Chapter 5: A Stranger Named Seo-ah

Return as Mafia

Three days had passed since the warehouse incident.

News of the mysterious young fighter spread quietly through Seoul's underground.

No one knew his name.

Some called him "The Ghost."

Others whispered "The Young Dragon."

Kang Tae-hyun ignored the rumors.

Reputation was useful.

Attention was dangerous.

He intended to build his empire from the shadows.

Not under the spotlight.

---

Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of a small café near Hongdae University.

Unlike the smoky warehouses and dark alleyways of the underworld, this place was warm and peaceful.

Students laughed over coffee.

Soft piano music filled the room.

For a brief moment, Kang Tang almost forgot he had once ruled Seoul's criminal world.

He sat alone with a notebook.

Instead of gang names, today's list contained businesses.

Restaurants.

Construction companies.

Logistics firms.

Security agencies.

He had learned one lesson during his previous life.

Real power didn't come from violence.

It came from money hidden behind respectable businesses.

A mafia that looked like a corporation survived longer than one that relied only on fear.

Just then...

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"So... you're stalking me now?"

Kang Tang looked up.

Standing beside his table was Yoon Seo-ah.

She wore a simple cream-colored sweater and blue jeans.

Her long black hair rested gently on her shoulders.

She looked less like the daughter of a famous prosecutor...

And more like an ordinary university student enjoying her day.

Kang Tang smiled.

"I was here first."

Seo-ah folded her arms.

"Convenient excuse."

"You really think I'd spend my morning drinking bad coffee just to follow you?"

She looked at his cup.

"You haven't even touched it."

"...Fair point."

She laughed.

It was the first genuine laugh he had heard from her.

In his previous life...

That laugh had become one of his favorite sounds.

---

"Can I sit here?" she asked.

"Free country."

Seo-ah placed her books on the table.

She studied him carefully.

"I've been thinking."

"That's dangerous."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You always answer questions like that?"

"Only when people ask strange ones."

She smiled despite herself.

"You still haven't told me what you do."

Kang Tang leaned back.

"I'm unemployed."

She blinked.

"You don't look unemployed."

"What does unemployment look like?"

"Less confident."

He chuckled.

She was observant.

Too observant.

Which made sense.

Her father was one of Seoul's most respected prosecutors.

She had grown up noticing details.

That would eventually become both her greatest strength...

And her greatest weakness.

---

Their conversation lasted nearly an hour.

They talked about books.

Movies.

Food.

The changing city of Seoul.

For the first time since returning to the past...

Kang Tang wasn't thinking about revenge.

He was simply enjoying the moment.

It felt...

Peaceful.

A feeling he hadn't experienced in years.

---

As they left the café together...

A scream echoed across the street.

"Help!"

A young woman clutched her handbag.

A motorcycle thief sped away through traffic.

People watched.

Nobody moved.

Typical.

Humans loved witnessing disasters.

Participating in them was another matter.

Seo-ah instinctively stepped forward.

"We have to help!"

Before she could move...

Kang Tang was already running.

The motorcycle disappeared around the corner.

He cut through a narrow alley.

Exactly as he remembered.

Years ago, this area had dozens of hidden shortcuts.

The thief never saw him coming.

Kang Tang stepped into the alley.

The motorcycle skidded to a stop.

"What the..."

The thief jumped off the bike.

"You wanna die?"

Instead of answering...

Kang Tang calmly picked up a loose metal pipe lying beside a construction site.

The thief pulled out a knife.

"You should've stayed out of this."

Kang Tang sighed.

"I've heard that line too many times."

The thief charged.

One step.

One swing.

The pipe struck the attacker's wrist.

The knife clattered onto the ground.

Another strike hit his shoulder.

The thief collapsed, groaning.

The entire fight lasted less than ten seconds.

By the time Seo-ah reached the alley...

It was already over.

She stared at Kang Tang in disbelief.

"How..."

He picked up the stolen handbag.

"Wrong place."

"Wrong criminal."

She couldn't stop staring at him.

This wasn't luck.

This wasn't coincidence.

His movements were too precise.

Too experienced.

Too calm.

Almost...

Professional.

---

After returning the bag to its owner, they continued walking.

Seo-ah finally broke the silence.

"Who are you?"

Kang Tang looked ahead.

"I already told you."

"No."

She shook her head.

"I mean..."

"Who are you really?"

For a long moment...

He didn't answer.

Finally he smiled.

"I'm just someone trying to change his future."

She frowned.

"What does that even mean?"

"You'll understand someday."

His answer only made her more curious.

---

That evening...

Chairman Jang Min-seok sat inside his office.

The room overlooked the glittering skyline of Seoul.

His most trusted advisor entered.

"We found him."

Jang looked up.

"Kang Tae-hyun?"

"Yes."

The advisor placed several photographs on the desk.

Each showed Kang Tang.

Helping strangers.

Meeting Kim Eun-woo.

Saving Choi Min-jae.

Talking with Yoon Seo-ah.

Jang studied every image carefully.

Then one photograph caught his attention.

Seo-ah.

"The prosecutor's daughter?"

"Yes."

Jang smiled faintly.

"Interesting."

"Should we remove her?"

The room became silent.

Jang slowly shook his head.

"No."

"If Kang Tae-hyun truly has feelings for her..."

"...then she may become the strongest chain around his neck."

He closed the file.

"Keep watching."

"A dragon always reveals its weakness eventually."

---

Late that night...

Kang Tang stood alone on the rooftop of his apartment.

His phone vibrated.

An unknown number.

He answered.

"Hello."

A deep voice replied.

"Kang Tae-hyun."

"I've been looking forward to meeting you."

Kang Tang's expression hardened instantly.

He recognized that voice.

Chairman Jang Min-seok.

The man who would one day control the largest criminal organization in Seoul.

"The game," Kang Tang whispered after the call ended,

"...has finally begun."

Far below, the lights of Seoul shimmered like stars.

Somewhere in that endless city, enemies were already making their moves.

This time, however...

The future belonged to the man who had already lived it once.

End of Chapter 5

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