Chapter 23
The silence in the room was slowly creeping up on Gyu In. He let his eyes roam, but nothing caught his attention. It was all painfully normal.
He did not know how long he had been sitting there. His watch ticked, but he stopped checking it after the fourth glance. The hallway outside had gone quiet a while ago. No footsteps, no murmurs, only the hum of distant music bleeding faintly through the walls.
His phone stayed tucked in his inner jacket pocket, silent. He did not dare check it. Not yet. One wrong move could break the illusion that he belonged here.
A knock would have been reassuring. A voice, even more so. But all he had was the stale scent of perfume clinging to the velvet curtains and a faint trace of cigarette smoke lingering like a ghost.
So what now?
Ryu Chan had said Yoon Su might show up or might not. It depended on who decided Gyu In was worth their time tonight.
He exhaled slowly, adjusting his posture on the seat as if it would make him look casual, less guarded. As if it mattered.
Just as he was about to get up and feign curiosity about the liquor tray, he heard it: faint footsteps outside the door. A voice. A woman's laugh, muffled. Then something heavy being pushed.
Gyu In stilled. He leaned back slightly; eyes trained on the frosted glass pane on the upper half of the door.
No one entered.
The footsteps passed, fading down the hallway. Silence returned. But this time it was heavier. It had a presence. It sank into his skin, burrowed into his chest.
Gyu In stood. He did not remember deciding to. His legs moved on their own, like his body was trying to outrun something his mind had not caught up to yet.
He opened the door.
The hallway greeted him with dim gold lighting, warm and wrong, humming like a lullaby sung through gritted teeth. No one lingered. No guards. No staff. Just plush silence and doors lined up like secrets.
He walked. Every step a slow unraveling. He was about to turn back when he saw it: a door slightly ajar, warm light spilling from inside.
And movement.
At first, it did not register. A woman leaning over a bed. Heels planted firm, one hand gripping something. She was dragging a man. Unconscious. Bare chest exposed. Shirt tangled around his waist like a forgotten afterthought. His face slack, mouth open, skin flushed and still.
Gyu In froze, breath halting mid-chest.
The woman straightened. Hair falling over her face as she wiped her palms clean on a white towel—casual, practiced. Like this was nothing new. Like this was her job.
His stomach turned.
Then her profile shifted into view.
And the world dropped out from under him.
Eun Bin.
His mind blanked. Heart stumbling over itself. His first instinct was to call out, to storm in, to grab her and demand what the hell she was doing, why she was here, who that man was, and most importantly, that her brother was still waiting for him.
But his feet stayed glued to the floor. She did not look like she was suffering. She looked like she was used to doing this. The determined expression on her face was etched into him. He took a step forward, chest aching. Too many questions spun in his head. All he wanted was to reach out and ask.
And then -
The door closed.
Not slammed. Not hurried. Just quietly, firmly, in his face.
Click.
It felt louder than a gunshot.
Gyu In stood stunned, staring at the brass handle as if it might open again if he waited long enough, if he begged hard enough in his mind, if he could somehow rewrite what he had just seen.
Did she see him? Was someone else watching? Was this part of the plan or had he just crossed a line no one asked him to?
His hand hovered above the door, but he did not touch it. He could not. His mind was stuck on her… her hands gripping that man like dead weight, her eyes sharp, too calm.
The vibration in his pocket buzzed, but it barely registered. He did not look. Could not. His body felt wired and heavy at once, as if his limbs were no longer responding.
One thing he knew was he could not keep standing here. Not like this.
He straightened, twisted his neck, forcing his body to move. Every step calculated. He glanced subtly at the ceiling, noting cameras, corners, blind spots. Without looking back, he turned a corner and tucked himself into a less visible hallway, somewhere out of reach from curious eyes.
He pressed his back against the wall. Inhaled slowly.
He would wait. Wait for the door to open again.
He did not know how long he waited. Minutes, maybe ten. Long enough for the hallway to settle back into its eerie quiet.
Then -
A soft click.
His head snapped up.
The brass handle turned, and the door eased open.
And there she was.
Eun Bin stepped out, quiet and quick, her hair slightly tousled, eyes sharp and guarded. She didn't look back, just shut the door gently behind her and started walking the opposite direction.
Without thinking, his hand shot out.
He caught her wrist the moment she stepped out. Before she could react, he yanked her into the corner with him—out of the hallway's line of sight, away from the cameras. His back hit the wall first; she stumbled after, wide-eyed and breathless.
"What the—let go!" she hissed, twisting in his grip.
"Shh. Wait. I'm not here to hurt you."
That only made her glare harder. "Then why are you grabbing my arm?"
Gyu In loosened his hold, hands raised in a half-apology. "I just… saw you. In there. With that guy."
Her eyes flicked to his face, scanning. She didn't recognize him. Of course she didn't.
"You're the next one?" she asked flatly, as if she couldn't care.
Gyu In didn't answer. Not fear, just pure confusion.
Eun Bin sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear. "I wasn't told there was another one waiting."
"Who was that guy with you just now?"
She narrowed her eyes, glancing left, then right. Clearly checking if anyone else was nearby.
"Don't you know the basic rules?" Her voice trembled slightly, betraying the edge beneath. "We don't ask."
She looked away, jaw tight. "Whatever. You didn't see anything. Find someone else. I'm not taking anyone tonight."
