The morning after the fall of the assassin known as Red, the police station buzzed with tense energy. Dojoon entered the forensic room where his team gathered around a table, files and autopsy photos spread out.
"Report," he said.
Detective Park, the lead investigator, tapped the folder.
"His real name is Im Jisoo, age twenty-nine."
Dojoon's brows pinched. "Family?"
"One grandfather. No parents. And… sir,
this is the strange part."
Park flipped the page.
"Im Jisoo was officially reported missing fifteen years ago—when he was fourteen."
The room fell silent.
Fifteen years ago.
Same year as Dahlia's kidnapping.
Same year Jaemin disappeared.
Another detective continued, voice low.
"Further traces lead us to something bigger…
You know the name."
Dojoon exhaled slowly. "…Black Viper."
Everyone tensed at the mention.
A massive transnational syndicate.
A shadow empire.
Human trafficking. Arms smuggling.
Deep corruption.
Countless cases—no convictions.
"Still no proof of operation here?" Dojoon asked.
"None. They're too clean. No faces, no names,
no trail. Only rumors of wealthy people backing them."
"And the leader?"
"Unknown."
Dojoon clenched his jaw.
This was no random attack on Dahlia.
---
Later, Dahlia sat across from Dojoon in a private briefing room.
Outside, Judge Choi spoke to security, unaware of their conversation.
Dojoon slid the file toward her, quiet but honest.
"This is confidential. I'm only telling you because… I think you're not telling me everything. And I want you to trust me."
Dahlia's fingers tightened on the folder.
Missing at fourteen.
Trained by a syndicate.
Turned into a killer.
She swallowed. "The year he went missing…"
Dojoon nodded. "2010."
She closed her eyes.
"My kidnapping was also in 2010… the night Jaemin disappeared." Her voice wavered. "And knowing his uncle's connections… Dojoon-ah,
I think all of this is linked."
Dojoon's expression hardened in alarm.
But he didn't dismiss her.
"…Then we follow the thread."
---
Dahlia insisted she needed answers from the beginning.
Judge Choi agreed—in condition .
She goes with the three bodyguards .
They followed her closely when she traveled back to the quiet town where everything started.
Haerang Province looked the same—old pine trees, narrow streets, the faint chill rolling from the sea.
She walked through the gates of Haerang Central High School, her breath slowing as memories washed over her.
A teacher passing by stopped abruptly.
"Dahlia… Choi?"
A smile grew.
"Is that really you?"
Dahlia blinked. "…Mina?"
Class president, always neat, always bright—now wearing a faculty ID.
"I can't believe this!" Mina clasped her hands. "What brings you here?"
"I'm looking for someone… Coach Han Insung."
Mina nodded immediately. "He's still here. Let me take you."
---
They found him outside the old sports hall, sweeping fallen pine needles from the stairs. His hair had grayed, shoulders broader but still strong.
He looked up at the sound of footsteps—and froze.
"…Dahlia?"
Her heart tightened. "Coach…"
He approached and placed a hand on her shoulder, emotion softening his features.
"You've grown well," he murmured. "You became everything Jaemin wished you would."
She swallowed, fighting back tears. "Coach… I need help."
He hesitated. "…Help?"
"I want you to train me again."
He stepped back, surprised.
"Train you? Dahlia… the gym closed years ago. And you—your life is different now. You're a violinist, not—"
"I'm being targeted," she said quietly. "Someone tried to kill me. Twice."
Coach Insung stiffened.
"My father hired bodyguards, but… I don't trust anyone with this. Except you."
He looked at her long and hard, jaw tightening with old grief and buried rage.
"Dahlia… fighting isn't your world anymore. I won't drag you back into darkness."
She stepped closer, eyes firm.
"Then revive the gym just for me. Train me, Coach. I need to protect myself… because something from that year came back."
A long silence.
Insung lowered his eyes, breath heavy.
A decision forming.
Finally—
"…Alright. For you."
He met her gaze.
"But if we do this, it won't be easy."
Dahlia nodded.
"I know."
Behind them, the three bodyguards watched quietly.
None of them noticed the faint shadow behind the row of pine trees—
Assassin Lee in a hood, standing still,
watching her leave.