The Red Roses Crime Family: Gwangju Branch


Kwon Eunbi. 25. Underboss, heir to the Red Roses empire.


  
Lee Kaeun (25). Kang Hyewon (23). Yabuki Nako (19). Enforcers.

Kim Minju (Capo). Ahn Yujin (Soldier). Jang Wonyoung (Soldier). Kim Chaewon (Chef). Honda Hitomi (Doctor).

 

Heo Yunjin. 19. The Reaper's Protégé.

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

One month ago.

 

A pot of coffee and a gunwound later.

 

-

 

So this is how it feels like.

 

Lying in the infirmary, hooked up to too many machines that it surely started becoming redundant a few contraptions ago, trying to pretend the dull hum of machinery and the smell of antiseptic wasn’t bothering her. She couldn’t even feel her leg, it was bandaged so heavily it looked as if the medical professional that attended to her was trying out her best mummification techniques. 

 

Visiting the infirmary after a mission wasn’t anything weird. It was actually standard procedure, getting your body checked out for any unknown ailments that you could have contracted on the job. Maybe you had a stiff shoulder after shooting your gun too many times. It was perfectly normal to be in the infirmary.

 

Except Kaeun never took part in any of that. Or at least, she tries to take as little a part in it as possible. Because Lee Kaeun was an invincible Reaper that has never gotten injured. She’s always had a perfect bill of health, so this was actually the first time in her how-many-years tenure as the Enforcer of the Red Roses that she’s actually willingly checked into the infirmary.

 

All because of her recklessness.

 

Well, there was that ONE time she landed herself in the infirmary for a nasty tooth infection, but that was hardly her fault.

 

This one was. One hundred percent her fault.

 

She hated being here. She hated just...lying here waiting to heal. She felt like her life was being wasted away, and the general uppitiness of every single doctor on duty did not help to make her feel more welcome.

 

“Kaeun-ssi don’t do this.” “Kaeun-ssi don’t do that.” “Kaeun-ssi don’t clean your gun in the wards.” “Kaeun-ssi don’t jump out the window.” 

 

She’ll jump out any damn window she damn well pleases, thank you very much! She’s the bloody Reaper! Who died and made Doctor Hitomi in charge of windows? Kaeun certainly doesn’t remember killing anybody that had that job assignment! 

 

She grumbles alone in her ward. Doctor Hitomi said that her healing process would take several months at the least, and the girl had the gall to follow it up with “it’s comforting to know that your blood is red, Miss Reaper”. 

 

As a doctor, Hitomi probably takes comfort in the discovery of Kaeun’s mortality. The same could be said for the rest of her family members who would walk on eggshells around her. Her enemies, her peers, they all saw her as a monster. A supernatural being that was incapable of failing. Kaeun herself sometimes needed reminding of how human she is, when the killing gets easier and she comes home with blood-stained clothes without a hint of regret or remorse. It sometimes felt like she cast her humanity aside in favour of the customised silver Heckler & Koch P30L that she keeps on her person at all times.

 

She wasn’t born into this life.

 

She was rescued from a burning building by the Kwon family when she was just a child, and they raised her to be the killer that she is today. A part of her suspects that it was the Kwon family themselves who started the fire that killed her family and destroyed her home, but she does not pine for things that she can barely remember. This was her life now. A weapon to be used by the Kwon family where and when they saw fit.

 

If there was anything superhuman about her, it would be her hearing. Kaeun’s always been alert to the most minute of sounds, able to hear a floorboard creaking from several rooms away. It was the reason why assassins couldn’t sneak up on her, and how she was able to dodge bullets before they’ve even left the chamber. She was familiar with the sound a gun makes as it’s being drawn, the sound a blade makes as it’s cutting through the air....

 

Sometimes she wishes the world would just quiet down. Sometimes she feels the opposite. Like now, when being bedridden has left her absolutely useless.

 

She hears the footsteps approaching long before the door to her ward opens, and when it does she wasn’t surprised to see who was standing at the door.

 

Kwon Eunbi, in all her imposing, gorgeous glory, walked into the room like she owned the building. Well, she did own the building. Along with the occupants of said building. Kaeun always wondered why the Kwon’s would send their first daughter aka the heir to the Red Roses empire to a small town like Gwangju but she never questioned it out loud. Nor did she question it when they made the decision to transfer her here as well from the Seoul branch to accompany Eunbi.

 

“How are you healing?” Eunbi asked, stopping by Kaeun’s bedside with her arms crossed.

 

There was genuine concern in her voice, something that Kaeun never failed to appreciate. They grew up together, Kaeun and Eunbi. Kaeun suspects that was the main reason why the Kwon family took her in; to be a companion to their at-the-time only daughter, except their upbringing couldn’t be any different.

 

Eunbi was forced to swallow and digest books on the daily, being groomed to take over the crime family whereas Kaeun was handed her first gun at the age of 6, learning to shoot a real firearm before she could even properly read. Her job was to protect the family. To protect Eunbi.

 

She didn’t mind it. Protecting her wasn’t even hard. Eunbi never even leaves the office.

 

“Healing’s going great. I could go for a jog.” Kaeun replied, attempting to make a show of stretching her legs before wincing and recoiling in pain.

 

Eunbi could only shake her head. “You’d better not. Hii-chan will kill you.”

 

“She’s probably the only one who can.” Kaeun said, laughing at the thought of the young doctor brandishing a gun. Still, the girl kinda scares Kaeun. It was hard to trust something that looks so harmless. Those are usually the ones that are the most dangerous.

 

“You’re not immortal, Kaeun.” Eunbi says, matter-of-factly, as if it was information that wasn’t previously known.

 

Kaeun snorts in amusement.

 

“I’m aware of that. Yet you keep sending me on these suicide missions as if you believe otherwise.”

 

“Are you complaining?”

 

“Maybe I am. What are you going to do about it? Fire me?”

 

Eunbi looked as if she had the retort to end all retorts ready on the tip of her tongue, only to swallow it and sigh instead. “I sometimes wish I could.”

 

The corners of Kaeun’s lips curved into a triumphant smirk, irritating her boss to no end. How is it they’re the same age? One is obviously lagging behind in the mental maturity department. 

