This Is Enough

This was enough.

When he reached the waiting room, it was already a racket.

"Hey! You got it! That… Best of the Night thingy or whatever!"

Seo-yeon was bouncing up and down, waving her phone. She still had a tub of popcorn clutched in her other hand.

"Performance of the Night," Rachel corrected as she stepped in.

"It's the award they give the fighter who put on the most outstanding performance of the night. The bonus is pretty fat, too."

"Oh, a bonus!"

Seo-yeon's eyes went round.

"How much? How much is it?!"

"…You'll find out when you get it."

Rachel smiled and kept the number to herself. If Seo-yeon heard the amount, she would kick up another storm for sure.

"You hear that, Bear-boy?! You killed it today! An award on only your second fight—you absolutely killed it!"

Seo-yeon thumped Han Daewong's broad back with both palms. It was obvious she was only hurting her own hands, but she was too fired up to stop.

In the middle of all the noise, Daewong sat looking faintly dazed. The fact that he had won an award still didn't seem real to him.

Rachel watched him and let out a quiet snort of laughter.

The world called this man an unidentified monster. The media was crowning him the star of the night. And yet the man himself was simply sitting there blankly beside a girl who was over the moon about a bonus.

For a monster who had just whipped thousands into a frenzy, he looked far too ordinary.

Maybe that ordinariness was his true face after all.

"Congratulations, Mr. Han Daewong."

Rachel held out her hand.

"Honestly, I never expected this much. After the debut fight I just thought I'd scooped up a solid prospect. But…"

She chose her next words carefully.

"I know for sure now. You're not someone who's going to stop here."

Daewong took her hand. As always, the handshake was careful—power deliberately held back, as if he was afraid of crushing her.

As they shook, Rachel thought again how a hand that enormous could be so gentle.

As if the man knew exactly what that strength could destroy.

The same question that had brushed her mind earlier in front of the monitors flickered past again. What on earth was this man, and how far did that power reach?

But Rachel decided not to dig.

When a fighter was strong, a matchmaker's job was to sell that strength to the world. She had no obligation to know what the fighter himself was.

Sometimes ignorance was bliss.

She folded the question away into a corner of her mind and smiled brightly.

"Well then… shall we talk about the next opponent?"

"Hold on a second!!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Seo-yeon hugged the empty popcorn tub to her chest and jumped in.

"The fight just ended, okay?! He hasn't even caught his breath and you're already talking next opponent?! Let our Bear-boy rest!"

"…Oh my. Was I rushing things?"

Rachel gave an embarrassed little laugh. Occupational hazard. The moment a good product landed in her hands, she started sketching the next stage.

"Sorry. Tonight… yes, let's start with the congratulations."

"Obviously! Bear-boy won an award today!"

Seo-yeon folded her arms with triumphant satisfaction, then turned to Daewong with a grin.

"Let's go, Bear-boy. My treat tonight. I'll buy you a mountain of sweets. The prize money… you can cover next time."

"…Sweets."

For the first time, Daewong's eyes lit up at the word.

Rachel watched him and finally burst out laughing.

The monster who had just flipped the octagon upside down was that happy over a single mention of sweets. She would never fully understand this man.

Seo-yeon's excited voice poured through the receiver.

Park Do-hyun leaned back in his office chair and scratched his temple.

"…What is it. Outta nowhere."

"…Why the hell would I go there."

Park Do-hyun was silent for a moment.

The voice on the other end was just too bright.

Back in that damp underground air she had always been crushed under debt, barely able to smile. Now she was calling him all worked up over something this small.

And he… didn't hate it.

"…Fine. I'm comin'. I'm comin'."

The call cut off with a click.

Park Do-hyun stared at the dead phone for a long while, then snorted a laugh.

"…Look at that. The Mad Dog getting dragged around by a little cat."

He shrugged on his coat and left the office.

The meeting place was a small dessert café in the busy district.

When Park Do-hyun pushed open the door, Seo-yeon waved both arms from the back.

"Do-hyun oppa! Over here!"

And beside her sat Han Daewong.

Park Do-hyun's steps faltered for a second.

…Damn. The feeling was strange all over again.

He remembered the first time he had seen him underground.

That monster outside the bounds of anything human.

The first opponent against whom every blade Park Do-hyun had honed over a lifetime simply failed.

The day the knife never even sank in—instead his whole wrist had been caught and he had been flung in a single motion.

And now that same monster was sitting in a dessert café.

His massive frame crammed onto a tiny chair, a slice of cake in front of him.

"…What a sight."

Park Do-hyun muttered as he dropped into the seat across from them.

"Mr. Octagon Superstar, sittin' here eatin' cake of all things."

"…It's been a while."

Daewong offered a short greeting.

Park Do-hyun studied that face. The same blank expression of the monster he had met underground.

Yet somewhere it seemed a little softer than before.

Maybe living among people did that to you.

"Oppa, did you see Bear-boy's fight? Did you?!"

Seo-yeon jumped in, eyes sparkling.

"It was insane today! The other guy was beating on him like crazy, but Bear-boy just put up his guard and took it, and then at the end—one shot! Boom! Done! Straight-up movie material!"

She reenacted the whole fight with both hands flying. Her eyes shone like stars.

Park Do-hyun watched her quietly.

…She really had changed a lot.

The Seo-yeon of the underground had never been a girl who smiled like this.

Bound by debt, never knowing when she might be sold off… there had always been a shadow on her.

She had only forced brightness when she was in front of him.

But now it was different.

