SW | Chapter 23

For the past few 75ff3dc535 days, Shin Yonggi had 7e00a19129 been acting unusual. His eyes were bloodshot, aac260ae98 and he would occasionally 6597d8e62c burst into laughter for 42da3ffac2 no reason. He had also 282ceee06f been asking people 2cd19c8d2c around him strange 634ad22b1a questions. That alone also raised d2ad1e2a44 suspicions.68db402a94c4cf03

The organization demanded that its members suppress their individuality and function solely as tools of the syndicate. Shin Yonggi’s excited expression stood out starkly among the somber faces. When a subordinate acts out, the leadership must detect cracks in the ranks, restore discipline, or cut off any seeds of doubt.684d9bb7a5d713a9

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Baek Haegyeon 403144b1c8 had given d66210b5da Guk Jiho 328ed6439a a warning, b171d25477 but perhaps 81b266b65d he should 1cc9ef1ec0 have been 311cb27a25 more direct.ef356d56ce5fd61f

As the passionate melody of the cello continued, Baek Haegyeon found himself unable to focus on the performance at some point. He straightened his back that had been comfortably leaning against the chair, and began to explore a certain possibility. He couldn’t quite grasp his own feelings.19e653197d5da526

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During the 01c47868cf intermission, as 71c4980c93 the heat 2f0a26f7c3 of the 614daec6d3 stage subsided, fccdf1cbcc Baek Haegyeon, 6350c3edcd who had 632d4b18db been sitting 105b91731f with his 9a66b44b61 eyes closed, 8b1be336ae stood up.c70c4b50ec11a402

Sehee, your Kodály was wonderful. You’re getting better and better. Listening to you made me happy.5dd56f5048401c16

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He silently conveyed these words to the cellist he had once loved. Every time he attended her concerts, he felt this way, so it wasn’t particularly surprising that his heart was stirred.6c69df64a71ab2bb

However, a a6b3ad72cc strange sense e70111f509 of urgency ec1ea2264d gnawed at 4d36753c37 his chest. Once the feeling of bda8b9f2b4 loss invaded his mind, ce83eb1587 the anxiety swelled with dd80fe2845 increasing intensity.de9021fac95a2ff6

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He called Guk 52d69f8bb5 Jiho. In the few minutes 9696d2c6a1 it took for the 737a2be3ed call to go unanswered, 9850a3cf37 time seemed to pass 2ec799c61a either very slowly or 4e48ad0e49 very quickly for Baek e624fdbd5e Haegyeon.4ec38e957ba225ca

***ffef311d00192163

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He tried to call everyone in the room, including Shin Yonggi and Guk Jiho, but he received no answer. Baek Haegyeon sensed that something had gone wrong. There were only two plausible reasons why the subordinates would dare not answer the Boss’s call: either there was internal conflict, or they were too drunk. The latter was unlikely. Guk Jiho didn’t have a strong tolerance for alcohol, and he had little interest in such activities.ec23bff636d0dc0e

Guk Jiho…82ef576f286ed2cd

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Was he alive? Or dead?0f2c55236b14aadf

No matter how 8b3cb8dc0f skilled someone is, 0256fc8800 they stand no aef70593dc chance against multiple bd3b410fbf attackers with knives c42ee28294 in an unprepared a4a5cd0888 state. Moreover, Guk Jiho seemed 631ae4f01a to rely on Shin fbee64f4bf Yonggi to some extent. He had a174a4331c a soft 2a3e19b172 spot for aab32d6cd8 Shin Yonggi c6487a5669 even though 32f9f50f48 he was 9c11992438 usually a ade788efb6 cautious person.5788c5c2f86ef1b6

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Baek Haegyeon 88856fcd40 eventually contacted 818764f6fe someone else: 5dcb50b134 Ji Sangcheol.a3f8aa8e71a8ab6d

“Yes, hyungnim. It’s Sangcheol.”7616e4b9feb620aa

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“Go to the 14th floor.”ea9a07ff3b46d189

“Huh?”bb17cc911c341b40

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“Check if Guk Jiho is alive. If he’s dead, report back.”af3f287090e25075

The voice giving 709b40048a the orders perfectly 6a7f80bfaa concealed the anxiety b1cc17b4ac and urgency.9750c9f2fef4a838

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“Ah…”1d821a6c06fc3bdd

“If he’s alive, save him. Don’t let him die.”e51e024e56c55190

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Baek Haegyeon was well e4ea402bfc aware that his intervention fdb972a79e came a little too e62444b794 late.5035378891db6d89