 

“How did this happen? Did you get sloppy? You’ve never been hurt on a mission before.”

 

The sudden shift in tone changed the mood in the room instantly. Kaeun wasn’t talking to her childhood friend anymore, but to “Branch Leader” Kwon Eunbi, leader to 176 members of Korea’s most notorious crime family. 

 

Kaeun shifted uncomfortably on the bed, trying to shrink away from her boss’ stern gaze but she was strapped to this bed with nowhere to go. In addition to that her leg had several pounds of bandages weighing her down, she wouldn’t get very far. Eunbi is pretty agile for someone who sits behind a desk all day.

 

“...I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

She tries, hoping Eunbi would respect her decision and spare her the embarrassment of revealing the truth.

 

“Well I want to talk about it, so you don’t have a choice.”

 

Urgh. So much for respect.

 

“Who was it? Was it Chaeyeon? There are very few people who are skilled enough to catch you unawares. It’s a pretty serious hit too.”

 

Kaeun let out an obnoxious snort. “Chaeyeon wishes she could shoot me in the leg. I think she still holds a grudge from me taking her place as this family’s enforcer. Heard she’s doing stuff for the Black Dahlia now. Unsavoury bunch. Never liked them.”

 

“Kaeun.”

 

“What?”

 

“Stop diverting the subject.”

 

The Reaper clenched her teeth, prayed for patience and peace, and exhaled slowly. She was tranquil. She was like water. She could handle this. 

 

“...It was me, okay?” Kaeun admitted weakly, breaking eye contact with her boss who looked as if she had just misheard what Kaeun said.

 

“What?”

 

“It was me.”

 

“I get that. Explanation. Please.”

 

Kaeun took a deep breath. God help her. “I slipped while I was running around a corner and accidentally shot myself in the leg. I’m not proud of it.”

 

Eunbi blinked. She was waiting for Kaeun to finish the rest of her story but...that was it. That was the whole story. She shot herself in the leg. Turns out the only person who could hurt the Reaper was the Reaper herself.

 

“You’re kidding.” Eunbi claimed, looking for any sign of this being another one of Kaeun’s stupid jokes but saw nothing but embarrassment and shame in the Reaper’s eyes. Her own eyes widened as realisation sank in.

 

“You’re not kidding.” Eunbi breathed out, astonished.

 

Kaeun tried to stay mum, waiting for the inevitable to happen. She knew Eunbi well enough. There was no way she wasn’t going to—

 

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAYOUSTUPIDLOSER—“

 

—and there it is.

 

“Yup. Yup okay. Keep that up. Yeah. It’s cool. It’s cool. Keep laughing at me. I deserve this one.”

 

Kaeun rolled her eyes as Eunbi literally collapsed onto the floor, rolling around and punching the ground in laughter. It went on for a full minute, with her esteemed boss pointing a finger right at Kaeun’s injured leg and laughing obnoxiously right into her face.

 

She deserves this she supposed. It’ll teach her a lesson to never run around with her gun ever again. Safety’s on folks. Always.

 

“I’m done. I’m done. Sorry about that.” Eunbi wheezed, wiping the tears out of her eyes. 

 

“Hey you’re my boss. Contractually you can laugh at me as long and as often as you want.”

 

“Noted, with thanks.” Eunbi had a -eating grin on her face, undoubtedly already thinking of giving the Reaper hell for this in the future. “What’s with the random coffee pot?”

 

Eunbi gestured towards Kaeun’s bedside table, and the latter’s face immediately lit up upon seeing the pot of coffee she had acquired (stolen) the night before. So that’s where it was! She was wondering what Yunjin did with it after she passed out in the car from blood loss!

 

“Oh I got it last night. It’s delicious! Want some?” Kaeun offered cheerily, sloshing the caffeinated contents around in the pot as she waved it to a wary Eunbi.

 

“It’s...probably not drinkable anymore.”

 

“Coffee is coffee. What are you talking about.” Kaeun scoffs as she takes a swig of coffee directly from the pot, tasting the bitter liquid travel down , still absolutely delicious despite having been carried through a battlefield 12 hours ago. 

 

Eunbi shook her head in disbelief. “When you’re limping to the toilet on one leg, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

 

Kaeun was half-tempted to stick her tongue out at her boss but that wasn’t a very Reaper thing to do now, was it? She was sure her coffee was still perfectly drinkable. The person who made it seemed like she knew what she was doing when she was making it after all. Speaking of that....

 

“Can I request a favour, Eunbi?”

 

Eunbi raised an eyebrow, arms going back to being crossed in front of her chest. “You’ve rarely done so before. Should I be worried?”

 

“It’s nothing big. I promise.”

 

There was a look of wary suspicion thrown her way, before the leader finally nodded once. Kaeun suspects that it was out of curiosity more than anything. After all, she’s not known for making any requests. “Let’s hear it then.”

 

Kaeun didn’t even know where to begin, or how to explain her request. “Could you...help me do a background check on someone named Sakura? She works at the patisserie that I took cover in. The one by the bank. That’s all I have to go on. No last name or anything.”

 

If it was even possible, Kaeun swore she saw Eunbi’s eyebrow shoot up even further. “Anything suspicious about this Sakura?”

 

“No, it’s not like that. I...accidentally involved her in this fight when I took cover in her shop. I just want to make sure she doesn’t become a target for anyone. She’s a sweet girl. Innocent in all this.”

 

It was one of the rare occasions when Kaeun was actually telling Eunbi the truth, but her boss didn’t seem convinced at all.

 

“Uh-huh. She cute?”

 

Kaeun balked at the insinuation. “That’s hardly the matter at hand.”

 

“She ugly then?”

 

Their gazes locked, and Kaeun knew that this was a fight that she again could not win. “....She’s very, very cute.”

 

Oh the grin that ripped across Eunbi’s face. It was like she was watching a real-life re-enactment of the Cheshire Cat. What a glorious day today was for Kwon Eunbi! Her beloved Reaper/friend has given her TWO reasons to make fun of her today! First she literally shot herself in the leg, then she metaphorically shot herself in the foot!

 

“Lee Kaeun has a cruuush~” Eunbi began to sing, and Kaeun wished that she had shot herself in the head instead.

