---
Chapter 21: Who Are You?
A guy on a motorbike sped down the street as if his life depended on it. Behind him, ten men on five different bikes chased in a tight pack, their faces serious and fierce. He leaned forward, driving faster—so fast that anyone riding with him would have passed out from fear.
"Hey, stop!" one of the men shouted over the roar of the engines.
"Han Seo-jin! Stop!" another voice yelled.
But instead of stopping, Seo-jin swerved sharply and disappeared behind a narrow wall, leaving the men to speed right past without noticing he had slipped out of sight.
He let out a short breath, about to move again—when suddenly, a girl darted across the street ahead of him. His eyes widened.
He yanked hard on the brakes. Tires screeched. The bike tilted violently and rolled, throwing him onto the pavement with a heavy thud. His helmet slammed against the ground, sparing him a worse injury.
Ju-kyoung, who had been the girl running ahead, stumbled and fell to the ground as well. Her knees stung, but thankfully she wasn't badly hurt.
Her wide eyes turned to the stranger lying on the asphalt. He was dressed in all black from head to toe, his face hidden by the helmet.
Heart pounding, Ju-kyoung scrambled up and ran over. "Excuse me—are you okay?!"
The man groaned and slowly sat up, stretching his body. Ju-kyoung's chest loosened with relief—she had feared he might have been knocked unconscious, or worse.
She stepped closer. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Then he removed his helmet.
Ju-kyoung froze.
He was… breathtaking. Ridiculously handsome. The kind of handsome that made your brain forget how to function. Dark, piercing eyes, an earring glinting in his left ear, a dangerous sort of "bad boy" aura clinging to him. Even his hair looked perfect, the wind ruffling it like it had been styled that way on purpose.
Ju-kyoung almost forgot how to breathe.
But she didn't get the chance to admire him for long—because the roar of engines surrounded them again. The men on the bikes had circled back, and now they were enclosing the two of them. Their faces made it clear they weren't here to help.
The guy acted fast. Without hesitation, he shoved his helmet into Ju-kyoung's arms, abandoned the bike, and bolted. The pursuers didn't even notice at first, their attention fixed on Ju-kyoung. When they finally realized he was gone, they cursed and sped after him.
"Han Seo-jin! Hey!" they roared as they disappeared into the night.
Ju-kyoung stood frozen in place, still clutching the helmet, her eyes wide. She had no idea what she had just witnessed. Her entire body trembled as she tried to make sense of it. What on earth… just happened?
Tonight was turning into a whirlwind of surprises.
---
Meanwhile, Seo-jin dashed into a narrow alley. The bikers saw the route he had taken—it was too thin for their motorcycles—so they leapt off and pursued him on foot.
His brows furrowed, but his speed didn't falter. He leapt over staircases, turned sharp corners, his breathing steady. They were quick, but he was quicker.
The six men chasing him were already panting, their legs failing them, but they pressed on until Seo-jin reached what looked like a dead end.
They slowed, smirking cruelly. Trapping their prey gave them confidence.
Seo-jin stood there, calm. Not a drop of sweat marked his face, even though theirs was drenched.
The leader stepped forward—a broad-shouldered man with a stern face. He eyed Seo-jin from head to toe.
"Why are you running away?" the man asked, his voice heavy.
Seo-jin gave a short, almost mocking sigh. He pushed his hair back, revealing his sharp, striking features in full. Even while cornered, he looked breathtaking.
He slipped off his gloves slowly, then tossed one straight at the leader's chest.
"...Seo-jin," the man growled, catching it.
Seo-jin gave him a lazy smirk.
The man's eyes hardened. "Kim Cho-rong told us you went abroad. You really thought we'd buy that?"
Seo-jin shrugged lightly. "Sorry, Puck."
The name seemed to set the leader off. With a sudden burst of anger, he charged and slammed his fist into Seo-jin's stomach. Seo-jin doubled over slightly but didn't fall.
"I went through hell because of you," Puck hissed, grabbing his collar and shaking him. He kicked him hard, knocking Seo-jin to the ground.
But Seo-jin only stared back up with an unreadable gaze. His face remained calm, almost bored.
"You didn't come out that day just to mess with us, did you?" Puck snarled.
Seo-jin smiled faintly, as if none of this mattered.
The man raised his fist again, but Seo-jin's eyes suddenly sharpened. He leaned aside, dodging smoothly, and muttered, "Not my face." His tone carried a warning that made even his enemies pause.
Puck's crew exchanged impressed looks despite themselves.
"You dodged…? You're dead meat," Puck spat.
He drew back to strike again—but one of his men rushed forward and whispered urgently into his ear.
"I think the police are here."
The wail of sirens echoed faintly in the distance.
"Let's go!" someone shouted.
Reluctantly, Puck shoved Seo-jin one last time. His eyes burned with fury. "I'll see you again, Han Seo-jin."
Then they fled, vanishing into the shadows.
---
As silence fell, Ju-kyoung crept out from behind the wall where she had been hiding. She hadn't been spotted, thank goodness.
Her hands were shaking. She pressed something on the wall, and the flickering lights around the alley stopped blinking. The sound of sirens cut off, revealing itself as nothing more than a trick.
Seo-jin stood there, staring at her quietly.
Ju-kyoung gave a quick glance toward the direction the men had escaped. "Did they leave?" she asked softly.
She walked closer, still peeking over her shoulder—only to bump straight into him.
His dark eyes swept over her from head to toe.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice low and unreadable.
Ju-kyoung lifted her chin and gave him a faint smile.
---