The air was chilly as she tugged her duffel bag further up her shoulder. The sun had disappeared beneath the bright lights of Seoul and the city's night life had made itself known as she made her way to the gym where her self-defence classes were being held. Geon-woo had decided to head back home after Woo-jin departed.
She rubbed her hands as she neared the complex. Seeing a bunch of teenage girls and younger standing outside as they greeted her with a wave.
"Hello Ms Kim" they greeted, bowing as she reciprocated with a smile.
" Yuna, how was the exams?" she asked one of the girl's as she fished in her pockets for the keys.
"It went well" she said, grinning as they bounced of their feet, eager to get out of the cold.
"That's good to hear" Seon-woo said smiling, when her phone began to ring. She handed the keys to Yuna as she told them to start heading upstairs.
"Mom" Seon-woo chimed, her smile instantly dimming at her mother's tone.
"Seon-woo" she breathed out shakily as the woman held her phone tightly.
"Mom are you okay. What's wrong?" she said worriedly, glancing at the time hoping Geon-woo was almost at the café.
"A bunch of strange people came over-"her mother panicked.
"Strange people, who?" she furrowed, concerned.
"Right now- "Seon-woo stood stunned before a scream was heard accompanied by the startling sound of shattered glass.
"Mom, mom "she yelled as she rushed up the stairs to the gym. "Mom hold on I'm coming" she assured before the line went dead.
"Ms Kim?" one of the girl's asked worried when they saw the terror etched on her face. "Yuna, makes sure everyone goes home, class is cancelled" she said before the oldest student nodded, ushering everyone out. Seon-woo chucked her bag to the corner, whipping out her phone as she sprinted to the café.
She dialled her brother's number, the device pressed against her ear as she panted, her legs pumping faster as her mother's scream rung in her head. Come on, come on, Geon-woo answer dammit.
"Seon-woo" he questioned after a couple of seconds.
"Geon-woo!" she yelled, her chest heaving as she skidded to a stop. A car swerving in front of her.
"Seon-woo?" he asked more concerned as her laboured breathing increased.
"Geon-woo where are you?" she uttered panicked, looking left and right before rushing across the road.
"Seon-woo are you-"
"GEON-WOO! How far are you from the café" she ordered as she turned a sharp corner.
"Not far like 2 minutes" he said troubled, she could barely get out a sigh of relief.
"Mom's in trouble. Go, go I'll be there now. Hurry" she yelled before ending the call, pocketing it and urging her legs to push her faster.
Seon-woo ripped off her mask as she turned the corner, the café coming into view where she saw a bunch of men writhing on the group while Geon-woo was surrounded by the rest, taking them down. She tore her eyes from where he was fighting, to a man who held her mother down onto a table, yelling as she cried out. Fury ripped through her as she slammed her fist into one of the men creeping up on Geon-woo. Her left hook sending him careening to the ground as she grabbed another, ramming her knee into his gut before her fist connected with his jaw.
"Geon-woo" she huffed as he sent the last one hunching to the floor in agony. The two nodded at each other as they made their way towards their mother. The café was completely destroyed, the windows smashed, shards of crystal glass littering the floor along with chipped mugs and broken décor. The chairs were splintered while coated in faint sparkles.
"Mom" Seon-woo clamoured as she rushed up to her mother whose head had been pressed against the table. She dropped to her knees in front of her as Geon-woo rushed to their side. "Mom, mom are you alright" she said, cupping her cheeks lightly as she turned her face, checking for injuries. The woman just cried harder at the sight of her children, fear rooted deep in her chest as her one hand was held by her daughter and the other her son.
''Are you hurt?" Geon-woo muttered, his eyes slightly bleary as she reassured them that she was okay. Seon-woo eased her mother to her feet, holding her close to her chest, her arm wrapped around her body while the other pressed her head closer to her heart. Geon-woo standing in front of the two eyeing the unknown man dangerously.
"Who are you?" Geon-woo hissed as he grabbed him and pushed him against the wall, his hands crumpling his suit. "Who are you!" he yelled more forcefully. Seon-woo shushed her mother's cries, her heart thumping out of her chest as she felt her fear spike as she watched her brother grow even harsher.
"How dare you do this to our café " he growled as the man tried to claw at him. "I asked who you are?"
"Geon-woo" Seon-woo called shakily as tears poured down her mother's cheek at the sight of the men getting to their feet. Geon-woo froze when they spotted a man approach them, his arms hidden behind his back while the one being held by Geon-woo smirked up at the boy.
Geon-woo rejoined their side as their mother reached out to hold onto her son's sleeve as the new figure followed by a significantly larger man approached them.
"Calm down kids" he said, eyeing them with a contemptuous sneer. Seon-woo scowled as he sent them a coy smile.
"Your mother borrowed some money from our company '' he said causing the siblings to glance at her but she shook her head in distress, holding onto Seon-woo tighter as Geon-woo reassured her that it was okay.
"What do you want?" Seon-woo said harshly.
"Pay back what you owe'' he said.
"Pay for the damages to our cafe first" She growled as he took a step forward, Geon-woo placing them further behind him as his eyes narrowed and unwavering as the man smiled crookedly at the two before landing on their mother, who whimpered in her daughter's arms.
"Beom" he called not sparing them a glance as he walked to the entrance, grabbing a chair and sitting down. The tall, big man concealed by a bucket hat, grunted before tugging it off and glaring at them.
