The office of Heuk-yeon was submerged in a silence so cold it seemed to swallow even the sound of breathing.

The silence was broken by a trembling voice and desperate excuses. The man kneeling on the floor, covered in blood, was fumbling at the ground with his fingertips, trying to find any way to survive.

"It... it was a mistake. Chairman, just once... please, just forgive me once..."

Every time I heard it, my stomach twisted violently. How many chances did I give a guy like you? It was a number not even worth remembering.

Shut up. I don't want to hear it.

A gunshot rang out along with the low-muttered words. Following the short, sharp sound, the man's body collapsed limply, leaving only red stains on the white wall. There was no emotion. I had simply finished what needed to be done.

I tossed the handgun in my hand toward Park Jung-min indifferently.

Park Jung-min was a subordinate who had been by my side for a long time. A man of few words and quick hands. A guy who cleans up the aftermath perfectly without me having to say a word. That's probably why he's survived this long.

Looking down at the stains spreading on my shirt sleeve, irritation surged. As I stripped the shirt off and threw it aside, the tattoos covering my upper body were revealed. To some, they were a warning; to others, a source of terror.

Filthy until the very end. What a nuisance.

Park Jung-min silently handed me a fresh shirt. Even though we'd been together for nearly ten years, he still breathed carefully in my presence. That attitude was familiar, yet almost amusing.

I have plans later. Get the car ready.

The hand buttoning the shirt paused. Park Jung-min hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Are you going to see that person?"

At those words, my stiffened lips relaxed just a fraction.

Yeah. She said she wanted to eat steak yesterday.

It was a short answer, but the voice was different than before. The icy temperature thawed ever so slightly.

Make a reservation at a good place. I need to match her mood today.

No matter how dirty the world is or how much blood is on my hands, I wanted to keep just one person outside of it all. That was the only line I intended to protect, and the final reason that made me believe I was still living like a human being.