The Lad who entered commanded attention with a presence that was almost palpable. Tall and lean, his athletic build hinted at quiet strength. His features were impossibly striking—high cheekbones that seemed to catch the light, a jawline so sharp it could have been sculpted, and a gaze so intense it felt as though he could see through to your very soul. His dark, tousled hair framed his face with an effortless elegance, the kind that made perfection seem natural.
Dressed in a tailored black jacket that emphasized his broad shoulders, he exuded sophistication. Yet, there was something raw and untamed about him, a magnetic energy that made it impossible to look away. As he strode into the room, it was as though the atmosphere shifted; heads turned, conversations ceased, and even the staff hesitated mid-task to watch him.
His movements were fluid and deliberate, each step exuding confidence without arrogance. There was a mystery about him, an enigmatic quality that clung to him like a shadow, making you want to unravel his secrets.
A slow, knowing smile crept across his lips as he approached their table, his eyes locking briefly with Carrie's. The moment seemed to stretch, charged with an energy that left no one at the table unaffected.
"Must you always make such a dramatic entrance?" Ava quipped, crossing her arms with mock annoyance.
"Also, you're late," Leo added with a deadpan look.
"I can't help it. Busy day," the newcomer said with a shrug, his tone casual as his gaze landed on Carrie. "And you must be the friend Leo couldn't stop talking about."
"Carrie Evans," she said, extending a hand for a polite handshake.
"Cha…" his words trailed off as Mr. Jin arrived, cutting the moment short.
"Sir, it's almost time for your meeting," Mr. Jin announced crisply.
"You…" Carrie said suddenly, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the man in front of her. The wheels in her mind turned frantically, and then it hit her like a freight train. Her cheeks flamed cherry red. "YOU!" she blurted, loud enough to turn heads.
"Wait, you've met before?" Jae-wook asked, his curiosity piqued.
Carrie let out a sarcastic laugh. "Met before? Oh, we've met, alright."
Leo and Ava exchanged confused glances. "What's going on?" Leo asked, completely lost.
"You're the guy who sat like a log of wood in the backseat and tricked me! Don't you have human emotions?" Carrie fired, her words tumbling out in a mix of fury and disbelief.
"Oh, that," Mr. Jin interjected, his expression sheepish. "I barely recognized you! But hey, you made it safely, didn't you?"
"Oh, please," Carrie shot back, crossing her arms. "If you cared so much, you would've helped!"
"My sincerest apologies, ma'am," Mr. Jin began, his tone practiced. "It was all a slight misunderstanding."
"A slight misunderstanding that nearly left me stranded!" Carrie countered, her voice rising.
"Well, Ms., we, um... mistook you for, uh… a fugitive. Or maybe a pickpocket. Possibly a runaway psychopath," Mr. Jin explained, looking anywhere but at Carrie.
Jae-wook sighed, his patience visibly thinning. "Mr. Jin, we're leaving. I don't appreciate being late for meetings."
Carrie's jaw dropped. "Don't you think you owe me an apology?"
"For what?" Jae-wook replied with unnerving calmness. "It's my car. I decide who gets in, who stays out, and whether or not I feel like stopping for strangers."
"Oh, so you're one of those," Carrie said with a dry chuckle. "You—"
"Okay!" Ava interrupted, raising her hands like a referee. "Before this turns into World War III, can we just… stop?"
"I have better things to do than argue," Jae-wook said curtly, flouncing out of the restaurant.
Mr. Jin gave Carrie an apologetic bow. "On behalf of us both, I sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding. Mr. Jae isn't in the best mood today." He scurried after Jae-wook, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.
Carrie turned to Leo, her disbelief palpable. "Your best friend is a complete mother—"
"Carrie," Ava interrupted, placing a calming hand on her arm. "Breathe."
Leo groaned, burying his face in his hands. "How did you two even meet?"
Carrie launched into a dramatic retelling, complete with exaggerated gestures. "Lucy chewed my charger, my phone was dead, there were no taxis, and then he showed up. I just wanted to make one call, and he drove off like some James Bond villain!"
Leo tried to explain. "There's been a rise in robberies. People asking to borrow phones? It's their new trick."
Carrie glared at him. "Are you saying this is my fault? All I wanted was an apology. But nooo, your friend had to be an arrogant jerk."
"Just let it go," Ava suggested, her tone exasperated.
Carrie huffed, grabbed her bag, and stormed out. "Fine. Let's leave before I lose my sanity completely."
---
Later that evening
Ava and Leo stood at the entrance, whispering conspiratorially.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Leo asked, his voice laced with doubt.
"Of course! Worst-case scenario, Carrie tries to stab Jae. He's got insane reflexes," Ava said, completely unfazed.
"What?!" Leo whispered harshly.
"Relax. He's practically untouchable, and they'll both cool off afterward," Ava said with a confident grin.
"This is a terrible idea," Leo muttered, but Ava pulled him along.
---
Carrie, blissfully unaware, was having the nap of her life. She woke up groggy but refreshed, stretching as she read Leo's text:
"We went to get dinner. Don't miss us too much!"
"These two will be the death of me," she muttered, heading to the kitchen.
As she reached for a bottle of water, a sudden crash echoed through the house. "Leo and Ava aren't back… so what was that?" she whispered, grabbing the nearest weapon—a cricket bat.
Creeping toward the noise, Carrie swung the bat with all her might, only for Jae-wook to catch it mid-air without even looking.
He turned, a smirk playing on his lips. "Killing me isn't that easy, Ms. Evans. Didn't Na-eun warn you about that?"
"You again?" Carrie snapped. "Why are you everywhere? And who is Na-eun?"
Jae-wook's expression darkened. "How much did she pay you?"
Carrie blinked, confused. "Pay me? For what?"
Without warning, Jae-wook pulled out a gun and pointed it at her head.
Carrie raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "You carry a gun now?"
"I don't play games with my prey," Jae-wook said coldly. "Who sent you here?"
"Prey? What is this, a bad spy movie?" Carrie quipped.
"Last chance," Jae-wook said, his voice deadly as he began counting.
"Three… two… one…"
The sound of the gunshot rang out.