Hana and Kaito walked in silence for a while, the wet pavement beneath their shoes slick and shining under the dim streetlights. The distant hum of cars on the nearby highway was the only sound that broke the quiet. Hana could feel the tension radiating off Kaito, his usually relaxed posture stiff and rigid. She knew what was on his mind—he didn’t have to say it. But after the café, the weight of the decision was settling on her too. Seo’s information could be their biggest break, but the risks were immense.

Finally, Hana spoke, breaking the silence. "I know what you’re thinking, Kaito."

Kaito let out a short, dry laugh, shaking his head. "Do you? Because I’m not sure you do. I mean, we’re really going to trust that guy? Seo looked like he was about two steps away from falling apart right there."

"I know he’s scared," Hana replied, her voice measured, "but that doesn’t mean he’s lying. He could be our way in. You saw him—he’s desperate. Desperate people don’t have much to lose by talking."

Kaito slowed his pace, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Or they have everything to gain by leading us straight into a trap."

Hana stopped walking, turning to face him. The frustration that had been simmering inside her began to bubble to the surface. "Do you think I don’t know that? Of course it could be a trap! But if we don’t take the chance, we’ll be stuck playing catch-up forever. This might be the only lead we get."

Kaito stared at her for a moment, his dark eyes scanning her face. His jaw clenched, and for a second, it looked like he was going to argue. But then he sighed, running a hand through his damp hair.

"I just... I don’t want you getting hurt," he said softly, his voice losing its edge. "I know how much this means to you. But we’ve gotta be smart about this. If we walk into that warehouse without a plan, we’re as good as dead."

Hana’s expression softened. She understood where he was coming from, but the fire inside her wouldn’t let her back down. Not now. "We’ll be smart about it. I’m not planning on rushing in blind. But we can’t afford to sit back and do nothing, either. We need to hit them where it hurts, and if Seo’s right, this is the best opportunity we’ll ever get."

Kaito’s shoulders sagged a little as he exhaled, clearly not satisfied but resigned to the fact that Hana wasn’t going to change her mind. "Fine. But we need backup. This isn’t something we can handle alone."

Hana nodded, her mind already racing with ideas. "Agreed. I’ll call Daeyoung. He’ll know what to do."

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "You trust him?"

Hana smirked. "I trust him to want the same thing we do—justice. Daeyoung’s got connections, and he hates these guys as much as we do. He’ll help."

Kaito glanced away, staring off down the empty street. "Alright. Call him. But if things go south, we pull out. No heroics."

"I’m not looking to be a hero," Hana said, her voice steady. "I just want to end this."

They continued walking, and the tension between them eased slightly, though neither was completely at ease. Hana pulled out her phone and dialed Daeyoung’s number. He picked up after the first ring, his deep voice coming through with a sharp edge of annoyance.

"Hana. It’s late. What’s going on?"

"I’ve got something big," she said without preamble, her tone serious. "We need your help."

There was a pause on the other end. "How big?"

Hana glanced at Kaito, who gave her a silent nod of approval. "We’ve got a lead on Kang Hyun. There’s a meeting tomorrow night, and we’re planning to hit it. But we can’t do it alone."

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The line was quiet for a moment, and Hana could almost hear Daeyoung weighing his options. Finally, he spoke again, his voice firm. "You’re serious? You actually have something on Kang?"

"Yes. It’s real this time. We’ve got a source. But it’s going to be dangerous, and we need someone who knows the terrain."

Daeyoung sighed, but Hana could hear the gears turning in his head. "You’re not giving me much choice, are you? Alright. I’ll meet you tomorrow. But Hana, if this goes sideways, I’m not getting caught in your mess. We do this clean, and we do it fast."

"Understood," Hana said, relief flooding her voice. "Meet us at the usual spot, 9 PM."

"Got it," Daeyoung replied, and the call ended with a click.

Hana slipped the phone back into her pocket, turning to Kaito. "He’s in."

Kaito nodded, though his face was still grim. "Let’s hope this works. Otherwise, we might be in way over our heads."

The rest of the night passed in a blur of preparation. Hana and Kaito gathered what they could—maps, equipment, anything that might help them navigate the warehouse and get out alive. Hana’s mind raced with possibilities, every worst-case scenario playing out in vivid detail. But she pushed the fear aside, focusing on the task at hand. She had to. This was too important to screw up.

When dawn broke the next morning, Hana barely noticed. She hadn’t slept, her mind too wired with the gravity of what they were about to do. Kaito, too, looked like he hadn’t gotten any rest, dark circles under his eyes as he finished packing the last of their gear.

"Are you ready for this?" Hana asked, her voice quiet.

Kaito didn’t look up as he tightened the straps on his bag. "As ready as I’ll ever be."

Hana nodded. "Good. We leave at eight."

The hours leading up to the meeting dragged on painfully slow, every minute feeling like an eternity. Hana tried to distract herself, going over the plan again and again in her mind, but nothing could fully shake the knot of anxiety that had settled in her stomach.

By the time they reached the rendezvous point with Daeyoung, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the city in long shadows. The air was cool and damp, the remnants of last night’s rain still clinging to the streets. Daeyoung was already waiting for them, leaning against a sleek black car, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You two look like hell," Daeyoung said by way of greeting, his eyes flicking over Hana and Kaito. "Didn’t sleep, huh?"

Hana shook her head. "Couldn’t. Too much to think about."

Daeyoung grunted. "Yeah, well, get your head on straight. This isn’t the time to be distracted. We need to be sharp."

"We are," Kaito said firmly. "What’s the plan?"

Daeyoung gestured toward the car. "Get in. I’ll explain on the way."

They piled into the car, the tension inside thick as Daeyoung drove toward the docks. As they wound through the darkened streets, he laid out the plan. They would approach the warehouse from the south side, avoiding the main roads where security might be tighter. Once inside, they’d split up—Daeyoung and Kaito would handle the surveillance, while Hana would focus on confronting Kang Hyun.

"It’s risky," Daeyoung said, glancing at Hana in the rearview mirror. "You sure you want to be the one to go in alone?"

Hana didn’t hesitate. "I need to be the one who faces him. This is personal."

Daeyoung nodded, though he didn’t look convinced. "Alright. Just don’t get yourself killed."

When they arrived at the docks, the warehouse loomed ahead, a massive, decrepit structure surrounded by rusting shipping containers and broken-down equipment. It was the perfect place for an illegal meeting—isolated, quiet, and easy to disappear from.

Daeyoung pulled the car into a secluded spot, killing the engine. "We’re here."

Hana’s heart pounded in her chest as they exited the car, the cold night air biting at her skin. The warehouse was silent, save for the faint creak of metal in the wind. She could see the faint glow of lights inside, barely visible through the cracks in the walls.

Kaito moved closer to her, his voice low. "This is it. You ready?"

Hana took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Yeah. Let’s do this."

They made their way toward the warehouse, staying low and out of sight. Daeyoung led the way, his movements quick and precise, honed by years of experience. Kaito followed closely behind, his hand resting on the small knife he kept concealed at his side.

As they approached the entrance, Daeyoung motioned for them to stop. He peered around the corner, scanning the area for any signs of movement. After a tense moment, he nodded, signaling that it was clear.

They slipped inside, the interior of the warehouse dimly lit by a few scattered bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The air was thick with dust, and the floor was covered in grime and debris. The faint sound of voices echoed from the far end of the building, where a group of men was gathered around a large table.

Hana’s heart raced as she spotted Kang Hyun, seated at the head of the table, flanked by two bodyguards. He looked exactly as she remembered him

—tall, broad-shouldered, with a cruel smirk on his face that made her blood boil.

This was it.