5. Lee Family

It was lunchtime on the plane, and the air hostesses were moving through the aisle, serving meals to the passengers. One of them stopped beside Lee Soo-ah’s seat and gently placed a tray of food in front of him.

“Enjoy your meal, sir,” she said with a polite smile before walking away.

Soo-ah nodded slightly and picked up the fork, silently beginning to eat. The food was decent—nothing special—but it was warm and enough to keep him going.

As he shifted the items on the tray, his eyes caught a folded piece of paper tucked near the corner of the tray. Curious, he picked it up and unfolded it. Inside was a handwritten phone number.

Soo-ah glanced across the aisle and caught sight of the same air hostess, who quickly turned away and disappeared down the cabin. He let out a quiet sigh, clearly annoyed.

Seriously? he thought, folding the paper back up and shoving it into the side of the tray. He reached for his water and took a long sip before continuing to eat, pretending nothing had happened.

After finishing his lunch, he glanced at the small touchscreen panel on the seat in front of him.

Still six hours left, he noted, unimpressed.

Once he was done, a different flight attendant came to clear his tray and glass. Soo-ah gave a brief nod in thanks, then adjusted his seat into the bed position, pulled up a light blanket, and closed his eyes, letting himself rest for the remainder of the flight.

Six hours later, the plane landed smoothly in Mexico. The announcement rang through the speakers, and passengers began gathering their belongings.

Soo-ah stood, slinging his backpack over one shoulder and pulling his suitcase from the overhead compartment. He walked calmly through the airport, his eyes scanning the crowd with indifference.

As he approached the arrival gates, a man in formal wear stood waiting—black suit, tattoos visible on his neck, and sleek black sunglasses hiding his eyes. The moment he saw Soo-ah, he grinned brightly.

“Hey, little brother!” he called out joyfully. Without hesitation, he rushed forward and wrapped Soo-ah in a strong hug. “Ah, my precious little brother, Soo-ah!”

Soo-ah immediately pushed him back with a grimace. “Get away from me.”

The man laughed. “Don’t be like that! It’s me, Lee Sang-woo. Age 27. Your amazing big brother!”

Soo-ah narrowed his eyes. “What the hell do you mean, ‘amazing’?”

But before he could protest more, Sang-woo threw an arm around his shoulders and led him to the car parked outside the airport. They got in, and Sang-woo immediately started the engine with a grin, driving off into the city streets.

On the other side of town, in a separate black car, Devin sat in silence. His guard drove the vehicle, the atmosphere tense and quiet. Devin stared out the window, as if sensing something was off.

Meanwhile, in Sang-woo’s car, Soo-ah finally broke the silence.

“Hyung… what are you doing these days?”

Sang-woo gave a wide smile, eyes still on the road. “I have my gang now. I’m the leader.”

Soo-ah blinked. “What about Father’s gang?”

“Oh, he’s still running it,” Sang-woo replied casually. “We’re not stepping on each other’s toes.”

Soo-ah sighed, rubbing his forehead. “You know… I never told anyone in Korea that my family is part of the mafia.”

Sang-woo laughed joyfully and loudly. “You should! Imagine their faces! It’d be fun.”

“I’m not telling them,” Soo-ah muttered firmly.

Sang-woo wiggled his eyebrows. “What if I go visit your school and meet your friends?”

Soo-ah gave him a sharp look. “If you show up there, I’m changing schools.”

They both chuckled as the car finally pulled up to a large modern mansion surrounded by tall gates. The security opened the gate, and Sang-woo drove in.

Inside the house, as Soo-ah stepped into the hallway, a woman rushed toward him and pulled him into a warm hug.

“My dear son!” she said, smiling brightly.

Soo-ah hugged her back gently. “Mother. I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” she said, brushing his hair with her fingers.

Just then, a tall, stern-looking man entered from the side corridor. His brows were furrowed, his eyes sharp. “So. You came back, Soo-ah.”

Soo-ah tensed. “Father…”

“You’re going to handle the gang from now on,” the man said, his voice firm.

“But, Father—”

His mother leaned in and whispered, “Ignore him. He’s in a bad mood today.”

The father heard her and scowled. “What did you say? I’m perfectly fine!”

Soo-ah stepped forward. “Father.”

The man looked at him more closely, then gave a small nod. “You’ve grown up.”

Soo-ah gave a faint smile. “Yes… I have.”

The tension in the hallway slowly faded after Soo-ah’s words. His father gave him one last glance before turning away, hands clasped behind his back as he walked off without another word. The click of his shoes echoed in the marble corridor.

Soo-ah let out a quiet sigh once his father was gone.

His mother cupped his cheek and smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about him. He’s just upset he’s not the center of attention today.”

Soo-ah gave her a tired smile. “Some things never change.”

“Come on,” Sang-woo chimed in, throwing an arm around Soo-ah again. “Let’s get you settled. I had your room cleaned yesterday—even got rid of all the illegal surveillance Father had installed.”

“You’re joking,” Soo-ah muttered.