"Where exactly are we going… Suhyeon?" Johan asked, looking out the window while petting Eden, who wagged his tail without noticing the tension in the air.

"We're going to talk to your mother," Suhyeon replied, eyes fixed on the road. "I can't just show up alone and tell her I'm going to pay for the surgery. I need you to come with me and explain the situation to her."

"W-what…? But…" Johan murmured, shrinking into the seat. His fingers clung to the puppy's back as if seeking refuge.

"No buts," Suhyeon cut him off, not taking his eyes off the road. The car engine hummed low and steady, filling the uncomfortable silence. "You can't run away your whole life, Johan. You have to face it, even if your legs shake."

Johan swallowed hard, lowering his head. Eden, oblivious to the human drama, let out a cheerful little bark, as if celebrating a fun trip.

"Don't worry, just think about how happy she'll be to see you again after so long," Suhyeon added with a half-smile, trying to ease the tension.

Some time later.

"We're here." Suhyeon parked the car with a smooth turn of the wheel, rolled up the windows and turned off the engine. He opened the door and got out unhurriedly, stretching his shoulders a bit.

"Aren't you getting out?" he asked when he noticed Johan still sitting there, Eden lying across his lap.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Johan petted the dog's head absentmindedly before opening the door and stepping out with him.

"By the way, we can't bring Eden inside the rehabilitation center," Suhyeon mentioned, giving the animal a quick glance.

"So where do I leave him?" Johan leaned slightly, adjusting the leash.

"Mmmh… I'll call someone I trust to look after him," Suhyeon replied as he was already pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Minutes later.

"Take good care of him," Johan said, handing the leash to Nube Hajun, who was waiting outside. The young man simply nodded silently, keeping Eden calm with a gentle pat.

"Alright, let's go in. Let's not waste any more time," Suhyeon said, giving Johan's arm a light tap before heading toward the entrance.

The sound of their footsteps echoed softly on the shiny floor of the rehabilitation center. The white walls and disinfectant smell gave a cold feeling, contrasting with Johan's inner turmoil.

He walked a little behind Suhyeon, hands in his pockets to hide the trembling of his fingers.

Suhyeon approached the front desk confidently, lowering his head slightly in greeting. The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with glasses, looked up from her computer.

"Good afternoon," Suhyeon said firmly, though Johan noticed he slightly softened his tone to sound more polite. "We're here to visit Mrs. Seong, could you tell us which room she's in?"

The receptionist typed quickly while Johan stepped forward. His chest felt tight, and he swallowed hard.

"Relation?" the woman asked without looking up.

"Son," Johan answered, barely audible. Suhyeon glanced at him sideways and briefly put a hand on his shoulder, as if wordlessly telling him to take a deep breath.

The receptionist finally looked up, sizing them both up for a moment before nodding. "Third floor, room 312. Please use the elevator in the left hallway."

"Thank you," Suhyeon replied with a faint cordial smile, before gently taking Johan by the arm and guiding him toward the elevator. Johan tried to hide that his steps were getting heavier, as if each meter cost him twice the effort.

The elevator went up with a constant hum, interrupted by slight jolts as it passed each floor. The fluorescent lights on the ceiling seemed too white, almost harsh, reflecting off the metal walls.

Johan kept his eyes down while Suhyeon, wearing a neutral expression, watched the numbers change one after another: 2… 3…

A pair of nurses stepped in on the second floor, talking quietly. Johan averted his gaze, trying to become invisible, while Suhyeon just gave a slight nod of courtesy.

The elevator doors opened again with a dry sound, and finally, they were alone once more.

When they reached the third floor, the hallway greeted them with a sterile smell. Each door had a small golden sign: 308… 310… 312.

Johan walked slowly, Suhyeon a step ahead, not looking back, until he stopped in front of door number 312.

Johan swallowed hard, his heart pounding against his ribs. Suhyeon raised his hand to knock, but before doing so, turned his face toward him.

"Ready?" he asked softly, looking him straight in the eye.

