Bullets & Promises ✔️

12. Out from the Shadows

"Damn you!"

"I'm not in the mood to entertain you. You tell me what you know about Vee and maybe I'll spare you in one piece."

"I don't kn— urghh!" Kiseon writhes in agony when Dae Ho twists the blade.

"Don't make me repeat my question."

"F-fine! I-I'll tell y-you!" After a few shaky breaths, the man continues, "I don't know the details but he's searching for something to heal his master. Some kind of drug to make him physically strong."

"Who's his master?" Dae Ho asserts, his voice threatening.

"No idea."

The fighter raises an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side.

"I swear! I don't know much either. Just that Vee has a tattoo of a snake wrapped around a stick on his right arm with the letters C.R.C. Now let me go."

"Sure." Dae Ho pulls out his knife and Shadow loosens his grip on the mobster's head. They take a few steps away from him, Kiseon letting out a groan in pain.

"Do it," the fighter whispers, walking ahead of Shadow.

Bang!

Kiseon's body falls limp.

❛ ━━━━━━✦❪✥❫✦━━━━━━ ❜

Haneul twirls his glass absentmindedly, a hand in his washed-out jeans pocket. He wears a white shirt with a pair of parallel lines printed over the chest, half hem of the shirt tucked in while the other falls loosely over his thigh. He tops the outfit with an ombré jacket and sneakers.

The hospital organized an event to celebrate the 56th anniversary of its opening. The function is arranged at an outdoor party venue. The place is adorned with fairy lights and flowers around the perimeter of the garden. A buffet is set in the middle with a few gazebos at the corners, under which wooden benches bask. Laughter and clinks of cutlery with incoherent murmurs are heard now and then.

"Dr. Kim," a woman approaches Haneul with a smile. "Are you enjoying the party?"

"Of course I am. But Dr. Choi seems to be having a blast," the blue-haired man chuckles raising his glass towards a man dancing in a silly manner at the entrance.

"You look quite handsome today," the nurse praises with dusted cheeks.

"Uh, thank you," Haneul grins stretching his lips.

"You're supposed to compliment her too!" A voice booms beside Haneul.

"Nurse Dayun," the doctor grumbles in a passive tone. "Please do not eavesdrop on others' conversations."

"I'm only stating a fact." She wraps her arm around the woman's neck and pulls her close. "Isn't my best friend looking the most gorgeous and cute out of all the women here?"

"Dayun!" the nurse wearing a long ebony dress with silver lining whisper yells at her friend's antics, her face flaming red.

"I..." Haneul finds himself in an awkward position. "Nurse Mina, you look lovely," he offers politely and brings the glass to his lips, drinking the orange juice quietly.

"Kim Haneul!"

The doctor turns to find his cousin Kim Ryeong waving his hand in the air.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'll see what Dr. Ryeong has to say." He places the glass on the table, bows slightly, and frees himself from the ladies.

"What do you want?" Haneul rolls his eyes, arms crossing over his chest.

"Is that a way to greet your family?"