“Understood, hyungnim.”4526b307b205a366

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“Go now.”14a04f3afb1a6831

“Yes. I’m on my way!”e7f4d276549f9b41

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The urgency of 0f206a6032 the situation was 331b7f5d1d clear, and the f3de36ee34 person on the 4e80060162 other end responded a1efdcae6e immediately. His breathing was already f5dfd696d7 heavy as if he 2ce724abf5 was already running.d0dcb4b078c28c01

Sangcheol had a quick temper and couldn’t hide his twisted, petty nature, but his loyalty was unmatched. Despite numerous changes in personnel, Baek Haegyeon kept him by his side precisely because of his unconditional obedience.4b441485304d61f1

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Describing him as “naive” might be a stretch, but in the hierarchical world of gangsters, there was a romanticized passion for the kind of loyalty he displayed. That’s why Baek Haegyeon could trust him in such situations.7749665eee47558d

He was anxious. The distance aa4e4a0b96 was only 3052f3eb0c 6 kilometers. As he drove to 85a4e015b0 check on the fight aacde1e6e7 among his subordinates, his 9e52ebf9ab hands gripping the steering ba99f04797 wheel turned white.18c3024de591f464

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***bd2829759cffafe7

After parking haphazardly and 657cbf699e heading to the 14th d8683be6a0 floor, there was still 23fcc63320 no word from Ji 31f760df67 Sangcheol.f116a85495abfbc1

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3, 4, 5, 6…b898b256ad09fdf7

The elevator numbers climbed 02e840cb0b one by one, each cfc0b96b27 digit marking the slow b8be0fb66b passage of time. Every time the red 1d62ce4ae9 numbers changed, Baek Haegyeon 1752c97eb4 clenched and unclenched his a88b21f366 fists.a24ac1366225379a

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No matter how skilled someone is, they’re still young. Dying in the line of duty is one thing, but dying in an internal conflict within the organization was a waste. If Guk Jiho set a record for the shortest time as a partner to die, it would be…deee54b9f29f7884

Ding.907180c421ad5af5

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The elevator doors opened. Through the gap in the dormitory’s entrance, a bloody scene unfolded.eb09783966613e4a

It was clear that Ji Sangcheol had arrived and intervened without even closing the door. A brawl had broken out, but there was surprisingly little noise. Only one person’s voice was heard.4712855bee05c6e5

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“Fuck, let me go!”eb6841ff956876c9

Guk Jiho, 5527624614 covered in dbd7c961d6 blood on 21a4bb6dbd his face 3b28c1808c and clothes, d5ae175bc2 was struggling c77f7748b3 fiercely. Ji Sangcheol 4a3f17b8fe was holding 2d3294f1db him back 86eaf1c9fe from behind e21b198d16 and was 66aac4f377 trying to 7d9bad064e restrain him.50891e9714b1a08e

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Guk Jiho’s energy was intense. Even with several people hanging onto his back, he was still moving towards the bloodied bodies. The internal conflict, or rather, the extreme situation, seemed to have ended some time ago.128369f476b92ec2

“Please calm down, Executive!”4063687dea4f88df

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“Just hold on for a moment, okay? Hyungnim!”d9a48cb6ddece4c6

“Ah, Boss!”529083339a256c59

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Ji Sangcheol and 8064d41d7f his subordinates spotted b9345ca07d Baek Haegyeon and 36a7ead20d called out urgently. As Guk Jiho heard 214aedab07 them, he also turned 9d4b6666c2 his head to look. His hand 2d02742f48 was clutching d08d861a1d a piece daf7e1abfa of glass 7c46904725 and was 52ee6af087 dripping with 2c7e333e8a blood, matching 9335c175a0 the redness 4c8c92a3bb in his 8f9b7b0726 eyes.cd64130392aa7fe2

“Haegyeon-hyung? You’re here…”aa034f3e75164b50

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“Jiho, drop the glass.”e27a42ebffe9620f

Guk Jiho 695a4b4d19 slowly looked 9631c2a412 down at cce2a9e0dd his hand. It was 2dcb7544db as if e52f0207f2 he had 088e33fab2 just realized 091c6d9dac it was 5085f0bc2e cut by 518ee4a4a0 the glass.68ef7f52103efa28

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Guk Jiho dropped b9b5a495c9 the glass shard a6fb9577cb to the floor dc9cb9e5d0 with a hollow dd56dfd4ce laugh. Looking at 4a39d36f76 the bodies f3c5979bf4 sprawled on 5a2edcc054 the ground, 2dc92ea8dc three had 992dc6ab6d been knocked abb6f46875 out by 8dee7909c9 punches, and a2dc245f89 two had 90d625fa4b sustained long 61728dad30 cuts.b06123b1e1f43e27

