Seri rose from her seat, placing her napkin neatly beside her plate before stepping away from the table. As she moved toward the lounge doors, Junho's eyes followed her, sharp and focused, tracking her every step until she disappeared from view. He said nothing, but his jaw tightened just slightly.
Hanna, seated beside him, notices. She leans in, her voice low.
"I wish… you'd look at me the way you look at her."
A beat passes.
Junho takes a sip of his tea, his voice neutral, too neutral.
"I did. Once."
The words strike harder than expected. Hanna's smile falters. She glances down at her lap, fingers clenching lightly.
Taehyun remained seated across from her, not lifting his gaze. He reached for his cup with deliberate ease, his expression giving nothing away, as if the conversation held no weight for him.
"If you'll excuse me," he said quietly.
Then, with the faintest curve of a smile, he placed the cup down and rose to his feet. His movements were unhurried, almost graceful, as he stepped away from the table and followed in the same direction Seri had gone.
Hanna's gaze followed Taehyun until he disappeared from view. Her eyes narrowed slightly before she turned to Junho, the corner of her lips lifting.
"I have to admit… they do look good together, don't you think?" Her tone was light, but there was a faint edge beneath it.
She tilted her head, clearly waiting for an answer.
Junho gave her none. His eyes remained fixed on the exit Seri had taken, the silence between them heavy. His fingers curled around his glass, just enough for the tension to show.
Across the table, Daejin rolled his eyes with the barest motion. Leaning back in his chair, arms folded, he watched the exchange with quiet disapproval. He had no patience for Hanna's little games.
Meanwhile, a few tables away, Bora stood proudly with a dessert plate stacked high, balancing it in one hand like a prize. In the other, she held a spoon, lifting it to her lips as if it were a microphone.
"Strawberry mochi, tiramisu, and… whatever this is," she murmured to herself, eyes glinting with mischief. "Kyoto, you dangerous."
Not far from the lively dining space, Taehyun moved quietly through the dimly lit hallway that led toward the kitchen access. The hum of conversation faded behind him, replaced by the muted clatter of distant cookware. His eyes swept the narrow passage, searching every corner.
Seri was nowhere in sight.
His brows furrowed. Then, a low voice drifted from behind a slightly open service door.
"Iwao gave me a notice. A warning." Nakamura's tone was calm but carried weight.
Taehyun's eyes sharpened. He moved closer without a sound, positioning himself just at the threshold where the words became clear.
"I don't know all of your plan," Nakamura continued. "But I know you're being followed."
Silence hung for a beat. Then Seri's voice answered…steady, though there was an undercurrent of strain.
"We're being cautious. He won't know until the time is right."
Taehyun pushed the door fully open and stepped inside with the quiet confidence of someone who had already decided to take control.
"Mr. Nakamura."
Nakamura turned without surprise. Seri glanced back at Taehyun, startled by his sudden appearance but not shaken.
"We won't compromise this mission," Taehyun said as he closed the distance between them. "Everything will be handled without Junho knowing."
Seri gave a firm nod. "I'll bring him to Iwao. But only after the gala. If we force anything now, the whole project could fall apart… and so could he."
Her voice caught slightly at the end ,just enough for Nakamura to notice.
"Your concern for him is touching," Nakamura replied, his words cool and curt, "but don't let that cloud your judgment."
He turned toward the window, the dim light catching on the frame of his glasses.
"This project and Kang Junho are under my responsibility now. I've done my part. I sent Taehyun here to assist. Don't disappoint me."
Seri lowered her head slightly, respectful yet unyielding. Taehyun answered with a single nod, understanding the gravity in Nakamura's tone.
Without another word, Nakamura stepped past them and disappeared into the corridor's shadows, leaving the air heavier than before.
Taehyun turned toward Seri, ready to speak but her eyes shifted sharply to the far end of the hallway. Her body tensed.
"…It's them," she muttered under her breath.
At the end of the corridor near the back elevator, a man in a black jacket and cap stood watching them. His stare was cold, calculated. The moment Seri locked eyes with him, he turned and was gone.
