Chapter 2 : "NORMAL DAY AND SUDDEN DEATH "
"Sir — we have a situation."
Hyunjin's voice was steady even as he stood at the door, knowing full well he was interrupting something private. Tension hung thick in the air as he met his boss's gaze.
"You beter have a worthwhile reason."
Coldness sharpened every word, and a glare so intense it could cut glass pinned Hyunjin in place. The secretary swallowed hard — he'd clearly put his boss in a foul mood.
"Mr. Oh was shot right after exiting the building. The shooter is unknown, and their work was clean — no traces left behind."
The news hit like a blow. Taesoo's playful demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by a seriousness that settled over the room like a heavy fog. Those beside him reached out to pat his arms and rub his back; they'd learned long ago that trouble followed when his smile disappeared.
"Honey, calm down…"
A woman's gentle hand moved along his back, trying to ease the tightness in his shoulders.
"Ssshhh!!!!!"
The sharp hush cut through the room. Playtime was over — this was serious business now. The woman flinched back and fell silent, understanding at once how grave the situation had become.
"So where's his body? And his bag — where is it?"
His voice was calm, but carried a deadly edge that made Hyunjin's nerves prickle. A finger tapped against the desk in steady, sharp beats — a clear warning his patience was running out. An aura of quiet menace radiated from him as he waited for an answer.
"Mr. Oh's bag was taken by the shooter. We couldn't chase them — they had a car waiting, and we think there were two of them at the scene."
Hyunjin spoke carefully as Taesoo listened, his expression growing harder and more unreadable with every word.
Without a word, Taesoo began dressing. The three men from the desk — still only in their lingerie — stood to help him, their movements practiced and steady. When he was done, his clothes were on but his chest remained bare — tattoos winding across his muscular frame, lending him an intimidating presence.
"We're heading to the scene — I need to see it for myself. Clear the area first — no one goes near until I've looked around. Tsk! Fucking dumbass, ruining my day!"
Fury edged his voice as he headed for the door, his face still set in cold lines.
"All of you — go home. I'll be tied up with this starting today."
He gave the order without slowing his stride. The Muses — both the men and women, who'd been in lingerie until now — nodded quietly and began gathering their clothes to dress before leaving.
Taesoo made his way down the hallway to the elevator, then out of the building to his car — a sleek black sedan, its luxurious design perfectly matching his sharp demeanor.
"I'm driving. Take another vehicle."
He slid into the driver's seat as Hyunjin bowed deeply.
"Yes, Sir. I'll follow behind to ensure your safety."
With that, Taesoo started the engine and pulled away, heading for the shooting location just steps from where Mr. Oh had been gunned down after exiting the company building.
Five minutes later, Taesoo pulled up at the destination. It wasn't far — in fact, it sat just around the corner. But the city's maze of buildings, bustling stalls, and heavy traffic made even short distances feel slower than they were.
He stepped out of his car and began investigating alone. Working solo was faster and more convenient, and he was eager to wrap things up quickly so he could report to his grandfather back at headquarters.
After twenty-five minutes of combing through the area, he took a brief break, walking back to his car to grab and drink a bottle of water. Just as he finished, his phone rang — it was Hyunjin, who hadn't followed him as planned. He answered immediately.
"What? Did something happen? Why didn't you follow me here?"
Curiosity edged his voice. This was an important matter involving headquarters, and he'd expected his secretary to be right behind him.
"There was a massive information leak linked to the Aurora Consortium. We've confirmed the shooter who attacked Mr. Oh was responsible for stealing and leaking it — the bag contained confidential data on your family business. The Chairman has asked for your immediate presence; he has an important task for you, and he ordered me to assist you whether you think you need it or not."
Hyunjin's tone was grave. The Aurora Consortium was Taesoo's family legacy, and as the soon-to-be Chairman, he couldn't afford any setbacks. Taesoo let out a sharp sigh.
"I'm on my way… what a shitshow. Tsk. Go back to digging into Mr. Oh's enemies — I want every possible grudge checked and double-checked."
He ended the call without waiting for a reply. Needing to clear his head before heading back, he decided to grab a drink to calm his rising anger. Leaving his car parked at the curb, he walked to the sidewalk — across the street stood a coffee shop.