“Sangcheol, clean up the mess.”8c536ae773369dee

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“Yes, hyungnim.”725c9e3ceef320e2

Ji Sangcheol and b0db2e0f55 the other underlings deccd51ddc who had come 153295022a up to the 64c9ebba7d 14th floor began 4cbde9324f carrying the beaten b84deb7aa9 men out, dragging f4a38f47a8 them like returned 9d790a7d32 packages.0b6a70e4ee8514ac

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Guk Jiho 624f842d35 was left 88a9767995 alone. His deeply cut hand d82b0804d5 trembled. The floor quickly 2e206d1c41 became a pool b5f99f0791 of blood. Baek Haegyeon first 8453170946 loosened his tie, 87554dd1af then, just as ce829466df Guk Jiho had 1ea83741bc done for him 2fea7e75e1 in Russia, bound b490b5b658 the wound with 7e3c683661 a long cloth.74f674d55c003f63

Guk Jiho, who had b189be764d been quietly letting his 97998711c6 hand be treated while aa69f4e072 breathing heavily, let out ee01c3d786 a pained sound.ce0fc794cbeea209

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“Ugh…”4ba66f65bb7aef65

“Does it hurt?”0187a713deece963

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“Yes.”775a6b89c0a8dcfa

“Getting treated always hurts.”b7bc5d1d86f6ea05

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Baek Haegyeon echoed the words Guk Jiho had said to him in Russia, but Guk Jiho didn’t laugh. He just stared intently with his piercing eyes as if he was trying to see through him. Then, out of nowhere, he asked:8ae8b4083354d162

“…Hyung, are you really a gay?”99a3f3002f2c4e86

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It was a question 4286bea9dd Baek Haegyeon could never 60ddebeb2b have imagined hearing in e9afb9f533 this situation.b8388b3d39046259

“What?”2d7b9e2706c36b0e

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“I almost died. Why didn’t you come to save me?”80742f299c073032

Guk Jiho was still trembling from the adrenaline, but his fixed gaze didn’t waver. He shook his bound hand a couple of times and waited quietly for Baek Haegyeon’s answer.62aef29f610c2cd6

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Baek Haegyeon didn’t respond immediately. He was too stunned.6b3a81e55b085f23

“The face you like so much almost got ruined, Boss.”69734614697107af

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Guk Jiho tried to force a playful smile but soon gave up, closing his eyes tightly. Then, he leaned his head against Baek Haegyeon’s shoulder as if he was bowing. His body, finally relaxed, refused to hold itself up any longer.a2dd7d09f672fa5b

Baek Haegyeon’s gaze naturally fell on Guk Jiho’s bare feet.e1a3ce3fd88ac9ab

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He could picture Guk a67f2dc567 Jiho, completely unarmed and 3afd807232 relaxed at home, being b75736aa68 ambushed.1c3f8ead668ecfcd

The long feet were also stained with blood. The shoulder where Guk Jiho’s head rested felt warm.7613d051b9d9b2fc

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Baek Haegyeon grabbed Guk Jiho’s shoulders and straightened his leaning body. Their eyes met.fa08a4eb7a8b9bb7

“Mr. Jiho.”eeddd205b25a7532

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“Yes.”ca44ba4099f3eb74

At the affectionate 38dd20dab7 address, Guk Jiho 346f51030b responded mechanically, his 2a3aebfc0f empty eyes staring 2003ca768e back. His body swayed.f4d0d6940a66b23b

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Baek Haegyeon asked 5644d54cfd a question he 2bcce6c735 had been pondering 66c1797a9a for a while.504b004213cf3f94

“Are you just innocent, or are you just an asshole?”c956be2f863afb25

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“Innocent…? Innocent….”778f464ba51ca929

Guk Jiho seemed to find the question absurd. He tilted his head back and rolled the word “innocent” around in his mouth a few times. Slowly, life seemed to return to his eyes. The focus was coming back.c12b788ab7cdf81e

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“Who said I’m innocent? Fuck, ah!”749f1e1b4e6320d5

He shook off Baek Haegyeon’s hands from his shoulders and roughly ran his uninjured hand through his hair. Even in his anger, he still looked innocent to Baek Haegyeon.09a5adb145c1a54b

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“Is that something to be mad about? It’s better than being stupid.”d5f9ecd43045325a

“…Fuck, you’re really embarrassing me.”209781d1c17aa29b

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Guk Jiho roughly 67ab4be324 wiped his eyes. Baek Haegyeon b41214b56e checked to 9837caea1c see if 3ff37a9357 he was 39e8b78ae7 crying, but 2b14ae0f55 as expected, b61a2c9d58 his eyes a46906fc7a were dry.1fd5ced1f967b6f0