I can’t believe this is happening… he thought bitterly, his hand tightening around the worn edges of Rocky’s business card. He had gripped it so hard the ink had smudged, as if crushing it could erase the reality it carried.

When he finally reached the run-down building they called home, he pushed the door open with a faint click. The familiar creak echoed in the silence.

Inside, Michael sat curled up on the thin mattress, his eyes immediately lighting up the moment he saw him.

“Won! You’re back!”

Won forced a smile, stepping inside. 

“Yeah… sorry I took so long.”

He sat down beside Michael, the silence between them heavy. Michael studied his face carefully, as if trying to read words left unspoken.

“Did something happen?” he asked softly.

Won turned his gaze away, unable to meet his brother’s eyes. His chest tightened. 

“Michael… we’re leaving.”

Michael blinked, confusion flickering across his expression.

“Leaving? But… where?”

A deep sigh escaped Won as he pressed a hand over his face. 

“Somewhere safer. We… we can’t stay here anymore.”

Michael hugged the thin blanket tighter around himself, unease creeping into his voice. 

“Is it because of that man?”

Won hesitated before nodding slowly.

 “Yeah. His name’s Rocky. He… he knows about us.”

He stood abruptly, moving to gather their few belongings scattered across the cramped room. His movements were rushed, determined, like a man trying to outrun a storm.

“He said he won’t call the cops… if I do what he says.”

Michael’s voice came out in a fragile whisper, the kind that carried more fear than the words themselves.

“Is it because of me?”

Won froze for a moment, then lowered himself down to Michael’s level. He forced a smile, though the heaviness in his eyes betrayed him. “No.....it was never your fault and it will never be”

Michael searched his face, uncertain, but he nodded slowly, as if clinging to Won’s reassurance. Won reached out, ruffling his hair gently, the gesture both protective and apologetic.

"Everything will be fine if we listen" he said.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Won busied himself with folding the few clothes they had, stuffing them into a worn-out bag. Each item he packed felt like a reminder of their fragile existence—how easily everything they knew could be torn away.

Michael watched him quietly, his blanket pulled tight around his shoulders. He wanted to ask more, but the words stayed caught in his throat. Instead, he whispered, 

“Will we be okay?”

Won stopped, his hand hovering over the bag. He turned, meeting Michael’s eyes with a firmness that masked his own doubts.

 “Yeah. I’ll make sure of it.”

The room fell into silence again, broken only by the soft rustle of fabric and the faint hum of the city outside. Eventually, the weight of exhaustion began to press down on them both.

Won sat beside Michael once more, letting out a slow breath. 

“We’ll leave soon. But for now…” He glanced at the dark window, then back at Michael. “…we should rest. Big day tomorrow.”

Michael hesitated, then leaned closer, laying his head against Won’s shoulder. The tension in his small body slowly eased as his eyelids grew heavy.

Won stayed still, letting him rest, his own eyes fixed on the ceiling. Sleep wouldn’t come easily for him—not with Rocky’s words echoing in his head—but for Michael’s sake, he pretended. He lay back on the thin mattress, pulling the blanket over them both.

“Goodnight, Michael,” he murmured softly.

“Goodnight, Won…” Michael’s voice was already fading into sleep.

And in the dim silence of their cramped room, with uncertainty looming over them like a shadow, they called it a night.

----

The next morning, the world seemed almost too sharp, too bright. 

A sleek black car rolled to a stop in front of a towering glass-and-steel building that loomed like a monument to power. When the driver opened the door, Won stepped out first, Michael trailing closely behind.

Won tilted his head back, staring up at the endless windows glittering in the sunlight. This place… it’s a damn palace.

Beside him, Michael clutched at his sleeve, his wide eyes reflecting both awe and dread. 

“Are we really… living here?”

Won’s lips tightened. “…Just for now,” he said, though the words felt as uncertain as the ground beneath them.

The heavy front door swung open before they could move. Rocky leaned casually against the frame, his smirk sharp enough to cut. 

“You’re late.”

Won’s jaw clenched. He met Rocky’s eyes without flinching.

 “Didn’t realize you were my boss now.”

Rocky chuckled, the sound low and amused.

 “You’re not here for vacation. Come in.”

The building swallowed them whole as they stepped inside. The air was cool, the floors polished to a shine. Every corner reeked of wealth and order—everything their small, crumbling room had never been.

“Wow…” Michael whispered under his breath, his voice carrying both wonder and disbelief.

Rocky gestured lazily toward the hallway. 

“Your room’s down there. Third door. The kid stays with you.”

Won didn’t move immediately. His gaze lingered on Rocky, sharp and guarded. 

“…What now?”