 

“Please. You’re 25. Even Wonyoung doesn’t act like that.”

 

“Shall I call Wonyoung in here for us to confirm that?”

 

“....Please don’t.”

 

At that moment, in perfect comedic timing, there were two loud knocks on her door making Kaeun jump out of her skin. She didn’t hear anyone approach the door at all! She must be more flustered than she would care to admit. 

 

Please don’t let it be Wonyoung.

 

“Unnie, may we come i—Oh Boss-unnie! I didn’t know you were in here as well!”

 

Great, it wasn’t Wonyoung. But she wasn’t sure if this development was any better.

 

“Come in Nako. Yunjin. I’m just checking on our Reaper here, to see if she needs any replacement parts or not.” Eunbi winked, and in came the Gwangju branch’s third Enforcer, Yabuki Nako and Kaeun’s own protégé, Heo Yunjin.

 

The leader looked at the two newcomers expectantly, as if waiting for them to deliver a report which Nako gladly did with an over exaggerated salute.

 

“There’s been an update from the Black Dahlia and Crystal Jasmine gangs. They’re starting to make their move against us. The safehouses in the East and South have already been raided, and we suspect the North will be next. It seems like Chaeyeon’s handiwork.”

 

Eunbi clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction, and Kaeun knew that the leader was probably going to give them all a thorough talking to and maybe even some form of punishment for allowing two safehouses to be raided. Maybe Kaeun would get excused, with her leg being in this shape.

 

“Took them awhile. Cowards had to wait until our Reaper got injured to gather the cajones to do something about Wonyoung stealing their data files last week.” Eunbi stated, clenching her teeth and no doubt already forming countermeasures in her head to prepare against two gangs walking all over Red Roses territory.

 

“If only Kkang-unnie had noticed the rifle trap they hid behind the door. I should have gone ahead and scouted for trip wires! Sneaky bastards!” Yunjin lamented, punching an open palm in frustration.

 

Eunbi on the other hand, turned to look at Kaeun who was trying VERY HARD to not meet her leader’s gaze.

 

“Yes...the rifle trap...that’s exactly how she injured her leg...”

 

“Y-Yeah. That’s how. Stupid y traps. Heh.” Kaeun followed up weakly, and she knew Eunbi was trying VERY hard to not burst out laughing right then and there.

 

They must NEVER know. The Reaper’s mystique must be kept alive. It was the only thing keeping the enemies away from their front door.

 

They must never know the Reaper was actually a clumsy idiot who is a bigger threat to herself than an army of armed men could ever be.

 

“Anyways, since they’re starting to get bolder we should definitely take precautions. With Kaeun indisposed, Nako shall take over her responsibilities until further notice. Any objections?”

 

Kaeun raised a hand. “Nako? What about Hyewon? Shouldn’t it be in order of rank?”

 

Eunbi shook her head. “Do you really want to hand over command of 176 armed men and women to Kang Hyewon?”

 

“....Fair point.”

 

Admittedly that didn’t sound ideal, but at least Nako didn’t come with prior history of holding up a McDonald’s at gun point for something trivial such as getting her order wrong.

 

But then again....Nako did purchase a fully functioning World War 2 tank for her 18th birthday. God knows how she gained access to that. They were both equally unstable.

 

.....Kaeun prays that her leg heals quickly.

 

 

 

**************************

 

 

Going through rehabilitation .

 

It was gruelling for a normal person to complete their rehabilitation process, having to practice every single day until she could get the feeling back in her left leg. Hitomi said it would take her several months to literally get back on her feet, while the Reaper was determined to prove the doctor wrong,

 

Kaeun however, couldn’t really qualify as a “normal” person, thus meaning her rehabilitation program was a lot more... gruelling than most. She wasn’t content with her legs regaining their standard human functionality. Kaeun needed her legs to perform at the superhuman capacity she was used to. To move quicker than the people who are running after her. To strike harder than the people who stand before her. 

 

She needed to heal to that level, and she needed to do so as quickly as possible. So she pushes herself. She pushes herself to the point that she can barely crawl afterwards, so she gets around the headquarters using a motorized wheelchair that the R&D team developed just for her.

 

It was especially fortunate that their base had a LOT of elevators built into it, making getting around that much easier. It was hardly a hassle to drive her way from the rehabilitation center on the 11th floor, to her quarters on the 22nd floor. 

 

She stares out of her room, the setting sun framed perfectly in the large glass windows built into her suite, bathing the entire room in orange and slight hints of purple. This building used to be a luxurious hotel, until the Kwon’s took over the building from the previous owners, who failed to clear a large debt they owed to the Red Roses. Kaeun remembers storming the building like it was yesterday, coming into this very room and seeing the happy faces of it’s former inhabitants morph into fear as Kaeun points her gun at them.

 

It was a happy family. Kaeun was fortunate she didn’t have to take their lives that day. Fortunate, that she didn’t have to leave two kids to fend for themselves without any parents. Fortunate that she didn’t have to create another Reaper.

 

She hears familiar footsteps approaching her door, and sighs when she realises that the pair of feet weren’t just passing by. Pretty much soon after, the door knob gently twists open (without so much as a knock! How rude!) and in walks the only person who would dare enter Kaeun’s room unannounced.

 

Kwon Eunbi.

 

Her boss.

 

The insufferable git.

 

“How’s my favourite grumpy vehicle? Vroom vroom!” Eunbi sings, imitating a motorcycle as she approaches the Reaper and acting completely impervious to the latter’s death glares.

 

“Don’t make me run you over.” Kaeun threatens, a ready hand resting on her wheelchair’s control panel.

 

Eunbi gasped dramatically, bringing a hand up to her chest in apparent disbelief at 

Kaeun’s audacity. “But I’m your boss! Who else is going to sign your paychecks?”

 

“Maybe I’ll go to your dad instead.”

 

Eunbi scoffs, rolling her eyes as she sat herself down onto Kaeun’s four-poster bed. “Yeah. Wheel yourself over to Seoul why don’t you? He’ll probably put you straight to work. I bet he’s been itching to kill someone at a rehab centre or something. He’ll manage to find a way to get you to kill someone even in your state for sure.”

