POV: Male Lead (Ahn Min-jae)
Min-jae's grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sped through the city streets. Ha-neul sat beside him, scanning her phone for any clues on Kang Seo-jin's whereabouts.
"He hasn't been answering his calls," she said, frustration clear in her tone. "If Hyun-sik is already after him—"
Min-jae's jaw clenched. "We can't think like that. We'll find him first."
Tae-sung's voice came through the car's speaker. "I checked his apartment. It's empty, and his car is gone."
Min-jae cursed under his breath. Seo-jin must have realized something was wrong. But was he running away, or had someone already gotten to him?
"We need another lead," Min-jae said.
"There's one place we haven't checked," Ha-neul said suddenly. "The old orphanage."
Min-jae frowned. "Why would he go there?"
Ha-neul locked eyes with him. "Because if he's looking for answers, that's where he'd start."
Min-jae didn't waste another second. He changed directions, heading toward the outskirts of the city.
---
The orphanage was abandoned. The once-colorful walls were now faded, and the playground was rusted and broken. Min-jae stepped out of the car, scanning the surroundings.
"He's here," Ha-neul whispered.
Min-jae followed her gaze.
A lone figure stood near the entrance, hands clenched into fists.
Kang Seo-jin.
Min-jae took a step forward, calling his name. "Seo-jin."
Seo-jin turned slowly, his eyes filled with something between confusion and fear. "You shouldn't be here."
Min-jae's breath caught.
For the first time, he noticed it—the resemblance. The sharp features, the way he carried himself.
Ahn Ji-hoon's son.
"You already know, don't you?" Min-jae asked.
Seo-jin's lips parted, but before he could answer—
A gunshot rang out.
Ha-neul tackled Seo-jin to the ground as the bullet barely missed him. Min-jae spun around, spotting a figure in the shadows.
Hyun-sik.
"You really are fast, cousin," Hyun-sik's voice drawled. "But not fast enough."
Min-jae's blood ran cold.
The real battle had just begun.
---