The safehouse was quiet, save for the low hum of the monitors that filled the space. Hana stood at the table, reviewing the data they had retrieved from the FBI's command center. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, her mind churning with the possibilities of their next move. The recent success had given them a brief respite, but she knew it was only a matter of time before the FBI retaliated.

Across from her, Daeyoung sat in silence, his eyes focused on her, though his mind seemed distant. Kaito had left the room to make some calls, leaving just the two of them in the dimly lit space.

Hana glanced up at Daeyoung, sensing his silence was heavier than usual. “Something on your mind?” she asked, keeping her tone casual, though a slight edge of concern crept into her voice.

Daeyoung’s gaze flicked up to meet hers, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Yeah… something’s been bothering me.”

Hana raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. “What is it? If there’s an issue, we need to talk it out. We can’t afford distractions.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “That’s exactly the issue. Distractions. The way we’ve been going about this... it doesn’t feel right.”

Hana frowned, feeling an undercurrent in his words that set her on edge. “We’ve been making progress, Daeyoung. We disrupted the FBI, and Jin Woo’s operations are in chaos. What’s not feeling right to you?”

Daeyoung’s voice hardened, a steely edge creeping in. “It’s not the mission. It’s you, Hana.”

The words landed like a slap, and Hana felt her chest tighten. She straightened up, her eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about? We’ve been doing this together from the start. If something’s wrong, say it plainly.”

Daeyoung pushed back from the table, rising to his feet. His expression was cold, far removed from the partner she had trusted for so long. “You’re pushing us too far. We’re taking bigger risks, getting in deeper than we ever should have. We’re not just going after Jin Woo anymore—we’re attacking the FBI. You’re acting like a goddamn martyr, and you’re going to get us all killed.”

Hana’s pulse quickened, but she kept her voice steady. “We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Yes, we’re going after the FBI because they’re a threat. If we don’t take them down, they’ll destroy us. This is survival.”

Daeyoung’s eyes flashed, his jaw clenching. “Survival? Is that what this is to you? You call this survival when you’ve put us on every government agency’s radar? When you’ve dragged us into a war we might not even be able to win?”

Hana’s fists clenched, frustration boiling over. “I didn’t drag anyone into this! You chose to be here, Daeyoung. We made these decisions together. Don’t act like I forced you.”

Daeyoung’s face twisted in anger, and for a moment, Hana thought he might shout. Instead, he did something far worse. His hand moved to his side, and in a flash, he drew his gun. The metallic click as he chambered a round echoed through the room, sending a chill down Hana’s spine.

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Hana’s eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. “Daeyoung… what the hell are you doing?” she whispered, disbelief creeping into her voice as she stared at the barrel of the gun now pointed at her head.

Daeyoung’s hand trembled slightly, but his gaze remained cold. “I should’ve known you’d go too far. You’re obsessed, Hana. You’ve lost sight of everything. We weren’t supposed to become monsters.”

Hana’s heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to remain calm, meeting his gaze head-on. “This is how you want to do this? By pointing a gun at me? You think killing me is the answer?”

Daeyoung’s eyes flickered with something—guilt, maybe, or hesitation—but he didn’t lower the weapon. “You’re not leaving me any choice. You’re going to lead us straight into destruction, and I can’t follow you down that path anymore.”

Hana took a step back, her mind racing. She knew Daeyoung had always been more cautious, more reluctant to take drastic measures, but she hadn’t expected this. Not from him. “I’m not leading us to destruction. I’m trying to give us a chance—a real chance to take down Jin Woo and the people who’ve been hunting us.”

Daeyoung’s voice cracked with emotion. “And at what cost? We’re crossing lines, Hana. We’re killing people, innocent or not, and for what? Is this really redemption to you? Is this how you see justice?”

Hana’s throat tightened, but she didn’t waver. “I didn’t want any of this. But we don’t have a choice. Every time we hesitate, they gain ground. If we stop now, it’ll all be for nothing.”

Daeyoung shook his head, taking a step closer, the gun still trained on her. “You’ve been saying that from the beginning, but what about us, Hana? What about Kaito? You’re gambling with all our lives.”

Her gaze softened, though the danger remained real. “I’m trying to protect you. All of you. I never wanted it to come to this, but we can’t turn back. Not now. We’ve come too far.”

For a moment, Daeyoung seemed to waver. His grip on the gun slackened slightly, the tension in his shoulders easing. “Maybe there’s another way… maybe we don’t have to keep pushing.”

Hana stepped forward cautiously, her hands raised in a non-threatening gesture. “There’s always another way, Daeyoung. But putting a bullet in me won’t solve anything. It’ll just break us all apart.”

Daeyoung’s eyes darted to the ground as if searching for an escape from the impossible situation he’d created. His hand trembled visibly now, and Hana took that as a sign to keep talking, to keep pushing him away from the brink.

“You’re not a killer,” she said softly, her voice gentle but firm. “You don’t want this. I know you don’t. Lower the gun. Let’s figure this out together.”

Seconds ticked by, the weight of the moment stretching painfully. Daeyoung’s breathing grew ragged, his conflicted emotions playing out across his face. His finger hovered near the trigger, but his will to pull it was eroding.

Kaito burst through the door, his eyes immediately locking onto the scene. “What the hell is going on?!”

Hana barely spared him a glance, her attention fully on Daeyoung. “Daeyoung,” she said softly, her voice a steady anchor. “It doesn’t have to end like this.”

Daeyoung’s gaze flicked to Kaito, then back to Hana, and slowly, shakily, he lowered the gun. His face crumpled as the weight of his actions hit him. “I’m sorry... I just—” His voice cracked, and he dropped the weapon to the floor, collapsing into a nearby chair, his hands covering his face.

Kaito rushed over, looking from Hana to Daeyoung, confusion and concern etched into his expression. “What the hell just happened?”

Hana let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, her heart still racing. She crouched down in front of Daeyoung, her voice soft but firm. “It’s alright. We’ll figure this out. But next time, talk to me before it gets this far. We need each other, Daeyoung. You’re not alone in this.”

Daeyoung didn’t look up, his shoulders shaking slightly as the tension broke. Kaito stood nearby, his face tight with worry. The gun lay abandoned on the floor between them, a silent reminder of how close they had come to the brink.

Hana looked over at Kaito, her voice low. “We need to talk. All of us. Before this mission tears us apart.”

Kaito nodded grimly, understanding the gravity of the situation. “Yeah. We really do.”