Hyun Woo eyes followed Min till he slipped out. His chest was thumping, not with fear, but with excitement. Finally the time had come. His lips curled under the mask, a smirk Seok and Kim could not see.
He turned slowly, hand pushed the door shut behind him.
There was not much time, before Min come back, he needed to act fast.
Seok squinted, smell of ciggerate still in his breath. "Oi, oi… grandpa, why you closing the door, huh?" He spread his arms wide, like mocking. "You think you some hero? Come to save the little dog?"
Kim Jae-ho chuckled behind the mic, voice sharp. "Pfft… hero? More like old fool. Should've gone to bed already."
Hyun Woo put his hand on Seok's shoulder. His grip wasn't tight, but enough to make Seok feel it.
"You think you're strong?" Hyun Woo's voice came out flat — no shout, no laugh, just a sharp edge in his tone.
Then he walked past Seok without even looking at him, turning his back in that careless way of his, hands sliding into the pockets of his hoodie like he didn't have a single worry in the world.
"Strong? Huh." He let out a small laugh through his nose. "It was always like this. The rich crush the poor. You call it strength. But it's not."
"You're not strong, Seok. Not even close. It's just your father's money. That's the only thing holding you up. If I take that away, if I strip it all… there's no difference between you and me. Nothing."
He turned his face slightly, enough for his golden eye to catch the light.
"The world makes it like this. Rich get richer, poor get poorer. You call yourself strong because you stand on someone else's back. But let's see…"
He pulled his hand out from the hoodie, fingers twitching like he was ready to grab something.
"…how strong you are when I break that illusion."
Hyun Woo lifted his hand high into the air, the sleeve of his hoodie sliding down a little as his palm opened wide and his fingers spread out.
"Chain of Justice."
The System voice boomed inside his head.
[ Skill Activated: Chain of Justice ]
[ Commencing Restraint ]
[ Verdict Targets: Seok Min-jun, Kim Jae-ho ]
[ Status: Weighing the Scales of Justice ]
The ground glew faint under their feet.
Chains burst out from the floor, fast and sudden, wrapping around Seok's arms and crawling up Kim's legs. More of them kept coming, twisting and sliding like snakes, the sharp rattle of metal hitting metal echoing through the room.
"The fuck… what the fuck is this?!" Seok yelled, his eyes wide, spit flying from his mouth. He pulled, he kicked, but the chains only grabbed tighter. "What the hell is this?! You old bastard, let me go!! LET ME GO!!"
Kim dropped down, his knees hitting the floor. His arms yanked back by the chains, his mouth shaking. "N-no… no way… no way this real… fuck… fuck!"
The more they moved, the worse it got. Every struggle made the chains crawl higher, wrapping their chests, their throats, even their legs.
Seok tried to take a step, but the chains grabbed his ankle and dragged him back. He fell hard, back hitting on the floor. "ARGHHH!! FUCK!! STOP THIS!!"
Their faces were all twisted. The arrogant grin on them was gone. In front of the chain… it felt like something beyond their human understanding.
They got scared, eyes wide, their mouths open but no words came out at first. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Their hearts were beating faster, louder, the more the chains wrapped around them — wrists, neck, legs, even their chest.
Their bodies were trembling, shaking like they would fall apart.
Then their voices finally broke out. They started begging, calling to Hyun Woo.
"Stop it, stop it, please!" Kim screamed, his head shaking.
"It hurts! It's cutting me!"
"Old man, let me go, let me go!"
"Please, I'll stop, I'll never touch him again!"
Kim and Seok's voices overlapped, their cries and begging mixing together, one louder than the other, both begging to Hyun Woo at the same time.
But Hyun Woo just stood there. Watching. His eyes burning bright golden, glowing like fire.
"Now… now… you start begging?" his voice came out low. His lips curved in a small grin.
"Heh… even Kang didn't beg." He let out a short laugh. "Haha…"
Seok's eyes went wide, his mouth opening and closing like he couldn't breathe.
"You… it's… you… who killed Kang… old man…" His voice cracked, shaking.
Hyun Woo laughed under his mask. "Old… man?" He tilted his head, his golden eyes burning hotter.
"No… I'm not old man." His voice grew heavier. "I am the law. I am the verdict. I am justice."
He raised his hand, chains rattling louder, golden light spilling out of them.
"And it's your time… to face the trial for your sins."
[ Sin Detected ]
[ Target: Seok Min-jun — Pending ]
[ Target: Kim Jae-ho — Pending ]
[ Transferring to Hall of Judgement ]
The karaoke room faded. The floor, the smoke in the rooms, the bottles which were layed on the floor— everything just slipped away like sand falling through fingers.
In a blink, they were somewhere else.
It was dark and endless. The ground was there but no walls, no ceiling. Just emptiness stretching forever. They all were teleported into the Hall of Judgement.
Seok and Kim looked down their feet and froze. They looked to each other bodies, weren't flesh anymore. Their arms, their legs, all see–through, glowing faint like glass.
The golden chains were still wrapped around their wrists and ankles, tightening bit by bit. The pull grew stronger until their knees hit the floor with a dull thud.
They struggled, tried to move, but the more they pulled the heavier it got. The chains didn't let them rise.
Their mouths opened, voices shaking.
"What… what is this?!"
"Let me go!"
And in front of them stood Hyun Woo without his hoodie and his mark, his eyes was burning gold, watching both Seok and Kim.
[ Hall of Judgement — Active ]
[ Target: Kim Jae-ho ]
[ Sin Scan: Kim Jae-ho ]
[ Verdict: Pending ]
Golden light flash hit Hyun Woo. Broken memories of Kim played in his head, sharp and fast.
Kim grabbing the lunchbox. The girl staring, her eyes wet, stomach empty.
Kim laughing in gym, his shoe smashing her throat. She coughed, hands clawing her neck.
Hospital bed. Beep… beep… then flat. Doctor shaking his head. Her father crying on the floor.