1:Prologue

Rain is expected throughout today, and a weather warning has been issued as strong showers are forecast to continue into the evening.

TV News continued in the background while the restaurant stayed warm and busy. Outside, dark clouds covered the sky, No one at the table seemed too concerned about the weather

“Excuse me, could you bring us another bottle of soju when you have a moment?” Baekhyun asked, lifting his empty glass with a small smile.

Chinwoo stared at the pile of empty bottles already scattered across their table, an irritation tightening his chest. He shook his head, unable to hide his disbelief. “Again? Seriously! You just ordered another one a few hours ago. How much are you planning to drink while we wait for Jun-young?”

“Until my money runs out, I guess.” Baekhyun laughed softly, his words slightly blurred around the edges. He didn't care about the growing tally of empty bottles, pushing the thought aside just to chase the numbness that kept the dull weight of his daily routine at bay.

Soo-hi glanced toward the front entrance, her gaze lingering on the streaked glass. “Speaking of Lee Jun-young, didn't you say he was making a delivery?”

“Yeah” Chinwoo checked his phone, a flicker of impatience crossing his face as he wondered if Jun- young was just wasting time or trying to avoid them.

She shrugged, resting her chin in her hand. “Hey, after we graduated, we never really had a chance to meet. We finally got to see him today, so I haven't really been paying attention to the time.”

​A familiar grin tugged at the corner of Chinwoo's mouth. “Didn't you know? He started doing deliveries after graduation. For someone who used to act so smart, he ended up working as a delivery guy instead.”

​“Fuck off. Why are you always picking on him?” Baekhyun frowned at the moment, his irritation flaring up instantly.

​Han Soo reached under the table and gave Chinwoo a sharp kick to the leg, signaling him to drop it.

Before Chinwoo could answer, rain suddenly crashed against the windows. Everyone turned toward the glass as the streets disappeared behind the heavy downpour.

“Seriously?”

The restaurant door opened.

Lee Jun-young stepped inside, his jacket damp and his hair slightly wet from the rain. He paused for a moment, looking around until he found the familiar faces at the table.

Chinwoo and Han Soo immediately raised their hands, waving him over through the noise.

​Jun-young caught their movement and gave a quiet nod. He was bone-tired from the long hours, but the sight of his former classmates made the tension in his shoulders ease just a little.

​At the end of the table, however, Baekhyun was completely out cold, slumped forward in his chair.

​Han Soo reached over and nudged his shoulder. There was no response. He tried again, shaking him harder. 

“Wake up. Jun-young is here.”

​A muffled groan slipped past Baekhyun's lips.

​“Cmon'. Your friend is finally here.”

​Baekhyun slowly lifted his head, his hair messy and his eyes heavy with sleep. He blinked several times at the entrance before recognizing the figure walking toward them.

​“Finally…” Baekhyun muttered, wiping a hand across his face. “Why the hell were you so late?”

​Jun-young pulled out an empty chair and sat down, resting his forearms on the edge of the table. “The deliveries took longer than expected. There were too many orders”

​The initial awkwardness melted away as someone poured another round of drinks. 

Surrounded by the familiar voices and their old jokes, the heavy years apart seemed to fade.

​Baekhyun raised his glass high, sloshing a bit of the liquid over the rim. “Come on. We haven't seen each other in months. Let's drink properly.”

​The rest of the group lifted their glasses in response.

​“Cheers.”

​The glasses met with a sharp clink, and they all drank.

​Jun-young kept his gaze lowered, looking at the amber liquid swirling in his glass. It felt strange sitting here after so long, watching his friends laugh the way they used to back in school.

​Chinwoo set his glass down firmly. “But seriously, why are you still doing deliveries? You could've taken a better job in Seoul . You were always smart enough to do more than this.”

​Jun-young kept his eyes on the table. The question didn't sting as much as it used to. He was used to it by now. “My grandmother got sick,” he answered calmly.

 “I couldn't leave her alone. Seoul was too far away, work made things easier here. I can stay close to her and still make enough to take care of her.”

​Soo-hi watched him quietly from across the table. She hadn't noticed it at first, but the heavy fatigue etched around his eyes was unmistakable now. 

He was carrying a lot more than he let on.

