. Close Calls and Confrontations (I)

[Y]oo Jin-ho's eyes narrowed slightly as he felt the weight of the woman's gaze from across the street. Their eyes locked, a moment of recognition passing between them.

In that instant, he thought he caught a glimpse of blue and the faint impression of a mole beneath the left corner of her lips.

It was likely her – the stranger he had encountered a few days prior.

His frown dissolved, replaced by some strange longing as he watched her begin to walk away.

"W-wait!" he called out, urgency lacing his voice. He couldn't let her slip away again.

Just as he was about to take a step forward, a speeding van whizzed by, momentarily blocking his path.

As the vehicle disappeared into the distance, Yoo Jin-ho's eyes darted back to where the woman had been standing, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, frustration etching the lines on his forehead. He clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms tensing.

It seemed like fate was playing tricks on him once again.

Meanwhile, Lee Ju-hee stood back, admiring the final touches she had put into place for the grand opening of her cafeteria. As she surveyed her surroundings, her eyes inadvertently landed on a scene unfolding across the street.

"It can't be," she murmured, her eyes narrowing as she caught sight of a familiar figure conversing with a little girl near the daycare center.

At first, it looked to be just a 'father' trying to protect his 'daughter', shielding her from a flying ball. The sight was actually heartwarming, but when their eyes met, a flicker of recognition crossed her mind.

It was him — the stranger from the other night.

A shudder rake down her spine as her mind raced through countless possibilities, an unfamiliar sense of unease engulfing her. However, she dismissed the feeling, reasoning that he might not even recognize her due to the mask she had worn that night.

Instead, Lee Ju-her directed her attention to the day ahead and tried to concentrate on assisting others in the cafeteria, pushing thoughts about the mysterious stranger to the back of her head.

"Unnie, we'll need to refill on black tea..." a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

Lee Ju-hee glanced behind her and spotted a charming, slender girl with thick brown hair, warm brown eyes, and gentle lips. The girl was adorned in a crisp white long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, and a nude-colored apron.

Slightly startled, Lee Ju-hee stated flatly, "Ah! Shin Ha-eun? It's just you?"

"Huh? What do you mean 'it's just me'? Who else did you expect it to be?" Shin Ha-eun pursed her lips, and Lee Ju-hee couldn't help but find her adorable.

If it wasn't for her abilities, Lee Ju-hee would have patted Ha-eun's head.

Shaking off the thought, Lee Ju-hee walked back into the cafeteria with Ha-eun trailing behind. Then inquired, "You were saying?"

"We need to restock on a few ingredients! There's still so much left to do! Oh my god, will we even be ready for the grand opening of your cafeteria?"

"Don't worry!" Lee Ju-hee reassured, confidently moving toward the counter. "I've sent Tae-sung on an errand! We'll be absolutely fine!"

"Wow, Unnie, you've got everything under control, heh?!" Ha-eun exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with admiration. "And you're so cool too!"

Lee Ju-hee nonchalantly shrugged and replied, "Ah, it's no big deal!"

With those words, Ha-eun swiftly moved to rearrange the array of mouthwatering sweets on display.

Lee Ju-hee let out a sigh, glancing out through the glass windows of the cafeteria, in hope to possibly catch a glimpse of 'him' again. A small crowd had gathered, probably drawn by the banner she had put up outside.

It was going to be a long day, for sure.

***

As Yoo Jin-ho entered Wine Mystic, he found himself engulfed in a bustling crowd of women, his eyes searching for something or someone amidst the lively atmosphere.

Having only been on the job for three days, he had been hoping to catch up with Han-sol for a smoke, a momentary respite to ease his nerves before being called to serve. However, his search proved unsuccessful, leaving him with a growing sense of unease.

"Hey, Jin! You're here already? Want to lend me a hand with setting up the bar?" called out Velvet-flame, another host, as he spotted Jin-ho's arrival.

Shaking his head, Jin-ho replied, "Not now, Flame! I'm searching for Han-sol. Have you seen him?"

"Huh? Flame? Why am I the only one whose name you can't remember?" Velvet-flame responded with a hint of playful annoyance.

Jin-ho casually shrugged and admitted, "To be honest, I'm not great with names in general!"

Flame couldn't help but roll his eyes, but he responded in a playful tone, "alright, mister Poison! I'll let it slide this time!"

