Shadows of Recognition

Episode 5 – Shadows of Recognition

The night air was thick with smoke and the heavy scent of gasoline, the kind of atmosphere where secrets thrived and blood was easy to spill. Lunar Rose stood beneath the flickering glow of a neon sign outside a warehouse near the docks. The sea wind whipped through her hair as she looked across the table at men from across the border. They spoke in broken English, their voices low, their eyes sharp with greed.

The deal closed smoothly—or so it seemed. But the moment one of them slipped, giving away information meant to be hidden, Mira’s expression hardened. Her secretary, standing two steps behind, felt his pulse quicken.

Lunar Rose’s voice cut through the murmurs like the edge of a blade.

“I can bear everything…” she said softly, almost whispering, her gaze locked on the man who betrayed her. “…except lies and betrayal.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. The traitor’s face drained of color, sweat glistening on his forehead. Without hesitation, Mira raised her gun and pulled the trigger. The sound echoed against the steel walls, and the man crumpled to the ground.

Her secretary flinched but didn’t dare meet her eyes. He stared at the blood pooling near his shoes, swallowing hard. Mira turned her head slightly toward him, her tone calm yet terrifying.

“Clean it up. And make sure his name is erased before dawn. No traces. No whispers.”

“Yes, Lunar Rose,” the secretary stammered, his voice trembling as he hurried to obey.

Every man who worked under her feared her more than they feared death itself. And she preferred it that way. Fear was stronger than loyalty, and it kept her empire alive.

She was clever—always a step ahead. She often rented spaces close to police stations, blending into the very shadow of her hunters. That way, if someone dared betray her, she would know before their words even finished leaving their mouths.

It was on one such night, standing outside a café near a station, that she saw him.

A man in a black jacket, broad-shouldered, tall, his posture unmistakably that of a trained officer. Something about his face made her heart stutter. A flicker of memory burned in her chest, but she forced herself to look away.

Jae Min.

He saw her first—his eyes widening with disbelief, as if the world had suddenly given back something it had stolen years ago. He stepped closer, his voice breaking in a mixture of shock and longing.

“…Mira?”

Her entire body froze. She lowered her gaze immediately, trying to walk past him, but before she could escape, his hand wrapped firmly around her wrist.

“Mira,” Jae Min said again, his voice steadier this time. “I know it’s you. Stop ignoring me.”

Her chest tightened, but she kept her face cold. “What do you want?” she asked flatly.

“What do I want?” His laugh was short, bitter. “I want to know where you’ve been all these years. I searched the city, Mira. Every street, every alley—there wasn’t a place I didn’t look. And you were nowhere. Tell me… what happened to you?”

Her eyes finally met his, and for a heartbeat, the world around them disappeared. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, to tell him everything, to let him see how much she’d suffered. But the truth she carried was poison—one touch, and it would destroy him.

Her lips trembled before she forced the words out. “It will be better… if we stay strangers.”

And just like that, she yanked her hand free and walked away, each step heavier than the last. When she finally turned a corner, away from his sight, tears streamed down her face. She pressed her back against the wall, sliding down until she sat on the cold pavement, sobbing quietly into her hands.

“Why did I meet him again?” she whispered to herself, over and over. “Why now? Why him?”

Back on the street, Jae Min tried to follow, weaving through the crowd. But the city swallowed her up, her shadow vanishing into the sea of strangers. He cursed under his breath, raking his hands through his hair.

“Shit! I lost her again…”

Frustration clawed at his chest as he returned to his office. But the moment he stepped inside, a letter waited for him on his desk—stamped with the official seal of headquarters.

His hands trembled slightly as he tore it open, his eyes scanning the words. Then his jaw dropped.

Promoted. He had been promoted to undercover police officer.

A laugh burst out of him, loud and unrestrained. “I knew it!” he shouted, startling a few colleagues. “I knew meeting her would bring me luck!”

His coworkers joined in his excitement, clapping his shoulders, offering congratulations. He raised his glass with them later that night, toasting his new path, but beneath the celebration, a quiet thought burned in his mind.

Mira. I won’t lose you again.

Meanwhile, across the city, Mira wiped her tears away with shaking hands. She forced herself back into the mask of Lunar Rose, striding into another deal as though nothing had happened. Her voice was steady, her aim perfect, her presence unshakable. Yet Jae Min’s face haunted her every move, every breath.

She told herself she was strong enough to bury her feelings. But no matter how many masks she wore, no matter how many deals she sealed with a gun at her hip… her heart still whispered his name.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***