​“Then why don't you just join us?” Baekhyun asked, leaning back lazily in his seat. “You could work with us instead. Bruh!”

​Jun-young shook his head without hesitation. 

That world held no appeal for him. “I'm fine with what I'm doing. I don't really want to change jobs.”

​He let out a loud, sloppy laugh. “If you'd joined us five months ago when we first contacted you, you could've seen Guk-sang fight in person.” His eyes lit up with sudden excitement. “That punk is an S-rank. When he actually fights for real, it's completely different. You should've seen it.”

​Chinwoo nodded, a smirk returning to his face. “Rewards aren't bad either. You could make good money there instead of that.”

​Jun-young took another slow sip of his drink. “Maybe. But I'm fine for now.”

​Baek slumped further against his chair, his eyelids drooping. “That's what you always say…” he mumbled, already drifting off again.

​Soo-Hi smiled faintly as she watched him. He was completely hammered, and the night was still young.

​Han soo slid a sleek business card across the wooden table, stopping it right next to the empty glass.

“If you ever change your mind, don't hesitate to join a guild,” Han soo said, keeping his tone casual. “Contact this. It might be helpful for you.”

He looked down at the card resting on the table, his expression quiet.

Their guild couldn't officially recruit anyone new right now, but keeping options open never hurt. Handing over the card was just a way to leave the door open, just in case he ever decided he needed a way out of his current life.

The dinner finally wrapped up, leaving the table empty and the rain outside turning into a steady drizzle. Baekhyun was completely drunk, barely able to stay on his feet. Han soo and Chinwoo each took an arm, supporting his weight as they half-carried him out to the car parked down the street.

Jun-young stood by the entrance and watched them go, giving a quiet wave. “Get home safe.”

Once they drove off, the street grew quiet. Jun-young walked around to the side of the restaurant, stepping into the dark, shadowed alleyway away from the harsh lights.

 Pulling a pack from his jacket, he slid a cigarette out and lit it, darkness took a slow drag to unwind from the long day.

Baekhyun's words echoed in the quiet space. “You could've seen Guk-sang fight in person... That punk is an S-rank.”

Jun-young stared blankly into the dark alley, a bitter taste rising in his mouth. Hang Guk-sang used to be his friend—someone he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with before everything fell apart.

 It was hard to believe how much Guk-sang had changed, throwing himself into the brutal world.

 No matter how hard he tried, Jun-young couldn't bury the memory of what happened, the exact turning point that made Guk-sang throw away who he used to be.

Footsteps splashed through the standing water nearby, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Jun-young blinked, turning his head in surprise as a familiar figure stepped into the alley light. It was Soo-hi, still standing there instead of heading home with the others.

“Yo.”

Smoke curled from Soo-hi’s mouth as she stood a few steps away, the cigarette resting loosely between her fingers.

Jun-young smiled faintly, the tight line of his jaw relaxing just a little. He knew Soo-hi well enough. She was never the kind, sweet girl people believed her to be. Beneath that soft, innocent face and quiet smile was someone cold and cunning. A wolf hiding in sheep’s clothing—or rather, a predator who let everyone else tear each other apart while she quietly watched from the sidelines.

Soo-hi stepped closer, neatly avoiding a puddle with a small turn of her shoes. Her gaze dropped to the cigarette burning between her fingers before returning to his tired face. A slow, mocking smirk appeared on her lips.

“Hey, Lee Jun-young,” she said, her voice carrying that familiar, casual cruelty. “Still the same as ever, huh? Motherfucker!”

She flicked the cigarette against his clothes, brushing the ash across his shirt before letting it fall to the ground.

“How much money do you want?”

Soo-hi laughed softly, her eyes narrowing with amusement.

“You still haven’t changed since high school. Still dumb as ever.”

She tilted her head and pulled out her phone.

“₩100 million. That should be enough to keep your face safe.”

The words came with a mocking smile. She knew exactly what she meant. With that much money, there was no need for things to get ugly.

Jun-young silently transferred the money.

Soo-hi checked her phone and saw the payment come through. Her smile widened.

“Good boy.”

She stepped closer and lightly tapped his shoulder twice, almost like she was praising him The gesture was playful, but the mockery in her eyes was obvious.