"Mafias, wake up."

Kyung-jun's eyes snapped open.

The dim glow of the emergency lights cast eerie shadows along the empty hallway as he slowly sat up, careful not to wake Minji. He glanced at her sleeping form, her breathing slow and steady, before standing up and slipping out of the storage room.

He knew the others would be waiting.

As soon as he stepped into the designated meeting spot—a darkened classroom on the first floor—he was met with two pairs of furious eyes.

SLAM!

So-mi's hands slammed against the desk, her entire body trembling in rage. "What the fuck was that, Kyung-jun?!"

Jeong-won's expression wasn't as openly angry, but the disappointment in her eyes burned just as much. "Why did you expose him?" Her voice was cold, unreadable. "You knew Woo-ram was mafia, but you still turned everyone against him."

Kyung-jun shoved his hands into his pockets, his posture as nonchalant as ever. "Because I had to."

So-mi let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, you had to? Since when the fuck did you start caring about these people?" She stepped closer, her glare cutting through him like a blade. "Or was it her?"

Kyung-jun's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond.

That only made So-mi angrier. "Oh my god. It is her, isn't it?" She let out a humorless chuckle, running a hand through her hair. "You threw Woo-ram under the bus for some girl?"

"She's not just 'some girl.'"

The words left his mouth before he could stop them, and for a moment, even he was surprised by how quickly he had defended Minji.

So-mi scoffed, crossing her arms. "Unbelievable."

Jeong-won, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. "You put us all in danger, Kyung-jun." Her voice was calm, but the weight behind it was heavier than So-mi's screaming. "We're losing numbers, and now we're outmatched."

Kyung-jun let out a slow breath. "Woo-ram was slipping. If I didn't throw him under, someone else would've suspected him eventually." He leaned against the desk, his gaze unwavering. "I did what I had to do to survive."

"Bullshit." So-mi spat. "You did it because of her."

Kyung-jun remained silent.

Jeong-won's eyes narrowed. "Are you planning to betray us next?"

"No," Kyung-jun said instantly.

Jeong-won studied him carefully, as if trying to read the truth in his expression. Finally, she exhaled, rubbing his temple. "You're a fucking mess, Kyung-jun."

Kyung-jun let out a dry chuckle. "Tell me something I don't know."

So-mi still looked furious, but she knew arguing wouldn't change anything. "So what's the plan now, huh? We need to kill someone."

Kyung-jun's expression hardened. "We pick someone smart. Someone who's suspicious but not obvious. If we take out another major player, the civilians will spiral."

Jeong-won nodded. "Who do you suggest?"

Kyung-jun thought for a moment before smirking.

"I have the perfect target."

"We pick Park Ji-su."

Kyung-jun's words hung heavy in the air.

So-mi raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "Ji-su? Seriously?"

Jeong-won tilted her head, considering. "She's not the smartest, but she's not completely useless either. Why her?"

Jun-hee, who had been silent until now, leaned against the desk with a thoughtful smirk. "Because she's Yoo-joong's girlfriend."

The realization dawned on them all at once.

Yoo-joong was a coward. A complete pushover. He had no backbone—but he loved Ji-su.

If they took her out, he would break.

Kyung-jun nodded, his voice steady. "Yoo-joong won't be able to function without her. He's already barely holding himself together. If Ji-su dies, he'll completely lose it."

"And that'll make him useless," Jeong-won murmured, her eyes glinting with understanding.

Jun-hee chuckled. "It's a solid move. We kill Ji-su, and her death will cause more chaos. Yoo-joong won't be able to focus, and the civilians will waste their time comforting him instead of strategizing."

So-mi let out a slow breath, rolling her shoulders. "Fine. Let's do it." She shot Kyung-jun a glare. "But don't think I'm letting your little betrayal slide."

Kyung-jun didn't react, his face unreadable.

Jeong-won tapped her fingers on the desk. "So how do we do it?"

Jun-hee smirked. "We make it brutal."

So-mi smirked back. "I like the way you think."

Kyung-jun stayed quiet, but deep down, something unsettled him.

He didn't feel guilty for Woo-ram's death. He didn't feel guilty for picking Ji-su.

But when he thought about Minji's reaction to another death...

He swallowed the thought down.

There was no turning back now.

Minji slowly stirred awake, the dim morning light filtering through the cracked windows. Her body ached from sleeping on the cold floor, but the familiar warmth beside her made her hesitate before fully opening her eyes.

Kyung-jun was there. He must have slid next to her sometime in the night. His breathing was steady, his expression calm—too calm.

Minji sat up, rubbing her eyes, when a choked sob echoed through the hallway.

"No... Ji-su... No, please, wake up..."

Her heart dropped.

Yoo-joong was kneeling beside Ji-su's lifeless body, his fingers trembling as he shook her shoulders, desperately trying to wake her. The others stood around him, their faces pale, their hands covering their mouths in horror.

Minji scrambled to her feet, the blood draining from her face. Ji-su's body was curled up near the lockers, her face frozen in an expression of fear. The deep, ugly bruises on her neck told the story.

Another classmate. Another life gone.

"No... please... You promised! You said we'd get out of here together!" Yoo-joong sobbed, his entire body shaking.

Na-hee knelt beside him, rubbing his back gently, while Yoon-seo wiped her own tears. "I'm so sorry..." she whispered.

Minji's hands curled into fists.

She turned sharply toward Kyung-jun, who had just woken up, stretching his arms as if nothing had happened. His face remained completely neutral as he took in the scene.

He didn't even flinch.

Minji's blood boiled.

"How can you be so unbothered?!" she snapped, her voice shaking with anger.

Kyung-jun raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst but remained silent.

"Imagine if it was us instead of them, huh? What if it was me lying there, dead? What if you were the one left behind, crying like that? Would you still not care? Would you still act like this is just another day for you?!"

The words hung between them, sharp and cutting.

For the first time, Kyung-jun's expression shifted. It wasn't guilt, but something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

But then, he scoffed. "That's not going to happen."

Minji's breath hitched. "You don't know that—"

"I do," he cut her off, his voice firm. "Because I won't let it happen."

Minji's chest tightened, her eyes burning. "That's not the point, Kyung-jun! People are dying! We're losing our friends, and you don't even care! Do you really feel nothing?!"

Silence.

Kyung-jun stared at her, his jaw clenched, before finally looking away.

Minji let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "I can't believe you..."

Yoo-joong let out another broken sob in the background, his cries echoing through the hallway.

And for the first time, Minji felt an unfamiliar ache in her heart—something much worse than fear.

It was doubt.

Because suddenly, she wasn't sure she even knew the boy standing in front of her anymore.