Waiting for the traffic light to turn green, he stood with one hand in his pocket, his presence standing out sharply in the crowd. People stared — he was strikingly handsome, tall and intimidating with a dangerous edge of sex appeal. His chest was slightly exposed, tattoos peeking out, and his dominant bearing commanded attention even from a distance. His features were sharp and defined, like a gothic painting brought to life.
He was the kind of man people couldn't look away from, yet no one dared approach. His aura was cold and imposing, making him feel unapproachable — and that only added to his allure. Even his bright red eyes seemed to fit perfectly with his intense persona.
Noticing the stares, Taesoo smirked briefly before shifting his focus back to the road. He had no time to linger — he needed to get his thoughts straight before returning to the company building.
A few seconds later, the light turned green. Taesoo stepped onto the crosswalk — cars idled to his left, and he could feel eyes on him from inside every vehicle. Pedestrians moved past in both directions as he made his way toward the coffee shop just a few steps ahead.
Then his phone buzzed: a message from his father, ordering him to return to the company immediately.
"Fucking geezer… tskk."
He muttered under his breath as he walked, irritation flaring up. He knew his father would use this as an excuse to lecture him, still acting like he held authority over Taesoo — as if he needed babysitting at his age.
But Taesoo was the reason the Aurora Consortium had reached such heights. Since he'd taken the reins and managed the business on his own, the company had become all but unstoppable.
He pushed open the cafe door and headed for the counter. The moment he stepped inside, conversations quieted and eyes shifted to him — his presence commanded attention without effort.
"Black coffee."
He spoke plainly, completely unaffected by the stares. He had no time for distractions.
"O-okay, uhm… Anything else?"
The cashier's voice was shaky with nerves. She was both intimidated and drawn to him — his sharp looks and masculine build were unlike anyone she'd ever seen. Her mind drifted to reckless, heated daydreams — images of him gripping her tightly as they breathed together flooding her thoughts.
Her face flushed bright red as she stared, lost in fantasy. Taesoo noticed after a moment and cleared his throat pointedly.
"Ehem. You good? You're gon' burn a hole with that staring, miss."
He sneered lightly and shook his head, snapping her out of it. The girl's cheeks darkened even more as she stammered.
"I-im sorry! I-I'll… I mean, y-your order will be ready s-soon!"
She fumbled with the register, her movements clumsy and rushed. Taesoo let out a low chuckle — the sound was deep and attractive, only making her more flustered.
"H-here… please take a seat."
She held out his receipt, and when Taesoo reached for it, his large hand brushed against hers accidentally. She flinched at the contact, her fingers curling inward.
With that, Taesoo walked to a table in the far corner, claiming the entire space to himself. He settled into his seat, letting his shoulders relax a little as he waited for his drink.
Taesoo settled in to wait, scrolling through the adult content website he owned. He made it a habit to monitor the platform regularly — checking for technical issues, reviewing new streamers, and keeping an eye on his top performers. Among them were his Muses: the three men and two women who'd been in his office earlier that day.
Handpicked by him, they were the site's most popular acts — drawing huge audiences with their dedication and chemistry.
After confirming everything was running smoothly, he opened his private chat with one of the men and selected an unwatched video. He pulled up his gallery, tapped an earbud into his right ear, and hit play — keeping his focus low to avoid attracting notice.
Moans, whimpers, and soft wet sounds filled his earbuds. To Taesoo, it was as familiar and pleasing as music. His gaze was locked on the screen.
"Nhghh.... I want to cum... Taesoo~
My Taesoo... Im cumming—!... Hmph~! "
The performer was Jinho — the man who'd sat in the middle of his desk earlier, and easily one of his favorites. Jinho was fiercely devoted to him, his obsession plain in every sound and movement. The other two men — Eunbyeol and Minho — shared that same intensity, and Taesoo always rewarded their efforts well. All three matched him perfectly, their bodies and drive compatible in every way that mattered.
A slow grin curved his lips as he watched.
"Hmmmm, cute. Too bad I can't play with my bunnies for a while… tsk."
Irritation laced his words — he'd been looking forward to more time with them before the crisis hit.
Over the next eight minutes, he worked through more videos: Eunbyeol's smooth, deliberate style first, then Minho's raw energy. He finished with clips from the two women who'd been by his side in the office, reviewing each tape with the same focus he'd bring to a business report.
