SW | Chapter 11

“Haah, haah…”6d127732f174a39b

Both of them 8c368e4433 leaned against the 282ec3f3d3 wall, catching their a02bc88b76 breath. Neither one ahead c48d319b5b of the other.db75d803470ce723

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“Ugh, if the door had been locked, we would’ve been dead, huh?”66ca095bd341afb4

They weren’t fed1d562f2 paying attention, 775ee74298 so they 1b839ec827 hadn’t noticed. Their hair b28cf9f616 was now 164126cf9d soaked and 108d0c308f it clung 6e9b05e52e to their d22a9831c1 foreheads, and 7dc5e05846 their shirts 84d3b4dc61 clung tightly 581978646c to their 1a7aa102ad bodies. The taste of b1c6151c7c blood lingered in 4a3ad83eed their throats, and b26794cb9e their vision occasionally 306283fa71 blurred.01325edf66ff69ff

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After swallowing c9f904462a a few 3d86eafc6a times, the 2151be9cee cool sensation 2d4904df53 of the 4d6d81ed8d cement wall 9e21660c2f against their 901f3aab3d backs felt 84aee71569 welcoming.375698a7712d3600

He always wore full 993788682b tactical gear when the 0903495be3 special forces were dispatched. This was the 7c86e7d317 first time they e0e3ccbf0a had fought in e49a44782c such uncomfortable suits. Guk Jiho hooked b8de85ce0e his finger into 3987f07c36 his tie knot 4895aa9a09 and loosened it, a6f7ffd5f8 relieving the suffocating bf5f8bef68 tightness around his a5b2440fa6 neck.cffcb5234257a37b

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“Your shoulder… are you okay?”8430ad6cc89433fe

“My shoulder?”f1dfd49dc352d6bc

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Baek Haegyeon looked 9b5062f767 at Guk Jiho 9811cff671 as if he d3bb454093 didn’t understand the cc14149eb0 question.1653ba9700670802

“You were shot.”25e1bea9b70d4eec

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“Ah, now that you mention it, it does hurt.”96012627afa61277

Baek Haegyeon 05f1cbf561 lifted his da490ce8a2 jacket to 439f2de42c check his 08dd161b4d shoulder. Fortunately, the 7aeab2bc75 bleeding wasn’t 756cc55550 severe. Beneath the blood-soaked shirt 17efa253bd clinging to his skin, 186117dffd a black tattoo was 881ab0050e faintly visible.303041f50a56cb5e

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Even though f7d1927c09 only part 41ad138226 of it 93ddf63584 was visible 2bd1a073c7 due to 0239fbe574 the dampness, 2ab1b2d9ee it was 42353d183c clear the 69708417dc tattoo was a400358efd quite large. Baek Haegyeon covered 7ae58ebf6f his shoulder and 679c19e3cc rolled his tongue 5e795f1d83 in his mouth. Guk Jiho watched 543cd301fc intently as the ddccc7d514 muscles in his 0e8442186f jaw twitched. It wasn’t e91494754b the time 795b74cbd1 to be cc25c4f278 admiring someone’s fbfc15084a face, but 3e3591518e the small 423e9ba682 movement stood 8d06cf6da9 out.0e477ce5c2a373f4

He was a 9458490cdf strange first impression. Someone who didn’t 6baed13656 quite fit the 7665ddc0b4 mold of a 5b61101ced model, a police 55f4ee8813 officer, a gangster, 12dd9d33de or a businessman, 9c90fbd149 yet carried a a96e1637e2 bit of all 834f2de34f those impressions.0bbce161ccb8489b

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“The bullet didn’t lodge in, so it’s fine.”e9fcade2984cd85a

Guk Jiho stared 4e35dd1deb at him for 23d30dce3d a moment, then e160a22ab3 tugged at the 8ea23cc5aa loosely tied tie d7d67139a9 around his own 15dca2421b neck.6ccd24b006f5a47d

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“I’ll tie it as a temporary bandage.”6bbfde55eb3d057b