Without so much as a glance back, Rocky strode past him. 

“Now, we talk. My office. Ten minutes.”

The echo of his footsteps faded as he disappeared down the hall.

Michael tugged lightly at Won’s arm, his fingers curling into the fabric of his sleeve as Rocky disappeared down the hall. His voice came out in a whisper, uncertain, almost afraid.

“Are you sure about this?”

Won glanced down at him, then lifted his hand to rest gently on Michael’s head. His smile was faint—forced, but warm enough to ease the boy’s trembling.

 “No,” he admitted quietly. “But we don’t have another choice.”

Moments later, Won found himself standing in front of a door at the end of the hall. The polished wood seemed heavier than stone, its silence pressing against him as he hesitated.

What kind of person goes from threatening you… to giving you a place to sleep?

He exhaled, steadying himself, and raised his hand to knock. The sharp sound echoed once before a soft click broke the stillness.

“Come in,” Rocky’s voice called from the other side.

Won pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dim, its light filtered through half-drawn blinds. Shelves lined the walls, packed tight with files and documents, the faint smell of paper and ink lingering in the air. At the center stood a large desk, meticulously neat, with stacks of paperwork arranged in perfect order.

Behind it sat Rocky, his expression unreadable as he gestured to the chair across from him.

“Sit.”

Won obeyed cautiously, lowering himself into the seat, every muscle tense. His eyes narrowed, guarded, as Rocky leaned back in his chair.

“You think I brought you here to mess with you?” Rocky asked, his tone calm—almost too calm.

Won’s lips curved into something between a sneer and a bitter smile. 

“Wouldn’t be the first time someone did.”

For a long moment, Rocky didn’t respond. His gaze held steady, weighing Won as if peeling back every layer he’d built to protect himself. Then, finally, he spoke.

“You’re right. I could turn you in.” He let the words hang in the air, heavy and deliberate. “But I’m not.”

Won’s brows furrowed slightly, confusion flickering across his face. 

“…Then why bring us here?”

Rocky folded his hands on the desk, his voice steady, carrying no hint of hesitation.

“Because I know what it’s like to have no one. And because I need someone like you.”

The room grew quieter, the weight of his words settling between them. Won’s eyes narrowed, curiosity breaking through his defenses.

Rocky leaned forward just slightly, his gaze intent. 

“You’ve survived worse than most adults I know. You don’t scare easy. You don’t crack under pressure. That’s rare.”

Won stared back at him, the silence thick with unspoken questions. For the first time, he wasn’t sure if Rocky was a threat… or an opportunity.

“You’re still using me,” he muttered, his voice edged with quiet defiance.

Rocky didn’t flinch. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, his tone calm and deliberate. 

“I’m offering you a deal. Work with me. Protect the kid. Keep him safe… but this time, without running.”

Won’s fists clenched in his lap as he lowered his gaze to the floor. The silence between them stretched thin, heavy enough to suffocate. 

“…And if I say no?”

Rocky’s response came softer than expected, almost gentle. 

“Then you’re free to leave. But how long do you think you’ll last?”

The words stung because they were true. Won knew the answer, even if he hated it. Slowly, he lifted his head, his eyes narrowing with reluctant understanding.

 “…You’re not threatening me anymore, are you?”

“Not anymore,” Rocky replied quietly.

Won leaned back in the chair, exhaling hard as he stared up at the ceiling. A humorless chuckle escaped him. 

“…You’re so annoying.”

The corner of Rocky’s mouth twitched, the faintest hint of a smirk.

 “I’ll take that as a maybe.”

Pushing himself to his feet, Won stood, his movements deliberate and slow. His jaw tightened as he spoke.

 “I’ll do it. But not for you.”

Rocky arched an eyebrow, studying him. 

“Then for who?”

Won’s eyes hardened, fierce and unwavering. 

“For Michael.”

That answer seemed to please Rocky more than anything else could have. Leaning back in his chair, he allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. 

“Smart answer.”

“This is… too much.”

Won muttered the words under his breath, but the weight in his voice was impossible to miss.

Rocky didn’t respond. Instead, he crossed the room with his usual calm stride, opened a closet, and pulled out a thin file folder. He let it fall onto the bed with a soft thud. 

“Read that before tomorrow,” he said flatly. “You’ll start small. We’ll talk details after.”

Won’s eyes lingered on the folder, his jaw tightening.

 “You’re not wasting any time, huh?”

Rocky smirked as though the words amused him.

 “Time is money.”

Without another glance, he headed toward the door. His hand lingered on the knob, his tone quieter but still edged with certainty. 

“Get some rest. You’ll need it.”

He shut the door  behind him, leaving a silence that seemed almost heavier than his presence.