The sound of the ambulance siren faded into the distance, but Minjae's knees were still pressed against the wet asphalt, his hands trembling and stained with the faint warmth of his mother's blood.
She was gone.
The paramedics had barely said anything. No promises, no rushed efforts to save her. Just the cold, brutal confirmation that she didn't make it.
Hyunwoo's voice echoed from behind. "Minjae!"His footsteps splashed in the puddles as he rushed over, soaked from running in the rain. Jisoo followed, her usual lazy posture replaced with rare, sharp urgency.
Hyunwoo grabbed Minjae by the shoulders. "What happened? We were looking for you everywhere!"
Minjae's throat tightened. His vision blurred, not from the rain, but from the storm raging inside him. "They… they killed her. Because of me."
Hyunwoo's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? Who?"
Minjae couldn't answer. His whole body trembled violently. He clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his skin. "I let it happen. I was too weak to protect her."
Jisoo's usual lazy glare softened, though she still kept her voice cool. "Tell us. Now."
Through choked words, Minjae explained the debt, the threats, the attack — every single detail.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Hyunwoo punched the ground in frustration. "Why didn't you tell us sooner, you idiot! You didn't have to go through this alone!"
Jisoo crouched down next to him, her damp hair sticking to her cheeks. "It's done. What's next?" Her words weren't comforting, but they were steady. Solid.
Minjae's breathing slowed, his rage simmering under his grief. The weight on his chest wasn't lifting — it was transforming.
"I'll find them." His voice was low, cold, different. "I'll make them pay."
Hyunwoo grabbed his shoulder again. "Then we'll find them together."
Jisoo stood, brushing rain from her face, her usual laziness returning like armor. "Tch. Looks like we don't get to enjoy our peaceful otaku life anymore."
Minjae forced a faint, bitter smile. "I guess not."
The three of them walked away from the scene, their footsteps heavy but connected.
For Minjae, the safe world of manga and anime he had always clung to as a shield was gone. The story he was about to live was no fantasy — it was raw, violent, and his to write.
And this time, there were no heroes to save him.
Only himself.
Only his friends.
Only the fight.