Not Even Pretty Trash
Han Seong-hwan. An outlaw scraping by in the Back World, he was just one of countless run-of-the-mill assassins littering the place. The kind who took on shitty gigs and kept his head down, avoiding entanglements with anyone. Still, he had decent skills, enough to afford a tolerable one-room apartment and never worry about going hungry.
But that was it. No room to climb higher, just a one-way slide downward. Faced with a life like that, Han Seong-hwan couldn't help but despair. His skills, which had at least been improving bit by bit, had stagnated completely and were now in freefall—a point that drove many Back World outlaws to become mothbait or take their own lives. If he'd been alone, he might have just quietly waited in his apartment for his life to end.
Luckily—or whatever you call it—he had family to anchor him. Some might scoff at such trivial family bonds, but to Han Seong-hwan, they were more precious than anything. For his little sister, who had just turned seven, he had no intentions of suiciding or turning mothbait.
And so, after wrapping up today's job, Han Seong-hwan was heading to pick up his sister from daycare.
"Ye-rin...?! Who the hell are you?!"
"Tch, damn it...!"
But just as he neared the daycare, he spotted his sister's back. Bound with rope and captured. Han Seong-hwan yanked out his pistol and charged. A man scooped her onto his shoulder and bolted faster than him, though. Han Seong-hwan halted, carefully sighting down his pistol on the guy.
Shooting someone carrying his sister was risky as hell, but aiming for the legs would be fine. Besides, it was this marksmanship that had kept him fed all these years.
Bang!──!
The bullet flew from Han Seong-hwan's pistol as he pulled the trigger. Before the man could reach the van at the alley mouth, Han Seong-hwan dropped him.
"Gaaahhh!!"
"Ye-rin! You okay?!"
He rushed to his sister the second the man hit the ground. Thankfully, she was just tied up—no major injuries. But before he could flee with her, the man's buddies from another alley heard the scream and gave chase.
"Grab that bastard!!"
"Hey, maknae! Block him!!"
The accomplices spotted Han Seong-hwan and came screaming at him. To make matters worse, a guy jumped out of the nearby van and charged too. One wrong move, and both he and his sister were dead.
His decision was swift.
Bang bang!───!!!
One in the leg, one in the head. Han Seong-hwan shot the van guy dead, shoved his sister inside, and slid into the driver's seat.
Vroom!───!
The engine was already running. He floored it and peeled out. He had no clue why his sister had been kidnapped, why the van was full of other kids, or what that stench assaulting his nose was. None of it mattered right now. Only one thing did: escape this spot immediately.
The thugs hopped on bikes and pursued, but he didn't let up on the gas. He weaved wildly, overtaking cars until a shot blew out a tire. The wrecked van ground to a halt on some nameless city street, forcing him to fight on foot.
That's when it hit him, facing the outlaws who'd finally caught up: he was going to die here.
Two daggers buried in his gut, blood pouring out. His vision blurring from blood loss, all he could do was glare murderously at the enemies ahead. Sensing his end, Han Seong-hwan steeled himself for one last desperate struggle.
But before he could move, someone sliced through the foes in front of him.
A woman approaching with calm, steady steps. Thud, thud. He couldn't even remember her face. His mind was already half-gone by then. All he saw was her heading for the van he'd been guarding, so he swung the dagger in his hand.
"G-get... away...!"
"Step aside for a sec."
That was the last thing Han Seong-hwan remembered.
"Gasp...!"
The final memory before blacking out flashed back. Han Seong-hwan bolted upright, eyes snapping open.
First thing he felt: throbbing pain in his abdomen.
"Ugh... W-where... is this?"
Clutching his gut, he muttered at the sight around him. Pristine white walls and ceiling, white sheets, white clothes, IV drip in his arm. Lifting his gown revealed bandages over the stab wound.
Hospital? Nah, couldn't be. Handcuffs on both arms and legs. And he wasn't the type to get admitted to a regular hospital anyway.
As confusion set in amid the hospital-like scene, the door creaked open.
Creeeak!───
"Oh, you're finally awake? Was starting to think you wouldn't stir before the day's out."
"You're..."
The woman who entered struck him first as stunning. Early twenties, maybe, but with all baby fat gone—pure beauty. Dressed in a suit, she left Han Seong-hwan staring blankly for a moment.
Then his sister's face flashed in his mind. He shook his head, snapping to.
Now he took in the details and pieced it together fast.
"That logo... You're a Baek Ya-seong assassin?"
"Yep. Name's Baek Se-rin, exclusive assassin to the Baek Ya-seong heiress. This is Baek Ya-seong Headquarters. Heard a ruckus on my way to the department store, cleaned it up, and dragged you here."
Exclusive assassin of Baek Ya-seong. Han Seong-hwan swallowed hard. Even a Back World scrub like him knew what that meant. Fewer than five in the whole clan—Baek Ya-seong's top forces. Way out of his league. He steadied his breathing and spoke carefully.
"Then... the one who shoved me aside was..."
"Yeah, me. Lucky you blacked out clean. The others came back busted up."
Affirming she was the one from his last memory made his eyes widen. And that she'd brought the others too—he lurched forward, shouting despite himself.
Clank!───!
"M-my sister! Is my sister safe?! She was in that van...!"
Couldn't stand with the restraints, but his cry was clear. She nodded lightly.
"Relax. All the kids in the van you were guarding are fine. Don't know which one's yours, but the five in there are all safe and protected."
"Ah... Aah..."
Her words—rescued and under protection—drained the tension from him. He let out a deep sigh of relief. Baek Ya-seong handling it? Nothing to worry about.
With his sister safe, a bit of calm returned. And with that calm came the obvious next move.
"Thank you... really, thank you so much. I get it if you don't want thanks from trash like me... but I'm dead serious. For saving my sister—thank you!"
Couldn't bow properly with the cuffs and shackles, but he dipped his head as deep as possible in gratitude. Without her, he'd be dead, and his sister dragged off by outlaws. Blocking that nightmare? Gratitude was the least he owed.
She waved it off, a touch embarrassed.
"Enough. Wasn't looking for thanks. Punishing scum who touch kids is just right. Anyway, if you're that grateful, answer my questions."
"Y-yes! Of course! Anything I can, I'll answer!"
Thanks for answers? Obvious. He nodded eagerly. She flipped open the folder she'd brought.
Questions started flying.
"First: why were those outlaws kidnapping kids?"
"Uh... no idea. My sister got nabbed, I chased—"
"Hm. Any idea what group they were? You got no ties to them?"
"Sorry, no connections to any groups, so..."
"What other incidents around where your sister was taken? Common threads would help the investigation."
"Um... I only went there to drop her off..."
But Han Seong-hwan had zero useful answers. All questions were beyond a guy just trying to live normally. After three rounds of worthless back-and-forth, silence fell.
Then she said it.
"Wow, you're really useless, huh?"
"...Sorry."
He had to hang his head. Even he knew he was worthless.