The next afternoon, after the intense fight, Joonwoo invited Eunyeon to a café. They hadn't had much time to talk recently, and Joonwoo thought it would be a good opportunity for both of them to relax and reflect. He arrived first and waited for him at a somewhat secluded table to avoid drawing too much attention.
After a while, Eunyeon finally left the café. In his right hand, he casually held his sports helmet, and a cigarette was tucked behind his ear, nearly finished. As he walked out, his eyes met a familiar figure—Kim Seoyun, the girl he had met while jogging a few days ago. Seoyun walked past him, but Eunyeon couldn't help but smile faintly at her.
Seoyun, slightly flustered by the unexpected encounter, quickly turned around and mumbled, "My type..." in a quiet voice. Her face reddened, trying to cover up her awkwardness.
Eunyeon just smiled faintly and kept walking, but this time with a bit more speed. Without thinking too much, he hopped on his motorcycle and revved the engine, speeding away, leaving Seoyun standing there, still processing the unexpected encounter.
As Eunyeon sped down the road, the wind in his face helped clear his mind, but a part of him couldn't shake off the brief encounter with Seoyun. He had always been focused on the dangerous world he was trying to escape, but moments like these made him realize that maybe there was more to life than just survival.
As he took a sharp turn, his thoughts were interrupted when his phone buzzed. It was a message from Joonwoo: "You okay? Let me know if you need anything."
Eunyeon briefly smiled, appreciating Joonwoo's concern. They had grown closer over the past few days, and despite the uncertainty of the situation, he felt like he had someone he could rely on. He typed back, "Thanks, I'm good for now."
The road ahead seemed endless, but Eunyeon didn't slow down. He needed to clear his head before returning to the chaos that awaited him.
Meanwhile, Joonwoo, who had watched Eunyeon leave the café earlier, couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. His gut told him that the calm wouldn't last long. He had seen enough of the underworld to know that threats never just disappear—they only grow stronger.
As he left the café, he thought about Eunyeon's situation. It was clear that the past was never going to let him go. And with people like Seungho still lurking in the shadows, the road ahead would only get more dangerous. But for now, he decided to give Eunyeon space—he knew the young man needed it.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, both of them were heading down different paths, but one thing was certain: their fates were intertwined, and the coming days would test them in ways they hadn't imagined.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Yulhan was sitting in his room, staring out the window as he tried to process everything that had happened. The fight, the escape, and the brief moment of relief he had shared with Eunyeon. He couldn't shake the feeling that something more was coming, something he wasn't ready for. Despite his tough exterior, Yulhan had always carried a deep sense of responsibility, especially when it came to people he cared about.
His phone buzzed on the desk, and he quickly picked it up. It was a message from Eunyeon: "Thanks for today. I'm fine, don't worry."
Yulhan stared at the message for a moment before replying with a simple "Anytime. Be careful." He knew that even though things seemed calm now, it wouldn't last long. He had seen too much of this world to believe in simple peace.
He leaned back in his chair, letting out a sigh. His thoughts kept drifting to Seoyun, the girl Eunyeon had briefly crossed paths with earlier. It was obvious that there was a certain tension between them, but Yulhan didn't want to make assumptions. All he knew was that Eunyeon had enough on his plate without dealing with new distractions, especially ones from the past.
But the feeling of unease wouldn't leave him. He stood up, walking to the window, and glanced out at the street below. The night was quiet, but that didn't ease the knot in his stomach. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, not with Seungho still out there, and certainly not with the looming threat of the underworld that still had its grip on Eunyeon.
Yulhan clenched his fists. He had already promised to protect Eunyeon, and he wasn't about to let that promise slip away. The road ahead would be difficult, but Yulhan knew he would face it head-on, no matter what it took.
That night, Eunyeon sat in his living room, enjoying the calmer atmosphere after the events of the day. He decided to order some fast food to fill his stomach, trying to ease the tension still in his chest. After waiting for a while, his doorbell rang.
When Eunyeon opened the door, he was surprised to see who was standing in front of him: Minsik, the food courier who was holding a large bag containing Eunyeon's order. His expression showed how shocked he was, as if he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Minsik's face in front of him.
"Minsik?" Eunyeon was almost speechless. "You delivered the food?"
Minsik rolled his eyes and sighed. "Seriously, Eunyeon? You actually ordered food from this place?" he said in an annoyed tone, stealing a glance at the food in his hand.
Eunyeon just smiled slightly, feeling a little awkward about the situation. "What, a problem? You're not much different either, are you? Working here, there's nothing to be bothered about," he replied casually.
Minsik felt annoyed, wanting to turn around and leave, but Eunyeon held him back with a sharp look. "Come on, take the money," he said as he reached for his wallet and tipped a sizable amount.
"Yes, yes, thank you," Minsik said in a tone that still sounded a bit annoyed, but he couldn't help but accept the money. "Don't order food like this too often. Don't get caught."
With one more step, Eunyeon took the order from Minsik's hand and closed the door quickly, without giving Minsik a chance to say more. However, before the door was completely closed, he could hear Minsik grumbling in a dissatisfied tone.
Eunyeon just shook his head, slightly amused at Minsik who could always make the situation funnier, even though the two of them never got along. However, behind that, Eunyeon felt there was something more than just hatred between them. Perhaps, even though they often clashed, there was some kind of understanding that went deeper than what was visible on the surface.