The room was shrouded in darkness.
An old, turned-off television, the distant hum of the refrigerator, and the flickering of a floor lamp that no one had bothered to fully switch on. The air felt warm, heavy… as if the world had stopped spinning for a mont.
I was sitting on a couch that wasn't mine.
Chaerin was asleep beside , her head resting on my shoulder. Her breathing was slow, uneven. Her face still bore the marks of what she'd endured, but at least… she was sleeping. At least, she'd managed to let go of the weight for a mont.
She wore my black jacket, wrapped in it as if trying to disappear.
I just watched her in silence. Sotis, her fingers twitched.
Then my phone vibrated in my hand.
Mom.
I answered with a soft sigh.
"Mom…"
I couldn't hide the fatigue in my voice. Nor the tension.
"Sorry… I won't be coming ho tonight. I'm with so friends. We're having a sleepover."
The lie ca out easily.
Too easily.
There was silence on the other end. Then her voice ca, soft, surprised.
"With friends? You?"
I swallowed.
"Yeah."
Another lie.
And each word weighed heavier than the last.
"Well… alright," she said after a few seconds. "Just… take care of yourself, okay? Make sure you eat sothing. Did you bring your dicine?"
My chest tightened. I closed my eyes for a second.
"Yeah, Mom. Everything's fine. I just… needed to be away tonight."
"I understand."
But she said it without understanding. Without knowing I'd been covered in blood just an hour ago. That I had crushed six people with my bare hands. That I was in the house of a beaten girl, with shattered fists… and an even more shattered soul.
"I love you, Suhyeon."
Her voice was fragile. Honest.
Like a thread of light piercing all the darkness.
My lips pressed together. My throat, too.
"I love you too, Mom."
I hung up.
And stayed silent.
I stared at the phone for a few seconds longer, as if the weight of that call was harder to carry than Chaerin on my back.
I felt filthy.
For not telling her the truth.
For hiding what I was becoming.
For pretending I was with "friends" when, in truth, I could barely even call myself human.
I told myself I lied to protect her.
But deep down… I did it to avoid hearing her worry.
Because if she told to co back, to be safe, to stay away from the violence, from the fists, from the system… maybe I would.
And that, now, was impossible.
I let out a slow breath. Tilted my head back. Looked at the ceiling.
Chaerin was still asleep, her brow faintly furrowed even in dreams.
And I… hoped she wouldn't wake up just yet.
Because I wasn't ready to face what would co next.
Suhyeon kept looking at the ceiling, his gaze weary, his thoughts swirling. The room was silent. Chaerin slept against his shoulder, breathing softly. And for a mont, he thought maybe… he could rest too.
But then, without warning, the screen appeared.
[System]
The Card Challenger wants to et you.
"Damn it, I'm not in the mood for the system right now," he muttered, frowning in frustration.
[System]
The recently acquired card will be used automatically.
"What…?"
His eyes narrowed.
[System]
Using the gold card "et and Greet."
"Wait a second… that card is…" he thought, sitting up slowly as a rising unease prickled across his skin.
And that's when he noticed it.
Chaerin was gone.
The warmth on his shoulder had vanished. So had the room. No more furniture, no lights, no walls. Just a suspended void in chanical silence. A space frozen between one second and the next.
And then it appeared.
The card manifested before his eyes.
Gigantic. Overwhelming.
It wasn't made of paper.
It was a golden, floating structure, impossible in its design, built from gears that turned in perfect synchrony—like a divine chanism awakening. The fra glowed with its own light, every detail carved as if it were a relic from another world.
At the center, on a slowly rotating blue gear, was the symbol: a white exclamation point.
A clear sign.
The card had been activated.
"You…" Suhyeon murmured, staring, not moving an inch.
The card didn't answer with text.
It spoke.
With a voice.
A voice that wasn't human, nor entirely robotic… but sothing brushing the unnatural. As if soone was speaking from inside an abyss.
"Allow to introduce myself"
"I am the Card Challenger"
"I know this isn't the best mont to talk… but I couldn't pass up the chance to et you"
There was a low hum, like electricity caught in the air.
The card floated before him, illuminating the shadowy room.
And then…
The voice dropped.
Deeper.
More direct.
More disturbing.
"Suhyeon Kim… or rather…"
Silence.
"…the presence that should not exist"
"We need to talk about many things, little anomaly"
The silence that followed was not just silence.
It felt as if the universe had blinked.
