Chapter 27

The warehouse was alive with chaos, bodies clashing, punches landing, and the air thick with desperation.

Geon-Yeob was like a force of nature—his strikes were precise and quick. He moved fluidly, knocking out thugs with an expert that left no room for mercy. Ji-Woo was a blur, darting between opponents, delivering swift and well-placed blows. Her energy was boundless, and it showed. Lee-Joon wasn't holding back either, using his long limbs to sweep through the crowd with aggressive power. His face was set in a determined expression, each strike fueled by the fury of the moment. Suncheol, ever the strategist, was calm under pressure, his movements calculated and deadly. He picked his targets with precision, disarming and incapacitating his enemies with ease.

Despite all their skill, there were just too many of them. The enemy outnumbered us by far, and as the battle wore on, I could feel my strength waning. My limbs were growing heavier, my moves slower. I knew we wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer. We were running on fumes.

Then, through the chaos, I heard Hee-Won's voice crackle through the mic, sharp and unwavering.

"Hee-Won!" I shouted

"What's going on?"

"Hang in there!" she called back, her voice filled with a confidence that seemed to cut through the madness. "I'm not leaving you to die, don't worry!"

The next moment, a tidal wave of students from Yeonseong High poured into the warehouse, ready to fight. They weren't just any students—they were the ones Hee-Won had rallied together. Min-Hwan, at the forefront, tackled one of Ryeowook's men with ease. The reinforcements had arrived.

My heart surged with relief. We had a real shot now. With new energy coursing through me, I dove back into the fray. The tide was shifting. We started to push back, our enemies faltering in the face of our renewed strength.

But then, my eyes locked onto him. Ryeowook.

His cold eyes fixed on me across the chaos, and I felt a chill run down my spine. He was coming for me.

I tensed, ready for the inevitable confrontation, but before I could make a move, Han-Wool stepped forward, his fists clenched.

"Stay back, Hera!" he shouted, throwing a punch at Ryeowook.

I was about to rush to his side, but Ryeowook was too fast. He dodged Han-Wool's strike effortlessly, his mocking grin widening.

"You think you can stop me, Han-Wool?" Ryeowook taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You're already broken. Why don't you just let it go?"

With a brutal, skilled blow, Ryeowook sent Han-Wool sprawling to the floor. Blood dripped from his lip as he struggled to rise.

"Han-Wool!" I screamed, moving forward, but Ryeowook was quick to block me.

"Stay back, Hera," Han-Wool groaned from the floor, trying to push himself up, but his strength was fading fast.

"Don't worry about him, sweetheart," Ryeowook sneered, eyeing me with cold, calculating eyes. "Focus on me. Or is it that you still have feelings for him? You haven't forgotten about him, have you?"

"No," I spat, my heart pounding with rage. "This isn't about him, Ryeowook! You're the one who's lost control! This is your mess, not ours!"

Ryeowook's eyes flashed with fury. He took a step closer, fists clenched, ready to deal a finishing blow to Han-Wool.

"I'll make you regret everything," he snarled, just as I tried to step in again.

But before Ryeowook could strike, something happened.

He was thrown backward, crashing violently into the wall. The room fell silent.

I blinked, unable to process what had just happened. And then I saw him—standing tall, his eyes burning with determination.

Ga-Min.

He had arrived.

Ga-Min eyes were unwavering as he stepped toward Ryeowook, who was struggling to get back up.

"You're done, Ryeowook," Ga-Min said, his voice low but resolute.

Ryeowook's arrogance quickly turned into pure anger. He sneered at Ga-Min, his fists raised.

"Ga-Min," Ryeowook mocked, his voice thick with disdain. "Still trying to play the hero, huh? Do you really think you can take me down? After everything that's happened? After everything she's done?"

His words hit like daggers, but Ga-Min didn't flinch. He stood tall, facing Ryeowook, his jaw set in a grim line.

"You're nothing," Ga-Min said, his voice calm but filled with a cold fury. "You're not going to hurt her anymore."

Without another word, Ryeowook lunged at Ga-Min, fists flying. The two of them collided with a force that shook the ground beneath them. It was a battle of strength, speed, and skill. Ryeowook was faster, but Ga-Min was determined.

Every punch from Ryeowook landed with devastating force, but Ga-Min was quick, ducking and dodging, his moves unpredictable. For a moment, I thought Ga-Min might lose. Ryeowook was relentless, and Ga-Min, though strong, was injured and still recovering from his time in the hospital.

Ryeowook's smug grin returned as he landed a brutal kick to Ga-Min's side. Ga-Min staggered but didn't fall. Instead, his eyes locked onto Ryeowook's, and that was when the unexpected happened.

Ga-Min's body shifted, and with a sudden burst of speed, he sidestepped Ryeowook's next attack. In a flash, he grabbed Ryeowook's arm, twisted it behind his back, and spun him around. Ryeowook didn't even have time to react before Ga-Min's hidden move was executed—an explosive, devastating punch to Ryeowook's gut.

Ryeowook's face contorted in pain as he gasped, blood spilling from his lips. He tried to retaliate, but Ga-Min wasn't done. With a fluid motion, Ga-Min twisted Ryeowook's arm and slammed him to the ground, pinning him in place. Ryeowook struggled, but it was no use. He was beaten.

"Now I'm done," Ga-Min said, his voice cold and final, despite the sweat that dripped down his face.

Ryeowook gasped for breath, his arrogance crumbling in the face of defeat. His gang, watching in stunned silence, began to back off one by one, unsure of what to do now that their leader was down.

The police arrived moments later, their sirens blaring as they stormed into the warehouse. Ryeowook's gang members were swiftly arrested, their plans laid bare for all to see. The evidence found would ensure that they were all going down—none of them would escape justice.

With the battle won, I rushed to Ga-Min, who was slumped against the wall, trying to catch his breath. I knelt beside him, my hands shaking as I checked his wounds.

"You're an idiot," I scolded, my voice shaky with relief. "You should've stayed in the hospital. You're still healing."

Ga-Min chuckled weakly, grimacing at the pain. "I couldn't let you fight alone."

I shook my head, my heart still racing. "You're crazy, Ga-Min."

His gaze softened, and before I could say another word, he pulled me into a kiss.

It was everything—the relief, the joy, the overwhelming love. All of the fear and heartache disappeared in that moment.

We broke the kiss, both of us laughing lightly, despite the exhaustion.

The nightmare was over.

And for once, we could all breathe.