Chapter 2

　　—“Such a buzzkill.”

　　Seunghyun pressed his tired brow. For the past few weeks, he and his team had been investigating the clubs in Itaewon one by one, and they were all severely sleep-deprived.

　　—“Stop the chatter and focus. There could be Ability Users at the transaction site. Stay sharp.”

　　—“Yes, sir! How about we hit a sauna after this, captain? I’m dying here,” Wonyoung feigned a groan.

　　Seunghyun let out a small smirk and sharpened his gaze. Rumors of a new drug trending among Ability Users had been circulating for a while, but they had only recently grasped the reality of it. Team 1 of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency(SMPA)’s Violent Crimes Unit, to which Seunghyun belonged, had been dispatched to quell a dispute between gangs in Itaewon. Among those arrested, the gang members who were Physical-type Ability Users were suffering from a more severe Backlash than usual after using their powers. When some even died, the SMPA sensed something was wrong and requested autopsies from the National Forensic Service.

　　Blood tests of the deceased all detected the same substance, and only then did the SMPA learn the truth about the rumored drug. It was a substance that eliminated Backlash, the debilitating penalty that served as an Ability User’s only known weakness. The ability to freely use one’s powers without the painful Backlash was a dream come true for those who made a living with them. That was why the drug had spread so rapidly, primarily among Ability Users who sold their powers in the shadows.

　　But the moment they stopped, all the postponed Backlash would come crashing down on them like an avalanche. For that reason, the Violent Crimes Unit’s Team 1 called the drug Shark, a moniker derived from “loan shark.”

　　With its distribution, the crime rate among Ability Users, now free from the constraints on their powers, was rising significantly nationwide. Since the majority of victims were ordinary citizens, the higher-ups were treating it as an extremely serious situation. They had to catch the trail here.

　　—“Tae Seunghyun.”

　　“Yes, sir.”

　　—“A man matching the informant’s description just went in. Black hat. Tail him.”

　　As per his team captain’s command, Seunghyun pushed himself off the wall and looked toward the club entrance. A man with a black bucket hat pulled down low had just stepped inside.

　　“I have eyes on a male in a black hat. Any accomplices?” Seunghyun asked.

　　—“Seems like he went in alone. Mark where the bastard goes. Don’t try to take him by yourself; just find his location and stand by. The team is moving in now, so go in with them.”

　　“Understood.”

　　The man in the hat walked past Seunghyun at a quick pace. He didn’t spare a single glance at the stage, walking straight ahead with a clear purpose. He immediately went up the stairs leading to the second floor.

　　“Suspect is now moving to the second floor,” Seunghyun reported through his earpiece before heading for the stairs himself.

　　Maintaining a discreet distance, he watched as the man in front of him turned right into a maze-like corridor and disappeared into a room. Quickly catching up, Seunghyun checked the room number and whispered, “He’s in a room. Room number VIP-08.”

　　—“Good. Wonyoung is in. Stand by. Huichan, go with him and control the traffic to the second floor.”

　　—“Yes, sir.”

　　Listening to the voices from his earpiece, Seunghyun watched the room from a corner bend at the end of the corridor. There was only one way out. Now, all he had to do was wait for backup. The thumping beat from downstairs heightened the tension just before the arrest.

　　It was then that the door of a room near where Seunghyun stood opened, and a woman in a short, sleeveless dress came out. From inside, the boisterous voices of drunk patrons could be heard.

　　“Come back soon, babe!”

　　“Fucking hell, calling me babe already. Crazy bastard.”

　　The woman staggered as she closed the door, and the noise from the room was cut off abruptly. She stood for a moment, took a deep breath, and then started walking unsteadily. At the same time, the transmission came through Seunghyun’s earpiece that Wonyoung had entered the club. This was an operation they had worked on for days; Seunghyun just hoped this woman would pass by without causing any trouble.

　　But as she staggered past, her legs gave out, and she fell toward him.

　　Seunghyun caught her reflexively, cursing inwardly. Of course this would happen. The thought was fleeting, replaced by the realization that her body was burning hot against his arm. It wasn’t just the heat from alcohol. It was an abnormal fever. In a club, a place where anything could happen, his instincts screamed that something was wrong.

* * *

　　A few minutes before her encounter with Seunghyun, Yeonsu, now seated next to Hwang Seungmin, was diligently carrying out her task. Hwang Seungmin’s hand stroked her thigh.

　　“…Getting turned on? You’re hotter than before.”

　　“Mmm…”

　　Just as Yeonsu grabbed Hwang Seungmin’s hand, which was trying to slip under her skirt, the man who had brought her there sat beside her, slinging an arm over her shoulder and chuckling.

　　“Told you you’d be surprised, didn’t I? How about it? He’s a pretty big deal.”

　　Yeonsu’s already active Ability indiscriminately read this man’s memories as well. Her mind flooded with memories crashing in like waves. Swallowing the rising nausea, she slapped his hand away and stood up. The backlash from using her ability was slowly beginning. Besides, she had gathered enough information to satisfy her client. There was no reason to stay any longer.

　　No, she didn’t want to stay any longer.

　　“I, uh, need the restroom.”

　　“Ah, you’re really playing hard to get. Come back soon, babe!”