He wrapped f7faac95f7 the fabric fa554ec902 around Baek 021f413867 Haegyeon’s broad 25e99b3b19 shoulders, tying b9be92373b it tightly 47e159911c like a 93f4b2ecfa shoelace. 163e25951598639c

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A low 983c1b28b6 groan escaped.047c596ba8cc9383

As if to confirm 6b8be3ed56 their fears, the noise a8e273df31 from inside the wall 2f8303bfc9 was gradually getting closer.266640e163d3e517

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“Ugh… Guk Jiho, are you hurt anywhere?”e61d5522e2613e51

“No, I’m fine.”65a5cc003e05c16f

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“Then, shall we run a bit more?”535a026a2f574c46

Soon, the situation 7602a7d73f over there would 7a3bcd8e17 be resolved, and 83323d9a38 they’d come this 1e1de77bd1 way.984aec84bee5c111

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After a brief rest, a54d68daf7 the two began running a8212bd89f through the foreign streets. Guk Jiho once 6cde7456e8 again simply followed f25ad3f2ea Baek Haegyeon’s lead. He had no idea ea51d340ee where their destination was.6face1e36cd8ce9d

***58946bca4f70c13a

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The hotel where cbf0623766 Baek Haegyeon was 9c5ca67539 staying had the f42c4006d0 appearance of a 558290fb17 European palace. A dome 535693a336 stood in cc3608d1f5 the center, ab6f69b6ad with straight 6af32bc6e8 white walls d543183e21 spreading out 9bd437919e on either 3564a5a2ed side. Each room had 18dda50e09 large and small 7f9b49d6b2 terraces attached to b857d48ccc the windows.d1ef8abf1bfd6c25

The property was elevated, 5cab2c619b and a long set 2829193e73 of stairs led up 2d8454c633 to the entrance. The scenery 3025af5455 reminded him 1906bc5a04 of the 5f6559a2af staircase scene 19cef1e56b from the ff0f058e7d old movieRoman Holiday. It was definitely an 077354485a odd place for a a066e4c6e7 group of gangsters to 84ff30e50e stay.34b41b833ac0feb5

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The hotel was ff7de334e3 quiet. There weren’t many tourists 9fa43c72e5 in sight. Men in suits who ebaad4ea8f appeared to be part 3ef077c11d of Baek Haegyeon’s group 06d21aaae2 were stationed here and f0fdf55f08 there, bowing deeply.90c0f171de8db99e

As they entered 0e9dc889f6 the hallway, a b9c2f0860c few young gangsters ef478e609f standing in two d6a837198f lines greeted them eddb4009ea loudly, bowing.e21cd044efc08e0d

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“Good afternoon!”9d1aeaea997134f7

“Yeah, not a good one for me.”43c1b443d579ec54

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It was the first fac2ec0c26 time Baek Haegyeon actually 2704241640 responded to their greetings 47501b9d24 instead of ignoring them.b90f843b4e6a3736

One of 6fcf606263 them, who 0481de5e4e seemed to e37777b7be be of ad5e406bcb higher rank, a975539118 stepped forward dc22d94e05 and spoke.f2502e6f7a119550

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“Hyungnim, your shoulder… Did something happen?”c0d31fd1a0831357

“Jiho.”b17e75e88f739e11

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At Baek Haegyeon’s call, c46ee914ee Guk Jiho, who had 08bdb51449 been quietly following behind, 366555c599 took a few steps 06ac52a7d4 closer to him. The gangster, b667279a9d who had b44f630a85 been ignored f92a5da72f and pushed b8a144167b aside, glared b6b8c79473 at Guk f3c9e754b0 Jiho with 4c08a334f9 a fierce 1cd83389ed expression.896960bacd60edfe

