The next morning at Lotus was too quiet.
Seo-jin felt it the moment he opened his eyes — a tension in the air, like the city itself was holding its breath.
Min-ji was already awake, sitting cross-legged on the floor, sharpening a jagged piece of metal into something vaguely resembling a knife.
She didn't look up when he stirred.
"Sleep well, brooding boy?" she asked lightly.
Seo-jin sat up, wincing as his ribs protested.
"Like a corpse," he muttered.
Min-ji flashed him a grin without stopping her work.
"Fitting."
He smiled despite himself.
But the unease in the air remained.
Pressing down.
Growing heavier with every breath.
**
They found Ko in the main hall, standing before the broken windows, staring out at the ruined skyline.
Ha-eun was there too, arms crossed, her mouth tight.
As soon as Seo-jin and Min-ji entered, Ko spoke without turning around.
"We have a problem."
Seo-jin exchanged a glance with Min-ji.
"Another mission?" he asked.
Ko's shoulders stiffened slightly.
"Bigger."
He turned finally, his face grim.
"You made too much noise in Sector Nine."
Min-ji threw up her hands, mock-offended.
"You're welcome for wiping out a whole ambush team, by the way."
Ko didn't smile.
"The bigger factions noticed."
Silence settled over them like a heavy blanket.
Seo-jin felt his stomach knot.
"Which ones?" he asked.
Ko's mouth twisted.
"Crimson Shield. Black Sun. Maybe even Valkyrie Division."
Min-ji let out a low whistle.
"Heavy hitters."
Seo-jin leaned against the wall, processing.
They were no longer invisible.
No longer just survivors scrabbling for crumbs.
Now they were pieces on someone else's board.
And pieces could be broken.
**
Ha-eun stepped forward, her voice quieter but no less urgent.
"They sent envoys. Today."
Seo-jin's head snapped up.
"Here?"
Ha-eun nodded.
"One from each group."
Min-ji cracked her knuckles.
"Let me guess — they want to talk."
Ko's gaze was flat.
"They want to own you."
Seo-jin felt the weight of it settle on his shoulders.
He had fought so hard to survive.
To grow.
To carve a space for himself in this bleeding world.
Now others wanted to claim that.
No.
He wouldn't be caged again.
Min-ji must have seen something in his face.
She bumped his shoulder lightly.
"We'll handle it."
Seo-jin nodded slowly.
Together.
Always together now.
**
The meeting was set in the old warehouse that served as Lotus's "neutral" ground.
Seo-jin hated it.
Too open.
Too many angles.
Too many ways to die.
But they had no choice.
Ko, Ha-eun, Seo-jin and Min-ji sat on battered chairs around a cracked table, waiting.
Waiting for the wolves to arrive.
**
The first to enter was a woman clad in crimson armor, sleek and gleaming despite the grime of the city.
Her face was sharp, her eyes colder than ice.
"Representative Ji-eun of Crimson Shield," she said, voice clipped.
Behind her marched two soldiers, silent and watchful.
Seo-jin met her gaze steadily.
She smiled thinly.
"Congratulations," she said. "You've made quite an impression."
Before he could reply, the door slammed again.
A man swaggered in — tall, broad, draped in a tattered black cloak.
His smile was all teeth.
"Name's Dae-won. Black Sun. Heard you kids like breaking things."
Min-ji muttered under her breath.
"We like breaking mouths too."
Seo-jin smirked.
Dae-won laughed loudly, like they'd shared a joke.
His men spread out behind him, casual but poised for violence.
**
Last came the envoy from Valkyrie Division.
A woman dressed not in armor, but simple traveler's clothes — worn boots, a plain jacket.
Only the heavy fragment device at her hip marked her as anything but a scavenger.
She had short-cropped black hair and calm, steady eyes.
"No titles," she said simply. "Call me Sun-hee."
Seo-jin liked her immediately.
Not trust.
Not friendship.
Just respect.
The kind only survivors could recognize in each other.
**
The offers began immediately.
Crimson Shield offered security.
Weapons.
Territory.
"If you kneel," Ji-eun said, her smile thin as a blade.
Black Sun offered chaos.
Freedom.
Power.
"If you fight for us," Dae-won grinned, spreading his arms like a king blessing his subjects.
Valkyrie Division offered something different.
Choice.
"Stay independent," Sun-hee said. "We'll back you from the shadows. Quietly. For now."
Seo-jin listened.
Watched.
Felt.
Min-ji watched too, leaning back lazily but missing nothing.
When it was clear they were expected to answer, Ko nodded at Seo-jin.
The choice was his.
Seo-jin stood slowly.
He looked at Ji-eun.
At Dae-won.
At Sun-hee.
And then he spoke.
"We're not weapons to be owned," he said quietly.
"Not shields to be held.
Not suns to be burned.
Not pieces on your boards."
His voice grew stronger with each word.
"We're Lotus. And we stand alone."
**
For a long moment, no one moved.
Then Ji-eun smiled without humor.
"You'll regret that."
Dae-won laughed again.
"I hope you survive long enough to regret it."
Only Sun-hee inclined her head.
"Good luck," she said simply.
One by one, they left.
Leaving only the dust and the fading echoes of their offers behind.
**
Seo-jin sank back into his chair, exhausted.
Min-ji tossed a battered bottle of water at him.
"Nice speech," she said, grinning.
He caught it one-handed.
"Thanks."
She leaned forward, her grin fading slightly.
"You know they're gonna come for us now, right?"
He nodded.
"I know."
Min-ji sat back, hands laced behind her head.
"Good."
She looked out the broken window, at the bleeding sky beyond.
"I was starting to get bored.