"Wait."
Gyu In grabbed her arm again, tighter, more certain.
"Eun Bin, right?"
She stiffened.
"Everyone knows my name," she spat. "It's not special that you're calling it. Now let me go."
Gyu In didn't. His fingers stayed wrapped around her wrist, voice low.
"Eun Wol. Shim Eun Wol."
She froze. Expression flickered too fast, but he saw it. Something buckled under the surface.
"…That's your brother, right?" he asked.
Eun Bin didn't answer right away. Just stared, deciding if he was bluffing, if he was dangerous.
Then her voice came, quieter than before. "Who the hell are you?"
Gyu In barely had time to breathe. "I'm not who you think—" when a sudden weight collided with his stomach.
Fist. Sharp, practiced. Knocked the air out of him.
The next moment, his back slammed against the cold wall. Hard.
"Fuck—" he choked, arms curling instinctively.
The man in the cap and mask didn't flinch. Stood there like he'd done this a hundred times. Shadows clung to him like a second skin, but the presence was unmistakable.
Not security. Not staff. Something else entirely.
"Did you forget the rules already?" the man said lowly, tone cold enough to bite.
Gyu In held his side, gritting through the ache. "I didn't -"
Another step forward, and Eun Bin was suddenly between them, hands out.
"Stop. He was just lost." Her voice didn't match her expression. She wasn't scared. But angry. Not at Gyu In. At the man in the cap.
He looked at her, then back at Gyu In, clearly calculating something in that quiet, dangerous way.
"You don't belong here," he muttered, before turning and disappearing down the corridor like he'd never been there. Together with Eun Bin.
Gyu In slumped slightly, breath shallow, the wall holding half his weight.
The taste of metal clung to his tongue. Confusion hit.
What the hell just happened? And more importantly… who the hell was that?
"Wait!" Gyu In huffed, "I -"
Before he could finish, strong hands grabbed him from behind. A palm clamped over his mouth, stifling the words. His body slammed backward into the wall with a sharp thud. Again.
Gyu In's eyes shot wide as he struggled to breathe, but the hands held firm. Then, with a breathless huff, the hands pulled off, revealing Eun Wol's flushed face and wild eyes.
"Shut up! You'll get us both exposed if you open your mouth here," Eun Wol hissed, tugging him away from the hallway.
Gyu In blinked, coughing slightly, caught somewhere between confusion and relief.
"Seriously? You? What the hell are you doing here?"
Eun Wol rolled his eyes. "Yes, me. Now stop staring and move!"
"Move where?!" Gyu In whispered, half-shouting. "You're not supposed to be here! How the hell did you get in?"
"And I saw her," Gyu In added, voice dropping, "your sister."
Eun Wol's eyes flicked away. "I know. I saw her too."
"Did she—"
"No. She didn't see me," he said, exhaling slowly. "Now let's get out first. I overheard there's a party starting soon. More people are coming. A man literally just hit you."
"I'm staying," Gyu In stepped aside, voice firm. "If there's a party, I can get more information. I have a pass. You don't."
Eun Wol's fingers tightened instinctively on the sleeves of Gyu In's jacket, grip lingering like a lifeline. "Don't." His voice was low, almost a plea.
Gyu In met his eyes, steady. "It'll be okay. This is the best chance we've got."
"Then let's do it together." Eun Wol's voice cracked, eyes searching Gyu In's face.
Gyu In shook his head slowly, jaw clenched. "Not safe."
"Then how does it make it safe for you?" Eun Wol's frustration slipped out despite himself.
Breath hitched. "Because I'm Gyu In." He looked away for a moment, swallowing the sting of old wounds.
His voice dropped, almost a confession. "They already know me. Like you said before…" He gave a faint, bitter smile. "I have the power here. Even if I screw up, I'll find a way out."
The mention hit Eun Wol like a fresh bruise. His eyes darkened. "You said you'd let it go." His voice barely a whisper, more reminder than accusation.
Gyu In's smile faltered for a heartbeat, vulnerability flickering behind his guarded gaze. "I did. I did." He exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "But this isn't just about me anymore."
His fingers twitched, almost reaching out, then pulled back. "Now listen, Ryu Chan's outside, probably fifteen minutes away in a narrow, dark alley. Go find him. Stay safe."
Eun Wol hesitated, reluctant to let go, as if releasing Gyu In's jacket would somehow loosen the fragile thread holding them in this moment.
Thud, thud, thud. Footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway.
Gyu In pushed Eun Wol back into the corner, stepping forward, shielding him completely.
"I was looking for you," said Yoo In Hwa. "You suddenly disappeared. I thought you got lost."
"You're not wrong. I went out for air and got lost instead," Gyu In chuckled softly. "But now, my saviour's here."
Yoo In Hwa laughed, still unaware of the figure hiding behind Gyu In.
"You mentioned someone was with you, didn't you? I didn't see anyone."
"Oh, there was a sudden party. He got held up." Gyu In offered a smooth, almost charming smile, stepping aside slightly to let Yoo In Hwa stand in front. "Should I leave then? Wouldn't want to hold you all up."
"Oh, definitely not! I think you might actually enjoy this party."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."
Their footsteps faded, shadows disappearing around the corner.
Eun Wol remained hidden, staring after them.
After Gyu In.