Episode:10 The One Who Watches From the Dark
1047 Words
Li Do Hwan woke up with a sharp gasp.
Pain exploded at the back of his head—raw, throbbing, unforgiving.
For a few seconds, he couldn't move.
Couldn't think.
The world around him felt distant, muffled… like he was trapped underwater.
Then—
A sudden kick struck his leg.
"Get up!"
The guard's voice was harsh, impatient.
"What are you doing lying here?!"
Li Do Hwan winced, forcing his eyes open as he pushed himself upright. His vision blurred, spinning slightly, but he clenched his jaw and endured it.
Slowly—
His hand moved to the back of his head.
Warm.
Swollen.
But no blood.
"… It didn't break," he muttered under his breath.
Strange.
The pain felt real enough to kill him… yet there was no visible wound.
That's when it hit him.
Something wasn't right.
His brows furrowed deeply.
"…Wait."
He looked around.
This wasn't where he had collapsed.
Not even close.
Fragments of last night rushed back—
The corridor.
The silence.
Kim Do.
The abandoned building.
And then—
Impact.
Darkness.
Nothing.
His heart began to pound.
"… Then how did I end up here?"
A cold realization crawled up his spine.
"… That wasn't a dream."
No.
It couldn't be.
Not with pain like this.
Not with this feeling—
This unease that refused to leave his chest.
Someone had moved him.
Afterward, he lost consciousness.
Which meant—
Someone knew.
Exactly what he had seen.
Exactly what he had done.
His eyes darkened.
"I can't ignore this anymore."
His voice was low.
Controlled.
But beneath it—
a storm was forming.
"Today…"
He slowly stood up, ignoring the protest of his body.
"I'll find out everything."
He brushed the dust off his clothes and walked back toward the cell block, each step heavy with intent.
There was only one person who could give him answers.
Kim Do.
"Where is he?" Li Do Hwan asked casually.
"In the laundry room," someone replied.
"…Good."
His pace quickened.
"Finally."
The laundry room was filled with the low hum of machines, steam rising into the air.
It smelled of soap, water… and something stale.
And there—
Kim Do.
Standing like nothing had happened.
Like last night didn't exist.
"Kim Do!"
The name cut through the air.
Heads turned.
But Kim Do only looked up calmly.
"… What is it?" he asked.
Too calm.
Li Do Hwan noticed immediately.
The tension behind his eyes.
The way his shoulders stiffened—just slightly.
Without wasting time, Li Do Hwan grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.
"Hey—what are you doing?"
"Last night."
Li Do Hwan's voice dropped.
"I followed you."
Silence.
Kim Do froze.
Not completely—
But enough.
"… You're mistaken," he said.
A lie.
An obvious one.
"Don't do that," Li Do Hwan cut him off.
"Tell me the truth."
His eyes sharpened.
"Where did you go?"
"… And who were you meeting?"
Another silence.
Longer this time.
He saw it clearly now.
Kim Do wasn't just nervous.
He was—
afraid.
He looked around.
Left.
Right.
Careful.
Measured.
"…I can't tell you," he finally said.
Li Do Hwan frowned.
"Can't? Or won't?"
"What are you hiding?"
And then—
Everything snapped.
"I SAID I CAN'T!" Kim Do shouted.
The room went silent instantly.
Before Li Do Hwan could react—
Kim Do grabbed him by the collar and shoved him hard.
"Stop digging into things you don't understand!" he snapped.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
His grip tightened.
"…Or me?"
That last word—
Barely audible.
But Li Do Hwan heard it.
Clear as day.
And suddenly—
Everything made sense.
He's not protecting himself.
He's protecting me.
Or—
Someone is forcing him to stay silent.
Li Do Hwan didn't fight back.
Didn't argue.
He simply removed Kim Do's hand from his collar.
Gently.
"… I understand," he said quietly.
Then he turned.
And walked away.
They had spent days together.
Shared space.
Shared silence.
Kim Do was never like this.
Which meant—
This wasn't normal.
"There's someone above him…"
Li Do Hwan murmured.
"Someone even he fears."
He stopped walking.
His eyes darkened.
"… Then I'll go straight to that person."
The prison yard buzzed with noise.
Laughter.
Conversations.
Fake normalcy.
But at the center—
He sat.
The man no one approached.
The man no one spoke about.
The man—
Even The Beast avoided it.
Li Do Hwan walked toward him.
Step by step.
No hesitation.
"Hello… sir."
The man's expression shifted.
Slightly.
Annoyed.
He didn't respond.
Instead, he leaned back lazily, covering his eyes with his arm.
Ignoring him completely.
One of his men stepped forward.
"What do you want?"
Li Do Hwan stood straight.
Unshaken.
"…Take me in."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then—
laughter.
"Get lost, kid."
"You're not worth his time."
But Li Do Hwan didn't move.
"Until he answers…"
"… I'm not leaving."
That was enough.
The first punch came fast.
Then another.
Then another.
He hit the ground—
But they didn't stop.
Kicks.
Blows.
Relentless.
Brutal.
Merciless.
No one interfered.
No one cared.
Minutes later—
it ended.
They walked away.
Like he was nothing.
Like he didn't matter.
Li Do Hwan lay there.
Blood on his lips.
Pain in every breath.
And silence around him.
Until—
"Hey!"
Jang Si-woo rushed forward.
"Are you insane?!"
He helped him up, supporting his weight.
"Why would you provoke them?!"
No answer.
Only silence.
Later—
Kim Do appeared.
His face tense.
"What's wrong with you?!" he snapped.
"Do you have a death wish?!"
Li Do Hwan didn't respond.
"You went to him?!" Kim Do continued.
Then his voice dropped.
"…Do you even know who he is?"
A pause.
"… Even The Beast fears him."
And then—
he left.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Unanswered.
Li Do Hwan lay back, staring at the ceiling.
Ignoring the pain.
Ignoring the blood.
Only one thought remained.
"… Who are you?"
In a place where even monsters bow…
The one who watches doesn't need to move.
He followed a secret…
But woke up in a different place.
In this prison—
The truth doesn't hide…
It hunts.
#DarkRomance #PrisonStory #BlackLeopard
#The Beast #Power Hierarchy #Psychological
#MafiaVibes #SlowBurn #PlotTwist
#ViralStory #Hidden Truth #Dangerous World
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