asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "We're walking right into whatever trap he's set for us."
Ji-eun looked at him squarely. "We don't have a choice. If we're going to survive this, we have to know what Kang's planning. We can't stay in the dark."
Hyun-soo clenched his fists, his mind racing. He hated this—hated the helplessness, the feeling of being a pawn in someone else's game. But Ji-eun was right. They couldn't hide. Not now. Not when everything was hanging by a thread.
---
The "usual place" was a private dining room in an upscale hotel—one of Kang's preferred spots for meetings where discretion was key. As Hyun-soo, Soo-jin, and Ji-eun arrived, they were greeted by the sight of Kang already seated at the head of the table, a glass of whiskey in hand. His demeanor was calm, even casual, but there was an intensity in his eyes that made Hyun-soo's stomach churn.
"Ah, good, you came," Kang said, his tone almost friendly. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd decided to cut ties after all."
Hyun-soo didn't sit. He stood by the door, arms crossed, tension radiating off him. "We don't have many ties left, Kang. You've seen to that."
Kang smiled faintly, gesturing for them to sit. "Come now, don't be so dramatic. You knew this was how it would play out. Soorin was a sinking ship long before you came to me. I simply provided a way to ensure you didn't go down with it."
Ji-eun took a seat first, her expression guarded but controlled. Soo-jin followed suit, though her eyes never left Kang's face, as if she were waiting for the moment he would show his true hand.
"So, what now?" Ji-eun asked, her voice steady. "You've taken control of the situation. Soorin is finished. Where do we stand?"
Kang swirled his drink in his glass, considering her question for a moment before speaking. "You stand exactly where I want you to stand. For now, that's on the sidelines. I'll finish cleaning up Soorin's mess, and in return, you'll stay out of my way."
"And after that?" Hyun-soo pressed, unable to keep the edge out of his voice. "What happens to us?"
Kang's eyes flickered toward him, and for a moment, Hyun-soo saw something cold and calculating beneath the surface. "After that? You do whatever you want. But make no mistake—if you try to interfere with what I'm building, or if you even think about betraying me, I'll bury you faster than Soorin's collapse."
The room fell into a tense silence. Hyun-soo felt a cold sweat break across his skin. Kang wasn't bluffing. The power he wielded now was immense, and they were expendable in his eyes—mere tools that had served their purpose.
"You've done well to get this far," Kang continued, taking a slow sip of his whiskey. "But you're at the end of your usefulness. If you want to live through this, you'll disappear. Leave Seoul. Go somewhere far from this mess. Forget everything you've been involved in."
Hyun-soo's throat tightened. He could feel the weight of the ultimatum. Kang was offering them a way out—but it was the kind of freedom that came with a leash. The moment they stepped out of line, the consequences would be swift and brutal.
Ji-eun's voice broke the silence. "And if we decide not to run? What then?"
Kang smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Then you become liabilities. And I don't keep liabilities around for long."
Hyun-soo's heart pounded in his chest. There it was—clear and undeniable. They had no control left, no leverage, no safety net. Their only choice was to vanish or risk being erased by the very man they had turned to for help.
Soo-jin, ever pragmatic, nodded slowly. "We understand."
Hyun-soo, however, couldn't shake the anger building inside him. "So, we just disappear and let you take everything?"
Kang's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "That's right. I take everything. And you get to keep your lives. It's a fair trade, don't you think?"
For a moment, Hyun-soo considered lashing out, refusing to play Kang's game. But he knew better. This was a man who controlled everything now. Fighting him was suicide. The realization was suffocating, the weight of their helplessness crushing down on him.
Kang finished his drink and stood, smoothing his suit jacket. "This is your chance. Take it. Or don't. Either way, it's your decision. But remember—I don't offer second chances."
With that, Kang walked out of the room, leaving the three of them in silence, their fates now sealed.