“Hyung-nim!”

The cries of the members, including Jang Duchil, rang through the abandoned factory. Their eyes were wide with disbelief. Jang Duchil tried to wake up the fallen Park Hwan, but it was useless. Park Hwan had already fainted.

“This son of a b.i.t.c.h...!” Jang Duchil pulled out a folding dagger and pressed the b.u.t.ton, revealing a s.h.i.+ning blade. He aimed the blade at Choi Chuntaek. “You are dead. f.u.c.k!” 

The angry Jang Duchil rushed forward. Choi Chuntaek's eyes shone and the hem of his clothes fluttered once again. It was from left to right— avoided the range of the dagger without retreating. He looked like a bird dancing gracefully and all the members of the Fire Bears could only stare. Just as he did against Park Hwan, Choi Chuntaek found Jang Duchil's gap and blew him away with a back kick.

“Keuok!”

The dagger that fell to the ground made a loud noise and Choi Chuntaek gently picked it up. Just then, the Fire Bears became aware of the crisis. They reached into a pile next to them and brought out wooden sticks. Choi Chuntaek was surrounded and had nowhere to escape. He frowned as he got an ominous feeling. Then at this moment...

“You sons of a b.i.t.c.h!” A man's voice was heard from the entrance of the abandoned factory as an oil container fell. It was a voice that Choi Chuntaek was familiar with.

“What? Why is this brat here?”

It was Kim Dongbaek.

Choi Chuntaek had told him not to come since Seonyeong could be in danger, so he couldn't figure out why Kim Dongbaek was here. Kim Dongbaek's body moved like the wind as he rushed to this location. His iron fists smashed the Fire Bears one by one and his momentum was like an angry rhinoceros.

“Uraaaaat!”

“Stop that b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

Jang Duchil was shouting and pointing at Kim Dongbaek when Choi Chuntaek heard another familiar voice. “Chuntaek!”

“......?”

Choi Chuntaek was once again surprised. Kim Dongbaek was originally a disobedient guy, but Park Muyeol was a friend who always silently followed his words. Then Choi Chuntaek saw Seonyeong standing next to Park Muyeol, released from the ropes binding her. Choi Chuntaek saw her face and felt deep relief. “Muyeol, you...”

“We can talk later.” Park Muyeol raised his wooden sword and took a posture to protect Seonyeong. He looked like an angry tiger. It was hard to get close to Park Muyeol when he was in this state. Right now, he could be trusted more than anyone else. These eyes were so reliable. “Fly to your heart's content, Choi Chuntaek.”

“Kill everyone!”

“Come on! Come on!”

All of the Fire Bears attacked at the same time, besieging Choi Chuntaek, Park Muyeol, and Kim Dongbaek. Choi Chuntaek truly flew. His stormy kicks aimed at the enemy's heads as he moved like a breeze over their heads. The dagger in his hand moved like lightning, stabbing the shoulder of the enemy in front of him.

“Kuaaack!”

Choi Chuntaek pulled out the dagger and sighed lightly. He had decided never to use a dagger again...

“It can't be helped in the current circ.u.mstances.”

This was the only way he could overcome the inferiority in numbers. It was a matter directly related to Seonyeong's safety, so Choi Chuntaek decided to break his lifelong taboo just once. He held the dagger, recalled an old memory, and took a posture. The moment he lifted the dagger, he emitted a huge killing intent and the Fire Bears flinched.

Choi Chuntaek's low voice was directed at them, “It is the second round, you bear jerks.” 

* * *

The fight against the remaining Fire Bears ended rapidly. It could be said it was an instant, and Choi Chuntaek was the one who knocked down the most people. His suit was covered in blood. Naturally, not a single drop of it was Choi Chuntaek's blood.

“Did you use a dagger so well?” Park Muyeol looked at Choi Chuntaek with surprise. He had caught a glimpse of Choi Chuntaek fighting in the battle just now.

Choi Chuntaek showed high skills with the dagger. Choi Chuntaek used various joint attacks to break the enemies' joints and he ruthlessly cut at the limbs. He truly looked like a demon. It was the first time Park Muyeol had seen it so he was surprised.

'He isn't inferior to a national swordsman...”

Choi Chuntaek would've been able to win more easily if he had used a dagger the other day against Dan Woosung.

“...Well, it is like this. I don't really like using a dagger. Someone will be hurt when I use this. This is why I avoided fatal wounds earlier.”

“Crazy. That's even scarier.”

Park Muyeol thought there must be a reason.

At this time, Kim Dongbaek's voice was heard from behind them. "By the way, what about this guy?”

Kim Dongbaek was pointing to the leader of the Fire Bears, Park Hwan, who had been knocked out. It was a difficult situation. These guys had no loyalty. They left their boss and ran away.

“Take him to the hospital.” It was a gentle and soft voice. It was the voice of Yoo Seonyeong. She was incredibly serene like she hadn't just been abducted. Usually, the person would be traumatized after something like this, but she seemed fine. Well, this was why Choi Chunatek was fascinated by her.

“Put him in the car and take him to hospital.”

“Hmm. Yes. Hey, wake up. Dude.”

Kim Dongbaek slapped Park Hwan's cheeks. The sound made by Kim Dongbaek's big hands echoed through the abandoned factory.

“Hey, wake up. Are you sleeping?”

Slap!