Just as he set his phone down, a young cafe worker approached, carefully placing his order on the table.
"Here's your black coffee, sir… umm…"
The guy hesitated, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
"Can I get your name??? Umm — my friend asked me to ask. She's been watching you since you came in."
The guy spoke in a shy, quiet tone — and Taesoo already knew exactly who was asking for his name: the flustered cashier from earlier. He offered a small smile to the fidgeting young man in front of him.
"That's a secret."
His voice was light, teasing just enough to make the guy's eyes widen and cheeks flush pink.
"I-I'm sorry! P-please enjoy your coffee… have a n-nice day!"
The guy bowed several times before hurrying away, leaving Taesoo alone again.
Taesoo had no interest in drawing random strangers into his life. He knew he could be cold, even ruthless — but he made a point not to let innocent people get tangled up in his world. Getting close to him was dangerous, and dealing with those he wasn't even interested in was just too much work, draining his energy when he had far more important things to focus on. It was boring, with no thrill to make the effort worthwhile.
The only exception was when he was genuinely interested in someone — when he found new preys he'd chosen deliberately, people he believed could handle the darkness that came with being part of his life, and who were worth the effort and excitement.
He was especially drawn to certain males who strutted around thinking they were top of the food chain, acting all smug and mighty — there was a particular thrill in breaking down their arrogance and showing them exactly where they stood.
He picked up his cup and took a sip of the black coffee. The rich aroma already helped calm his frayed nerves, and the taste was surprisingly pleasant. Just as he was about to take another drink, a thought crossed his mind.
"Did I put it back in the drawer?"
He set the cup down, muttering to himself. He couldn't remember where he'd left the novel he'd been reading, but decided not to worry about it — he'd find it later once he finished his coffee.
Taesoo drank quickly, knowing he needed to head back soon — someone was waiting for him, after all. He also couldn't help but notice how out of place he looked: the cafe had a soft, clean aesthetic, while his entire outfit was black from head to toe. He snorted quietly to himself — the contrast was almost funny. He usually stuck to fancy restaurants and luxury hotels; this was his first time in a regular neighborhood cafe, and it showed.
Once he was done, he stood and made his way to the door. The moment he stepped outside, his phone buzzed with a notification. He pulled it out to check:
[NOTIFICATION]
A Message from Althea :
" Valentine!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️"
Taesoo's face soured instantly, his expression turning cold and annoyed. The words on the screen did nothing to lift his mood.
"Althea…"
He whispered the name, his voice calm but distant. His day had already gotten off to a rough start — and now this brat was making it even worse.
Althea was his first Muse — a wildly obsessed woman he'd cut off long ago for being too much of a nuisance. What pissed him off most was her calling him Valentine.
Only his current Muses were allowed to use that name. It was his code word — reserved for when they needed, desired, craved, and yearned for his entire being. When they called him Valentine, he'd give them every ounce of his time, attention, affection, assurance, and care. But Althea had never respected the boundaries that came with it.
He'd kicked her out of the group after discovering she'd been starting fights with the other members. Her childish behavior went against everything he stood for. The Muse Harem was originally six strong — three men and three women — but with Althea gone, it was down to five. One of his core rules was clear: never fight with fellow Muses. Jealousy was understandable, but hate and harassment had no place in his circle.
Taesoo hadn't blocked her completely. He knew she was just a brat, consumed by her infatuation for him. And while she'd accepted losing her place as a Muse, she refused to let go of their connection entirely. She chased him like a high school girl after a heartthrob — behavior he found both annoying and childish. Still, he let her be, figuring she'd move on eventually. For now, they were "friends" — though their dynamic was far from normal.
Sighing, Taesoo ignored the message and headed to the sidewalk, waiting for the traffic light to change. A kid had been standing just a few feet to his side — small, dressed in worn jeans and a faded shirt — but he'd barely paid attention until something caught his eye. He shot a quick glance over, and his attention locked instantly on the boy's face.
The kid's eyes were shifting color, cycling slowly from a soft brown to a pale silver, then to an eerie shade of violet that seemed to glow faintly even in the daylight. Each transition was smooth but unsettling, as if his irises were liquid metal being poured and reshaped. As the color settled on deep purple, the boy began moving forward — slowly, mechanically, straight toward the highway where cars sped by without slowing down. His gaze was fixed ahead, completely vacant and oblivious to his surroundings.