She wasn't faking it. She was really laughing—excited over nothing, chattering away nonstop.

Park Do-hyun knew exactly where that change had come from.

It was because of the giant sitting right beside her.

"…So. You doin' alright."

Park Do-hyun asked after swallowing a sip of coffee. Seo-yeon had just stepped away to the restroom.

Only the two of them remained at the table.

"…Yes. Thanks to you."

Daewong answered briefly.

Park Do-hyun stared at that face a moment longer, then spoke in a low voice.

"I've seen every kind of human this world has to offer. Strong ones, weak ones, crazy ones, vicious ones. Every damn flavor. But…"

His eyes narrowed.

"A guy like you? First time. Not a person, not a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beast. …I still don't know what the hell you actually are."

Daewong said nothing. He simply met Park Do-hyun's gaze and held it.

Park Do-hyun snorted.

"Whatever. I ain't askin'. Diggin' into other people's business in this line of work is a bad habit… But let me ask just one thing."

His voice dropped lower.

"…Seo-yeon. Can you protect her."

Daewong looked at him for a beat.

"…"

"That kid looks bright on the outside, but inside she still ain't fully healed. She's seen way too much ugly shit in this world."

Park Do-hyun's gaze drifted toward the restroom.

"I can't leave this life. A man with blood on his hands—where the hell is he gonna go? But she's different. She needs to walk toward the light. Not stay in a place this dark."

He looked back at Daewong.

"So from now on, you stay by her side. In my place."

After a short silence, Daewong slowly nodded.

"…I'll protect her. No matter what."

It was a short answer.

But there was no bluster and no exaggeration in those words.

Just the quiet certainty of someone stating a simple fact.

Park Do-hyun stared into those eyes.

…Strange ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thing.

All his life, Park Do-hyun had never truly trusted anyone.

In a world of men who carried knives, trust was just another opening waiting to be exploited.

But that single sentence from the monster… somehow felt like something he could believe.

That overwhelming power that had torn a hundred men apart like paper underground—if that power was now going to be used to protect Seo-yeon, what could possibly be more reliable?

…Yeah. If it's this guy, maybe.

Park Do-hyun was muttering that to himself when—

"I'm back! What were you talking about?"

Seo-yeon returned and plopped into her seat.

"…Nothin' much. Just boring guy talk."

Park Do-hyun grinned smoothly.

"Come on, what? Secret talk without me?"

"Secret, my ass. Just eat your cake before it gets cold."

"Oppa, seriously! Is that the only way you know how to talk?!"

Seo-yeon pouted and picked up her fork, then took a big bite of cake and chewed happily. She looked completely content.

Park Do-hyun watched her and finished the last of his coffee.

…This was enough.

If that kid could smile like that, it was more than enough.

They left the café just as the moon was beginning to sink.

"Oppa, come again! Next time let's watch a fight together!"

Seo-yeon waved. Beside her, Daewong offered a light nod of farewell.

Park Do-hyun lifted one hand in a casual wave and turned away.

Behind him he felt the presence of the two of them walking off side by side.

Tiny Seo-yeon and the enormous shadow guarding her.

A mismatched pair that somehow still fit.

Park Do-hyun headed in the opposite direction.

The lights of the busy streets fell farther behind with every step.

Where he was going was that damp underground once more.

The place where blood and screams and money tangled together, where not a single ray of light ever reached.

…Come to think of it, this was the first time he had seen Seo-yeon face-to-face since that day.

After he pulled her out of the underground he had only ever heard her voice over the phone. Meeting her eyes like this had been a long time coming.

Honestly, he hadn't been free of worry.

A kid who grew up in a place that rough—would she even adapt to the world outside?

But after today, he knew those worries had been pointless.

Seeing Seo-yeon smiling so brightly out in the light made something in his chest slowly loosen.

…So she was doin' alright. That's good.

A faint smile touched Park Do-hyun's lips.

But at the edge of that smile lay an unavoidable loneliness.

Because that light had never belonged to him.

It was fine to warm himself for a moment at its edge, but he could never step inside… that kind of world.

"…Be happy, Seo-yeon."

Park Do-hyun murmured under his breath.

"This uncle's fine. You just never… ever come back to this shadow again."

Yeah. That was enough.

If she could keep laughing for a long, long time in that light he himself could never reach—

Then the life of Mad Dog Park Do-hyun wouldn't have been a total waste after all.

Pat-pat-pat—

And then, just as a sudden downpour began to hammer down from the pitch-black sky—

"Boss!"

From a little ways off, one of his men came running with an umbrella, half out of breath.

"Boss, it's pouring! What are you doing standing out here—you'll catch a cold!"

The man held the umbrella over Park Do-hyun's head. Park Do-hyun stared into the rain for a moment before speaking.

"…Let's go."

"Huh? Where to?"

"Where else. We got work."

Park Do-hyun's voice had already changed.

It was no longer the neighborhood big-brother voice that had been teasing Seo-yeon a moment ago, nor the lonely voice that had murmured while longing for the light.

A low, cold voice that made the spine of anyone who heard it go tight. The man holding the umbrella flinched on pure reflex.

"You pull the list of the ones who are late on collections?"

"Y-yes! All ready!"

"Good. Let's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠go pay some long-overdue greetings."

Park Do-hyun smiled thinly. Whatever warmth had briefly shown in his eyes was gone without a trace.

Cutting through the rain, he turned up the collar of his coat and walked slowly into the dark.

He never looked back—not even once—until the lights of the busy streets had completely vanished behind him.