Seo Jin slowly lowered his head to the contract as he read the clause again.
Loyalty. Confidentiality. Obedience. Protection of the employer above all.
Above all.
For his mom.
He pressed the tip of the pen onto the signature section before signing.
So Jeo took the paper from his hand without looking.
"Your mother's case will be handled," he said.
"When?" Seo Jin asked.
So Jeo walked toward the door.
"You are in no condition to make any demands."
The door opened.
Two men were already standing there.
"Training begins tomorrow," So Jeo said without turning back. "If you are to stand beside me and protect me, you must not be weak."
"I despise weak people."
Seo Jin could sense the disgust behind those words.
---
Later that night, Seo Jin found it hard to sleep.
Even though the bed was surprisingly soft.
His life had changed so suddenly, from the life of being locked in a basement.
Knock knock.
A soft knock sounded at his door.
He stiffened.
The door was pushed open without giving him the chance to say anything.
A burly man entered.
"The boss asked for your presence."
Seo Jin frowned.
"Now?"
"Yes."
He nodded and pushed the bedsheet aside before getting down from the bed and following the burly man out of the room.
They walked through a hallway lit with golden light.
They stopped in front of a study. Two guards were stationed at the door.
This house is really protected, Seo Jin thought.
Seo Jin pulled the door handle and stepped inside.
So Jeo was on his feet, a phone pressed to his ear.
"Kk," he said into the phone. "I want live footage."
He ended the call.
Seo Jin's heart pounded for no reason.
"What is it?" he asked.
So Jeo walked toward him slowly.
"My men located your house."
Seo Jin's breath stopped.
"And?"
"There are additional personnel stationed around it," So Jeo said.
"What do you mean additional?" Seo Jin asked, confused.
"From my guess, I think your relatives are not the only ones interested in you."
The words shocked Seo Jin.
"Who else?"
So Jeo did not answer immediately. He picked up a tablet from his desk. Within a few clicks, he turned the screen toward Seo Jin, revealing a live video.
His house could be seen.
Or rather, his uncle's house.
Black SUVs were parked outside.
Some men he did not recognize were standing there. They were armed.
"So," So Jeo said quietly,
"Tell me, Seo Jin…"
"Why does your family home have a protection detail that does not belong to your family?"
Silence.
Seo Jin was also confused.
He had no idea.
He realized he wasn't just running from greedy relatives, but from someone else.
Someone powerful.
They might have been involved in his accident too.
"It seems," So Jeo cut through his thoughts, "you are more valuable than I thought."
Suddenly, the video shook.
Before they could react, a man waved directly at the camera.
The signal cut off.
The screen went blank.
"What just happened?" Seo Jin asked, confused.
So Jeo stared at the screen thoughtfully.
"The feed was cut off."
Seo Jin frowned, worried.
"Your men?"
"Possibly," So Jeo replied.
The room went quiet.
Seo Jin stared at the blank screen as if it might magically come back to life.
Those men flashed through his mind again.
They were definitely not his uncle's men. His uncle was not that powerful.
"Those men," Seo Jin said, breaking the silence.
So Jeo leaned slightly against the desk, raising a brow.
"What about them?"
"I have never seen them before," Seo Jin said.
So Jeo narrowed his eyes, carefully watching his expression to see if he was lying.
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure," Seo Jin nodded. "The only men my uncle can hire are thugs. The kind that only know how to drink and brag."
"These men look different," he added, glancing at the blank screen. "Like…"
"Professionals?" So Jeo finished for him.
"Yeah."
Then Seo Jin remembered something.
"The driver said something before the crash."
"What did he say?" So Jeo asked.
Seo Jin sighed and explained what had happened.
"The car I was in was under attack. I remember asking the driver if they were my uncle's men, and he said it was the Madam's hit squad."
The word Madam hung heavily in the air.
"Madam," So Jeo repeated.
Seo Jin watched him quietly.
"Do you know her?"
So Jeo did not answer immediately. He walked to his desk and sat down.
"There are many people in this world who use titles instead of names," he said calmly.
Seo Jin frowned slightly.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I'm pretty sure it did."
Seo Jin sighed.
For some reason, the more things he learned, the less everything made sense.
"Do you think they are here for me?" Seo Jin asked, hoping for another explanation.
Maybe it was just a coincidence.
"It is possible," So Jeo said bluntly.
Seo Jin rubbed the back of his neck.
"I don't see why."
So Jeo's eyes lingered on him.
"People rarely waste their time chasing something with no value."
Seo Jin gave a forced cough.
"If I were that valuable, I wouldn't have spent half my life locked in a basement."
So Jeo did not respond.
Tap.
He tapped a finger lightly on the table.
"My men will look into it again."
Seo Jin nodded.
"But my mom is still in there."
"I know."
"You are very calm," Seo Jin blurted out.
"I prefer to understand my obstacle before jumping in."
Seo Jin tilted his head.
"Like a chess player?"
"Mm," So Jeo hummed. "Chess players live longer."
A small, sad smile appeared on Seo Jin's lips.
"My mother didn't tell me much before she pushed me to run."
His eyes watered slightly, his brow furrowing as he tried to hold it back.
"She said my father's person was waiting for me outside."
"Your father?"
Seo Jin nodded.
"Yes. I was shocked too because I have never seen him in my life."
"My mom never talked about him at all," Seo Jin said.
"Or maybe because most of her life was spent in the hospital."