 

Kaeun couldn’t even argue with that if she wanted to. It sure sounded like something Boss Kwon would do, and heck has probably done before. It wouldn’t surprise her one bit if she found out that they had someone’s legs purposely broken in order to complete a rehab centre hit. They were twisted enough. 

 

The entire family was twisted. From the father and head of the Red Roses crime family, Kwon Oh Hyun, to the eldest daughter and apparent heir to the throne Kwon Eunbi, to her 7 siblings who heads the 16 branches that make up the entire organization, spanning across South Korea and Japan. Kaeun has met every single one of them, and there wasn’t a sane blood cell running through the family’s veins. 

 

Insanity was something that was required to live in their world. Kaeun sometimes looks into the mirror and wonders just how she must look to an outsider.

 

How does someone like Sakura see her?

 

“Do you think we can weaponize that? Stick a few machine guns on it...a grenade launcher maybe?” Eunbi asks all of a sudden, pointing towards the motorized wheelchair Kaeun was sitting in.

 

Speaking of insanity.

 

“I think the Reaper would be a lot more effective on her own feet than on wheels.” Kaeun suggests, seeing the wide smile on Eunbi’s face just grow even wider.

 

Of course they would try to turn her wheelchair into a tank. Of course they would.

 

“Reaper On Wheels. Sounds like a Disney special.” Eunbi says, before chuckling at her own joke. Kaeun weakly joins in, hoping that her boss and childhood friend wasn’t being serious about it.

 

“Deadly, until you put a set of stairs in front of me. Then I’ll be completely useless.”

 

Eunbi outright bursts into laughter upon hearing Kaeun’s suggestion that a flight of stairs would be the Reaper’s downfall. She’s seen Kaeun incapacitate a fully grown rabid panda with little more than a packet of tissues and a wet tshirt off her own back during a botched reconnaissance mission in a Chinese casino. Kaeun would probably find a way to make her wheelchair levitate off the ground, if she had to.

 

“I have the information you requested by the way. Miyawaki Sakura.” 

 

Kaeun looks up at that, just in time to see an envelope land in her lap, the name “Miyawaki Sakura” scrawled neatly on it’s surface. It had been awhile since then. More than a week, in fact. She had completely forgotten that she had made such a request from Eunbi.

 

“Oh. Thank you.” Kaeun says as she opens the envelope and pulls out several pieces of paper, an oddly thin stack considering that she was currently holding a summary of someone’s entire life in her hands. The Red Roses’ investigators were always known to be unnecessarily thorough with their digging.

 

Maybe this Sakura hadn’t really done much of anything notable to be included in the report. She really was just a normal civilian.

 

And there she was, on the paper at the top of the stack. A picture of Sakura in her casual university clothes, dark red hair cut to shoulder-length, bright eyes and a goofy smile that just screams of innocence, odd posture supporting a comically large schoolbag on her back....

 

“You lied to me, Lee Kaeun.”

 

Kaeun looks up from Sakura’s picture, raises an eyebrow at Eunbi, before going back to looking over the investigation notes.

 

“I lie to you all the time. Which one is this pertaining to?”

 

“You told me she was cute. She isn’t. She’s bloody gorgeous.”

 

Kaeun pauses, not entirely sure how to address the situation. Were they going to be gossiping about attractive people now? Eunbi, the heir to one of South Korea’s largest crime families and Kaeun, the Enforcer of said family with more blood on her hands than a veteran butcher at the market. Gossiping about girls.

 

How jovial and oddly humanising.

 

“I didn’t say cute. I said very, very cute.”

 

“I want this one.” Eunbi states curtly, and Kaeun rolls her eyes in reply.

 

“I thought you’d might.”

 

“Not even gonna fight for her?”

 

Kaeun chuckled, wheeling herself towards her fridge to retrieve a bottle of cold water. “You’re my boss, Eunbi. How am I supposed to fight you for her?”

 

“I don’t know. Make it fun for me at least. I’ve been bored out of my mind.” Eunbi shrugged.

 

“The selection of you keep locked up in your basement not enough to keep you entertained, Kwon Eunbi?” Kaeun tossed a bottle of water to her boss, who caught it without even batting an eye.

 

“They keep telling me how they miss their favourite Reaper’s patronage. They’re wondering how cuddling a coffee pot to bed is better than holding an actual, beautiful, human body.”

 

“I do not cuddle that coffee pot.”

 

“Well you definitely lost your chance to return it. Read the file. She got fired after the police came to ask about you.”

 

“She what?” Kaeun paused, sifting through the bundle of papers in her hands until she comes upon the very last page that listed Sakura’s employment history in chronological order.

 

There it was, printed in black ink.

 

Current Occupation: Unemployed.

Last Held Occupation: Baker, Slice of Life Bakery. ( Contract terminated. Suspected involvement in criminal activity. )

 

“Oh...This...This .”

 

That was all Kaeun could say at the moment. It really did . She’s never directly interfered with an innocent person’s life before, but with that being said she’s never really met anybody truly innocent before either. Kaeun wonders what would happen now that Sakura’s lost her job because of her. Did she need the money? Was the girl’s entire livelihood affected now without any source of income? Did Sakura have any alternate means for—no, she didn’t even have her parents did she? That’s what it says here in the file. Sakura’s an orphan...what a terrible thing she’s done.

 

“You seem genuinely heartbroken. I’ve never seen that from you.”

 

Kaeun looks up, sees Eunbi eyeing her curiously. She belatedly recognizes the feeling welling up in her gut and rising up to the corners of her eyes as remorse and regret.

 

“....Like I said, she was a good girl.”

 

She didn’t like it. She wasn’t a fan of this “remorse” thing. She wishes she knew how to make it stop.

 

“She’s an unemployed good girl now.” Eunbi whistles, dealing the final blow and turning to leave as Kaeun stares out her large windows lost in thought.

 

 

**********************

 

 

Quiet moments don’t come often in their line of work.

 

When they do happen to appear, they’re often fleeting and sudden, meaning you’re never really able to plan for them. The Red Roses’ Enforcers each have their own separate ways of spending these moments, while waiting for work to pick up again.

 

You seldom get to rest as an Enforcer. There are always people trying to knock you down a peg.