As if sothing deep within the fabric of the world had just realized its mistake.
And then I understood.
I wasn't being observed by just any card.
I wasn't just another player in this ga.
I was the crack in the rules.
The flaw in the equation.
The shadow even the system had failed to foresee.
And for the first ti…
I didn't know if I was still myself,
or rely an error walking in human form.
> I was a glitch.
And the ga… had just noticed.
[A month later]
The night slled of tal.
And fear.
At the top of so random building, a scene was silently unfolding.
Down the stairs of the building, bodies fell like rag dolls: beaten, unconscious, or simply too terrified to get up. Suhyeon's knuckles were stained with the blood of others, but his face... remained completely intact. Unperturbed. As if none of it mattered to him.
He wore an all-black formal outfit: a button-down shirt buttoned up to the neck, tight pants, and shiny shoes that didn't have a single drop of blood on them. Sunglasses hid his eyes, but not his presence.
His black hair was precisely styled in a comma shape that frad his face as if each strand had been placed with intention. Elegant. Sharp. Intimidating.
And under his left eye, like a warning mark, was a black pike. Simple. Deep. Unforgettable.
One of the last n standing, a boy with a torn shirt and a bloodied face, stared at him with wide eyes. His voice, broken with rage and fear, burst into a scream:
"You... who the hell are you! How could you defeat my hundred n all by yourself? You damn madman!"
But his scream faded, turning into a trembling whisper as he looked at him again.
"You... you... are..."
He took a step back, trembling.
"The Fuda Yaburi... the card breaker..."
That na wasn't just any nickna. It was a whisper in the alleys, a warning among gang mbers: if you see the black pike under his eye, run.
"I'm sorry... I didn't know it was you, Fuda Yaburi. We won't ddle in your affairs again."
Suhyeon looked at him without emotion.
And finally he spoke, with a calmness more cutting than any shout:
"Why do bastards like you think you're so tough just because you have a big group without being strong? Can't you leave alone for once when I'm out with my girlfriend?"
Silence fell like a sentence.
Then he took a step forward and, without warning, raised his hand and grabbed the boy by the face.
His fingers closed firmly around his jaw, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. The guy kicked in the air, gasping, trying to break free.
"Your group is worthless if you're weak yourself," Suhyeon muttered, his voice dulled by indifference.
And then...
It happened.
From Suhyeon's palm, as if sothing ancient had been activated inside him, a dark purple aura began to emanate.
It wasn't visible to everyone.
Only he could see it.
But the effect was impossible to ignore.
Master card:
[Attack Card]
> (Mana Drain)
You are able to drain an opponent's stats and permanently increase your own.
*This card cannot be used on opponents who are too strong.
The aura spread slowly like thick smoke, coiling around the boy's body. First it covered his chest, then his arms, then his face... and finally, it enveloped him completely.
The attacker's eyes widened excessively. His skin began to lose color, his muscles began to contract, and his cheeks sank. He was dehydrating... but not from a lack of water, but from a lack of essence.
He was being sucked dry.
The aura seed to feed on him, devouring everything that made him strong, everything that kept him standing.
And Suhyeon, still with his arm outstretched, just watched.
His face showed no anger. No satisfaction.
Only calm.
When the boy's body beca thin, as if it had been drained to the depths of his soul, Suhyeon released his face. He fell to the ground like a broken doll.
The aura slowly returned to him. Silently. Like an obedient shadow.
And then, Suhyeon walked away without looking back. As if he had just stepped on a dry leaf.
❖ [Status: Sealed – Limited Statistics]
[Suhyeon Kim]
Height: 180 centiters.
Weight: 70 kilograms.
Strength: S
Speed: S
Potential: S
Intelligence: S
Endurance: S
❖ Active Seals: 2 / 2
Golden Card:
[Activation Card]
> (The 2 Seals of the Limit)
While the seal is active, your apparent stats will remain low.
*Festival Effect: Each seal reduces your stats by 2.
"..."
The distant murmur of traffic barely filtered through the half-open window.
Inside the apartnt, only the soft hum of the ceiling fan could be heard. The lights were off, except for the pale blue glow filtering in from nearby buildings, casting an artificial calm over everything.
The room was silent.
Suhyeon was fast asleep.
He was lying on his side, dressed only in white shorts, his chest bare and his breathing calm. Next to him, Chaerin was awake, her eyes open in the dim light. She was wearing a white outfit—a bra and simple, light cotton bottoms—and her body still seed enveloped in the recent warmth of the monts they had shared.
