Night was heavy with mist.

Outside, snowflakes drifted endlessly, covering the world in a soft, white blanket.

Inside the cozy little house, warmth filled the air — and from the kitchen, the comforting aroma of dinner spread through every corner.

Ren stood by the stove, messy hair falling over his forehead, a calm smile on his lips despite the faint tiredness in his eyes.

He stirred the pan gently, lost in thought, until suddenly —

Warm arms wrapped around him from behind.

Noa, his slightly swollen belly pressing against Ren’s back, hugged him tightly.

"What are you cooking tonight?" Noa asked, resting his cheek against Ren's shoulder.

Ren turned around slowly, gently pulling Noa into his arms.

"If you're still tired," he said softly, brushing Noa’s hair back, "you should go and sleep a little more."

Noa pouted, eyes full of mock irritation.

"How can I sleep when your little troublemaker is starting a war inside me?"

Ren let out a quiet laugh, dropped to one knee, and placed his hand softly on Noa’s belly.

Leaning close, he whispered with a tender smile,

"I know it’s not you who’s hungry… it’s your mommy."

He looked up at Noa with a teasing sparkle in his eyes.

"But he keeps blaming you, saying you eat too much — when really, it’s he going back for thirds."

Noa gasped, lightly tapping Ren’s forehead.

"Do I really eat that much?" he grumbled, his cheeks flushing pink.

Their playful laughter filled the small kitchen, wrapping the home in warmth and joy — a quiet, perfect world tucked safely away from the storm outside.

And then —

Ding dong!

The doorbell rang, shattering their little bubble.

They froze, exchanging a glance.

Ren chuckled softly.

"Now who could that be this late… in this kind of snow?"

"Go sit on the couch," Ren said gently to Noa, wiping his hands on a towel.

"I'll go see who it is."

Noa nodded, shuffling towards the living room, wrapping a blanket around himself as he sat down.

Ren made his way to the front door, the cold seeping in through the cracks.

But the moment he opened it —

—the smile on his face instantly vanished.

Standing there was someone he hadn’t expected.

His voice was low and sharp as he said, "What are you doing here?"

Before Ren could react further, the man lunged forward, grabbing him roughly.

In one swift motion, he covered Ren’s mouth with one hand and stabbed a knife into his side with the other.

Pain shot through Ren’s body as he struggled, trying desperately to push the man away.

He could feel the warm blood seeping through his shirt, but he refused to fall.

He had to protect Noa.

From inside, Noa's soft voice floated over,

"Ren? Who is it? Why aren't you coming in?"

Hearing Noa’s voice made the man turn his attention toward the living room.

He started moving toward Noa —

—but Ren, mustering all his strength, grabbed him from behind, refusing to let go.

When Ren didn't return, Noa grew worried.

He got up slowly and walked towards the door —

Only to stop in horror.

The sight before him made his blood run cold.

Ren was on the floor, holding onto a man who was clearly trying to break free.

Blood stained Ren's side.

Their eyes met —

Ren's face paled even more.

"Noa... Run! Get out of here!" Ren shouted, his voice trembling with both fear and pain.

Noa shook his head furiously.

He didn't want to leave Ren alone.

He couldn't.

"Please, Noa! For the baby! Run!" Ren pleaded desperately.

Finally, with tears streaming down his face, Noa turned and ran.

He rushed through the snowy fields, looking around desperately for someone — anyone — to help.

But the snowstorm had covered the area, and this place...

This place was isolated.

There was no one around.

Noa ran as fast as he could, but being pregnant, his body couldn't keep up with his fear.

His breath came out in sharp, painful gasps, and the world blurred with every step.

Tears froze on his cheeks.

He kept running... and running... until finally —

—with a soft cry, Noa collapsed onto the snowy ground, unconscious.

The man who had stabbed Ren managed to break free from him and started chasing after Noa.

But because of the heavy snowfall, Noa’s footprints had already disappeared, leaving the man confused about which direction Noa had gone.

Frustrated, he kicked a nearby trash can with full force, anger burning in his eyes.

Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialed a number.

"There was someone else with Ren — his husband. He got away somehow. Find him!"

His voice was sharp and furious.

"And listen — Boss must not find out about any of this. Ren’s body is still inside the house. Get rid of it. Clean everything. Make sure there’s no sign of anything ever happened."

Without waiting for a reply, the man jumped into his car and sped away into the snowy night.

...

Inside the house, Ren slowly regained consciousness.

Pain coursed through his entire body; he could barely move, but his mind clung to one desperate thought — Noa.

Struggling, Ren somehow pushed himself up, using the wall for support, and staggered toward his room.

Once inside, he reached for a hidden compartment and pulled out a secret phone — one he had kept for emergencies.

With trembling hands, he managed to dial a number.

"Hello?"

A girl's voice came from the other end, full of worry.

Ren, barely able to speak, whispered,

"Save Noa... please..."

And then, the phone slipped from his hand as he collapsed onto the floor again.

"Ren? Ren! What happened?! Say something!"

The girl’s panicked voice cried through the phone.

"Where’s Noa?! Ren!!"

But there was no answer.

...

Not wasting a second, the girl grabbed her car keys and ran out of her house.

The snow was falling harder now, thick and blinding, but she didn’t care.

Driving as fast as she could, she approached Ren’s house — but just before reaching it, she spotted something that made her heart race.