'Poison' was the pseudonym he'd been given when he joined their ranks. He had swiftly risen to become one of the top 10 most sought-after hosts at Wine Mystic.

Perhaps it was his intoxicating charm or some other mysterious quality that had earned him the name.

"So, where's Han-sol?" Jin-ho inquired once again.

Flame shrugged, responding with a hint of annoyance, "I don't know, man! Probably out back, having a smoke or something. I'm not his babysitter!"

Letting out a weary sigh, Jin-ho nodded in acknowledgment before making his way towards the back door. Soon enough, he found himself in the dimly lit alleyway, the encroaching darkness adding an eerie ambiance.

Cautiously scanning his surroundings, Jin-ho found nothing but shadows. Disappointed, he prepared to return to the club to give Flame an earful when a muffled noise caught his attention: "mmph!"

His footsteps came to an abrupt halt as Jin-ho tuned in to his surroundings, his senses heightened. Faint murmurs of conversation reached his ears, drawing his attention.

"Shh! You... you bastard. I promise it won't take long!" a voice whispered urgently.

Startled by the threat in those words, Jin-ho's instincts kicked in, propelling him to sprint towards the source of the sound.

***

A little further down the alleyway, Han-sol was on his knees, his face battered and bleeding. Two men held him down while another man, dressed in white suit, stood over him, looking down with a cruel expression.

With malicious intent, the man in white stomped on Han-sol's hand, applying painful pressure, ensuring he felt every bit of it.

Han-sol tried to cry out in pain, but one of the men quickly covered his mouth, muffling any sounds.

They didn't want to attract attention, especially not until the music started.

Throwing his half-smoked cigarette aside, the man in white leaned closer and delivered a forceful punch to Han-sol's stomach. Han-sol gasped in agony, but his cries were still muffled by his captor's hand.

"Look at me you shithead!" The man barked with a commanding tone, but, Han-sol was still struggling to catch his breath from the brutal punch.

One of the lackeys whose hand had been covering Han-sol's mouth released his grip and forcefully grabbed a handful of his hair, yanking his head upward.

"Tsk! You should've taken a hint when that bastard got brutally killed instead of you!"

"What do you want, huh? Spit it out!" Han-sol retorted bitterly, blood staining his teeth and lips.

"It's too late for that kind of question now, isn't it?" the man in white jeered with a malevolent chuckle. "I'll tear you apart for daring to mess with her! Consider it a lesson for desiring something beyond your reach!"

"Hah? You mean that woman?" Han-sol replied, casting a bloodied smirk in his direction. "I'll admit, she was good for a fuck and brought in some sweet cash too!" he provoked cockily.

A flicker of annoyance twitched across the man in white's brows before he unleashed a brutal kick to Han-sol's gut. Han-sol convulsed in a fit of bloodied coughs, gasping in excruciating pain.

"I'd love to see how you react when we subject that sweet little niece of yours to the same treatment, hmm?" the man in white taunted, his voice filled with malice. "What do you think—"

In defiance, Han-sol spat bloodied saliva at the man in white's face, cursing him fiercely. "Keep Nari out of this!"

Reacting swiftly, another one of the henchmen delivered a sharp smack to Han-sol's head, while the boss himself retrieved a handkerchief to wipe the spit off his face.

"Oh? Nari? So that's her name, huh?" He mused with a twisted fascination. "Perhaps selling her off to an old man could fetch a hefty sum! What do you think? You enjoy selling yourself for money, don't you? Wouldn't surprise me if she's no different! After all, it runs in the family!"

"She's only four, for fuck's sake!" Han-sol's voice quivered slightly at the implications of the man's words.

"The younger, the more tender, isn't that right?" the man in white sneered, reveling in his cruel intentions.

Gritting his teeth, Han-sol spat out bitterly, "Han Si-hyun! You're a sick bastard!"

"I thought it was a known fact already!" The man in white erupted into a fit of maniacal laughter, his sinister amusement filling the air.

Abruptly, he paused, his cunning gaze fixated on Han-sol before delivering a brutal kick to his face, sending him sprawling onto the ground.

"To slowly and surely destroy you, just as you did to my wife! This is going to be fun!"

Just as Han Si-hyun was about to carry out something even worse against Han-sol, a cold, stern voice intervened.

"Han Si-hyun, stop this madness!" Yoo Jin-ho's firm voice cut through the chaotic scene, breaking through the grim atmosphere.

***

A/N: Officially introducing Shin Ha-eun: