Chapter 25
The ride back to Gyu In's apartment was quiet, except for Ryu Chan's occasional grumble about how the car "smelled like a crime scene."
Gyu In ignored him, eyes fixed on the road. His mind replayed the sight of Eun Wol in the back seat - alive, breathing, safe. Every now and then, his gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, just to make sure.
By the time they reached his building, the stench had somehow gotten worse.
Eun Wol didn't argue when Gyu In handed him a towel and a set of clothes the moment they stepped inside.
"Bathroom's down the hall. Go before the smell makes me evict you."
Ryu Chan snorted. "As if you'd dare."
Water started running soon after. Gyu In leaned against the wall outside the bathroom, arms crossed, the tension in his chest finally beginning to ease. Seeing Eun Wol safe was one thing, but having him here, in his space, was something else entirely.
When the door opened, steam drifted into the hallway. Eun Wol stepped out with damp hair clinging to his forehead, swallowed by one of Gyu In's black T-shirts.
"You look good in my clothes," Gyu In said casually, though his eyes lingered.
Eun Wol's expression stayed unreadable as he tossed the towel onto the couch. "Do you say that to everyone who raids your closet?"
"You're the only one who actually wears my clothes."
Eun Wol gave him a look that said he'd sooner believe in flying unicorns.
"If you're done flirting, maybe take your own advice and shower. We need to talk about what happened."
"Mood downer," Gyu In muttered, brushing past him toward the bathroom.
While the water ran again, Eun Wol drifted to the kitchen. He opened a drawer and pulled out a glass jar filled with dried flowers and curled tea leaves. The kettle began to hum, steam coiling upward as he spooned the mixture into a pot. The faint scent of chamomile and citrus filled the air.
"You look pretty familiar with the place," Ryu Chan remarked from the couch.
Eun Wol stirred the pot without looking up. "No. It's only my third time here. I just… notice things."
"But why tea?" Ryu Chan's tone was suspicious, like the act itself was betrayal. "There are literally other drinks in the fridge."
"I didn't make it for you."
"Ooohhhhhh." Ryu Chan dragged out the sound, clearly entertained. "Loverbirds, huh? So you like tea?"
"I don't mind it." His voice was calm, hands steady on the teapot.
The bathroom door opened. Gyu In stepped out with a towel slung around his neck, damp hair falling into his eyes. His gaze shifted to the kitchen.
Eun Wol hummed softly as he set a cup in front of him.
Gyu In accepted it without teasing this time, sipping slow, the warmth settling deep in his chest. "Thanks."
He set the cup down, his voice steadying. "Alright. Let's talk. What exactly happened back there?"
Ryu Chan cracked open a can of beer and raised it slightly. "Before we start, I just want to say Eun Wol made the dumbest move possible."
"I—"
"I'm not finished." Ryu Chan waved him off. "It's dangerous if you get caught. I don't want a crying Gyu In on my end. And you actually climbed through a trash tunnel. A trash tunnel, Eun Wol. That's either commitment or brain damage."
"I'm still deciding which," Gyu In said with an incredulous laugh.
Eun Wol stared at both of them flatly. "Can we focus?"
He sighed, fingers tightening around the warm cup. "I didn't get much update from you." His gaze cut to Gyu In, sharp. "I had to do something."
"I was trying to gather more information first," Gyu In said, his tone softening. Then, with a faint smile, "But I'm just glad you're safe."
Something pressed tight against Eun Wol's chest. A warmth he wasn't ready to name. He swallowed. "…Yeah."
The silence lingered, heavy but not uncomfortable.
Finally, Gyu In set his cup down and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. Enough feelings. Let's focus."
Ryu Chan took a long drink, his eyes sharp. "So. What did you see inside? Layout, security, eyes on you?"
Eun Wol straightened. The exhaustion slid away, replaced by a thin, steady determination.
"As I said earlier, there were a lot of locked rooms. Too few people moved around. It felt almost empty. And cameras were everywhere. Finding a blind spot was nearly impossible."
Gyu In nodded, brows tightening. "I noticed something else. That woman, Yoo In Hwa. She's the manager now, not Do Yoon Su."
"Yoo In Hwa? Seriously. I thought Do Yoon Su ran the whole show." Ryu Chan blinked, caught off guard.
Gyu In sipped his tea, thinking for a beat. "Maybe she's the latest addition. Maybe she finally stepped out from the shadows. She's close to Yoon Su, though. Like partners."
Ryu Chan rubbed his chin. "Huh. She was one of the stakeholders, right? Not flashy. I figured she handled things behind the scenes. Now she's front and center."
Gyu In's expression hardened. "That changes things. Yoo In Hwa is not a figurehead. She's smart and ruthless. If she's managing the place, they're tightening control."
Ryu Chan whistled low. "No wonder there weren't many guards. Maybe they rely on cameras and those VIPs to keep things quiet."
"Exactly." Eun Wol's voice stayed even. "No guards patrolling the hallways like you'd expect. It's all hush-hush, controlled. Which only means the cameras see everything."
"I saw her," Gyu In said, looking at Eun Wol for a second, then down at his cup. "Eun Bin. She was half-dragging an unconscious man into a room. I wanted to go after her, but the door was locked."
"She dragged a man?" Eun Wol's breath hitched. "That's impossible."
