Charles H. Bar– Night
A long oak table is filled with Korean dishes, half-empty bottles of soju, expensive wines,cigars, and folders. The room smells of expensive cologne and smoke. Laughter echoes between the seven powerful men Minister Kang at the head, flanked by six of his trusted government allies.
MINISTER KANG
(grinning, holding up a glass)
"To a cleaner, richer South Korea one club at a time."
OTHERS
(raising glasses)
Cheers!
They take a drink. As the laughter fades, the tone shifts.
MINISTER OF TRADE
"We still have resistance from the club owners in Gangnam. Three of them refuse to sell or cooperate."
MINISTER OF DEFENSE
"Let me send a message. A few staged raids, plant some evidence watch them beg to cooperate."
MINISTER OF INFORMATION
"That'll raise suspicion. Better to spread a rumor that one of their competitors already made a deal with us. Let the fear of missing out eat them alive."
MINISTER KANG
"No blood, unless necessary. We make them desperate, not scared. Fear fades, desperation lingers."
MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION
"We've already rerouted shipping lanes. The product's coming in through Busan, wrapped in seafood packaging. No sniffer dogs, no delays."
MINISTER OF HEALTH
"And the distribution? We can't afford a weak chain. Who runs the deliveries?'
MINISTER OF JUSTICE
"Two of the clubs will handle that. Each VIP room is a gate—customers get "special menus." If someone gets caught, I'll make sure they disappear before sunrise."
MINISTER OF TRADE
"And what if journalists start poking around?"
MINISTER OF INFORMATION
"Leave that to me. We'll leak a scandal about a K-pop idol next week. Something juicy. That'll keep the media busy for a month."
MINISTER KANG
"Good. But I want Seoul clean by next month. Every club, every street. We don't just own the nightlife we own the night."
The others nod, pouring another round. Outside, thunder rolls across the horizon.
Later that evening, as the ministers' gathering neared its end, the assistant of Minister Kang called Jahm.
"Lance, come pick up the minister. They're done," she said.
Without hesitation, Jahm left the convenience store where he'd been waiting and ran through the light rain toward the Rolls Royce. He got in, started the engine, and drove toward Charles H. Bar. The sound of the rain tapping on the windshield echoed the tension building in his chest.
When Jahm arrived outside the upscale bar, he once again saw the same six ministers from earlier. What caught his attention was how respectfully they all bowed as Minister Kang emerged, completely drunk, supported by two of his personal guards. Despite his state, the minister spoke clearly to the six.
"Make sure everything else gets taken care of," Minister Kang said. "Get to work. Do it right."
"Yes, sir," the six ministers answered in unison, bowing even deeper this time.
Jahm sat behind the wheel, watching the moment unfold with suspicion in his eyes.
Why do they respect this corrupt man so much? he thought. What is their real connection to him?
The six ministers stepped aside as Minister Kang, still swaying slightly from the alcohol, climbed into the back seat with help from his guards. The door shut with a dull thud, and Jahm shifted the gear.
As he pulled away from Charles H. Bar, the ministers behind them faded into the rain-soaked background. The atmosphere was heavy, not just with the weather, but with mystery—something about those men, and the way they treated Kang, told Jahm that this mission was more dangerous than he initially believed.
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, the tires hissing softly over the wet pavement as they made their way back to the private estate.
Han Residence – Evening
The cozy scent of simmering broth filled the small apartment. Han Hanni stood in the kitchen, gently stirring a pot of jjigae while humming softly. Meanwhile, her younger sister, Min-Yoon, sat cross-legged on the floor of her bedroom, carefully folding her hospital scrubs into neat piles. The silence in the apartment was comforting a rare peace after a long day.
Once dinner was ready, Hanni wiped her hands, stepped out of the kitchen, and called out, "Min-Yoon! Let's eat!"
A moment later, Min-Yoon joined her at the small dining table. As they began to eat, the atmosphere was warm but quiet until Min-Yoon broke the silence.
"Are you still investigating Appa's death?"
Hanni didn't hesitate. "Yes… I'm still investigating." She took a breath, her voice softening. "If you're trying to convince me that he took his own life… I still don't believe it."
"But—" Min Yoon voice softened, "I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to lose anyone else… not someone that important to me."
Hanni gave a faint smile, trying to lighten the moment. "You don't have to worry about me. Don't you know who your sister is? They used to call me the 'Girl Beast Journalist' for a reason." She gave a playful wink. "And besides, I know Appa is watching over us. He always did."
Min-Yoon didn't respond right away. Instead, she smiled back softly, sadly and nodded. Without another word, they continued eating together in the quiet of their shared grief and unspoken strength.
After dropping off the drunk Minister Kang at his private estate, Jahm drove back through the rain in silence. The low hum of the engine matched the weight in his chest. As soon as he arrived at the safe house, he parked the Mustang in the garage and stepped out into the cold drizzle. He stared at the covered Mustang for a second his real identity hidden under layers, just like the car.
Inside the house, Justice Park, lounging on the couch with junk food in hand and a comedy show playing on the TV, heard the engine. "Agent Driver's home," he muttered with a grin.
When Jahm entered, he saw Justice just as he left him lazy, relaxed, but always alert underneath. Without wasting time, Jahm said, "I need you to look into something for me. There's something off about the men I saw tonight."
Justice raised an eyebrow, still chewing. "Who are they? Give me names, and I'll find them even if they're aliens."
"Six ministers," Jahm said flatly. "I don't have their names or photos though. I couldn't take pictures. They might've noticed."
Justice wiped his hands on his hoodie and stood up. "I got you. I'll pull up all the ministers in Korea. You tell me which ones were there."
Jahm nodded, went to his room to change out of his wet clothes, and returned a few minutes later to Justice's room. Half of the space was filled with computers, monitors, and tech gadgets humming softly in the background.
Just in time, Justice spun his chair around. "Alright. Here's the list. Look through these faces."
They went through the profiles one by one. Jahm's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the six ministers from earlier all holding powerful positions. Justice leaned back, serious now. "These guys aren't normal cabinet members. Each one's got deep ties to cases connected to Minister Kang. They might be his shield… and his sword."
Jahm clenched his jaw. "Exactly. The way they respected him it wasn't just politics. It was loyalty. Dangerous loyalty."
"I'll dig deeper," Justice said. "Background checks, public records, suspicious movement everything. I'll have it ready for you by tomorrow."
"Thanks,"
"Welcome Mr.Agent… you should eat before bed."
"I already did.But thanks for the concern."
Jahm gave a tired smile, then returned to his room. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His body ached, but his mind raced. Every step closer to the truth only seemed to reveal more shadows. He thought to himself:
"The more I move forward… the farther the answers seem to get."