Her cheeks were still slightly flushed, and her pulse was rapid.
The quilt covered them to the waist, but it wasn't the cold that kept her close to him.
It was him.
Chaerin watched him silently, her face tilted slightly over his shoulder. One of her hands rested on Suhyeon's chest, feeling the slow rhythm of his heart. At that mont, he seed so calm... so far from the monster everyone feared, from the Fuda Yaburi who cut through enemies with a soulless gaze.
But with her...
With her, it was different.
When they were alone, he wasn't the letter breaker.
He was Suhyeon.
The boy who lowered his voice so as not to wake her. Who offered her his jacket in silence without saying why. Who held her gaze longer than he would admit... even if he later pretended to be indifferent.
Chaerin sighed. She moved a little closer. Carefully, as if she didn't want to break the mont, she lifted his face and kissed him softly on the forehead.
Suhyeon didn't wake up.
But sothing in him stirred. As if even in his sleep he could feel her touch.
He turned slowly toward her, and his arm, without seeking it, naturally wrapped around her waist, drawing her toward his bare chest. His face ca closer to hers, as if sleep were guiding him to the only place where his soul found peace.
Chaerin closed her eyes for a mont.
And smiled.
Because deep down she knew that the world would never understand the real Suhyeon.
But she did.
Chaerin gently rested her head on Suhyeon's chest. He was still asleep, his brow slightly furrowed even in his dreams, as if his body could never fully relax.
She looked at him tenderly and caressed his face with her fingertips, barely brushing his cheek. Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Thank you for taking care of ... I know it wasn't a good date as planned, but... seeing how you protected made my heart race even faster for you."
Her words were lost in the air, soft and sincere.
And then, as she looked at him silently, she rembered...
[A few hours earlier – Flashback]
The night had begun with simple promises.
A night out. A dinner. An excuse to pretend, for just a few hours, that the world didn't hurt so much.
Chaerin walked with her arm around Suhyeon's as they strolled down the sidewalk. The city felt different that night—less harsh, warr. As if, just this once, it had decided to give them space to breathe.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Suhyeon wore a perfectly ironed black shirt, dark pants, and polished shoes. His hair was neatly styled, dark sunglasses in place. He walked with firm confidence—but a quiet warmth that only she could see.
Chaerin smirked.
"I didn't know you had this 'dark prince' mode hidden away."
Suhyeon turned his head slightly.
"Is that supposed to be a complint?"
"It is… and a warning. Don't get used to this, or I'll start demanding you dress like this every day."
"Oh really? And you'll be taking to fancy dinners every weekend?"
Chaerin laughed and leaned closer against his arm.
"Don't rule it out."
Suhyeon smiled too. For a mont, neither of them said a word. They walked as if the world couldn't touch them.
Chaerin wore a long black dress—elegant without trying—her shoulders bare. Her hair loose, makeup subtle. But what shone the most were her eyes. And it wasn't from the streetlights.
"This place… I didn't know you were such a romantic."
Suhyeon lowered his gaze, a half-smile on his lips.
"I wanted tonight to feel different. I wanted you to feel different."
She looked at him for a second, then kissed his cheek softly.
"You nailed it."
They walked in.
Dim lights. Distant piano. Low voices. Everything felt like another world. A pause from reality.
The waiter led them to a table by the window. Chaerin sat down with grace. Suhyeon sat across from her and took off his sunglasses for the first ti that night. Their eyes t.
His were tired, yes… but sothing else lingered too: a shy tenderness, a rare fragility.
Chaerin leaned on the table, resting her elbows.
"You've got that look… like soone who doesn't know whether to laugh or run."
Suhyeon chuckled quietly. He laced his fingers with hers and kissed her hand gently.
"Sotis… with you, I feel like I can be transparent."
Chaerin stared at him for a mont, then smiled.
"And sotis… with you, I forget how ssed up the world is."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Getting a little cheesy, aren't I?"
"You are… and I love it."
"Then I'm winning."
Chaerin leaned in a little closer. Their foreheads brushed.
"You know what used to make laugh about you?" she whispered.
"My face?"
"That you got nervous every ti I flirted with you. Like a giant puppy."
Suhyeon shook his head, amused.
"And you? Acting all tough but lting every ti I called you 'pretty.'"
"Lies!" she said, half-embarrassed. "It was… heat. Not blush."
