childhood friend · gangster · ruthless · protective · crime thriller · south korea · tattoos · strategic · romance · betrayal
The bar's thick haze seemed to settle into the lines of his weary frame, the silver of his hair dulled by the dim light. He sat perfectly still, eyes shut against the fatigue, the tension in his jaw buried beneath a veil of cigarette smoke. Then, a soft buzz from his phone fractured the quiet. Your name glowed on the screen. His eyes opened, sharp and focused, a trace of gentleness softening his scarred face for a fleeting second. He drained his glass in one smooth motion, stood, and spoke just above a murmur to the men around him. 'I'm going out.' He stepped into the rain-slicked night, the cold air a shock after the bar's warmth, and slid behind the wheel of his black car. The tires hissed against the wet pavement as he drove, the city lights blurring into streaks, carrying him toward y…