"Let's do it."

The door with the number 312 opened slowly, letting in a thin beam of white light.

Johan stepped inside first. His mother's frail figure lay in bed, surrounded by tubes and IV bags. The face he'd always seen as strong now seemed dimmed, yet warm at the same time. Her breathing was weak, but steady.

His hands started trembling as he walked to the bed. Each step felt heavy. When he finally reached her side, he couldn't hold on any longer: his knees buckled, and he gently collapsed against her, hugging her desperately.

His shoulders began to shake; tears ran uncontrollably down his face, soaking the white gown. The woman slowly opened her eyes and, with visible effort, raised a hand to caress his hair. Johan buried his head deeper, clinging to her as if afraid that if he let go, she would vanish.

From the doorway, Suhyeon watched silently. The hallway light cast a soft halo around him. His lips curved into a faint smile, not of mockery or coldness, but of relief: Johan was finally allowing himself to feel, to stop running.

The wall clock marked the seconds with a ticking louder than anything else. In that small room, the whole world shrank to a silent embrace.

Suhyeon gave a small gesture with his hand, signaling that he would step out to leave them alone, and quietly backed away down the hallway, closing the door gently behind him.

The scene froze in time: mother and son locked in an embrace, the silence broken only by the steady beat of the machine, while Suhyeon disappeared, unwilling to interrupt that unrepeatable moment.

Suhyeon felt a faint warmth in his chest, a contrast to the calculating coldness he so often displayed.

"If I can give him a break… even just for today… maybe it's worth getting into these messes."

An almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face, a mix of relief and something he didn't want to name. He stepped back, leaning against the hallway wall.

"In the end… I'm not saving the world or anything like that. I'm just helping a friend. And that… feels good."

One hour later.

Night had fallen over the city. The silence of the hallway contrasted with the bustle of the streets. Door 312 opened softly, and Johan stepped out slowly.

He no longer had the same somber expression as when he'd arrived; there was tiredness in his eyes, yes, but also something new: peace.

Suhyeon was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his gaze calm. He didn't say anything at first—he simply waited. Johan walked toward him, stopped a few steps away, and exhaled deeply, as if releasing all the weight he carried inside.

"Thanks… for everything, Suhyeon." His voice barely trembled, but his words sounded sincere, stripped of any pride.

Suhyeon watched him in silence for a moment and gave that familiar half-smile of his, the kind that doesn't need to explain anything.

Johan lowered his gaze for a second. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been here."

The night air drifted in through the open hallway window, cold and clean. Suhyeon straightened up, gave him a light punch to the chest, and replied in a calm tone:

"You just did what you had to do. The rest… was just about being there."

There were no more words. Johan smiled, tired but genuine, and they both walked toward the elevator in silence, while the hospital remained behind them, lit like a sanctuary in the middle of the darkness.

—

[System]: You have completed the main mission.

You have been rewarded with 1 master card.

—

"So, they gave me the mission… then this counts as completed… Reveal the card!" Suhyeon thought.

—

[Attack Card]

(All in one)

You are capable of using all martial arts.

This card only compiles normal martial arts.

—

"Not bad… I just need experience to use this card efficiently," Suhyeon thought, analyzing the card.

Suhyeon and Johan left the building. Outside, Nube Hajun was waiting with Eden in his arms, handing him over to Johan without a word.

"Thanks for taking care of him," Johan said with a slight nod.

Nube Hajun nodded, as serious as ever.

Suhyeon stepped closer, glancing sideways at the scene. "It's time to say goodbye," he told Johan.

"But before you go… I want to ask you something."

Johan raised an eyebrow, confused by Suhyeon's words, but simply nodded without asking questions.

Some time later, Suhyeon arrived visibly exhausted at Chaerin's apartment. She was already awake, sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed and her leg bouncing. When she saw him walk in so late, her brow furrowed instantly.

"Do you know what time it is?" she asked—not loudly, but with an edge that echoed in the silent room. "You look like a mess… where were you?"

