. Unveiling Shadows

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Lee Ju-hee's eyes snapped open at the sudden and jarring sound of banging. Bubbles of air brushed against her face as the lack of breath and feeling of suffocation urged her to react quickly.

"Ah?!" A startled gasp escaped her, filling the surroundings with a splash of noise.

It took a few seconds to steady her breathing while adjusting her mind to the actual surrounding.

'Hah! I fell asleep in the bath again!' It dawned on her.

Another set of urgent banging ensued, followed by a jerk of her head in its direction. Min-ho's worried voice filtered through the door:

"…oona?! Noona? Are you done in there?"

A sigh escaped from Lee Ju-hee's lips as she realized she had completely forgotten about Min-ho. He'd said he had important information about the man they had encountered in the alleyway a few days ago.

"Noona? What's taking you so long?" his voice nudged impatiently.

Startled, she responded with a stammer, her voice hoarse from disuse. "Just give me a few more minutes!"

She could hear him sigh before he said, "Okay! I'll be waiting for you! Don't take too long!"

"Yes, alright!"

Lee Ju-hee heaved a sigh of relief as Min-ho's footsteps faded away, freeing her from his constant nagging. Stepping onto the chilly floor, she skillfully avoided the puddle she had inadvertently created.

Moving towards the sink, she wiped away the steam from the mirror, revealing the image of a pale-faced woman. Her dark hair was disheveled, and her eyes held a piercing gaze framed by dark circles. A mole adorned her lips, accompanied by well-groomed eyebrows and an elegant nose.

With haste, Lee Ju-hee snatched a nearby towel, swiftly draping it around herself before proceeding towards her new apartment's bedroom.

Entering the room, her eyes fell upon Min-ho, stationed near her desk, his focus fixated on a photograph.

It was an image of Lee Ju-hee and an oppa from her early years in medical school. It was a sight that left a bitter taste in Min-ho's mouth. A frown creased his face as he looked up at her, his expression stern.

"It took some work and tampering, but I managed to gather information about the guy," he declared simply.

Lee Ju-hee's arms crossed firmly over her chest as she demanded, "Alright, spill it. What did you find?"

It was only when Min-ho carefully freed the stack of papers from beneath his arm that she realized the extent of his investigation.

Unfazed by Lee Ju-hee's lack of clothing, Min-ho purposefully knocked the photograph down and fixed a narrowed gaze upon her.

"Noona, this guy, Ri Chul-moo, he's no ordinary individual," Min-ho began, his tone filled with gravity as he beckoned at the knocked-down photograph. "What are the odds of stumbling upon one of 'his' lackeys in the heart of Seoul?"

"Hold on a second," Lee Ju-hee interjected, her brow furrowing as she raised a hand, signaling for him to pause. "Are you suggesting that Ri Chul-moo has some connection to Han Si-hyun?"

"Exactly! And that's not all," Min-ho exclaimed, pausing briefly to gather his thoughts. "Ri Chul-moo is one of the four wings guarding him. It won't be easy for us to reach him with such protection."

Lee Ju-hee's determination remained unshaken as she boldly declared, "Since when have we been afraid of a challenge? We're going after them all, no matter the obstacles!"

Min-ho's voice held a note of caution as he replied, "I understand what you're saying, Ju-hee Noona, but we can't afford to be reckless. There's still more to uncover about Yoo Jin-ho, codenamed Reaper. I haven't gathered enough information about him yet!"

"Why does it matter now?" Lee Ju-hee countered, her determination undeterred. "We now know who are our targets, and that's what counts."

Min-ho hesitated for a moment, contemplating his next words carefully. "The truth is... When you were kidnapped, Han Si-hyun was actually there. He did come to save you."

Lee Ju-hee's eyes narrowed in suspicion, her voice laced with bitter calmness. "What kind of sick joke is this?"

"It's not a joke, Noona. While gathering intelligence, I uncovered something significant. There's more to the story than we initially thought," Min-ho explained.

Curiosity mixed with apprehension, Lee Ju-hee demanded, "Like what?"

"Did you know that you weren't the only woman who was taken years ago?" Min-ho revealed, his words hanging in the air, laden with a sense of gravity.