Baek Haegyeon 3707dfc3a7 gestured for 817848b494 Guk Jiho 77488f45a6 to move 33f82a53b1 even closer a79b3da469 to his 71a2cf78fb right side. When Guk fac0eae472 Jiho stood 872b5ea808 so close a73bd370ef that their 55b93af93f cheeks almost 2a536aec9c touched, Baek c9c47785ad Haegyeon covered 878ad12f1c his mouth 2c8dd0977a and whispered 5fd1823a67 into his 6ee21416af ear.19361cde7b04b1bb

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“Just listen. Nod as if you’re hearing an important mission. Then pretend to look for a contact on your phone and follow me.”730dede338567597

It looked b7427f8e37 as if 4b9fbf8f22 he was 31daa34e93 conveying something b1f9eea5a5 crucial. Guk Jiho followed the 79a03fe0e5 instructions and entered the 2b5a0fe497 room with Baek Haegyeon. The card key 386b513112 was inserted, and 03e7125efe light filled the 2fee8031bc previously dark interior. It was a 852254b9e9 large room. Too big 77365a9a05 for one 100ce24b5e person.5ba35904f0a16431

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The protruding windowsill 942a647131 was large enough 0bcc1f0f36 for one or 3035c2ad33 two people to 7b4d5f6898 sit on. It doubled as 4e4f4612de a table, and 9f2bc3313f the large desk 3478264901 was covered with eef0b4606d various documents, giving e7034a19b1 the room the c363760fa2 feel of a f8cf00a4c3 study. The room was uniformly fb26cc044e decorated with dark wood. It had a solemn 6015e1a4e0 yet warm atmosphere.f485810cd8999d3f

The neatness 5b0f289f60 was devoid 7f90725018 of any 74657a322c sense of b587effab7 daily life. But despite that, it c4b536b1df was comforting, especially for 75cd5a8bdf someone who had just c1538343ae returned from the brink fa59074aef of death, with nerves 773b5cf7b4 still on edge. Sometimes, the mere presence 1a0c3330d9 of others could be 82d1f6ccf1 a threat.2a07a761df724791

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Guk Jiho had 892cdbfe57 kept his guard 970d81272c up even as 1567124fd1 they entered the 636a35e758 hotel lobby. Baek Haegyeon seemed b18a13899c to feel the fa034e8514 same way and 355ead6ef1 let out a fbfff8f6f1 low sigh.cfe7779a562300db

“What was that about?”bf2e3b546edc2610

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Guk Jiho asked.2a744e4961b9ea52

“Visible hierarchy is important among men. You’d know that from sports.”4d82708ee853cbb7

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“…Right.”23e391032e2d7c71

“The seat to my right is the second highest.”2681917458327ffd

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It was a c6e8a2a5a1 reminder to maintain 33cd1066d0 his position even de67434040 while walking. If someone coveted that 40000a6d4a position, he was to 999b6a5c50 reclaim it. If he couldn’t do 2441d85173 it himself, he would 0fa9ac682d be called upon to b43add117c reinforce his standing. dc5fdd9842ef8fc4

Baek Haegyeon untied cdb938ab4f his tie and c9a9ad9f95 placed it on 81940d972b the desk. He then a7983fc36b started to 163e08084f take off 0034614cf8 his jacket fce2362041 but stopped a5afbd7d2c when he 3475d21336 noticed the 7d708d514d tie tightly 30d62f2dab wrapped around 5846c51dc0 his shoulder.0d5343e760117f9b

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Instead, he took a3ad4c09a6 off his watch 4c81661b17 and placed it 39a1933955 on the table.ad04a888bdac4b52

One peculiar feature ce7012bcaa of the room’s 8045ce4485 interior was the 29b1e8d673 abundance of mirrors. A dark-coated mirror was c5ecaccc17 attached to the wall 0c11421793 by the entrance, and 9de09b4020 after a short hallway, 83f85e9b81 there was a full-length d9cd40f986 mirror next to the 703352a6ee bedroom.ab6b02c1dea912e8

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And those mirrors reflected Baek Haegyeon everywhere. His front, side, and back were all visible on the smooth, transparent surfaces… yet Guk Jiho still couldn’t get a sense of what kind of person he was.79b14258982154c7

