you need to give me a title and blurb last line for the part i am giving you : The rhythmic clatter of the train filled the silence between them. Min Hyun leaned back, eyes fixed on the passing lights outside. Jihoon sat opposite, nursing his arm — still sore, though healing.
When the door slid open, both froze.
The man standing there wore a dark cap pulled low, his face partly shadowed — but that voice, rough and familiar, made Jihoon's pulse jump.
"You two... still alive, huh?"
Min Hyun's eyes narrowed. "You—"
The gang leader smirked, slipping into the seat across from them like an old friend. "Relax. I'm not here for round two." He sighed, rubbing his temple. "Boss got caught. Cops swarmed in last night. Higher-ups are getting grilled. Things are a mess."
Jihoon exchanged a look with Min Hyun. "So... it's over?"
"Over?" The man let out a low laugh. "Not yet. They still don't know how the hell the police found out. Someone leaked it. Smart move, too clean to trace. You two didn't, did you?"
Jihoon blinked. "Us? We were running for our lives because of you!"
The leader's grin faded. He studied their faces, then shrugged. "Maybe. Doesn't matter now. I'm getting out before it gets worse. You should too."
As he stood and walked away, silence settled again.
Jihoon stared at Min Hyun, suspicion flickering but unspoken.
Min Hyun kept his gaze on the window, jaw tight.
He knew.
Outside, the train thundered north, carrying three men — each escaping something different.
At the scheduled time, the train rolled into Seoul Station, its wheels screeching slightly against the tracks.
The city stretched out before them, bathed in the soft orange glow of the setting sun. Streetlights flickered to life, neon signs beginning to hum, and the distant sounds of traffic and chatter filled the air.
For a moment, it almost felt like nothing had changed — the familiar streets, the old buildings, the steady pulse of the city. Yet, after everything that had happened, returning felt different. Busan already felt like a distant memory, and Seoul, with all its lights and movement, carried the weight of what awaited them.
Jihoon exhaled deeply, relief and exhaustion mixing in his voice. "Finally... home."
They took a cab to Jihoon's neighborhood, the streets still busy even at that hour. When the door opened, a warm smell of stew drifted out.
"Jihoon-ah!" His mother's voice carried both surprise and relief. She rushed forward, pulling her son into a hug before turning to Min Hyun with a gentle smile. "And Min Hyun, you too — you both look tired. Come in, come in."
The small apartment was filled with warmth — the kind only home could offer. After a quick shower and clean clothes, they joined her at the dining table. Steam rose from bowls of rice and soup, the kind of simple comfort that felt like peace after chaos.
"So," Jihoon's mother began, ladling broth into their bowls, "what kind of business took you boys so far from home this time?"
Jihoon froze mid-bite, glancing at Min Hyun.
Without missing a beat, Min Hyun smiled, tone calm and casual.
"We needed to do a bit of market observation, auntie. You know — checking how customers decide what to buy, what makes them change their minds, that sort of thing. A small project."
"Oh, that sounds impressive," she said, clearly pleased. "Smart work, both of you."
Jihoon relaxed slightly, giving Min Hyun a quick look of silent gratitude.
After dinner, Min Hyun lingered for a moment in the quiet apartment. Jihoon had already gone to his room, and the soft hum of Seoul at night filled the space.
He picked up the landline phone on the small table near the balcony and dialed his workplace. The line buzzed briefly before a familiar voice answered, sharp and tense.
"Hello, this is Min Hyun," he said after a brief pause.
"Min Hyun... where have you been? You were supposed to return two days ago. Higher-ups are angry. We even have to work extra and handle your part too."
Min Hyun kept his tone calm, careful. "I apologize. The situation... was more complicated than expected."
A pause followed. Then the voice softened slightly. "Other than that... things are mostly okay. But one of our biggest clients ran into a problem because of your absence. It's put us in a tight spot."
Min Hyun nodded, though the other side couldn't see him. "Understood. I'll come in tomorrow to handle everything."
"Good. Don't be late," the voice said before hanging up.
Min Hyun walked quietly to Jihoon's room, leaning against the doorframe with a small, unusual smile.
Jihoon looked up, curiosity brightening his tired eyes. "What's with the smile all of a sudden?"
"Well," Min Hyun said lightly, "I called my workplace. Everything seems quite normal out there. No big problem, nothing urgent. I feel... relaxed."
Jihoon nodded, sensing a rare calm in Min Hyun. "So... what now?"
Min Hyun's smile deepened just a little. "I thought we could have an evening stroll for a bit — just some fresh air. After a while, I need to step out for a quick call. Nothing dangerous, just... some information I need to gather."
Jihoon tilted his head, then shrugged. "Okay."
There was a brief silence before Min Hyun's curiosity got the better of him. "By the way... what about your father? I didn't see him tonight."
Jihoon's expression softened. "Oh... well, he's been busy with work, trying to manage some changes in the business. I feel a little bad about not helping him more, and... honestly, I don't really want to face him right now."
Min Hyun simply nodded, understanding. "Okay."
For a moment, the room was quiet, filled only with the faint sounds of the city outside. The tension of the past days seemed to ease, leaving a rare, fleeting calm between them.
Min Hyun and Jihoon stepped out into the cool evening air, the streets of Seoul bathed in the soft glow of streetlights and neon signs. The city hummed around them, alive but calm after the rush of the day.
They walked side by side, talking quietly about small things, letting the night air soothe the lingering tension. After a short while, Min Hyun spotted a phone booth tucked along the sidewalk.
"Just a quick call," he said softly.
He stepped inside, lifted the receiver, and dialed. His voice was calm, measured. "Everything is going well. Under control. But if anyone finds out you're the source, that would be a problem. Keep things low, don't get involved more. Everything is watched, even by the government. Otherwise... everything is fine."
