The night sky was pitch dark. Thick clouds veiled the moonlight. In a narrow alley between worn-out buildings, the echo of footsteps lingered. A teenage boy walked slowly, a sports bag slung over his shoulder, eyes fixed straight ahead.
Jung Kok.
He wasn't like the other teenagers in the area. Quiet, calm-faced, but behind the silence, strength hid in every step. Since childhood, he had been trained in martial arts by his father — not to attack, but to defend.
The alley was a shortcut to home. But tonight, it felt quieter than usual.
"Hey, good boy..." A rough voice called from behind.
Jung Kok stopped. Five men emerged from the shadows of a building, one of them smirking wickedly. It was Jung Joon, his older brother.
"Dad's getting old. You know he wants to hand everything over to you, don't you?" Jung Joon approached, his breath reeking of alcohol. "You're not worthy."
Jung Kok said nothing. His eyes stared straight at his brother — not afraid, not angry.
"I don't want that power," Jung Kok replied quietly. "I'm not like you."
"You're right, you're nothing like me," Jung Joon said with a sharp chuckle. "You're weak."
Suddenly, a punch flew toward Jung Kok. He dodged effortlessly, stepping aside with perfect control. One of Jung Joon's men tried to strike from behind, but Jung Kok twisted his arm and shoved him against the wall.
"I don't want to fight you, Jung Joon," he said, breath steady.
Jung Joon glared, eyes burning red. "But I do."
Before the others could join in, a voice cut through the darkness.
"Enough."
Kim, their father's right-hand man, stepped out from the shadows with a stern expression.
"Your father wants you home," he said firmly.
Jung Joon scoffed. "He has no right—"
"If you continue, I'll make the decision myself." Kim's tone turned cold. His hand hovered near the weapon on his waist.
Jung Joon stepped back, eyes stabbing into his brother. "This isn't over."
He and his men disappeared into the dark alley.
Kim turned to Jung Kok. "You okay?"
Jung Kok nodded. "Joon hyung's getting worse."
Kim moved closer. "And your father's getting weaker. You need to be ready, Jung Kok. This world doesn't wait for people like you."
Jung Kok looked up at the sky. Still dark.
Kim accompanied him down the quiet alley toward a black car waiting at the end. The engine was running. The driver — a cold, expressionless man — opened the back door. Jung Kok climbed in, Kim sat beside him.
"He won't stop, will he?" Jung Kok finally asked, breaking the silence.
Kim remained quiet for a moment before answering, "No. Jung Joon never understood what 'enough' means."Jung Joon stepped back, eyes stabbing into his brother. "This isn't over."
He and his men disappeared into the dark alley.
Kim turned to Jung Kok. "You okay?"
Jung Kok nodded. "Joon hyung's getting worse."
Kim moved closer. "And your father's getting weaker. You need to be ready, Jung Kok. This world doesn't wait for people like you."
Jung Kok looked up at the sky. Still dark.
Kim accompanied him down the quiet alley toward a black car waiting at the end. The engine was running. The driver — a cold, expressionless man — opened the back door. Jung Kok climbed in, Kim sat beside him.
"He won't stop, will he?" Jung Kok finally asked, breaking the silence.
Kim remained quiet for a moment before answering, "No. Jung Joon never understood what 'enough' means."Jung Joon stepped back, eyes stabbing into his brother. "This isn't over."
He and his men disappeared into the dark alley.
Kim turned to Jung Kok. "You okay?"
Jung Kok nodded. "Joon hyung's getting worse."
Kim moved closer. "And your father's getting weaker. You need to be ready, Jung Kok. This world doesn't wait for people like you."
Jung Kok looked up at the sky. Still dark.
Kim accompanied him down the quiet alley toward a black car waiting at the end. The engine was running. The driver — a cold, expressionless man — opened the back door. Jung Kok climbed in, Kim sat beside him.
"He won't stop, will he?" Jung Kok finally asked, breaking the silence.
Kim remained quiet for a moment before answering, "No. Jung Joon never understood what 'enough' means."
The drive home was short, but the silence was heavy. When they arrived at the grand house on the outskirts of town, the atmosphere was still. The house was quiet, except for one lit window upstairs — Hwang's room.
Kim motioned for Jung Kok to go up first.
Upstairs, Jung Kok walked slowly toward his father's room. The door was left open. The scent of tobacco and old herbs filled the air. Inside, Hwang sat in a chair facing the window, his back to the door.
"Come in," his raspy voice said, as if he already knew who it was.
Jung Kok quietly closed the door and stood behind him.
"I heard you ran into your brother."
"He tried to attack me."
Hwang let out a long sigh. "I expected as much. Power, when given to the wrong person, becomes poison."
Jung Kok clenched his fists. "Why did Joon hyung turn out like that, Father?"
Silence.
For a moment, only the ceiling fan and the wind outside could be heard. Then, slowly, Hwang stood and walked to the corner of the room. There, a wooden chest sat. He lifted the lid — inside were old files, worn photos, and a cloth-wrapped pistol.
"It's time you knew something," he said.
He handed Jung Kok an old photo. It showed a young man — his face almost like Jung Kok's — surrounded by armed men.
"That's me, twenty-five years ago."
Jung Kok looked at his father, frowning.
"My real name isn't Hwang. I was born Han Jung, the son of a poor carpenter in Busan. But I was a nobody, had no future… Until I joined a dark organization called the Gyeongnam Tribe."
Hwang's face hardened, his eyes gazing blankly at the photo.
"We did dirty work. Threats, beatings, sold information… but the worst — we trafficked people. Women. No mercy. And me… I led the collection team. I was the one who caught them."
Jung Kok was stunned. "Why… why are you telling me this now?"
"Because I know I don't have much time left. And because I don't want you to repeat my mistakes."
Hwang sat back down. This time, he didn't look like a father — but like an old man, weary from the weight of his past.
"One day, I fell in love with one of our captives. She was strong. Fought until the end. But I couldn't hand her over to the higher-ups. I saved her. Your mother. Her name was… So Hee."
Jung Kok was shocked. "Mother… was a captive?"
Hwang nodded slowly.
"Because of her, I turned against my own gang. Killed our leaders. After that, I ran… and built a new life with a new name. But not everyone died. Some are still looking for me — even now."
Jung Kok sat down. The world he thought he knew — quiet, calm, only haunted by his father's shadow — was actually tangled with blood and betrayal.
"The gang I lead now…"
"Is made up of those who stayed loyal. Those who left with me, who also wanted change… but I was wrong. While I focused too much on strength and control, I didn't see… they were becoming like the old days again. Including your brother."
A soft sob echoed from the door. Min stood there, unaware the door had slightly opened. She covered her mouth.
"Min?" Jung Kok asked gently.
Min stepped in, eyes red. "Sorry… I overheard everything."
Jung Kok couldn't find words. The truth was too heavy.
"But I'm still here, Jung Kok. You're not alone."
Hwang gave a faint smile. "Min… you've always been a loyal friend and aide to him."
At that moment, Kim entered the room. His face was tense.
"There's news. A gang from Gwangju is on the move. Old members from the Gyeongnam Tribe. They're looking for… Han Jung."
Hwang took a deep breath. "The time has come. The past has returned."
He looked at Jung Kok. "If I fall, you'll have to decide. Continue my path… or destroy it all and build something new."
And that night, the dark sky, as if holding thousands of secrets… began to tremble, as if bracing for the storm to come.