Chapter 16
The van teetered at the cliff’s edge, metal creaking under its own weight.
For a second, it just stayed there, like the world itself was holding its breath.
Then, all at once, it gave out.
It plunged.
BOOM.
The explosion shook the ground, fire swallowing what remained of the wreckage.
But away from the burning wreck, at the very edge of the cliff,
Yin clung to life.
One arm dangled over the abyss, the other desperately holding onto unconscious Jaeyel.
Blood streamed down his face, mixing with sweat and dirt.
His grip on Jaeyel was slipping, his fingers numb, his body wrecked from the impact. His chest heaved, every muscle straining just to keep Jaeyel from falling.
And then, he saw it.
A tree, growing out of the rock further down.
His breath was ragged. His arms shook.
Yin clenched his jaw.
He didn’t want to let go.
His fingers curled tighter around Jaeyel’s waist.
One more second.
Just one more.
But he didn’t have a second.
His grip was failing.
Yin swallowed hard.
His eyes locked onto Jaeyel’s unconscious face, his expression softening.
Then, barely above a whisper- “I’m sorry…”
He tossed him.
A roar of frustration, desperation, and loss tore from Yin’s throat as he used every last bit of his strength to hurl Jaeyel toward the tree.
Branches snapped violently as Jaeyel’s body crashed through, but the impact was enough to slow his fall.
Yin’s wild eyes followed him, watching, praying that the trees would be enough.
Jaeyel disappeared into the darkness below.
It worked.
Yin exhaled sharply. His chest heaved. His body shook.
Jaeyel would survive. That was all that mattered.
But he – he couldn’t follow.
His strength was gone. His grip was slipping.
He tilted his head up, staring at the sky. His vision was blurred. His face was wet.
Blood? Sweat? Tears? Maybe all of it.
A bitter, tired smile crossed his face.
“In the end…” he murmured. “I still lost.”
And then – he let go.
Yin’s body disappeared into the abyss, swallowed by the darkness below.
…
Yang’s grip on the steering wheel was tight, his other hand holding his phone as he sped down the highway.
His voice was sharp, commanding. “Call me the second you find it.”
Yang ended the call without another word, jaw clenched.
His eyes darted between the road and every possible turn the van could’ve taken.
His heart was pounding. He kept muttering the same name under his breath.
“Jaeyel…”
Wait for me.
His mind was racing. He made a mistake.
He should’ve never left Jaeyel.
Should’ve kept him closer. Should’ve known this would happen.
[Flashback]
Yang was in the middle of a business meeting when his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, and the moment he saw the number, his expression darkened.
He answered, bringing the phone to his ear.
A few seconds passed.
His grip on the phone tightened.
Silence.
Yin got out.
A slow exhale. He closed his eyes briefly, like he was holding back frustration.
Two staff members were hurt – badly.
The room felt heavier even though no one else knew what was going on.
Then, slowly, he exhaled through his nose. His jaw clenched, but his face remained unreadable. Without a word, he stood up.
“We’ll continue this another time.”
Everyone in the room went silent, sensing the shift in the air.
His secretary started to rise from his seat, confused, but Yang was already walking out.
The elevator ride down felt longer than usual.
Yang barely noticed his own reflection in the metal walls, his mind running through possibilities.
Jaeyel…
Yang stepped into the parking lot, heading straight for his car. His footsteps echoed faintly, the air thick with the usual underground chill.
He pulled out his keys, ready to unlock the door when-
A shift.
A presence.
Before instinct could fully kick in, a shadow lunged from behind.
A glint of silver.
Yang turned sharply, just in time. His arm shot up, blocking his chest as the blade slashed down.
A sharp sting tore through his forearm, blood instantly seeping through his sleeve.
His eyes snapped to the attacker, whose face was covered.
Before the attacker could react, Yang’s knee slammed into his stomach, followed by a brutal kick to his ribs. The man collapsed to the ground with a pained gasp.
Yang didn’t even flinch. His sharp eyes studied the man’s covered face, but he didn’t need to see it.
He already knew.
Yin sent him.
Yang exhaled slowly, his patience razor-thin. “Where is he?” His voice was eerily calm.
The man didn’t answer.
Yang took a step forward, towering over him. The man swallowed hard but said nothing.
He grabbed the man by the collar, yanking him up slightly. “I’ll ask one more time. Where. Is. He?”
The man didn’t answer.
Then-
“AAAHHH!”
A scream ripped through the silence.
Yang turned. A woman. Her eyes went wide in horror as she took in the scene – blood, a man on the ground, a knife.
Damn it.
The moment of distraction was all the attacker needed. He tore away from Yang’s grip, stumbling to his feet. But before running, he tossed something toward him-
A crumpled piece of paper hit the ground.
Yang bent down and picked it up.
Before he could open it, his gaze shifted to the woman still standing there, eyes wide with fear. The moment he looked at her, she flinched.
He sighed. A problem.
He didn’t want things to go public – it would make the company look bad, and that could affect Jaeyel.
Just as the guards arrived, having heard the woman’s scream, Yang nodded toward her. “Take her,” his voice calm but firm. “Make sure she stays quiet.”
The guards obeyed without question, leading the woman away. Meanwhile, Yang pulled out his phone and called his secretary.
“There was an incident,” he said, already walking toward his car. “Handle it. Talk to the guards. Make sure this doesn’t go public.”
He didn’t wait for a response before hanging up.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, he let out a slow breath.
His gaze dropped to his arm, blood streaked across it from blocking the knife. Without a second thought, he grabbed a cloth from the glove compartment and wiped it off like it was nothing.
Finally, he uncrumpled the paper in his hand.
“Only one of us can have him.“
His fingers tightened around the note.
His jaw clenched.
Rage flickered in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he crushed the paper in his fist and started the car.
[Back to Present]
Yang’s hands clenched the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Yes, only one of us can have him.
“And it’s not gonna be you.” He muttered under his breath. His eyes darkened.
Then-
BOOM.
The explosion echoed through the distance.
Not far from where he was driving, a massive cloud of fire and smoke shot into the sky.
Yang’s heart stopped.
No.
No. No. No.
His mind screamed at him – convincing him it wasn’t Jaeyel, that it could be anything else.
But his gut told him otherwise.
His foot slammed against the accelerator. The engine roared as the car tore through the road at full speed.
His voice echoed inside the car.
“Jaeyel!”
