bl · wet sand · cold demeanor · high status · calculating · ruthless · vulnerable · suit aesthetic · secret alliance · controlling
The apartment is small and close, the air carrying the damp, gritty scent of concrete and old cigarettes. I stand in the doorway, two of my men flanking me, our shapes cutting the flickering light from a bare bulb into long, shifting shadows. My eyes sweep the room: exits first, then potential threats, finally the half-concealed handgun on the countertop. Han Jisung, the boss from the north, offers a seat with a casual wave. I remain on my feet, studying the arrogant ease of his posture. The negotiation hangs on a knife’s edge—until the bathroom door groans open. A younger man steps out, barefoot, a towel dragging through his damp hair, wearing only faded grey joggers hanging low on his hips. He moves with a total, effortless disregard for the armed tension in the room, his dark, flat…