 

Nako has a Gundam figure that she’s been trying to complete. Kaeun knows for a fact that the Shortest Weapon Of Mass Destruction™ spends every waking moment not dedicated to serving Eunbi slaving away over her little toy.

 

(“Model kit! Not TOY! MODEL! KIT!” Nako yells at Kaeun, pointing her oversized LMG at the Reaper, fully prepared to open fire to defend the dignity of her robot.)

 

Hyewon chooses to spend her time in the kitchens, offering Chaewon unsolicited opinions on the chef’s latest recipes, usually resulting in the former getting thrown out of the dining hall.

 

Kaeun chooses to spend her time a bit more leisurely, by going up to the roof of the Red Roses’ hideout (which was hardly a hideout, and more of a bold statement that was about 35 stories tall. The Kwon’s were firm believers of “hiding in plain sight”) and reading a book while smoking a cigarette. Oftentimes, like now for instance, she’s joined by her protégé Yunjin, who spends less time reading and more time throwing rocks off the edge of the building and watching the rough winds carry them away.

 

All of the Enforcers have protégés. It’s how the organisation makes sure that they’re never in short supply of killing machines. Kaeun has Yunjin, Nako has Kim Nayoung and Hyewon’s currently in the “in between” phase, with her former protégé never making it out of the last firefight they were in.

 

It’s very well known however that amongst the protégés, even the ones from the larger branches like Seoul and Busan, Heo Yunjin was in a class of her own. Despite only being an understudy, Kaeun would argue that her student was almost as good as Nako, and that was a feat in itself because that pint-sized killer was a complete psycho.

 

(Images of Nako cackling maniacally while firing off a flamethrower almost as large as she was atop a pile of dead bodies come to mind. Kaeun shudders. She doesn’t fear much, but Nako was a special exception.)

 

There was no doubt in her mind that one day Yunjin would succeed her, taking on the mantle of the Reaper while Kaeun watches on with pride.

 

Although that wouldn’t really make sense, would it? Yunjin wouldn’t be able to inherit the title, with it’s former owner still alive.

 

“Unnie.”

 

“Mmm.” Kaeun barely acknowledges the younger girl, not even looking up from her copy of H.P. Lovecraft’s ‘The Dunwich Horror’.

 

“Train me.”

 

Kaeun offers the taller girl a side glance, taking a long drag from her fancy imported cigarette that she especially saves for relaxing moments like this. She didn’t feel like working up a sweat. “I’m tired.”

 

“You’re contractually obligated to!” Yunjin huffed, causing the older girl to roll her eyes. 

 

“You don’t even know what goes into my contract, runt.”

 

It was written in her contract though. Train the protégés so that they can become future Enforcers. What wasn’t included in the contract however, was when she would train Yunjin. They train on Kaeun’s schedule, and to be completely fair she does dedicate a significant portion of the week into grooming the giraffe into something remotely presentable for—

 

BANG!

 

Kaeun blinks. 

 

Her gaze moves over to her empty hand and wonders where did her cigarette go. That’s funny. Cigarettes don’t usually have the tendency to Houdini themselves out of existence, do they? Her gaze then shifts over to Yunjin, who was pointing a smoking gun right at her, mischievous smile on her face.

 

What the .

 

“Did you just—“

 

“Got your attention, didn’t I?” Yunjin looked absolutely proud of herself, while Kaeun struggled to keep herself from mourning the death of her recently vaporised cigarette.

 

This idiot really decided to shoot the cigarette that she had been cradling between her fingers. Was it a show of accuracy? It was an act of hubris, that’s what it was.

 

“...That was expensive. Eunbi got me that one from Japan. I don’t have many of ‘em left.” Kaeun informed in as calm a voice as possible. She was going to hold a vigil for her late cigarette later today. The untimely death of her precious friend whom she barely got to bond with.

 

“And I know where you stash ALL your cancer-sticks. Shall I pay the rest of them a visit?”

 

The Reaper’s ears twitch at the threat. Who does this runt think she is...?

 

“Guess I’ll have to teach the brat a lesson in etiquette. One does NOT threaten The Reaper’s cigarettes.” Kaeun’s voice was dangerously low, eerily calm as she gently lay her book down on the lounge chair she had been relaxing in. 

 

“She’s calling herself the Reaper now. She must really be mad.” Yunjin laughed, further goading Kaeun as the latter stood up and began to stretch. Nobody else not named Kwon Eunbi would dare to talk to her this way. Only Yunjin.

 

Honestly, Kaeun appreciated it.

 

Injured leg be damned, maybe Yunjin’s offer to spar was a little more tempting than Kaeun would like to admit. Maybe Kaeun herself just really likes to fight as well, and she didn’t need much of an excuse to throw down. Maybe her playing hard to get was really just a front, and she had hoped that Yunjin would continue goading her into this.

 

“That’s Reaper-seonsaengnim to you, runt.”

 

Yunjin laughed, throwing her gun to the side as Kaeun dashed towards her, closing the distance between them in an instant despite her leg injury. She wouldn’t need any weapons this time around. They’ve wordlessly agreed that this would be an unarmed session, what with Kaeun charging in with a clenched fist like a mad bull.

 

It was quite an amateurish move for the Reaper. Yunjin easily and effortlessly sidestepped the punch Kaeun threw her way, bending low while swinging her leg around to sweep the Reaper’s. Kaeun does a little hop, leaving the ground just high enough for Yunjin’s leg to pass right through under her.

 

Using the momentum of her spinning leg sweep, Yunjin makes another pass. Spinning around while still remaining low to the ground, the taller girl used her long legs to her advantage by swinging a kick aimed at Kaeun’s midsection this time. Unable to dodge it as her feet still hadn’t touched the ground yet, the Reaper had no choice but to block the kick with her forearm.

 

Kaeun winced, stepping backwards the moment she lands in order to create some separation between her and Yunjin. That was smart of her protégé, kicking her while she was still in the air. It was almost as if she knew Kaeun would dodge the leg sweep by jumping, and telegraphed the follow up moves perfectly. The kick itself wasn’t half-bad either.

 

“That had to hurt.” Yunjin grinned proudly, seeing the way Kaeun was still clutching the arm that she had used to block the earlier kick.