Geon-woo gently removed himself from his mother's grip, guiding Seon-woo who looked at him in horror further back as he turned to the huge, beastlike man.
Geon-woo threw the first punch, straight to his gut then into his face but the blow that could have had men tumbling to their knees didn't faze the burly man, only angering him more as he let out a guttural growl taking Geon-woo by surprise. Geon-woo reeled back before punching him again, and again and again, each time Seon-woo felt her heart drop lower and lower until Geon-woo managed to make him stumble.
Seon-woo felt a lump in her throat as Beom stomached his attacks, managing to grab his arm before throwing him into the glass display. Seon-woo flinched as her mother screamed, tightening her grip on her as Geon-woo blocked his punches.
Seon-woo panicked when Beom managed to pry Geon-woo's arms from protecting his face, head butting until his lip split open and blood started gushing from the wound. She grabbed her mother's shoulders, turning her so her back faced her son and the men as she held her softly.
"Don't look back mom'' she said as her mother cried, clutching her daughter who manoeuvred out of her hold. "We're going to be okay" she whispered before leaving her side, grabbing a broken chair leg as she slammed it into Beom's back, just as Geon-woo crashed to the ground.
Beom turned around slowly while Geon-woo laid still. Her eyes flickered down to her brother before she took a deep breath, clutching the chair leg, she chucked it at his head, distracting him as she slammed her body into him, the two crashing into the wall. Seon-woo hooked his side before slamming her fist repeatedly at his face, his mouth bleeding before he pushed her off of him. She stumbled back, glancing up as he wiped the blood from his nose, his eyes narrowing as he took a step towards her. Suddenly Geon-woo threw himself forward between them, his fist connecting with Beom's jaw, sending the man staggering back.
Seon-woo's eyes widened as she rushed to him, helping him to his feet as she hoisted his arm over her shoulder, the two panting as Beom removed his hand from his mouth, his eyes furious as he disregarded the teeth in his hands to the side. "Oh god" Seon-woo swore as he came barrelling into them. Geon-woo pushed his sister to the side just as Beom grabbed him and slammed him into the mirror. Geon-woo let out a pained yell as his back pierced the shards again.
Seon-woo's cried out as Beom's fist drove into Geon-woo's face. Their mother flinched, her hand cupping her mouth as she shut her eyes, the man from earlier holding her from trying to get to her children.
"No!" Seon-woo yelled as she grabbed onto Beom, tugging him backwards but he wouldn't budge. Instead, he held Geon-woo with one hand, grabbing her hair he slammed her into the table, the wood driving into her back as she let out a cry.
"Geon-woo" she called shakily as he collapsed to the floor.
Seon-woo cursed as she held her back, slowly getting to her feet as the older man got up from the chair kicking Geon-woo over onto his back and then crouching down over him.
"Get off of them" Seon-woo hissed as she stood, her legs trembling as she staggered to the man hovering over her brother, the glass shard cutting into her palm as she slashed his arm, tearing his coat as he looked down at the rip before meeting her blazen glare.
"This is an expensive suit" he said calmly as Beom's arms circled around her, caging her arms to her chest as held her against him. She squirmed in his grasp, but he didn't budge instead he just tightened his hold on her.
The man looked down at Geon-woo who coughed, grabbing his chin and turning his head slightly to face his sister who was still writhing in Beom's hold. He smirked as Geon-woo's eyes opened slightly.
"Pay back" he sneered when Seon-woo screamed as Beom squeezed his arms. Seon-woo threw her head back as she felt her ribs give in to the pressure, a series of cracks echoing after her scream as her mother lurched in her captive's grip, screaming and crying behind his hand that muffled her while Geon-woo's half lidden eyes widened, fighting to get up but the older man just tutted, holding him down.
For what felt like eternity, his arms stopped squeezing, her body going limp as her head dropped, Shaky breaths passing her lips as she coughed, blood pooling in her mouth and dripping down her chin. She barely kept her head up as she took rattled breaths.
"I like people with grit" the older man said as he glanced between the two siblings. Geon-woo glanced away from his sister, tears building up as the man hovered over him. "Guys, and girls" he said as he shot her a smile as she slouched in Beom's arms. "Can get anything done. Want to work for me? I will-''
Seon-woo's lips tugged as Geon-woo spat at him, silencing the man as he coughed. The man smiled suddenly before digging his knee into Geon-woos chest, eliciting an outcry from both himself and the mother-daughter duo. Beom however silenced her, his arms tightening again as she cried out, blood splotching to the floor.
Seon-woo cried out as the man lifted his pant leg, revealing a knife as she pushed aside her pain, screaming as he brought the knife to Geon-woo's face.
"Stop" she yelled as he dug the knife into the side of his face, Geon-woo groaning as blood pooled around them. "Stop you bastard" she cried out, her legs flailing as she writhed. "Stop it," she cried hysterically as he chuckled as if he was feeding off their pain.
Geon-woo's eyes met hers as she kicked and screamed, tears pouring down her face as his grew blurry.
"Beom" the man said, making his way to her as he cupped her cheek forcing her to look at him. He smiled as he wiped her brother's blood on her shirt, patting her cheek as she copied her brother, collecting the blood in her mouth and projecting it straight at him.
He glanced at Beom, nodding once as he squeezed his arms, her screams echoing throughout the café, until her vision started to blur and spots danced at the corners of her eyes before the grip on her slackened and she was sent crashing to the floor near her brother, her vision growing black.