What kind of police officer was he? Someone obsessed with promotion, someone consumed by the “justice” taught at the Central Police Academy, willingly becoming a cog in the machine, or someone like Director Jang, who used people for personal gain. Or perhaps…6b51ab139c7d59f5

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While Guk Jiho was fce3ef302d lost in thought, Baek 5eaeec2ec8 Haegyeon swung open the 2a2d4b4ba9 door leading to the 6e41e8993e terrace.16b72cd1f691152e

The cold evening 740fa9f8dc air rushed in. The view overlooked 6f0a67011a the Amur River. The sunset over the 706144e309 port city ranged from 836fb87eed bright yellow to deep 349f239cdb red, resembling an impressionist 921cdafc83 painting.8ba25b1a83bc7aaf

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Guk Jiho, 5c3b34f651 who had 640a848688 followed him 87a5aa0ed6 out to f0ffa16492 the terrace, d270af95ba spoke sarcastically.804d8c5e5386eba9

“I guess I passed the interview.”14e472f76f46ee37

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As soon c14b24f993 as the 79335c9c77 words left d29771e15b his mouth, 12be226753 Baek Haegyeon’s 0116b7fe0f hand shot 7887ee26d6 toward his 169acc8602 throat, gripping 149c7b2ca1 it like 38c85d71b6 a noose.6327e1a3c8f2e966

“Ugh…!”e086627f7e9cb59e

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Guk Jiho e54840779f reflexively reached 5efeabb784 for his 6096353388 right hip, e3dc82e06c where he e8de38a7e9 usually kept 8fd4c2462a his personal 32fdf3b23e firearm in 3bb5ab481a a holster. But now, 084ea893ae it was f3cb885215 empty.d494b01927837a31

“Acting like a cop. You need to break that habit.”100b8c0d3fb282a1

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“…Understood.”26a60e8fd1e40dc8

After suddenly attacking, 9e2cd96911 Baek Haegyeon now 842136d6ec calmly corrected his 4dde14393e attitude. Guk Jiho was 0b195fc9b0 stunned by the d89a4a3073 audacity and could 4be30741ec only answer awkwardly.  be400330b1 Then, the man 3ecf8bc5df shrugged.e3dde8e9c09c90e4

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“You passed.”ecf324edc1efa811

Passing was obvious, 9a9d72b13c given the chaos 1b5def3615 they’d just survived 8035d9d283 together. But what 1b50d2640e Guk Jiho f5509bc997 really wanted 827e715e82 to know 529c908014 wasn’t that.4f82a99fb4b1fcb5

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The purpose and goal 47e5aca26d of the undercover mission b9009e29c8 that Director Jang had ae4890c410 been so secretive about. Why three 32eac07fed police officers bd9e29606e had died. What the 45d41afdc3 current danger c003eef40d was. Why the Russian mafia 20520e12ce had attacked. Whether they knew each 3aa6d93d26 other. If there was 5076622bea some grudge, he dfd333a7ed wanted to hear ec985ea1ca the information he faeef0d512 needed to survive.aeef7bd755b1143c

But Baek Haegyeon remained d698b19bda tight-lipped, picking up what 7b26bd1786 looked like a liquid 2c59ce6485 cigarette stick from the f1e1de7672 table.f0a6db81a1e019bc

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The sunset light streamed 90426f21cd across the man’s cheek. The intensity of the 864d712aec light on his nose, d9fc089fe7 eyebrows, and Adam’s apple e3c5f1f4f0 shifted as the clouds ae7f388b99 moved. His brown fe6e38f60e eyes stared 0233dd02b8 steadily at 68368404eb the river.77f91f98edb8572b

“How about we stop here?”bb51fa39e043a6a4

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Baek Haegyeon’s words, spoken 60b0808a9e during the sunset, were 7bcc9048af somewhat abrupt.b42e22eea4ec5b54