 

“That wasn’t bad. We learning Capoeira now?”

 

“I might’ve watched a YouTube video or two.” Yunjin replies cheekily, sticking her tongue out at Kaeun while the latter could only shake her head in disbelief.

 

“...Kids these days...”

 

Kaeun moves towards Yunjin again, faster this time. The taller girl aims a half-hearted left hand jab towards Kaeun which she easily ducked under, only to find a knee already coming up and heading straight for her face. With the speed of her bending down to dodge the punch and the knee being raised faster than Kaeun could dodge it, she had no choice but to clench her teeth and take the full brunt of Yunjin’s counter.

 

The knee hits her right on the nose, and Kaeun’s head whips backwards from the force of the impact. She was seeing stars as she stumbled backwards, feeling the warm trickle of blood trailing down from her nose. It’s been awhile since she’s gotten hit by anyone. Kaeun was starting to actually miss the feeling.

 

Yunjin knew her moves. She knew she could get Kaeun to duck her punch, so she used it as bait to get the Reaper with her knee instead. Yunjin was her student, and she has definitely been doing her homework. Every single one of Kaeun’s moves were being telegraphed and read like a book. How disadvantageous.

 

“So when are you going to take this seriously?” Yunjin laughs, obviously giddy at her success of giving the most capable fighter in their entire organization a bloody nose.

 

“That depends. When are you going to hit puberty?”

 

“I’m NINETEEN!”

 

This time it was Yunjin who was running towards Kaeun, sending a violent roundhouse kick straight towards the older girl’s head as soon as she was within reach. Kaeun ducks it, and she sees Yunjin whip around with another kick, using the momentum of her first roundhouse to double the power of her second kick. The Reaper easily steps back, getting out of Yunjin’s range and smirks when she sees her protégé grunt in frustration.

 

It takes a lot of effort and energy to do the big moves Yunjin was doing. Every miss was a hit to her stamina, and this was something Kaeun wanted to teach the girl.

 

Kaeun herself wasn’t fond of big, Tekken-level techniques. She liked a good ol’ fashioned fist fight, and she brought it to Yunjin without skipping a beat.

 

Stepping in with frightening speed, Yunjin could only catch a glimpse of fiery grey eyes before Kaeun twists her body violently to deliver a punch straight to her student’s liver. Yunjin knew it was coming. It was Kaeun’s favourite move after all, so she had it well-scouted and had already taken the necessary precautions to block the move, but she couldn’t ever be ready for the sheer power behind Kaeun’s fists.

 

It was a combination of absolutely perfect technique, form, and 20 years of experience in fights. No wasted motion, just maximum power and pain compressed into a compact swing. Even though she’s managed to block it perfectly, even through her guard, Yunjin nearly keeled over from the strength Kaeun packed into her left fist. It was like somebody had detonated a grenade right into her right side, and it was not over yet. 

 

While Yunjin was busy blocking Kaeun’s left fist aimed at her liver, The Reaper’s right hand was making a beeline straight for her head. Noticing just in time but being unable to block it due to both her hands being preoccupied, Yunjin turns her head in the same direction the punch was travelling in an attempt to lessen the impact. It worked to some extent. It helped to dull the pain, and Yunjin was just about to take a second to feel proud of herself when Kaeun lunged forward and slammed her forehead right into Yunjin’s nose.

 

Reeling back from the pain of Kaeun’s unexpected headbutt, Yunjin tried her best to keep her guard up while trying to ignore the pain in her arms from blocking just one of Kaeun’s punches. The Reaper was finally playing seriously, and it became a matter of finding out just how long she can survive against a committed Lee Kaeun. As far as she knows, Hyewon’s lasted the longest in a one-on-one sparring match with the Reaper, but even then the number 2 Enforcer was unable to pose much of a threat to Kaeun.

 

Yunjin ducks a punch, and weaves her head to dodge the onslaught that soon followed. She was on the defensive, looking for an opening but there weren’t any. All she could see was Kaeun’s violent grey eyes, observing her and waiting for her to generate any form of offense. It sent chills down her spine. The Reaper was a force of nature all on her own.

 

Realising she’s been blocking too many punches that her bruised arms were starting to grow numb, Yunjin takes a step back to create some breathing room and immediately regrets it. It was exactly the opening Kaeun was looking for. The Reaper stepped forward the exact moment Yunjin’s center of gravity shifted backwards, leaving the protégé off balance and unable to fully dodge the sharp uppercut Kaeun throws her way.

 

It barely grazes her chin, but it was a critical strike. It was enough contact to cause Yunjin’s eyes to start to roll back into her head, and all it took to end it was a sharp straight hook right into the younger girl’s jaw. It was maybe a lot harder than Kaeun intended the strike to be, but perhaps she was still annoyed from all the goading the younger girl did.

 

Kaeun’s hands quickly shot out to catch Yunjin before she hits the floor, laying the girl onto the organization building’s dusty roof as gently as she could.

 

With her hands on her hips, Kaeun looks down at her unconscious protégé while shaking her head. She reaches up to wipe at her nose, and she stares at the blood on her thumb with a proud smile on her face.

 

The Red Roses’ future was in dependable hands.

 

 

*********************

 

 

“At least I managed to hurt you this time.”

 

Kaeun turns away from her book at the sound of Yunjin’s voice. She was seated cross-legged on the floor, enjoying the breeze with her book in her lap waiting for her protégé to wake up. 

 

Yunjin was still lying spread eagled as she stared up at the canvas of blue skies and billowing white clouds passing above her. She has improved. The younger girl has only taken an apprenticeship under Kaeun for the short period of 4 years, but she learns fast. It wouldn’t be long until they make her an Enforcer as well, with her skills being so undeniably present.

 

Kaeun simply nods, underplaying how proud she was of her student. “You did.”

 

Yunjin lets out a loud snort at the curt answer. “I think that deserves a trophy or a medal, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

The girl was still too young. 19 was far too young to be made into a weapon, but with that being said Kaeun took her first life when she was only 9 years old. She was made an Enforcer at the age of 13, and took over Chaeyeon’s role as Gwangju’s head Enforcer by the time she was 18, so maybe she was just being prejudiced in her statement. 