"Hey!" Seri snapped, her voice instinctive and commanding.
She was already in motion before Taehyun could react, heels striking the polished floor in quick, decisive steps, her coat flaring behind her like a trailing shadow.
"Seri…!" Taehyun called after her, but she did not slow.
The emergency stairwell door slammed open. Seri leapt down the first two steps without hesitation, her movements precise and fluid like a trained operative.
Ahead, the man was shoving open the exit door at the next landing, but she was faster.
"Stop!" she shouted.
He didn't. She didn't care.
Her grip didn't loosen, not even when the man twisted against the railing. His hat lay on the stairwell floor, revealing the ink curling dark along his neck. The sight tightened something deep inside her.
"Kōdō-kai…" Her voice was low, steady, but the fire beneath it burned sharp. "…I knew it."
The words cut through the cold air, each syllable carrying the weight of a truth she had already suspected.
The man tried to push back, but her grip was iron.
Above, Taehyun's voice echoed as he descended quickly. "Seri!"
She ignored him, her focus locked.
"Who sent you? Whose orders?" she demanded in low, fierce Japanese.
Blood stained the corner of the man's mouth where she had struck him, but he grinned in dark amusement. "Baka da," he spat. "You're a fool."
Taehyun moved closer, his gaze fixed on the man, reading every flicker in his expression.
"Don't play dumb. Who gave the order?" Taehyun's voice cut sharp in Japanese.
The man scoffed, his gaze drifting lazily between them. "Kimitachi wa oroka da." His voice carried a low, mocking lilt. "You're both fools."
Seri's eyes narrowed, her voice colder. "I saw you in Seoul. You were there."
The man's laugh was low, offering neither denial nor confirmation.
"How long have you been following us?" Taehyun pressed, his tone firm and threatening.
The man only shrugged before muttering one chilling line, his grin widening. "You should beat me up now. It would buy you time."
Seri's gaze sharpened. "Time? Time for what?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, a low, guttural laugh began to spill from his throat dark and unsettling, the kind of sound that seemed to crawl along the walls.
Seri studied him, searching beyond the smirk for any trace of truth. Her mind spun with possibilities she didn't want to face.
"…No," she breathed, the word catching in her throat.
The man's laughter grew louder. That was when she knew.
Her pulse kicked hard against her ribs. She turned sharply toward the stairwell exit, instincts screaming. She was already running before thought could intervene.
"Seri!" Taehyun's voice came from behind, startled.
He gripped the man tighter, his eyes flashing dangerously, but she didn't look back.
"Nobody can touch him… Nobody," she whispered fiercely under her breath, every step pounding against the hallway floor.
The lounge doors slammed open under her hands, bursting inward. Her chest rose and fell with adrenaline.
Inside, Junho was sitting with Hanna, just the two of them. Both turned at the sound of her entrance.
Two hotel staff, a young man and a woman, were quietly clearing the table, stacking plates and brushing away traces of food. Just staff. No visible threat.
It was peaceful. Too peaceful.
"Is it just you two here now?" Seri asked quickly, scanning the room.
"Bora went back to her room after inhaling half the dessert table," Hanna replied casually, sipping her drink. "Daejin stepped out for a call but…" She eyed Seri up and down. "…did you take a short jog to the bathroom? You look like you ran a marathon."
"Just… needed some air," Seri said, forcing a soft smile while avoiding eye contact. Her heart was still hammering, but not from the sprint.
He's okay. He's here. He's safe. Her gaze swept the room again, every corner, every shadow. No gang members. No suspicious energy. Just wine glasses and tea.
But then her eyes caught on the table. It had been completely cleared. Only two drinks remained, one red wine, one untouched water. No food. Not even crumbs.
"…When did the food leave?" she murmured.
"Oh, we just cleared them, miss," the waitress said cheerfully. "Everything was finished."
"Right… right." Seri nodded slowly, still scanning, still tense.
Something was wrong.