* * *

I never imagined things would escalate this way when I first heard that Seo Heewon had suddenly disappeared.

At first, I couldn’t believe the rumors.

Seo Heewon had appeared with Seo Hoon and fled from the Hunter Administration Bureau. It was hard to accept.

The idea that the Bureau, under Seo Hoon’s orders, had tried to detain Seo Heewon was unbelievable.

And the notion that Heewon had fled? Even less so.

Fled? That wasn’t like him.

If caught, he would usually comply rather than run.

There had to be a reason—a compelling one—that left him no choice but to escape.

“Find out where he fled to. Don’t inform the Bureau.”

“Guild Leader…”

“I’ll go myself. Get Choi Yuhan ready…”

“Guild Leader.”

“What now?”

“You need to see this.”

Ahn Sangwook spoke gravely and handed me his phone.

On it was a shaky video, seemingly recorded by one of the Bureau’s body cams during their operation.

The zoomed-in frame showed Seo Hoon and Seo Heewon from behind.

Even in the low-quality footage, Heewon’s shocked expression was clear.

Seo Hoon reached out toward Seo Heewon.

After a moment’s hesitation, Heewon extended his hand in return.

But just as their fingers were about to meet…

Heewon suddenly staggered—and then violently coughed up blood.

The blood spilling from him was an impossibly vivid red, painting his clothes in crimson within moments.

“…”

Hoon tried to grab him, but Heewon stumbled backward, his pale face contorted in pain.

Then, out of nowhere, black smoke-like tendrils began to spread around Heewon.

The camera shook wildly before the footage abruptly ended.

“As you can see, Seo Heewon’s condition was dire before he disappeared,” Ahn Sangwook added.

“…”

“I know it’s confusing, but I thought you should know.”

Dire? That hardly captured it.

Seo Heewon was S-rank.

He wasn’t someone who would fall ill over trivial matters.

For someone like him to vomit that much blood… Why?

“…”

I turned and sprinted out of the room.

As I raced toward the parking lot, the image of Heewon’s blood-soaked figure replayed in my mind.

It didn’t make sense.

How could a body that thin expel so much blood? And to run after that?

To flee on such unsteady legs, barely able to stand—where could he possibly go?

Was Heewon even alive now?

My fears spiraled into grisly images of Heewon’s condition—collapsed, drenched in blood, and motionless.

Heewon wasn’t strong.

He wasn’t the fierce, tenacious boy from the past.

He had grown soft, gentle—like a sheltered flower.

For someone like that, betrayed by Seo Hoon, coughing up blood… there was no way he was okay.

The memory of Heewon’s tearful face surfaced in my mind.

He often looked at me that way after learning the truth—bearing his wounds openly.

Every time I saw that expression, I cursed my past.

A past I once believed was inevitable now seemed unbearably cruel when I saw Heewon.

I climbed into my car, gripping the wheel.

My hands trembled uncontrollably, so I clenched my fists tightly.

This wasn’t the time to falter. I didn’t even know if Heewon was alive.

No, he would be fine.

He had to be.

I gritted my teeth and started the car, driving as fast as I could toward the mountain where Heewon had last been seen.

When I arrived, the area was under Bureau control.

“This area is restricted. Oh, Hunter Baek Gunho?”

“Move.”

I pushed past the Hunter blocking my way and entered the restricted zone.

Thanks to my frequent dealings with the Bureau, they didn’t try too hard to stop me.

It wasn’t long before I saw Seo Hoon standing near the cordoned-off area, his face strangely calm despite Heewon’s disappearance.

I tried to keep my composure, but something inside me snapped.

I marched straight up to him and grabbed him by the collar.

Seo Hoon frowned as someone nearby shouted in alarm.

“What do you think you’re doing, Hunter Baek Gunho?”

“What were you thinking when you reported Heewon?”

At the mention of Heewon’s name, Seo Hoon’s gaze darkened.

“Heewon… I…”

He struggled to continue, his lips trembling as his eyes wandered aimlessly.

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

“I had no choice.”

“…”

“I didn’t think… Heewon would disappear like this. Heewon… he…”

I released my grip as Seo Hoon’s voice faltered.

He clutched his forehead, a cold sweat forming as he groaned softly.

I stared at him.

Seo Hoon, a man who would never stray from the rules, had falsified records and obstructed investigations—all for Heewon.

His love for Heewon had been unconditional.

He had always protected him, always cared for him.

For Seo Hoon to claim he had “no choice” in reporting Heewon?

That didn’t add up.

There was no way he would corner Heewon like that willingly.

From the moment I first heard the story, I had been certain—Seo Hoon wasn’t acting of his own volition.

And seeing him now, my suspicions only grew.

His words didn’t match his actions.

The confusion in his demeanor—it wasn’t like him at all.

Leaving Seo Hoon behind, I looked toward the mountain.

By the time I had arrived, night had fallen.

The mountain, cloaked in darkness, seemed to have swallowed Heewon whole.

“Hunter Baek Gunho.”

Kim Jinhyung approached me.

“If you have something to say, don’t cause a scene with the team leader. Let’s talk over here.”

I followed him without resistance.

He led me to a secluded area, using an item to ensure our conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

“Something’s off about the team leader, isn’t it?” Jinhyung said gravely.

“Yeah.”

“Could it be Kim Kyungmin?”

When I had discovered that Kim Kyungmin possessed a skill capable of manipulating others, I had shared the information with Seo Hoon.

It seemed Seo Hoon had passed it along to Jinhyung as well.

Jinhyung’s suspicion was valid.

If Kim Kyungmin had interfered with Seo Hoon’s mind, it would explain his erratic behavior.

“It’s possible.”

“Should we go after Kim Kyungmin?”

Jinhyung’s face darkened.

Kim Kyungmin had a knack for slipping away unscathed, no matter the situation.

Without solid evidence, even the Bureau couldn’t arrest him.

But I could. I could kill him right now.

My hand twitched at the thought.

Why hadn’t I done it sooner?

I had been willing to use any means necessary against Heewon in the past—why was I holding back with these other bastards?

A sharp pain throbbed in my temple.

“I’ll handle it,” I said.

Jinhyung’s expression eased slightly.

I knew he was relieved that the matter with Kim Kyungmin might be resolved.

Still, seeing his faint smile in the midst of this chaos made my stomach churn.

Perhaps he noticed, as his gaze flickered uneasily toward me.

“Mr. Seo Heewon… if I find him first, I’ll contact Hunter Baek Gunho right away. Please don’t worry too much.”

“Alright.”

Kim Jinhyung retrieved the item. As he turned to leave, I grabbed his arm.

“Where was Heewon last seen?”

“Over there… but it’s better if you don’t look.”

“……”

“…Follow me.”

I followed Kim Jinhyung to the place where Seo Heewon had last been.

“……”

The scene had been preserved, and blood spattered across the nearby rocks and leaves stood out starkly.

My head spun.

The dizziness made me want to collapse right then and there.

I recalled the pale face that had looked at me, stricken with fear.

Memories of the past Seo Heewon blurred with the current one, creating an imagined version that felt unnervingly real: a sorrowfully twisted face, tear-streaked cheeks, and pitiful whimpers.

Even though Seo Heewon had left this spot long ago, the smell of blood lingered in my senses as if it had just happened.

* * *