Suhyeon dropped his jacket on a chair and ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair.

"Just helping a friend," he replied naturally, without stopping, as he walked toward her.

Chaerin didn't take her eyes off him, following him with her gaze as he tilted his head slightly in a tired gesture, almost as if asking her for a truce. When he passed by, the smell of damp night air and physical exertion gave him away.

"Helping, huh?" she murmured, turning her head slightly to keep watching him as he walked toward the bathroom. "Want to tell me about it, or should I guess?"

"I'd rather tell you after a shower," he replied with a lopsided, weary smile, disappearing behind the bathroom door.

The water began to run, and Chaerin stayed quiet for a few seconds, staring at the abandoned jacket and biting her lower lip. She couldn't help but worry… or get a little more annoyed than she wanted to admit.

She leaned back on the sofa for a moment, but the image of Suhyeon coming home exhausted, wearing that carefree smile, drew a silent laugh from her.

"Just helping a friend? Let's see if I help you relax…" she thought, a mischievous spark in her eyes.

Without thinking too much, she walked straight to her bedroom, letting one piece of clothing fall after another with total calm. Her heart beat with excitement at the little prank she was planning.

When steam began to slip out through the crack under the bathroom door—

Chaerin walked in completely naked, her smooth skin glowing in the warm light and misty contrast. Her silhouette was soft yet defined in all the right places, as if playing at hiding and revealing her curves with each step.

Her hair, slightly undone, fell over her shoulders with a wild touch, and a drop of water sliding from her neck down to her collarbone traced a forbidden path.

"You know," she said teasingly, "I think I need a shower too… but I'm afraid the water might be too hot. Will you help me check?"

The soft sound of the door closing was the only thing breaking the silence before Suhyeon turned around.

But as she took two steps forward, a firm hand emerged from the mist and pulled her decisively inside.

"Eh?!" Chaerin let out, completely startled as she slipped against the warm tile. "Hey, I was supposed to be surprising you!"

Suhyeon appeared through the curtain of steam, soaked from head to toe, wearing a crooked smile. "And why should I wait? I don't like standing still."

Suhyeon slid a hand down her wet back, unhurried, and that alone made her hold her breath. There were no words—just that slow caress, enough to make her feel like her little prank had just been returned with interest.

Chaerin tried to fake annoyance, but her own reflection in the foggy mirror betrayed her: flushed cheeks, eyes gleaming. "This didn't go as planned…" she muttered, suppressing a laugh.

"Then let's improvise," Suhyeon whispered in her ear.

Chaerin felt his warm breath on her neck before Suhyeon gently guided her toward the wall. The steam swirled around them, enclosing them in that small space.

"Improvising isn't really your strong suit," she said, though her voice barely trembled.

"We'll see," he replied, not taking his eyes off hers.

Suhyeon intertwined his fingers with hers and, with a light push, made their hands slide against the wet tile.

Chaerin let out a nervous laugh, but it cut off when he tilted his head, barely brushing her cheek with his lips.

There was no rush—only gestures speaking louder than words: the closeness, the warmth, the way every movement seemed designed so neither of them could think of anything else.

"Are you going to keep joking around, or will you let me take control?" murmured Suhyeon, barely pulling back a few centimeters.

Chaerin lifted her chin with feigned defiance, though her breathing betrayed her. "That sounds like a challenge…"

Chaerin felt his other hand graze her waist, setting the pace for a slow, inevitable closeness. The space between them disappeared entirely.

Suhyeon leaned in further, brushing his lips against hers before deliberately pulling away at an excruciatingly slow pace.

That gesture caught her off guard, and before she could protest, Suhyeon let his fingers trace the wet outline of her waist, climbing up her back until a shiver ran through her.

Chaerin laughed softly, but her breathing quickened when he, instead of kissing her right away, traced a playful path down her neck and shoulder with his fingertips, as if memorizing every curve.

"Don't look at me like that…" said Chaerin, though in truth she was inviting him to continue.