 

“...I might be able to commission one. What would you like it to say?”

 

“In commemoration of making the Reaper pay for not taking me seriously.”

 

Kaeun rolled her eyes while Yunjin guffawed like an idiot next to her. Why was she so fond of this ? She still remembers Eunbi bringing her to meet Yunjin 5 years ago, telling the Reaper all about how they found the then 14 year old girl rummaging through their trash for food scraps. They saw potential in Yunjin, and it was convenient that the young teenager already had a disdain for the world for being abandoned at such a young age. The transition from homeless reject to merciless killer was easier than most.

 

All they had to do was give her a gun and tell her where to point it.

 

The irony, was that spending time with Kaeun actually brought out the humanity in both of them. They developed a bond, much closer than student and master. They were friends. 

 

Sisters. 

 

“...How are you feeling?” Kaeun asked, noticing that Yunjin still hadn’t moved a muscle in the last few minutes.

 

“Like somebody who just got knocked out for 5 minutes.”

 

“10 minutes.” Kaeun corrected, and chuckled when Yunjin clicked her tongue irritably.

 

“....Technicalities.”

 

Silence passed between them. The quiet moments that were so rare. Kaeun notices the swelling on her protégés cheek, and concluded that she definitely hit harder than she should have. She really doesn’t know how to control her strength sometimes.

 

“Kaeunnie hits like an ape!”

 

Shut up Minju.

 

“She’s something else, y’know?”

 

Kaeun looks over at her protégé in confusion.

 

“Who is?”

 

“That Miyawaki girl.”

 

Okay...She definitely hit Yunjin too hard. She managed to wreck the girl and whatever marbles the girl had left. 

 

“Why are we suddenly talking about her?”

 

Instead of answering immediately, Yunjin decides to draw it out with a long, contemplative hum. Probably on purpose, knowing that she has her unnie hooked onto her every word at just the mention of the bake—former baker’s name.

 

“You think we can get her to join us? She’s got spunk. That runaway dumpster from last night was pretty sick. Hyewon-unnie needs a new understudy too.” Yunjin chatters excitedly, finally sitting up to flash Kaeun a wide smile that the Reaper herself could not share.

 

Instead Kaeun was silent. Pensive, as if tossing what Yunjin had said about and around in her brain. Yunjin was so cheerful....so innocent in thinking that she had said nothing wrong at all.

 

“Do you honestly think protégés are that easily replaceable, Yunjin?”

 

“Well...aren’t we? You could train anyone to be good, with a little time.”

 

Kaeun chuckled. There was truth in that, definitely. Yunjin was not wrong at all, and it was definitely inline with the organization’s way of thinking, but it did not sit well with Kaeun. The younger girl thinks too lowly of herself. Maybe it was due to her past of being previously abandoned, making her lose her self-worth. 

 

Kaeun raises a hand and gently the top of Yunjin’s head. Affectionately and lovingly, although it probably seemed odd because she herself was aware that she’s never anyone’s head before. Yunjin looked stunned, not knowing what to do with Kaeun’s sudden display of affection but Kaeun has seen people do this in the movies before and she’s secretly been wanting to try it too.

 

“I wouldn’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Yunjin.” Kaeun admits, continuing the awkward hair petting she was doing. Okay, maybe she was doing it wrong but this definitely wasn’t the effect that she had intended. Head petting is a lie.

 

She’ll probably never pet another head in her life.

 

Yunjin’s entire attention was on her, so Kaeun continues her story. Redoubles her effort to prove to Yunjin that she was wrong. She wasn’t expendable. She mattered to someone.

 

“The same goes for Hyewon. She hides it well, but she’s devastated that she lost Minami in that last raid. You’re our protégés. You’re the ones we spend the most time with. You’re the closest to a little sister I have, Yunjin.”

 

Silence, as Yunjin allows Kaeun’s words to sink in. She sees the younger girl’s eyes start to water, and she hopes that Yunjin won’t start crying because then Kaeun would start crying as well and the Reaper couldn’t remember the last time she’s ever cried so maybe like the hair petting she’ll probably mess THAT up as well—

 

“You like Sakura don’t you, unnie?”

 

Okay screw the crying. She just had the biggest urge to punch her student unconscious once again.

 

“I don’t.”

 

“Lies.” Yunjin actually stuck her tongue out to punctuate the accusation. What a child.

 

“I can’t afford to like anybody. You know that. My life is not my own. I belong to this family.”

 

“By saying that, does that mean that you do?”

 

There was no winning with this one. Kaeun sighed, because Yunjin didn’t seem like she was going to drop the subject anytime soon. What exactly does she feel for Sakura? What was that inexplicable happiness she felt when they bumped into the Japanese girl in that alley yesterday?

 

Whatever it was, whatever meaning that could be held responsible for the disgusting swell of joy rising in the pit of her stomach at the very thought of Sakura, it can go away. These unfamiliar feelings did not deserve to be addressed. Maybe not now. Maybe not when she still saw herself as a monster. Maybe not when her footsteps leave bloody footprints, marking the path she’s walked.

 

“Maybe in another life.” 

 

Kaeun stares off the edge of the roof, into the vast blue abyss of the sky before her. Gwangju didn’t offer much in terms of high rise buildings to obscure her skyline view, unlike Seoul. Seoul was a concrete jungle. A madhouse, with cold inhabitants.

 

“There’s no harm in admitting it, unnie.” Yunjin poked, but there was a gentle cadence to her voice now. Less teasing, more reassuring.

 

Kaeun could laugh. Her protégé had things to teach her as well, it would seem.

 

“She makes me....wonder. What it would be like, y’know? If I didn’t have all this blood on my hands. If I wasn’t the Reaper. If I wasn’t the monster that parents tell stories about to their kids. She’s so....normal. What do I have to do to get a taste of that normalcy? What would it be like if I was like her? What if I was just...just Kaeun?”

 

It was like a weight off her shoulders. Yunjin and Eunbi were probably the only two people that she could be this honest with. To be this open and vulnerable, to wear her heart on her sleeve is not an easy task for someone who has poured so much cement over her heart to harden it that she’s left her soul trapped underneath.

