Chapter 1

Rain Doesn't Ask Permission

Seoul never truly slept.

Even close to midnight, the city glowed beneath a curtain of rain. Neon signs reflected across soaked streets, taxis rushed through intersections, and people hurried beneath umbrellas as if the storm were merely another inconvenience.

On the thirty-seventh floor of Hanseong Biotech's headquarters, the atmosphere was nothing like the bustling city below.

Silence filled the boardroom.

Every executive remained standing while one man calmly organized the documents in front of him.

"Congratulations, Vice Chairman Seo," the chairman announced. "The acquisition has been approved unanimously."

Applause echoed through the room.

Seo Kang-jun inclined his head politely.

"Thank you."

Just two words.

No smile.

No excitement.

His expression remained composed, almost indifferent, as if closing a deal worth hundreds of billions of won was no more interesting than checking tomorrow's weather.

One by one, the executives approached to congratulate him.

"Brilliant presentation."

"You've secured the company's future."

"It's an honor working under you."

Kang-jun answered every compliment with the same courteous nod.

Nothing more.

By the time everyone had left, only one person remained.

Han Ji-soo.

His assistant for the last six years.

She handed him a leather folder.

"Tomorrow's schedule."

He accepted it without looking.

"Seven-thirty. Breakfast meeting with the research division. Nine o'clock interview with the Financial Herald. Eleven o'clock meeting with Chairman Seo."

"No interview."

Ji-soo sighed quietly.

"I expected that answer."

"The chairman won't."

"I'll handle him."

She smiled faintly.

"There is one more matter."

"What is it?"

"The security team noticed someone has been following your vehicle for the past three days."

Kang-jun stopped walking.

"For business?"

"They're not sure."

"And?"

"They lost him."

He continued toward the elevator.

"Find him."

"Yes, sir."

The elevator doors slid shut.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Rain trickled down the glass walls surrounding the building.

Ji-soo finally broke the silence.

"You should go home early tonight."

He looked at his reflection in the polished elevator doors.

"I don't remember asking for life advice."

"I wasn't giving advice."

She smiled again.

"I was hoping."

The elevator reached the underground parking garage.

Outside, the rain had become heavier.

A black sedan waited beside the entrance.

The driver opened the rear door.

"Good evening, Vice Chairman."

Kang-jun got inside without a word.

The city lights drifted past the window as the car pulled onto the expressway.

His phone buzzed.

Chairman Seo

He stared at the screen until it stopped ringing.

No callback.

No message.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket.

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

...

Across the city, the emergency department was drowning in chaos.

"Trauma incoming!"

"Nurse, prepare Operating Room Three!"

"We're losing blood pressure!"

Yoon Min-jae barely had time to breathe.

His shift had officially ended forty minutes ago.

He was still there.

Another ambulance.

Another emergency.

Another family waiting outside with desperate eyes.

He washed his hands for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

"Doctor Yoon!"

"I'm coming."

The patient was a construction worker who had fallen several floors.

Everyone moved quickly.

Commands filled the room.

Minutes blurred into hours.

When it was finally over...

The monitors fell silent.

The attending physician lowered his head.

"Time of death."

Nobody spoke.

One nurse quietly removed the oxygen mask.

Another pulled the white sheet over the patient's face.

Min-jae stood motionless.

His gloves were stained red.

He stared at them longer than he should have.

"You did well."

He turned.

Professor Lee placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You can't save everyone."

Min-jae forced a small smile.

"I know."

But the words refused to convince even himself.

...

11:42 PM.

The hospital entrance was nearly empty.

Min-jae stretched his sore shoulders before checking his wallet.

Three thousand won.

He laughed to himself.

"Convenience-store dinner again."

As he stepped into the rain, cold water instantly soaked his hair.

He didn't bother opening his umbrella.

It was already broken.

The streets smelled of wet asphalt and coffee drifting from a nearby café that had just closed.

For the first time all day...

Everything was quiet.

Then—

A deafening screech shattered the silence.

Headlights swung violently across the intersection.

A black luxury sedan spun across the rain-slick road before crashing into the curb with a sickening impact.

The engine died.

Steam rose from beneath the hood.

People screamed.

Several pedestrians froze.

Others reached for their phones.

Min-jae didn't hesitate.

He ran.

His shoes splashed through puddles as he reached the driver's side.

The door slowly opened.

A tall man stepped out.

His black suit was soaked by the rain.

Blood traced a thin line from his temple.

Despite the accident...

His breathing remained steady.

His expression unreadable.

Instead of checking the damaged car...

He looked up at the sky.

As though the rain interested him more than surviving the crash.

Min-jae frowned.

"Hey!"

No response.

"Can you hear me?"

The stranger slowly turned his head.

Their eyes met.

Dark.

Calm.

Almost unsettling.

Min-jae stepped closer and gently examined the cut near the man's forehead.

"You've hit your head."

Silence.

"Are you dizzy?"

Still nothing.

Min-jae sighed.

"You're one of those stubborn patients, aren't you?"

Without waiting for permission, he caught the man's wrist to check his pulse.

Warm.

Steady.

The stranger looked down at the hand wrapped around his wrist.

For a brief second...

Something unreadable crossed his face.

Not irritation.

Not surprise.

Something softer.

Something he hadn't felt in a very long time.

Min-jae released him.

"You're lucky. It doesn't seem serious."

"You should still come with me."

The stranger spoke for the first time.

"...Why?"

Min-jae blinked.

"What kind of question is that?"

"You don't know who I am."

"I don't need to."

"You could be anyone."

Min-jae shrugged.

"Right now, you're just my patient."

For the first time that evening...

Seo Kang-jun smiled.

A small smile.

Almost invisible beneath the rain.

Yet somehow...

It changed everything.

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