TL | Chapter 11 | A Seal that Says “Mine”

Seowon had always been a sharp shooter. When asked how he could be so skilled in shooting, along with his Taekwondo and Hapkido training, he’d joked that it was because Koreans were descendants of Jumong, the famous archer.

But now, he seemed even more precise than before. His focus on the target board was intense, almost frightening. With the entire shooting range to himself, it was easy for him to concentrate, yet his gaze was so fixed on the target that it felt obsessive. Even with Iden and the shooting range manager openly watching him from behind, he didn’t seem to care.

What could possibly make Seowon so focused?

As Iden pondered this, a bitter smile formed on his lips. The more he guessed at Seowon’s feelings, the more complicated his own emotions became. He’d agreed to let Seowon work as his bodyguard as he wished, but he had no intention of using him as a human shield. He’d only allowed it because it was safest to keep him close.

Seeing Seowon like this, he wondered if he should take him off guard duty immediately. He looked as if he’d step in front of a bullet without a second thought, just like before.

“Even with the bulletproof vest on, I still can’t feel at ease,” he murmured to himself. The range manager glanced over, but Iden waved him off as he stepped into the shooting range.

Bang! Bang!

The gunshots were ear-piercingly loud. The manager shouted from outside that he should put on ear protection, but Iden ignored it and approached Seowon. Engrossed in his shooting, Seowon either didn’t notice him approaching or was choosing to ignore him to focus on his shooting.

Bang! Another shot rang out. Iden reached out and grabbed the top of Seowon’s gun, making him finally turn to look. His expression seemed to ask why Iden was interrupting him.

“That’s enough,” Iden said, pressing the gun down. Seowon frowned slightly as Iden removed his ear protection.

“You don’t need to act like you’re about to kill someone on the spot.”

Seowon looked so blank and detached with the gun in his hands. It didn’t sit well with Iden.

Seowon silently stared at him. This man was a mafia boss’s heir. That was the biggest difference between him and the Iden he’d loved. The “Iden hyung” he knew hadn’t yet been the official heir. Though his father had called him to the United States to groom him for the position, he hadn’t been deeply involved in the mafia world.

But the Iden in front of him had been part of that world for over ten years now. Unlike the Iden who’d just been named heir and brought over, this Iden probably had far more enemies. And just as many people might be out for his life. Because of that, Iden’s words about not needing to be so on edge didn’t quite resonate.

Was it because they were in South Korea, not the United States? Was Korea really safe? Did he have no enemies here? Without knowing any of that, he couldn’t relax.

“When did this building come into existence?”

They were in an underground shooting range within the Luciano building. Ordinary companies wouldn’t have a live-fire range in their basement. From the outside, it looked like an average office building, but who knew what was going on inside? Seowon knew nothing about Iden as a mafia figure. The Iden he knew had grown up in Korea and graduated from college like any normal person.

“Six years ago, after I found you.”

Seowon tilted his head, unable to understand. The past he remembered was very different from the past Iden knew.

“I needed an excuse to come and go from Korea. I couldn’t just kidnap you outright.”

Seowon’s brow furrowed at the use of “you.”

“That wasn’t me.”

At his retort, Iden chuckled and nodded. He didn’t seem to deny the distinction Seowon was making between himself and the Ha Seowon of this world, yet there were moments he treated them as one and the same. Seowon understood why, so he didn’t press the point and turned his gaze away.

“So, what exactly does this…”

He began to ask, intending to change the subject, but stopped mid-sentence. Mafia. That word hung in his mind, and he suddenly didn’t feel like asking what exactly this place did. None of the words that came to mind—drugs, arms trafficking—were positive.

Seeing him trail off, Iden raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask him to continue. Instead, he chuckled knowingly and reached out to ruffle Seowon’s hair.

“Let’s get out of here. I suddenly feel like eating something good.”

Iden smoothly shifted the topic. Seowon let out a short sigh as he watched Iden’s back as he walked out of the shooting range.

He really couldn’t get used to this.

The more time he spent talking with him and observing him, the more he saw differences from the “Iden” he knew. Especially the way he looked at people—it was sharper, like he was assessing them. That made him uncomfortable at times.

Even though they shared the same initial meeting, their memories of the last ten years were different. Ten years was enough time to change a person’s character. He wondered how the Ha Seowon who’d been here might have been. Would he have been different from himself now? If so, did Iden feel the same sense of dissonance when he looked at him?

With his relaxed expression, Iden seemed unaffected. He was so calmly collected, almost to the point of coldness, that Seowon held onto his rationality to suppress his own confusion.

“He’s hard to read.”

In the past, he’d been able to tell what Iden was thinking just by meeting his gaze. Sometimes they’d silently exchange looks and then laugh at each other for being so in sync.

But now, that kind of unspoken communication seemed impossible. It felt natural yet bitter to confirm that this Iden was different from his “Iden.” Even though he’d drawn a clear line, he still found himself searching for traces of the past in him.

If he were a complete stranger, he wouldn’t be feeling this complicated…

Swallowing his bitterness, he followed Iden. There was no choice but to adapt to the moment.
•

They’d been driving for a while since leaving the building, supposedly to get something good to eat. The car had been moving for quite some time. The silence in the car was heavy. Neither Seowon nor Iden had spoken, and Min in the driver’s seat glanced back at them occasionally through the rearview mirror but stayed quiet.

Only the hum of the car engine filled the space, and even that felt grating in the silence.

“What are we going to eat that’s so far away?”

In the end, Seowon broke the silence. Iden, who’d been staring straight ahead, turned to look at him.

“There’s a place that does king crab really well.”

At the mention of king crab, Seowon couldn’t help but almost frown. He wasn’t picky about food, but he avoided king crab. Specifically, he had a shellfish allergy, so he couldn’t eat it without breaking out in hives.

Did the Ha Seowon here not have that allergy? It was surprising, learning something new each time, but also unsettling.

“If you can’t eat it, you can just say so.”

At Iden’s words, Seowon looked directly at him. There was a hint of mischief in his eyes. Did he know?

“I’m allergic to shellfish. It’s not life-threatening, but I get hives all over my body, so I try to avoid it.”

At Seowon’s response, Iden’s lips curved into a soft smile, as if he’d expected that answer.

This guy was testing him. Outwardly, he acted like he trusted Seowon completely, yet sometimes it felt like he was trying to confirm if Seowon was indeed the “Ha Seowon” he knew.

His gaze was cold. Sometimes, that coldness was directed at Seowon as well. Though he hid it well, Seowon hadn’t missed the fleetingly chilly look. It was another difference. His “Iden” had never looked at him like that. Even the briefest hint of coldness was something Seowon couldn’t overlook.

Did this Iden never fully trust even his “Ha Seowon”?

“You managed to complete the marking, though.”

Before he realized, his inner thoughts slipped out. For him, marking someone he couldn’t fully trust would’ve been impossible.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Iden tilted his head, smiling faintly, yet his gaze remained cool, unlike the warmth Seowon remembered.

“Maybe it’s just the way you look at me, but if you looked at your original partner like that, I can’t understand it.”

“What don’t you understand?”

Iden asked.

“The thing I don’t understand is ‘Ha Seowon.’”

Seowon added an explanation.

“I couldn’t complete a marking without absolute trust.”

As if he’d understood, Iden’s face stiffened slightly, but he quickly broke into an even more charming smile.

“Marking isn’t about trust.”

Iden reached out, gently holding Seowon’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze.

“It’s a seal that says ‘mine.’”

At his words, Seowon’s brows knitted together.