The neon-lit streets of Seoul came alive at night. Between the bustling chatter of street vendors and the distant hum of a motorcycle engine, chaos lurked in the shadows.
Ji-Hoon leaned against a graffiti-covered wall, the cold sting of the evening air biting at his knuckles. His bomber jacket hung loosely over his shoulders, the red thread gecko emblem on the back faintly catching the flickering streetlights. Across from him, Min-Soo stood silently, lighting a cigarette with his usual calm demeanor. The faint glow highlighted the rugged texture of his leather jacket, the same emblem stitched on the back in bold red.
"This city's gone to hell," Ji-Hoon muttered, watching a couple of teenagers dash across the street, avoiding a group of thugs in matching black jackets with a wolf emblem. "Iron Wolves. These guys think they own everything now."
Min-Soo exhaled a stream of smoke, his gaze cold and steady. "They're just a symptom. The real disease is Black Hydra. They're the ones pulling the strings."
Ji-Hoon clenched his fists, the red thread bracelet on his wrist digging into his skin. "We start small. Take our block back. And when we're strong enough... I'll find out what Black Hydra did to my sister."
"Hope you've got a plan for that," a sharp voice cut in. Ji-Hoon turned to see Eun-Ji, striding toward them with her usual no-nonsense attitude. Her cropped bomber jacket swayed slightly as she carried a plastic bag filled with takeout containers.
"Or are you just dragging us into another brawl for fun?" she added, smirking as she handed Ji-Hoon a steaming container of fried dumplings.
Ji-Hoon grinned. "Eun-Ji, you wound me. I've got a vision. A gang with principles—loyalty, strength, and the guts to fight for what's right."
"Sounds noble," Eun-Ji said, crossing her arms. "But also sounds like suicide if it's just the three of us."
"Hey!" a cheerful voice echoed from around the corner. Dae-Hyun came jogging up, his hoodie half-zipped, a pair of headphones slung around his neck. "You forget about me already? I'm the brains of this operation!" He tapped the side of his head dramatically, grinning like a kid.
"Brains, huh?" Min-Soo raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure last time you tried to help, you tripped over your own feet and nearly got us killed."
"Details, details," Dae-Hyun waved him off, plopping down beside them. "So, this 'Red Thread' thing—what's the deal? We gonna paint the streets red, or is this one of Ji-Hoon's 'save the world' speeches again?"
Ji-Hoon smirked. "It's both. We protect what's ours. Our people, our streets. But we don't just fight for the sake of fighting—we fight for a future."
Dae-Hyun leaned back, blowing out an exaggerated breath. "Alright, I'm in. But don't expect me to take a punch. I'll stick to gadgets and distractions, thank you very much."
Eun-Ji sighed. "Fine. If we're doing this, we're doing it right. No sloppy moves, no charging in blind. And we'll need to take care of the Wolves first. They're already sniffing around my diner, thinking they can muscle me out."
Min-Soo rolled his shoulders, the faint sound of leather creaking as he adjusted his jacket. "Let's send a message. Tonight."
---
The four of them made their way through the dimly lit streets, weaving between narrow alleys and broken stairways. The Iron Wolves had taken over an abandoned warehouse near the edge of their neighborhood, a base where they stashed stolen bikes and extorted local vendors.
As they approached, Ji-Hoon gestured for them to stop. "Alright, here's the plan. Min-Soo and I go in first. Dae-Hyun, you stay outside and block off the exits. Eun-Ji, you take care of anyone who tries to sneak out. Keep it quiet until I give the signal."
"Quiet?" Dae-Hyun whispered. "Not exactly your specialty."
Ji-Hoon smirked. "Watch and learn."
---
Inside the warehouse, the Wolves were lounging around, laughing and bragging about their latest conquests. A stack of stolen goods sat in the corner—motorcycle parts, electronics, and crates of liquor.
The sound of a bottle shattering broke through their chatter. They turned toward the source, only to see Ji-Hoon standing in the open doorway, his hands in his pockets.
"Well, well," the Wolves' leader sneered, stepping forward. He was a stocky man with a scar running down his cheek, his knuckles covered in heavy rings. "If it isn't the little punk who thinks he can take us on. You lost, kid?"
Ji-Hoon tilted his head, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "Nah. Just thought I'd drop by and let you know—we're taking this place back."
The leader laughed, the sound echoing through the warehouse. "You? And what army?"
At that moment, Min-Soo stepped into the light, cracking his knuckles. "This one."
The Wolves barely had time to react before Ji-Hoon launched himself forward, his foot connecting with one thug's chest in a jumping side kick. Min-Soo followed close behind, delivering a devastating elbow strike to another's jaw, sending him sprawling.
---
From outside, Eun-Ji watched the chaos unfold, her eyes scanning for stragglers. One thug tried to slip out the side door, but before he could escape, Eun-Ji grabbed his arm and twisted, flipping him onto the ground in one smooth motion.
"You picked the wrong block to mess with," she muttered, tightening her grip until the thug passed out.
Meanwhile, Dae-Hyun was at the rear exit, rigging a makeshift trap with a trash can and some fishing line. When another thug burst through the door, the trap sent the trash can flying, smacking him square in the face.
"Boom! Tactical genius," Dae-Hyun muttered, giving himself a fist bump.
---
Back inside, Ji-Hoon faced off against the Wolves' leader. The man swung a chain at him, but Ji-Hoon ducked, grabbing the chain mid-swing and yanking it hard enough to throw the leader off balance.
"Lesson one," Ji-Hoon said, his voice low and steady. "Don't underestimate me."
With a final spinning roundhouse kick, he knocked the leader out cold. The warehouse fell silent except for the faint creak of metal and the groans of defeated Wolves.
Min-Soo stood over the unconscious thugs, his arms crossed. "You sure this is the message you wanted to send?"
Ji-Hoon nodded, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. "Yeah. They'll think twice before crossing us again."
---
As the four of them walked back into the night, the warehouse behind them now empty, Eun-Ji looked over at Ji-Hoon. "So, what now, fearless leader?"
Ji-Hoon glanced down at the bracelet on his wrist, the red thread glinting faintly in the moonlight. "Now? We get stronger. One fight at a time."
And with that, the Red Thread was officially born.