There were people standing outside Ren’s house, watching the place suspiciously, as if guarding it.

She quickly parked her car in a hidden spot so they wouldn’t notice her.

Without making a sound, she reversed and took another road, deciding she had to find Noa first.

As she drove slowly, scanning the snowy landscape, her eyes caught something lying on the ground.

She slammed the brakes and rushed out of the car, running toward it.

Lying there, half-buried in snow, was Noa — unconscious, shivering, and pale.

Her heart clenched.

Without wasting a second, she lifted Noa with difficulty and somehow managed to get him into her car.

As the girl carefully drove deeper into the remote area, the snowstorm seemed to grow heavier. The road was desolate, the world outside swallowed by a blanket of white. She finally reached a secluded, hidden house — one that appeared abandoned at first glance but was, in fact, a safe place known only to a few trusted people.

She parked her car behind a large, rusted gate, ensuring no one could see her arrival. The cold air bit at her skin as she hurriedly pulled Noa from the car, his fragile body limp in her arms. She walked briskly toward the house, her breath visible in the icy air.

At the entrance, a figure stood in the shadows, waiting silently. It was a man, his face hidden beneath a hood, his posture tense but calm. As soon as he saw her approaching, he stepped forward, offering a steady hand.

"Is he alive?" he asked in a low voice, his eyes scanning Noa's unconscious form.

She nodded quickly, her voice strained. "Barely. We need to get him inside. Quickly."

Without a word, the man took Noa from her arms, his grip firm and careful. Together, they entered the house, passing through a narrow hallway lined with old furniture. The air inside was warmer, though a strange, eerie silence lingered. The man led them to a small, dimly lit room at the back of the house, where medical supplies were neatly arranged on a nearby table.

He gently laid Noa on a bed, then turned to the girl. "I’ll start the treatment. You should rest. You’ve been through a lot."

The girl nodded, her body exhausted but her mind racing with worry. She watched as the man methodically checked Noa's vitals, his movements precise and efficient. Despite the chaos of the situation, there was an air of calm professionalism around him.

With a final glance at her, the man spoke softly. "He’s going to need time. "

The girl stepped back into the corner of the room, her eyes never leaving Noa. The storm howled outside, but in this small, hidden place, they were safe — at least for now.

The snowfall outside grew heavier, blanketing everything in white silence. Deep in the mountains, hidden behind thick trees and iron security gates, stood a grand, seemingly abandoned villa. But appearances were deceiving.

The man who had stabbed Ren — Kyungil — approached the heavily guarded villa. Without saying a word, he walked past armed guards who gave him a silent nod.

He entered a dark hallway and reached a nondescript wall. Pressing a hidden switch, a concealed panel slid open, revealing a steel elevator.

The doors shut behind him.

Inside, he scanned a coded wristband. The elevator beeped and began its descent — far below the surface.

No numbers.

No sounds.

Just silence and weight.

When the elevator doors finally opened, he stepped into an expansive underground facility bathed in sterile white light and quiet hums. Rows of labs lined the corridor, filled with people in white coats moving silently — as if no one dared speak above a whisper.

Kyungil walked straight to the farthest door.

Inside, a man stood alone, back turned, working on a complex test involving blood samples and glowing liquid in glass tubes. His coat was pristine, his movements calculated.

Kyungil waited in the doorway, hesitant.

Then finally, he spoke.

“The task is done.”

The man didn’t stop his work.

“Did you find it?”

The voice was low, emotionless, and unreadable.

Kyungil shifted.

“We discovered Ren’s hidden room. But… the file wasn’t there. Nothing of use.”

Silence.

Then, the man stopped. He placed his instrument down with surgical precision.

He didn’t turn.

Instead, he walked slowly to the side counter, washed his hands in perfect calm, and dried them without a word.

Then, he spoke — quiet, deadly:

“What did I tell you?”

“Do not show me your face again until that file is in your hands.”

The temperature seemed to drop. Kyungil’s throat went dry.

He fell to one knee, head bowed.

“I failed. Forgive me. I’ll disappear until I recover it… I swear.”

The man didn’t answer. He simply raised a gloved hand in a silent command to leave.

Kyungil backed out of the room like a soldier before a merciless general. As the door closed behind him, the man stood alone, facing the wall of glass beakers.

Suddenly, with cold fury, he slammed his palm down on the metal table. The glass clinked but didn’t break.

His voice was a quiet storm.

“Even in death… Ren dares to defy me.”

The fluorescent lights buzzed. At that moment, even the machines seemed to hold their breath.

Noa remained unconscious.

His face was pale, his breaths shallow but stable.

Evan, the quiet man tending to him, adjusted the IV drip with focus and care.

Yumi, her hands still trembling from the journey, stood near the window, watching the snowfall outside with tense eyes.

Evan spoke softly, breaking the silence.

“We can’t stay in this country. Whoever did this… they won’t stop until Noa is gone.”

Yumi’s voice was low but resolute.

“I know. I’ve already made preparations. We’re leaving soon — and we’ll make sure no one ever finds him.”

The wind howled outside as if echoing their urgency.

---

Days Later...

Under the cover of darkness and forged identities, Yumi and Evan left the country with Noa — vanishing like shadows.

The man hunting them grew restless, consumed by the absence of answers.

And far below the mountains, deep inside that silent lab...

The one no one dared name…

Waited.

Watched.

Planned.

---