Min-ho's revelation triggered a flood of memories, fragments from that fateful night invading Lee Ju-hee's mind. Feeling a growing unease, she tried to push the unsettling thoughts aside and groaned in frustration. "I already told you about it before too!"

Min-ho averted his gaze, his words careful and hesitant. "I understand it's difficult to hear, but the truth is, you were targeted because you were Han Si-hyun's girlfriend at the time. He didn't exactly flee like the coward we expected him to be! No, it's far worse than that! And that other woman... she was his childhood sweetheart."

Lee Ju-hee gasped, her mind racing to make sense of the revelation. Before she could gather her thoughts, Min-ho pressed on, "He deliberately left you in harm's way as a diversion. I'm saying he used you as the perfect distraction to save his true love."

A profound ache resonated within Lee Ju-hee's heart, despite her supposed detachment from Han Si-hyun. It felt as if a sharp knife was repeatedly thrust into her chest, causing a poignant pain that refused to dissipate.

The realization of being forsaken, left to suffer in desolation and abandoned to fend for herself, weighed heavily upon her. The fact that her former boyfriend had chosen someone else over her, reducing her to the other woman's shadow in his life, made her feel like she was sinking into an abyss, suffocating in its depths.

Summoning all her courage, she held her breath and asked, her voice trembling slightly, "What about her? What has become of her?"

Min-ho's words struck her like a fatal blow to her already wounded heart and shattered self-esteem. "She's married to Han Si-hyun now."

Ju-hee sighed, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I just can't believe I fell for his lies and became nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game. How could I have been so blind?"

Min-ho offered a comforting presence, his tone filled with empathy. "Ju-hee noona, it's not your fault. That asshole manipulated you. He knew how to exploit your feelings and use them against you."

A flicker of dark emotions sparked in Ju-hee's eyes. Chuckling in sheer mockery, she said, "Hah?! I'll make sure he suffers for what he did!"

Min-ho nodded, his gaze softening with understanding. "Noona, I know you're strong. But revenge is a dangerous path. The deeper you go, the more perilous it becomes. We've seen it with Ri Chul-moo. Are you absolutely certain this is what you want?"

Lee Ju-hee met his gaze with unwavering determination. Her voice carried conviction. "I am fully aware of the risks, Min-ho. But if I don't take action, I'll be haunted by fear and by him for the rest of my life. I refuse to let Si-hyun's actions go unpunished."

Min-ho's expression softened even further. "By the way, like I said earlier on, I also looked into Jin-ho. I couldn't find much, but I did discover that his girlfriend was a victim of a gang-rape four years ago, just a week before... your incident. I'm not sure how it connects to what happened to you, but my guess is—"

"…he orchestrated the entire kidnapping and the abuses as a way to seek revenge against Han Si-hyun for what he did to his girlfriend," Lee Ju-hee finished his sentence, quickly drawing her own conclusion.

Taking a deep breath, Min-ho nodded in agreement.

So, one guy used her as a tool for revenge against the man who harmed his girlfriend, and the other one used her as a decoy to protect his true love.

Lee Ju-hee looked to be in a momentary daze, feeling a wave of bitterness wash over her. She had been nothing more than a pawn in their elaborate games.

The pain cut deep, but she couldn't decide what hurt more: the realization of her insignificance or the fact that her own boyfriend had abandoned her while the enemy risked everything to seek justice for his beloved.

Lee Ju-hee couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy towards the abused woman whose boyfriend had taken decisive action for her sake. In contrast to her, she was abandoned and left to mend her own wounds without anyone by her side, except for her cousin. She realized that she alone had to wield the weapon of vengeance, taking matters into her own hands.

The harsh reality deepened the ache in her heart. There had been no heroic knight appearing to rescue her from her plight. It was an undeniable fact she had come to accept.

Min-ho cleared his throat, tapping the folder to capture Ju-hee's attention. "Here, you'll find all the necessary information. Last time, we were caught off guard by Ri Chul-moo, known as Executioner. It was a chaotic situation. But this time, we'll be in control. We'll set the rules, track them down, and set a deadly trap. We're going for the kill."

A smirk formed on Ju-hee's lips, exuding determination. "I've fought my way back from the depths of despair. I fully intend to deliver them the retribution they deserve."

In that moment, an unspoken understanding passed between them, before Min-ho broke the silence with again. "Then lets get this party started, shall we?"