Chapter 15: Chapter 14 - Teamwork makes the dream work
Seon-mi found herself seated across from a man in the dimly lit room, shadows veiling his features, while another figure stood guard behind him. Sunlight spilled through the paper screens, casting rays across the quiet space.
The tension in the room was palpable, each party choosing silence over words. Then, breaking the stillness, the man standing, emerged from the shadows and demanded, "Who are you?"
His navy blue suit and authoritative demeanor marked him as someone who was clearly a higher rank from the goons she had dealt with so far. Seon-mi remained silent, her focus remained on assessing the situation.
"Two enemies, doesn't seem like anyone else is around, just like the kid said. The one speaking must be Kabito, right-hand man. Meaning this guy sitting down is Gachan" thought Seon-mi.
Kabito approached Seon-mi, wielding her katana as he knelt beside her. "You see we just received a report a few hours ago – five brutally murdered, two in critical," he declared.
He stood up and began pacing back and forth.
"Ordinarily, we'd suspect rival gangs, but then you show up, not even four hours later, armed with a katana."
Seon-mi shifted her demeanor, adopting a facade of innocence. "Ojisan, what are you talking about? My friend lives here, I just got back from a trip overseas and thought I'd surprise him. You two grabbed and tied me up for no reason. This is kidnapping you know? I'll report this to the authorities."
Kabito halted, facing her with a sly smile. "Hoho, Is that so?" he retorted.
He took a step closer, completely obscuring Seon-mi's line of sight, "Then I guess when the authorities arrive, we can ask them to test the blood on this blade. I'd bet my left nut it'll match the blood at the karaoke crime scene."
"Shit, they're not as stupid as I thought they were." thought Seon-mi.
"So, I'll ask again, who are you?" inquired Kabito.
Seon-mi pondered her next move, twisting her wrist as she struggled. "I can't get out of these damn ropes; I need some sort of distraction."
Realizing she couldn't maintain the innocent facade for long, she hatched a plan. "I need to keep them talking till they let their guards down. I have a way out of this but it's gonna hurt, a lot."
Seon-mi's demeanor shifted, adopting a seemingly truthful tone. "You got me. My name is Rika Kanade. I'm with the Ichinose gang, and they sent me here to get info on you guys. We heard about what happened at the Karaoke club and wanted to know how weak the attack left you."
Kabito snickered, "Ha! I knew it. See, that wasn't so hard, was it, Rika?"
Gachan, who had been sitting quietly the entire time, unfolded his leg, uncrossed his arms, and sat forward in his chair.
Kabito quickly rushed behind Gachan, almost as if Gachan's sudden movement prompted him to fall in line.
He spoke with a deep, intimidating voice. "Rika, was it? Tell me, Rika, your boss, what's his name?" asked Gachan.
"Fuck..." Seon-mi felt the weight of the situation intensify.
"It doesn't matter what I say next, he'll know I'm lying. Crap, this could've gone a lot better. I just need some kind of distraction..."
As Seon-mi finished her thought, she caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure lurking outside, just behind the sliding screen doors. Gachan and Kabito couldn't see this as they were positioned just slightly ahead of the doors.
"There's someone there, a friend or an enemy? Well, it doesn't even matter; I just need a few seconds," she thought.
Seon-mi spoke in a loud and obvious tone, addressing the figure outside, "I'm going to give the two of you till the count of three to untie me. If not, you're really going to hate what happens next."
"Oh, really..." Kabito folded his arms with a smile on his face.
"Fine, you asked for it."
Seon-mi began to count slowly. "One. Two. Three."
There was nothing, only the faint sounds of the miniature waterfall in the back garden and the trees flowing in the breeze. The figure perched outside didn't move either.
"You're a funny girl, I'll give you that, but enough jokes. Start talking or I start getting violent."
Seon-mi cleared her throat. "I said, I'm going to give the two of you till the count of three to untie me."
Seon-mi began counting again, this time it seemed as though the person outside understood what she was getting at.
"One."
The figure stood up and readied itself.
"Two."
It faced the screen doors, ready to intervene at a moment's notice.
"Three."
The figure came bursting through the paper screen doors, sending one of the doors flying across the room and striking Gachan's subordinate in the head.
The door shot open, revealing the kid who carried Seon-mi from the club, the nervousness etched on his face was apparent yet he still mustered up the courage do what needed to be done. Seon-mi had no time to be shocked. Gachan had already risen from his seat and charged at her, his appearance now fully on display.
He was a slender individual but fairly well built. His dark grey suit clung to his frame, paired with a plain button-down shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing several chest hairs. His alligator skin shoes showcased a hint of his small wealth as he approached with determination.
This was the moment Seon-mi had been waiting for. As Gachan charged her, she jolted upwards in the chair, lifting all four legs off the ground momentarily. She timed it perfectly; the instant Gachan collided with her, she was sent flying backward through the air, crashing into the wall as the chair shattered, freeing her from the restraints.
A sharp "Argh" escaped Seon-mi's lips; she was finally liberated, but the collision had reverberated through her entire body.
This was no time to get complacent, as Kabito was already starting to recover.
"Kid, get outta here!" Shouted Seon-mi.
"No, I can help!" He replied.
"Shit, I don't have time to babysit. I'll just have to rely on him for now," thought Seon-mi.
Gachan continued to approach Seon-mi, but thanks to her heightened IQ, she had already devised her next plan of action. With the ropes still wrapped around her wrists, Seon-mi sliced her hand through the air; the rope whistled through the air and struck Gachan in the face.
"Argh!" He shouted, the rope blinding him momentarily.
Seon-mi quickly scanned the room and noticed the kid rushing towards Kabito, who was now almost on his feet. "What's up with this damn kid? He should've just run," thought Seon-mi.
Seon-mi's mind raced at an extremely fast rate. She knew the broken pieces of the chair were just behind her, so she stomped her foot backward, sending one of the broken chair legs flying into the air.
Seon-mi was thinking two moves ahead, observing Gachan, who was still grasping his face in pain, and Kabito, who was readying himself to attack the kid.
Seon-mi swiftly spun and kicked the piece of wood, sending it shooting towards Kabito. The wood struck him in the side of the head, and he fell instantaneously, knocked out cold.
"Good, now I just have to deal with one," Seon-mi thought, readying herself for the next confrontation.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone