Chapter Text
Kwon Taekjoo had been living a quiet, detached life for the past few years, keeping his head low and staying out of trouble. He wasn’t particularly close to his parents—that was why he left in the first place. But when he got the call, everything came crashing down.
"Mr. Kown Taekjoo? I’m calling regarding your parents. There’s been an accident."
His grip on his phone tightened. "An accident?"
"A car crash. I’m sorry, but...they didn’t make it."
There was a long silence. Kwon Taekjoo’s mind went blank, the words struggling to process.
"...Oh," was all he managed to say.
He felt like he should say something more, but what? What was the right response when you just found out your parents were dead? Should he cry? Should he feel...something?
"Mr. Kwon? Are you still there?"
"Yeah. I’m here," he muttered. "What do I need to do?"
---
The funeral was cold. Not just because of the season, but because of the lack of warmth in the gathering. There were a few distant relatives, some family friends, and people who probably felt obligated to be there. But no one wept. No one truly mourned, especially himself.
Kwon Taekjoo stood at the back, hands shoved in his pockets.
They were still his parents, sure, but it wasn’t like they had been kind or loving. They had always been distant, more concerned with their own lives than their son’s. It wasn’t a surprise that they died the way they lived—reckless, thoughtless, and leaving behind a mess for someone else to clean up.
That someone, unfortunately, was him.
As the ceremony ended, a man approached him. He was dressed in an expensive suit, his sharp eyes looking at Kwon Taekjoo with a mix of amusement and pity.
"Kwon Taekjoo, correct?"
Kwon Taekjoo raised an eyebrow. "Who’s asking?"
The man handed him a folder. "Your parents left behind quite a legacy. Fifty million won in debt. And as their only living heir, that responsibility now falls on you."
Kwon Taekjoo blinked. Then again. Then let out a bitter laugh.
"What the fuck."
Fifty million won.
Where the hell did they even spend that kind of money? Candy Crush?
Kwon Taekjoo paced around his apartment, running his hands through his hair. "I don’t have debt. I swear, I don’t. So where the hell did this even come from?!"
But reality didn’t care about his frustration. The numbers were real, and now, so were his consequences. The only thing he could do now was find a way to pay it off.
Then came the offer.
A one-way ticket to Russia. Work off the debt for the Bogdanov family. It was simple: use his skills as a former agent to serve as a bodyguard.
It was either that or spend the rest of his life running from debt collectors.
"Screw my parents," he muttered, shoving the contract into his bag. "Guess I’m going to Russia."
He sighed “where did it go wrong?” He asked even though he knew the answer.