 

“You were meant for extraordinary things unnie. I doubt you’d be just anything.” Yunjin says, voice low as she reaches out to rub Kaeun’s shoulder reassuringly. The Reaper nods and laughs a bitter laugh. 

 

“The family will kill her if they find out I’m feeling this way. If I make it seem as if I’m self-aware. Weapons are less functional if they start developing feelings. They can’t risk their best weapon being led astray.”

 

Yunjin laughs along with Kaeun. The same hollow, bitter laugh that resounds through the empty rooftop and gets carried away by a random passing breeze. The laughter dies down quickly, and is replaced by a weighty silence. 

 

“Am I going to turn into you one day?” Yunjin asks with a childlike innocence, after about a minute of contemplation. 

 

“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing.” Kaeun laughs weakly, turning to her student to see Yunjin sitting up hugging her knees. She looked so young. Like the 19 year old girl that Kaeun admittedly sometimes forgets she was.

 

Yunjin looks to her and their eyes meet, and it startles Kaeun how the girl’s eyes were already starting to mirror hers. There was a familiar emptiness in the deep hazel that could bring a tear to Kaeun’s eyes as well as an awkward swell of pride in her heart. 

 

“Isn’t it a bad thing?” Yunjin asks, and Kaeun didn’t have the answer to that. 

 

The younger girl was quickly developing into the Reaper she was being trained to be. Kaeun was aware that there will come a time when she would have to hang up her gun and make way for the next generation, but it still pained her to teach Yunjin her ways of killing. To wring out every inch of humanity that the younger girl had left in her until she was a dry husk that performs her tasks unencumbered. 

 

She wanted Yunjin to survive in this world. Survive, because that’s their only option now. There was no getting out of this.

 

The door behind them leading downstairs bursts open suddenly and both of them turn around to see a panting Minju standing in the doorway.

 

“Kaeunnie. There’s trouble.”

 

“Sounds serious.” Kaeun says, but she can see from the panicked and haggard expression on Minju’s face that indeed this wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

 

“It’s Sakura.”

 

“Is she okay?!” Kaeun is immediately on her feet. A hundred thousand different scenarios play in her mind, each more macabre than the last. No. No no no why was Sakura still involved with them? They’ve cleared all tracks!

 

Minju takes a deep breath, and steels herself for what she was about to reveal next.

 

“Chaeyeon got to her.”

 

Fear flashes across Kaeun’s face, an expression that neither Yunjin nor Minju could remember ever seeing the Reaper wearing. She begins to tremble, as the worst possible scenario was presented to her. “No....No she isn’t—“

 

“She’s still alive unnie.” Minju interrupts quickly before Kaeun could jump to conclusions. “There’s a ransom note.”

 

“ a ransom note! We’re not going to be negotiating anything!” Kaeun yells, pushing past Minju to head downstairs. 

 

They knew where Kaeun was going. There was that look on her face that screamed the bloodiest of murders, and an angry Lee Kaeun was something that even the Korean government feared.

 

“We...We should probably go with her.” Minju stuttered, turning to Yunjin who could only sigh. She was just knocked out a few minutes ago. Couldn’t she at least take a shower before she started killing people?

 

Of all people for Chaeyeon to kidnap, they just had to kidnap the one girl that could incite the worst out of Kaeun. This was probably a trap. This was probably a bad idea.

 

Fortunately, the Red Roses weren’t known for making sound decisions when faced with bad ideas.

 

“Suit up, Minju-unnie. It’s time for work.”
 

 

__________________________________________
 

This was one of my favourite chapters to write, in all my fics. I don’t know. I’m just—I’m just excited that I created a whole backstory to the Red Roses and it’s complex and it’s...a LOT of thought has been put into this chapter. 

 

First off, Sakura isn’t in this chapter at all. I hope none of you are disappointed by that, and I hope all of you managed to get an idea of why Kaeun was so interested in Sakura. Chaeyeon’s relation to Kaeun was also briefly touched upon, in that the former was the Head Enforcer for the Gwangju branch before Kaeun took over. That will be expanded upon further in the next chapter.

 

Following Mafia hierarchy, the Boss of the organization is Eunbi’s father, making her the Underboss. The Boss, in this fic, is Kwon Oh Hyun, who in real life is the former CEO of Samsung Electronics. Someone powerful enough to be the Boss of an entire crime familia.

 

Although it’s actually listed here that Minju is a Capo, which is a reaaally high rank, I made her completely approachable. Wonyoung talks to her like an equal in Chapter 2, which isn’t right but Minju is too soft to do anything about it. A pretty weak Capo now that I think about it. Hmm. 

 

Also, Hyewon and Nabuki are Enforcers too. I just think they’re suitable for it. I actually wrote a long practice sparring session between Kaeun and Nako in a future chapter, but I ended up erasing it because it was too long and it didn’t have anything to do with the story. Would you guys still like me to include it back into the fic, although it’s just for self-gratifying funsies? Wanna read a fight scene between Nako and Kaeun? hahahaha

 

How was the fight scene in this chapter? Good? Okay? Hard to understand? I’m trying hahaha please help me improve. I rarely get the chance to write fight scenes. I love writing Yunjin x Kaeun scenes. They’re so cute.

 

I would just like to thank everyone for reading, supporting, showing interest in this fic. It means a lot to me. My mother passed away during the early stages of this fic back in November, and writing it has really helped me get through that difficult time. I just had to keep busy. Now I don't have as much time to commit to this fic as I can because I need to take up a TONNE of responsibilities, but I'd like to thank all my subscribers, readers and upvoters for being with me and being patient with the erratic update schedules.

Thank you to amandalim44, RikaHiraga, sinrinjensooyulsic08, zthalon, kamote11, sakuuwura, Cool1awesome1, Random_Kpop_Lover, -kirito-, eyexofxhorus, Asteon, PenguBearSoshi, renraitoluhan123, penchell, yuki_momoko, snsdtwinkle, asahdako, blueblanket, kingfish, gtrivs, AegyoBeaner, Kamisa, wotma8, KkuChaerry, concart, ilikecheese, nurul_pka, Sarahjdz001 for the upvotes! Thank you, thank you!

 

See y'all in the next update!