　　“Fucking hell, calling me babe already. Crazy bastard.”

　　Their laughter was disgusting. Yeonsu managed to compose her expression, opened the door, and stepped outside. As the door closed behind her, she took a deep breath and let out the curses she had been holding back.

　　“…Filthy bastards.”

　　Hwang Seungmin’s private life was even dirtier than she had imagined. It was a miracle he could stand in front of a camera so brazenly without a single scandal breaking until now. Digging up dirt on celebrities paid well, but it was definitely harder to endure than dealing with ordinary people. She wanted to go home, to scrub herself clean as if to erase all these memories and the touch of the men who had laid their hands on her.

　　The fever from the Backlash was making her mind go blank. Yeonsu barely managed to recall the complex layout of the corridor and started walking. The unfamiliar high heels kept slowing her down. Between the alcohol she’d been forced to drink and the worsening Backlash, she was in the worst possible condition.

　　Just then, her weakened ankle gave way, and she stumbled badly.

　　“Ah…!”

　　I’m going to fall. Yeonsu squeezed her eyes shut. But instead of pain, she only felt someone’s cool body.

　　“Are you alright?” A man’s low voice, as cool as his body, came from above her head.

　　“Ah. I’m… I’m fine…” She reflexively pushed against his chest and straightened herself. Her twisted ankle throbbed, making it difficult to even walk, but she didn’t want to touch anyone else.

　　“Wait.”

　　Seunghyun grabbed her arm as she tried to pass him. Startled, Yeonsu shook her arm violently to get away, but his grip didn’t loosen.

　　“Find someone else. I’m leaving.”

　　“No, just look at me for a second.”

　　“Let… let go! I said no!”

　　The woman’s fierce resistance only strengthened Seunghyun’s suspicion.

　　“Don’t make a scene. Just for a moment. Please cooperate, I just need to confirm something.”

　　“Confirm what—! Hah, mmph.”

　　Finally, Seunghyun pushed the agitated Yeonsu against the wall and covered her mouth. If she caused a commotion here, the operation would be ruined. Pinned between the wall and his body, Yeonsu struggled, shaking her head, but she was no match for a man twice her size.

　　“You’re an Ability User, aren’t you?”

　　Her struggles came to a dead stop. He saw it then—a sliver of a golden iris, visible past a dislodged contact lens. That was the source of the unease that had made him stop her.

　　Arrest any Ability User on sight of them using their Ability. That was the directive.

　　“Detective Tae Seunghyun, Violent Crimes Unit Team 1, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. You are under arrest for the active use of an Ability. We can discuss the details at the station.”

　　Despair filled Yeonsu’s eyes as she read the ID he presented. Of all people, a cop. To make matters worse, her rationality was gradually fading, her mind a mess from the Backlash and her power. As she gasped for breath, Seunghyun narrowed his brow.

　　“…I’ll let you go if you promise to be quiet.”

　　“Ngh… Mmmm.”

　　She gave a small nod.

　　“Good. Letting go now.”

　　At a closer distance, Yeonsu’s sweet scent washed over him. For a moment, he forgot he was in the middle of an operation; her scent was stimulating his primal instincts. A gut feeling told him he shouldn’t get any closer to this woman. Just as he was about to touch his earpiece to request backup, she grabbed his hand.

　　Surprised, Seunghyun looked down at her with cold eyes. “Hey. What do you think you’re doing?”

　　Before he could stop her, Yeonsu closed her eyes and brought his captured hand to her cheek. His first thought was that she was insane, but then, strangely, his own body began to grow hotter. It started from the hand she was holding, a rapid change, like hot steam spreading through his veins.

　　“Let go of my hand. This is your only warning,” he growled.

　　But Yeonsu, her reason already consumed by the pain of the Backlash, was oblivious, mumbling, “Just… just a little more.”

　　“What?”

　　When the man’s hand touched her, Yeonsu felt a sense of ecstasy she had never experienced before. The pain from the Backlash was the price of her Ability, a burden she always had to bear alone. But this man’s hand was drawing out the heat that was consuming her from within. The coolness it provided, soothing the fire that threatened to burn her to ash—she needed it. Grabbing his hand was an act beyond cognition; it was pure instinct. She was desperate for more.

　　It’s not enough. Not enough.

　　“Ah…”

　　He couldn’t figure out what the hell was happening. More than that, for some reason, he couldn’t shake off the weak grip of a woman so much smaller than him.

　　“More… more…”

　　Haah, it’s so cool… more, more. She mumbled incomprehensible words, her eyes hazy. The soft skin against his hand, her languid voice, her flushed and dewy eyes—it was all sensuously stimulating his senses. When she opened her eyes and looked at him, he could feel a languid satisfaction and, at the same time, a raw greed.

　　Seunghyun watched her with a twisted expression. The golden iris he had seen through the shifted lens was definitive proof of an Ability. But her eyes, the only evidence he had, had now returned to their original color, shining like black glass beads.

　　Did I see it wrong? That can’t be.

　　Despite having arrested countless ability user criminals, he was completely baffled. But the most confusing part was his own reaction. His body wanted this woman he had met only a few minutes ago, unbelievably so.