He listened for a moment, then hung up and stepped out. Jihoon glanced at him, feeling reassured by his calm.
Min Hyun nodded toward another booth a few blocks away. "I'll just confirm one more thing." He made another short call and came back with a faint smile. "Everything's progressing smoothly. Nothing more to worry about."
They sat on the worn bench, the city lights flickering softly around them. The evening air was cool, and the quiet hum of Seoul at night made it feel like they could actually think.
Min Hyun exhaled, staring at the pavement. "You know… in one year, I've been trying to meet Soojin's father's expectations. Honestly… it's almost impossible to do everything he wants in such a short time."
Jihoon nodded, rubbing his eyes. "I feel the same. My dad's business… it's old-fashioned, tied up in rules and suppliers. I don't even know how to modernize it without making a mistake."
They were quiet for a moment, letting the weight of the situation settle. Then Min Hyun spoke, his voice low but determined.
"Listen… what if we stop trying to do everything at once? Instead of trying to control all the businesses ourselves, we focus on one key area first — something that can actually grow quickly and bring results. Once we have that stable, we use it to support everything else."
Jihoon raised an eyebrow. "Like… picking a single profitable branch or project and putting all our effort there?"
"Exactly," Min Hyun said, a small smile forming. "We can modernize a part of the business that has the most potential — maybe a department or a client segment that's flexible, can adapt fast, and isn't tied to old politics. Make it successful first. That'll give us leverage and credibility. Then the rest will follow."
Jihoon's eyes lit up, hope flickering for the first time in weeks. "And while we do that, we stay low-profile with the other areas, avoid risks, and learn the ropes without drawing too much attention."
Min Hyun nodded. "Yes. Step by step. One breakthrough at a time. If we play it smart, we can satisfy both fathers, protect ourselves, and actually move forward."
They both leaned back, watching the streetlights glow over the city. For the first time in weeks, a clear plan had formed — focused, practical, and achievable. They knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but at least now, they had a way through their problem.
The Next Morning
Seoul was already humming with the usual weekday rhythm — the buses honking, heels clicking on wet pavement.
Min Hyun stepped into the office lobby, his pulse already racing faster than usual. His reflection in the elevator glass looked too pale, too tired. He adjusted his tie anyway and muttered to himself, "Just act normal."
When the elevator doors opened on the top floor, the atmosphere was already heavy. Mr. Kang's secretary stood waiting outside the director's office, her voice clipped and professional.
"Director Kang would like to see you. Immediately."
A small tremor passed through him. "Ah, yes—thank you."
He walked toward the wooden door that bore the polished brass plate: Kang Do-Hyun, Managing Director.
He paused before knocking.
"Come in," came the deep voice from inside.
The room was large, quiet, and almost intimidatingly neat. A faint scent of ink and old coffee filled the air. Mr. Kang sat behind his dark mahogany desk, flipping through a document before slowly setting it down. His glasses caught the light as he looked up.
"Sit down, Min Hyun."
"Yes, sir." He obeyed quickly, hands clasped together on his knees.
For a few seconds, there was only the faint hum of the ceiling fan. Then—
"Where did you go yesterday?" Mr. Kang's tone wasn't angry. That made it worse. Calm, measured disappointment always did. "We couldn't find you anywhere. Not in your apartment, not in the company records. Even your team didn't know."
Min Hyun swallowed. "Sir, I— actually, my friend Jihoon—he fell seriously ill. Food poisoning, I think. I called to inform your assistant, but I might've missed the timing. I'm truly sorry for not reporting properly."
Mr. Kang leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Food poisoning, you say." His gaze didn't waver. "And that required you to disappear for nearly twenty-four hours? You didn't even answer the company phone."
Min Hyun hesitated. "Yes, sir, it was a bad situation. I stayed to make sure he didn't get worse. He was delirious from the fever— throwing up all night. There wasn't time to think of anything else."
"Hmm." Mr. Kang tapped a pen slowly against the desk. "That sounds… noble of you."
The silence that followed was sharp.
Then, with a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes, Mr. Kang said, "Then I should see him. Personally. After all, if an employee of mine takes such responsibility for his friend, I must meet this remarkable patient."
Min Hyun's throat went dry. "He's still under treatment, sir. At the hospital. I can take you there after work, if you'd like."
"Oh?" Mr. Kang raised an eyebrow. "Which hospital?"
There it was — the question that could tear his entire story apart.
Min Hyun's mind scrambled for a name.
"Seoul General," he said quickly. "Room 314, I think. I didn't check the exact number this morning."
Mr. Kang wrote nothing down. He simply studied Min Hyun's face as if reading every twitch, every blink. Then he nodded once.
"Alright. I'll let you off this time. But if I find that Jihoon wasn't as ill as you claim…"
He paused, letting the silence hang.
"…I'll visit him myself tonight."
Min Hyun forced a tight smile. "Of course, sir. You can. He'll be glad to see you."
Mr. Kang leaned forward now, his tone dropping lower. "You're a smart man, Min Hyun. But don't confuse quick thinking with wisdom. One can save you for a moment. The other saves you for a lifetime."
The words stung more than any shout could have.
"Yes, sir," he murmured.
As soon as he stepped out of the office, his shoulders dropped. The air outside suddenly felt too light, too fragile. How am I going to handle this? he thought.
Inside, Mr. Kang took off his glasses, exhaled, and muttered to himself,
"I know how much mess you've made, Min Hyun… but now I want to see how well you cover it up."
He told everyone things were "under control." But in a world where truth is currency, control was the one thing he no longer had. Calm wasn't peace; it was strategy — and in Mr. Kang's eyes, Min Hyun saw the quiet recognition of another strategist.