It was wrong — deeply so. The boy wasn't blind, yet he moved as if he couldn't see a thing, guided by some force Taesoo couldn't identify. When he realized the kid had no intention of stopping, he took off running.
"—Kid! Watch out—!!!"
He shouted as he bolted toward the road, but the boy didn't react. Adrenaline surged through Taesoo's veins as he pushed himself to sprint faster, his muscles coiling and releasing with every step, determined to reach him before disaster struck.
"Fuck!....."
He yelled, stretching out his arm to grab the boy's shoulder — but just as his fingers were about to close around the fabric, a deafening horn blared from an oncoming truck. People around them screamed in terror, voices rising in a wave of panic as they watched an accident seem inevitable.
Taesoo had only one priority: keeping the kid safe. Without hesitation, he lunged forward and shoved the boy hard enough to send him rolling across the pavement — a sharp thud echoing as the child hit the ground, unharmed but stunned.
But Taesoo was out of time to save himself.
The truck struck him square on the right side of his ribs — a blunt, bone-shattering impact that ripped a crack through the air loud enough to cut through the chaos. Pain detonated across his body in an instant, hot and searing, like molten lead flooding every vein and nerve ending.
The force hurled him backward as if he weighed nothing at all — his body spinning through the air in a dizzying blur of gray asphalt, flashing headlights, and sky. He crashed into the curb with a wet, sickening thud, his skull slamming against the concrete before everything went quiet.
For a long beat, there was nothing but the idle hum of the truck's engine and the thick metallic taste of copper coating his tongue. Then darkness began to creep in at the edges of his vision, cool and heavy as water pulling him down. As consciousness slipped away like sand through his fingers, one thought looped urgently in his mind: the novel he'd been reading. He strained to remember — had he left it on his desk? Or tucked it back in the drawer like he'd meant to? Of all things to fixate on in his final moments, it was that single, misplaced book.
"Ah, fuck…... "
The curse was barely a whisper, his energy bleeding out with every shallow breath. His muscles went slack, his strength spent.
Slowly, deliberately, he let his eyes fall shut — and the darkness rose up to claim him whole.
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"Hey! Hey, human… can you hear me???"
'Weird — why am I hearing a voice?'
"Hey, human. If you're alive, talk. Hello???"
'Who's there? Human?...Why are they calling me that?'
"Tsk… I hope you don't mind… I'm gonna bring back your soul real quick."
'What?!… My soul—?!....'
It felt like he was being pulled up through thick water, each inch a fight against a weight that wanted to drag him down. Then, all at once, his lungs seized — and Taesoo's eyes snapped open, gasping for air as if he'd been held under for far too long. But as his fingers found his ribs, something was wrong — he was whole. Fully, completely unharmed.
"What…? How is this possible? I was hit by a truck. I should be dead."
He spoke aloud, his voice rough with confusion and shock. He ran his hands over his arms, his head, his torso — checking again and again for wounds that never came. Not a scratch, not a bruise, not even the dull ache he'd expect from a fall.
"Are you done yet? I actually need to go, but I made time for you since it's my fault."
The voice cut through his daze, and Taesoo finally focused on his surroundings. He'd assumed he was still in the city — but there was nothing familiar here. No pavement, no lights, no sound of traffic. All around him stretched an endless expanse of darkness, walled in by thick, swirling black fog and shifting shadows.
"Hello?… You with me now? I should probably start by telling you — you're DEAD."
Taesoo's gaze snapped forward, landing on a cluster of fog that seemed to move on its own, circling slowly in front of him. The words hung in the air, cold and heavy — and coming from the mist itself. It was eerie, unnatural, sending a shiver down his spine.
"What…?"
He stared, bewildered. If he was dead, how could he stand here? How could he speak?
"My bad — let me introduce myself first. I'm the one who caused your death… Well, it was an accident, to be fair…"
Taesoo straightened up, facing the floating mass directly. As he watched, the fog began to take shape — twisting and coiling into something solid, something alive. It wasn't just mist — it was an entity, made of shadow and darkness itself.
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