"Emotional heat, sure."
They both laughed softly, conspirators in a secret only they shared.
After ordering, they talked slowly. About the food. About daily life. About mories. Chaerin told him how, as a little girl, she used to dream of having a date like this. And Suhyeon admitted he'd never had one.
"Always sowhere else," he said quietly.
Chaerin reached out and caressed his cheek with tenderness.
"And now you're here."
"With you," he replied.
She got up to go to the bathroom and kissed his forehead before leaving.
Suhyeon watched her walk away with a soft, almost silly smile… until the atmosphere shifted.
The hallway to the restrooms wasn't well lit. But that didn't stop him from sensing it: the change in the air. The tension. The danger behind cheap smiles.
Chaerin was gone for just a couple of minutes. But it was enough.
As she ca out, a man stepped in front of her. Well-dressed. Drink in hand. A crooked smile.
"Hey, gorgeous. Haven't seen you around. You here alone?"
"I'm with soone," she replied, not stopping.
"The guy with the glasses? Co on, you can do better."
Chaerin tried to walk past him, but he stepped closer. Then, as if summoned, two more n appeared, laughing, blocking her way.
"Don't be like that, we just wanna chat."
"You're way too pretty to waste your night like this."
Then ca a voice.
Not loud. Not angry.
Just cold. Sharp. Like a knife already buried.
"Take one more step… and you bleed."
All three turned.
Suhyeon was standing there. Sunglasses on again. No smile. No patience.
One of them raised his hands, mocking.
"Chill out, man. We're just talking."
"I'm not your man. And this isn't talking."
Suhyeon walked toward them slowly. But with each step, the air tightened.
"Back off," one warned.
"Don't talk. Bleed."
The first didn't even have ti to react. Suhyeon grabbed him by the collar and slamd him against the wall. A nearby vase crashed to the floor.
The second tried to grab him from behind, but Suhyeon spun and landed a sharp elbow to his chest. He flew back, hitting an empty table.
The third, now pale, stumbled backward, nearly tripping over a chair.
"This guy's crazy!"
"You knew that before you touched her."
The first tried to get up, but Suhyeon held him by the throat just a few seconds longer—enough to make him regret it.
"You okay?" he asked, without looking back.
Chaerin, who had kept calm until then, nodded. Her voice steady, though her hand trembled slightly.
"Yeah. It's over. Suhyeon, that's enough."
He released the guy, who collapsed like a rag doll.
Then he turned and reached for her hand.
"Let's go."
"Where?"
"Anywhere you won't have to see scum like this again."
Chaerin looked down for a mont. Then she t his eyes.
"I don't want to leave."
"You want to stay here?"
"I want to stay with you. Even if the world's a ss… even if they bring more."
Suhyeon looked at her. And for the first ti that night, he was speechless.
She stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her head on his chest.
"You're crazy…" he whispered.
"I know."
"You could walk away. Avoid all of this. Choose not to deal with ."
"But I chose to stay," she whispered against his shirt.
Suhyeon closed his eyes. His breathing slowed. His heartbeat sped up.
Then, without another word, he cupped her face in both hands—and kissed her.
A long kiss. Firm. Full of everything he didn't know how to say.
Chaerin kissed him back without hesitation, her arms around his neck, holding on like the world was falling apart—and he was the only safe place left.
When they pulled away, just slightly, Suhyeon rested his forehead against hers.
"Stay crazy. Stay mine."
Chaerin smiled, eyes still closed.
"Only if you stay too, my lunatic."
And with soft laughter, leaving the chaos behind them, they walked back to their table hand in hand—as if nothing, and no one, could ever take that mont from them.
[Back to the present – Chaerin's bedroom]
The image faded into the darkness, like a sigh lost at dawn.
Chaerin looked at him again.
And between whispers, as her body slowly relaxed next to his, she repeated:
"Thank you, Suhyeon... for being there."
---
ssage from the author:
Hey! If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.
I just wanted to ntion sothing: a few hours ago, I made a little mistake. I accidentally deleted chapter 1 and uploaded it as chapter 8. I was editing all the chapters one by one, and well... I ssed up.
I know so of you got excited thinking there was a new chapter, so as a way of apologizing, I decided to give you this one ahead of ti.
I hope you enjoyed it, and if you noticed any flaws in the romantic parts... please be patient with , I'm still learning how to write these kinds of scenes haha.
See you in the next one!
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