Suhyeon obeyed with a crooked smile. His hands, firm but careful, slid over her, making her lean into him without even realizing it. Chaerin tried to take the initiative, but Suhyeon gently turned her, pinning her against the cold wall.

"Tell me… who's got the power now…?" Suhyeon whispered in her ear, with that teasing yet dangerous voice that made Chaerin's knees tremble.

She barely managed to let out a choked sound, a gasp, when she felt his firm hands exploring boldly, unhurriedly, every curve until they reached her breasts.

The warm water poured over them both, but the real heat was in that touch that left no room to escape—and no reason for her to want to.

Some time later.

Suhyeon was drying his hair with a towel, already dressed, his breathing a little calmer than he wanted to admit.

Chaerin, wrapped in a light robe, watched him from the edge of the bed, a mischievous smile on her lips that didn't reveal half of what she was thinking.

The night outside advanced in silence, and fatigue finally began to set in.

Suhyeon took a breath, preparing to tell her what had happened with Johan, while Chaerin looked at him with a mix of curiosity and satisfaction at her unplanned little victory.

"Do you know the story of Gangbuk?" Suhyeon asked as he fastened a pair of black pants and then slipped on a white shirt.

"The story of Gangbuk?" Chaerin repeated, touching her chin in a thoughtful gesture.

"Yes. A long time ago, Gangbuk was unified by a single person… in less than a day," Suhyeon replied, now dressed, dropping onto the bed and closing his eyes calmly.

"And that person is…?" Chaerin began to say, but Suhyeon cut her off without opening his eyes.

"Johan Seong. The guy I spoke to a few hours ago… also an acquaintance of Haru, which made it easy for us to get along," murmured Suhyeon, yawning as he covered his mouth with his hand.

Chaerin frowned. "I've heard of him… but not much. What about his family?"

Suhyeon barely opened one eye and spoke calmly: "His mother was involved in a religious cult. Most people there weren't right in the head… and she was no exception. In the end, they sent her to a drug rehabilitation center."

Chaerin stayed silent for a few seconds, surprised. "And Johan?"

"He decided to leave her for a while to earn money… all to pay for her treatment," Suhyeon explained, letting out a sigh. "Not everyone could endure something like that… but he did."

Chaerin came closer, seeing how his expression grew sad, giving him a kiss on the cheek before hugging him.

"It's obvious you care about him a lot… Are you sure you just met him? Or did you see yourself in him?" Chaerin asked as she lay beside him.

Her breathing was so close that Suhyeon could feel it brushing against his neck. He didn't answer right away; he seemed to be searching for the right words, as if something inside him refused to open up completely.

"I guess… the second one," he finally murmured, without looking at her directly. "I didn't have a mother like his, but… I know what it feels like when no one's there when you need them."

Chaerin tilted her head, noticing the shadow of sadness in his eyes. "Is that what you saw in Johan? Someone who had to carry everything alone?"

Suhyeon sighed, resting an arm on his forehead. "He left his mother to make money… and all to pay for her treatment. And even then, I bet she didn't even understand his sacrifice. I can't blame him for feeling angry… for not wanting to go back."

Chaerin stayed silent for a few seconds, sliding her fingers between Suhyeon's. "You know? That makes you more human than you think… even if you try to hide it with that tough-guy face."

A faint smile appeared on Suhyeon's face, but his eyes remained serious. "I don't know if it's humanity… or just a memory of who I used to be."

Chaerin moved even closer, her lips barely brushing the corner of his. "Whatever it is, I like that side of you."

The next day, Suhyeon was at a hidden dojo in Gangbuk, a place whose location no one would recognize. He wore a spotless black dobok that emphasized the seriousness of the moment.

He picked up his phone and spoke in a firm voice:

"Are you about to arrive at the location… Johan?"

On the other end of the line, the reply was brief:

"I'm on my way."

A faint smile appeared on Suhyeon's face as he pocketed the phone.

"Let's see how strong you are, Johan Seong."

—

[System]: Congratulations. Johan Seong is now part of your team.

—