“Umm...” Fortunately, Park Hwan was coming to his senses. His cheeks were swollen like freshly made bread. Park Hwan opened his eyes and raised his upper body. “Keuk, where is this?”

“Where is this? It is an abandoned factory that you are treating as your own room,” Kim Dongbaek gave Park Hwan an unkind explanation of this place.

Park Hwan looked around the area, grasped the situation, and gritted his teeth with a red face. He brushed the dust off his clothes and opened his mouth, “Did they leave me...?”

“Uh. They were hit several times with fists and a knife and ran away.”

“...Keuk.” Park Hwan's face reddened even further.

Choi Chuntaek approached him. “I'm sorry.”

“...Are you pitying me? I am finished. This will soon be heard by the higher ups in my organization. I will probably have to take responsibility and step down. It would be very kind if I only get one finger cut off. Maybe my arm will be cut off.”

The Fire Bears led by Park Hwan were actually a subordinate organization belonging to the Axe Group. Their rules were ruthless. If they failed in their work then they could be poisoned, have their hands cut off, or be abandoned by the organization. Park Hwan was now saying that he had failed. “s.h.i.+t. It's so unfair. This is all because of you.”

Just then Park Hwan pulled out a pistol. The black barrel shone eerily in the moonlight. He had actually hidden a pistol.

Choi Chuntaek stepped forward and protected Yoo Seonyeong, who was behind him.

“C-Chuntaek-ssi.”

“It's okay. Don't worry.”

“Huhu. Protecting your woman to the end. It's really great. Can I call you a gentleman?”

Park Hwan showed a crazy expression like he had given up on the world.

“Put down the gun, Park Hwan. There are still opportunities for you.”

“An opportunity is bulls.h.i.+t. Now my life is over. It wouldn't be bad to take you as companions with me. No, I still want to live so I will kill all of you and run away.”

Click.

Park Hwan loaded the pistol at a high speed. The eerie sound rang out through the abandoned factory. Park Muyeol was so far away that he couldn't get close. At this distance, the gun was much faster than his wooden sword. At this moment...

“Shoot.” Kim Dongbaek moved in front of Choi Chuntaek. He started to slowly approach Park Hwan.

Park Hwan felt the threat and fired a warning shot at the ground.

Tatang!

“Don't come closer, you jerk!”

Kim Dongbaek paused for a moment but he didn't stop. A dangerous tension filled the abandoned factory. Only the sound of Kim Dongbael's shoes were heard.

“Shoot.” 

“I really will shoot!” Park Hwan exclaimed.

“Shoot it.”

“Eeeeek!”

The moment Park Hwan was about to pull the trigger, Park Muyeol threw his wooden sword at Park Hwan's head. The sword struck Park Hwan's head just as a gunshot rang out.

Taaang!

Park Hwan was staring at the wooden sword with a red face when Choi Chuntaek quickly jumped at him. He blasted the gun away with a front kick and smashed Park Hwan's head with a 1080 degree spinning kick.

“Keuk!”

He waved the dagger he was holding in his hands in an agitated manner. Choi Chuntaek cut at the muscles of Park Hwan's limbs.

“Kuek.”   

Finally, Park Hwan's shoulder was struck with the dagger. He coughed up a small amount of blood and fell down onto the dirt. Park Hwan pa.s.sed out.

Then Seonyeong's scream was heard from behind him. “Kyaak!”

Choi Chuntaek hurriedly turned his head. He saw Kim Dongbaek who was shot in the chest. Choi Chuntaek and Park Muyeol rushed over.

“Dongbaek!”

“Kim Dongbaek!”

Yoo Seonyeong was on her knees and frantically trying to stop Kim Dongbaek's bleeding. There were tears in her eyes.

“D-Dongbaek-ssi, are you okay? Ambulance, call an ambulance! Quickly!”

Park Muyeol quickly started calling for an ambulance.

“Dude, why did you...?!”

Choi Chuntaek tried hard to suppress his agitation and his eyes turned red. Kim Dongbaek coughed up blood while speaking, “...s.h.i.+t. It hurts.”

“Of course it will hurt. It would be abnormal if it doesn't hurt.”

“Then... that...”

Kim Dongbaek's consciousness was fading away. He thought this might be his end and he was correct. It seemed the bullet had pierced his heart. Kim Dongbaek felt it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.

“Gasp. You both... Get married... Under...stood? Gasp.”

Kim Dongbaek grabbed the hands of Choi Chuntaek and Yoo Seonyeong. The two of them stared at him and gave small nods.

“I will. I'll do it, so don't die. You have to live to attend our wedding, isn't that right?"

“I have... go...”

“You must come, Dongbaek-ssi.”

“Ye...s... Oof.”

Kim Dongbaek coughed up blood again. It was much more than before. Choi Chuntaek's mind became blank. It couldn't be. Kim Dongbaek wasn't going to die here. This world's one and only Kim Dongbaek. No. His friend Kim Dongbaek. Kim Dongbaek was like family.

“Be... ha... ppy. Ordinary... like... others...”

Kim Dongbaek's words caused Choi Chuntaek's entire body to shake. Choi Chuntaek's mouth trembled as he tried to speak to Kim Dongbaek. However, he was too slow. Kim Dongbaek's head fell down helplessly.

On this day, Choi Chuntaek himself collapsed. Inside the abandoned factory where snow was falling, Dongbaek became a cold corpse. That day was a crazily sad Christmas Eve. It was the day when only sad cries echoed toward the sky.