"She did. I waited outside. When she came back out, I lost my head and grabbed her. She didn't know me, of course. Then another man showed up with mask and cap. He talked about rules and told me to keep quiet."
"Another man?" Ryu Chan asked.
"Yeah. I don't think he belonged to those people." Gyu In rubbed his stomach without looking up. "If anything, he seemed… protective of Eun Bin."
"Okay. So at least there's someone with Eun Bin." Ryu Chan glanced at Eun Wol. "Do you know anyone reliable enough to be with her?"
Eun Wol stayed quiet. Ryu Chan pressed, "If there's something you know, say it. We need every lead."
"No. I don't know if the person I'm thinking of is the same one." Eun Wol took a breath. "Song Ji Hun."
Ryu Chan looked to Gyu In for confirmation. Gyu In shook his head.
"You met him," Eun Wol said, eyes on Gyu In. "The man you saw from the car."
"Oh. The jungle friend?" Ryu Chan said.
"Yeah, that one." Eun Wol twisted his mouth, a brief, ugly memory flashing at the edges. "I can't be sure it's him."
"Is he close to Eun Bin?" Gyu In asked, brow creased.
Eun Wol drew in a long breath, the weight of it heavy in his chest. "We used to be very close, but when the scandal hit, it tore us apart. He stopped trusting me. I left. We barely spoke until recently. I don't think he'll help."
"Why not?" Gyu In's voice went quiet, threaded with worry.
"Because he's a coward." The anger slipped out, sharp and sudden. "He only believes what he sees and he won't listen. But…" He swallowed, eyes flicking away. "If it's not him, I don't know who else to trust."
Ryu Chan nodded slowly. "I'll check him out. If he's an ally, we keep him close. If not, well. I trust you won't hesitate to get a little nasty."
Eun Wol said nothing. The silence stretched before he spoke again, softer this time. "When you saw Eun Bin… did she say anything else?"
"No. But she looked shocked when I mentioned your name." Gyu In's lips curved into a small smile. "Your name still holds power. She wavered at the sound of it, then pulled the other guy away."
Ryu Chan's jaw tightened. "The real question is why Eun Bin was there. Was she a victim… or involved with them somehow?"
Eun Wol's voice cut sharply. "What do you mean by that?"
"I'm stating facts." Ryu Chan didn't flinch at the rising edge in Eun Wol's tone. "There was an unconscious man. We don't know what was happening."
"Ryu Chan doesn't mean it like that," Gyu In said, calm, trying to ease the tension.
"You don't get to talk about her like that." Eun Wol's voice cracked, tight with pain and protectiveness. "You don't know her story. You don't know what she's been through."
"That's exactly why we need to find out." Ryu Chan's eyes stayed steady, though a softness threaded through the firmness. "We don't know the truth yet. Until we do, we can't make assumptions."
"Besides that, there's another issue." Gyu In stretched his neck and rubbed the back of it. "Yoo In Hwa and Do Yoon Su invited me to join them."
"Oh?" Ryu Chan raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze between them. "I think I know the answer."
Gyu In gave a small nod. "Mhmm, yeah."
"Wait—what answer?" Eun Wol's voice cracked, surprise lacing the edges. "You want to join them?"
"That's the only way to get more answers." Gyu In's tone was steady, but the edge underneath hinted at the risk he knew he was taking.
"No." Eun Wol's frown deepened, worry tightening in his chest. "This is too dangerous. We don't even fully understand what's going on yet."
Gyu In's eyes flicked to him, calm but firm. "Sometimes, you have to get your hands dirty if you want to clean up the mess."
Eun Wol bit back a retort, the knot of fear and frustration twisting in his chest. His sister was already caught in this mess. The last thing he wanted was for Gyu In to get pulled in too deep. He met Gyu In's gaze, silent pleading in his eyes, though he knew the decision was already made.
"Just… promise me you won't get pulled in too deep."
"I promise." Gyu In's voice dropped to a low, steady whisper. "And I'm not doing this alone."
"Looks like you two are in for one hell of a ride." Ryu Chan cracked a small smirk, cutting through the tension. "I'm retreating to my room. I'll do more digging and update you both. Meanwhile, lay low. Don't rush into them. They're smart. Probably watching your every move."
Ryu Chan left, closing the door behind him. The living room fell silent again, though the tension had eased slightly.
"Gyu In," Eun Wol said, quieter this time. "How's your stomach? And your back?"
Gyu In blinked, caught off guard. A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "You actually care about that?"
Eun Wol shrugged, trying to look indifferent, failing miserably. "You looked like you took a beating back there. Not exactly graceful for a vice president."
Gyu In's eyes softened a fraction. "I'll survive. Just… don't make a habit of checking on me."
Eun Wol's gaze lingered, hesitation tangled with concern. "Why don't you make a habit of checking yourself? Don't leave it to me."
Gyu In shifted slightly, the faintest crease of discomfort crossing his brow. He gave a short, reluctant sigh, gaze dropping for a moment. "Guess I'm not great at asking for help."
A quiet pause stretched between them, thick but softening.
Eun Wol didn't push. He simply nodded, voice low. "You should."
Gyu In's lips twitched. Half a smile, half a wince. "Thanks."
The moment hung, small but meaningful, like the first cracks in a wall starting to show.