After Ji-ho fell asleep, Min-jae had just begun typing out a message to send the gathered information about him when his phone suddenly began to ring.The name on the screen: Joong Hyunk.Without hesitation, he answered the call.
"Are you with Ji-ho right now?"Joong Hyun's voice held its usual cold command—no role-play, no softness, just a direct question.
Min-jae glanced over at Ji-ho, who was fast asleep on the bed."Yeah, I'm with him right now," he replied calmly.
"Good. Before morning, get him out of the hotel. If possible, take him to your place first. We'll send him home later."Joong Hyunk's instructions were precise, without pause.
"Hmm… okay," was all Min-jae said.
Joong Hyun's voice sharpened slightly this time."Be careful. No one should suspect anything."The call ended.
Min-jae looked at the clock. Just a few minutes to 4 a.m.The city's darkness had begun to shift, touched by that faint blue that signals the night's defeat at the hands of dawn.
Whatever had to be done—had to be done now.
He picked up his coat, slid his phone into the pocket, pulled out his car keys, and looked once again at Ji-ho.
He was still sleeping peacefully—perhaps too peacefully. Even if someone tried shaking him awake, he might not stir.Maybe his exhausted mind had stolen a moment of real rest…Or maybe there was something in his system that had pulled him into this heavy sleep.
Min-jae stood there, thinking for a moment...
"If he wakes up... will he think I'm helping him?Or will he believe this is just another part of the plan?"
He took a deep breath, then gently lifted Ji-ho into his arms.
He opened the door—and without making a sound, stepped out of the room.
He glanced toward the elevator, then quickly looked away.
"Front desk... CCTV... no, too risky."
He turned toward the emergency stairwell—took it all the way down, and finally slipped out through the hotel's emergency exit.
Outside, the silence still hung heavy.The kind of silence that only exists at that hour—when the cold and the quiet are the only things keeping watch.
At the car, he gently set Ji-ho down but kept one arm around his waist—just in case he might fall in his sleep.
He opened the car's passenger door and gently helped Ji-ho inside. He reclined the seat back so Ji-ho could lie down comfortably. Buckled the seatbelt.There was a faint smile on Ji-ho's face—as if he was dreaming.
Min-jae, noticing that smile, grew curious."What could he possibly be dreaming about that it's making him smile in his sleep?"
Then Min-jae realized—he was leaning over him, their faces just inches apart.Startled, he quickly moved back.
He closed the door, walked around, and got into the car from the driver's side.
Started the engine.The car pulled out from in front of the hotel—without waking anyone, without catching a single eye.
After a short drive, Min-jae stopped the car in front of a large, luxurious bungalow.The house looked like something straight off the cover of a high-end design magazine—glass panels, warm wooden accents, automatic motion-sensor lights, and that kind of structured simplicity that whispered sophistication.The exterior reflected minimalist Korean architecture—clean lines, muted tones, and a façade in perfect harmony with nature.
Min-jae, known as one of the city's most prominent businessmen, had a home that mirrored his personality: composed, refined, and quietly elegant.
He stepped out of the car, unlocked the smart gate, opened the front door, and then returned to the car.
Ji-ho was still deep in sleep.Min-jae gently opened the car door again and carefully lifted him into his arms.
He carried him inside.Every step was wrapped in silence—only the soft sound of their breathing and the faint echo of the closing door accompanied them.
Upstairs, in the bedroom, Min-jae laid Ji-ho down gently on his large bed.The sheets were soft and white, ambient lighting subtly filled the room, and a warm, calming scent lingered in the air.
Ji-ho didn't even realize when he had left the hotel, when he had arrived at Min-jae's home—or that he was now in a completely unfamiliar place, enveloped in the softness of the bed, sound asleep and unaware of the world.
Min-jae adjusted the pillow beneath his head, carefully pulled the blanket over him—making sure not even a hint of cold could reach him.
He stood there for a moment… watching Ji-ho's peaceful, innocent face.The rhythm of his breathing was steady—like the kind of sleep only truly exhausted people manage to find.
A small smile appeared on Min-jae's lips.It was a strange kind of smile—tangled with confusion, but soft all the same.
"Until yesterday... this person had only met me twice. And now… I feel so close to him, as if… as if he was always meant to be here."
That thought echoed silently in his mind—an emotional undercurrent that stirred something deep inside him, though he didn't show it.Just a look. Just a moment of connection… nothing more.
Then Min-jae gently adjusted the blanket one last time, looked at him once more, and quietly turned away.
It was now 5 a.m.
The darkness of the city had begun to fade. A soft blue light filtered into the room through the edges of the window curtains.Min-jae quietly drew the curtains closed—making sure the light from outside wouldn't disturb Ji-ho's sleep.
He picked up his clothes and silently walked toward the bathroom.
As the shower water hit his skin, a cold clarity began to settle inside him.The worry he had carried about Ji-ho until yesterday had now eased to a great extent.He closed his eyes and let the water run down his body—almost as if he could let his thoughts wash away with it…
The water had cleared away his exhaustion, but time was short.Min-jae got ready quickly, then glanced once more toward the bed.
Ji-ho was still sleeping soundly.
Min-jae walked over and gently checked on him.His body temperature felt normal now—not too warm, not too cold.His breathing was steady.He was still in that beautiful, peaceful phase of unconsciousness, where time ceases to exist.
Min-jae adjusted the blanket over him again, looked at his face for one more moment—then quietly left the room.
In the hallway, he picked up his laptop and a few important files.As he moved forward, his eyes caught the open door of Tae's room.
He paused for a moment… then knocked softly.No response.
He stepped inside and saw Tae still asleep.Headphones in his ears, laptop still open beside him—some series still playing on the screen.
With a faint smile, Min-jae walked over.He gently removed the headphones, shut the laptop, and placed it on the side table.Then softly draped a blanket over Tae.He closed the door quietly behind him.
It was now 8 a.m.The city was fully awake—but for Min-jae, the real work was just beginning.
He started his car and headed straight to the office without wasting a moment.
Upon arrival, he saw that Joong Hyun had also reached at the exact same time.They shared a brief glance—just a flicker of eye contact that conveyed mutual readiness.No words were needed.
Soon, Major and Captain arrived at the office as well.All four of them walked directly into the conference room.
Inside, the atmosphere was serious.
Min-jae opened his laptop, connected it to the system, and presented all the gathered intel to the team.Every detail—Ji-ho's behavior, his condition at the hotel, the signs of manipulation, and the physical indicators—was explained with cold, precise clarity.
The discussion was intense.Maps, surveillance photos, and target timelines flashed across the screen.
After some analysis, Joong Hyunk delivered the final decision.