Everyone gathered in the center of the Speed base to map out their next move. The air was thick with tension as they discussed the plan of saving Little Daniel from his kidnappers.
Daniel stood on the edge of the circle and raised his hand, waiting for a break in the conversation. Everyone turned to look at him with varying expressions of impatience.
"It is not a school, Daniel. If you have something to say, you can simply say it."
Jaegyeon Na shook his head in confusion. Daniel reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, cracked photo frame he had found earlier.
It was a group photo of the entire Speed Circle from years ago. Daniel pointed his finger at a boy on the edge of the frame who had blue bleached tips at the ends of his hair.
"This person here, he is Yujae Seon, right?"
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly as the members of the Speed Circle grew agitated at the sight of the image. Jaegyeon Na let out a long, weary sigh.
"Yes. That is indeed Yujae Seon."
Daniel looked directly into Jaegyeon's eyes.
"Did he betray you guys?"
Jaegyeon Na clenched his jaw so hard that the muscles in his neck pulsed. The memory of the betrayal clearly still felt like a fresh wound.
"He sold us out to the enemy. He also killed the previous leader of the Speed Circle, Yugang Ha."
Daniel narrowed his eyes as he processed the information. Something felt off about the story because the Yujae he had encountered in the Dark Crocodile Fort seemed to be trying to warn him.
"May I know the complete story?"
Yeowool stepped forward and glared at Daniel.
"That has no connection to our mission. All you have to know is that he is a bastard!"
Daniel frowned at the hostility. It was clear that the hatred for Yujae ran deep within every member of the Speed crew.
He turned to Jake, hoping for a voice of reason. Jake looked at Daniel for a long moment before letting out a sigh of his own.
"I believe Daniel has a reason for asking all this. Don't you?"
Daniel gave a single, firm nod. Jaegyeon Na rubbed his face with his hand, realizing he couldn't exactly refuse the person who was risking his life to help them.
"Yujae and I were orphans... I was already under Yugang Ha when I first met him."
Jaegyeon leaned against a nearby workbench and stared at the floor.
"At that time, he was known by the name of 'Motorcycle Hunter'. He had tried to scam Yugang Ha, but he got caught instead."
He paused to catch his breath.
"Yugang Ha was a strange man. He always talked about being the adult and wanted to bear everything on his shoulders. He took in an orphan like me, and he took in Yujae too."
Jaegyeon looked back at the photo in Daniel's hand.
"But Yujae was indifferent to us at first. He was a withdrawn kid, far too mature for his own age. At least, that is what Yugang Ha used to say about him."
He stood up straight and paced back and forth.
"I did not understand it back then. We grew up and the Dark Crocodile Society invaded Incheon. Yujae seemed to have changed since his childhood. He was still withdrawn, but not as indifferent."
Jaegyeon stopped pacing and looked at the ceiling.
"But he had acquired the worst trait from Yugang. He liked to take everything on his shoulders. Or that is what I thought."
He spit on the ground in disgust.
"I do not know when... but he started to cooperate with the Dark Crocodile Society. Maybe it was because of money, maybe power. Yujae always valued money and power very much."
The members of the Speed Circle stood in grim silence as the story continued.
"One night, I ran into the executives of the Dark Crocodile Society. I barely made it out alive and reached the car lot, our base back then."
Jaegyeon's voice grew lower and more dangerous.
"I informed everyone about the upcoming attack. Now that I think about it, I wish I had never told them about it. We should have waited at the car lot."
He slammed his fist into a nearby metal pillar.
"Yugang Ha took out his car and rushed outside. The reason we could withstand the Dark Crocodile Society was because of that car lot. It had a gate that could only be opened from the inside."
THUD!
"That night, when the gate opened, it never closed. Just as Yugang Ha's car was about to cross the gate, hundreds of explosives went off. It blew the car apart and killed him instantly."
Jaegyeon looked at Daniel with eyes full of rage.
"We did not know how that was possible. Yujae went missing that day. Only after a long time did we find out that he had dealings with the Dark Crocodile Society."
He straightened his shirt and looked away.
"I wish I had killed that bastard back then... but now, it is not too late. I will kill him and take revenge for Yugang Ha."
Daniel, Jake, and Lineman remained silent as the weight of the story settled over them. The entire base was quiet for a long moment until Jaegyeon Na turned back to Daniel.
"Are you satisfied now?"
Daniel nodded slowly.
"I am... but are you sure that Yujae was behind Yugang Ha's death?"
Jaegyeon Na clenched his teeth so hard they groaned.
"If he was not, he would not have abandoned the Speed Circle to join the Dark Crocodile Society."
Daniel did not push any further. He knew he wouldn't get any more objective facts from Jaegyeon Na.
"I want to take a bit of rest, is that okay?"
Jaegyeon Na nodded and waved him off toward the residential area.
"Take some rest."
Daniel returned to the small cabin room where he had been staying. He laid down on the thin mattress and stared at the ceiling, replaying the story in his mind.
It seemed like Jaegyeon Na only knew the surface level of the tragedy. Daniel closed his eyes and focused his breathing, preparing himself for the transition. He forced himself to fall asleep.