The Mess We've Made | Minsung

chapter forty-five

a/n:
this chapter is heavy. it's han speaking to one of the men that killed his family. this conversation is in Korean but i'll be writing it in English. enjoy :)

"I told the warden I didn't want to see any damn reporters. What'd you have to pay to pull this off? I'm not gonna talk to you, you know."

"I'm not a reporter."

"Are you one of those true crime fanatics that likes to chase every story they can get their hands on?"

"No."

"I'm all out of guesses. Enlighten me."

I chuckled at him, "You're a funny guy. Remind me again what you did to wind up in here?"

"I think you already know the answer to that if you're coming here to visit me."

"I just want to hear you say it."

"I don't like to discuss it. I'm ashamed. It's the biggest mistake of my life."

"Oh?"

"I killed a family for no reason. An innocent, beautiful family. All because I could. I was selfish."

I'm not your fucking therapist.

I didn't say anything in response but he continued, "There was a survivor. A boy. He hid in his hamper. We didn't even see him. I ask myself all of the time what he's doing with his life. I wonder if he's still alive."

"Do you regret it?"

"More than anything I've ever done."

"What would you tell him if you had the chance to talk to him?" I asked him.

"I don't even know what I'd say. I think I'd apologize. That would probably be my first instinct."

"How does it feel knowing you destroyed his life?" I asked, sitting back in my chair with my legs spread.

"I'm not sure I understand the question."

"Well, you killed his entire family. What kind of effect did you think that'd have on an eight-year-old? Come on now, don't be silly."

"Why are you asking me this?"

"I'm just curious," I shrugged with a smirk. "You know what curiosity is like, don't you, Beomseok? I mean, that's what led you to killing that family, isn't it? Curiosity? You wanted to know what it was like to multiple people."

"We're done here," Beomseok spat at me, standing up from his chair. I snapped my fingers and a guard from his side of the class cuffed him to the phone. He gasped and asked, "You can't do that! Who are you!?"

"I'm your worst nightmare."

"I have rights! Let me go back to my cell!"

"You thought you killed six people but you didn't," I chuckled in his face. "They're alive because I keep them alive."

"Oh my god."

I rubbed my hands together excitedly, "It's about time we meet formally. I wasn't very talkative back then. I'm sure you remember. I'd shake your hand but that's obviously impossible. You're on one side of the glass, I'm on the other."

"Prove it. Prove you're Jisung."

I put my hand over my chest with a fake smile, "Oh, you remembered my name. That's so sweet of you."

"I've had plenty come in here pretending to be Jisung," He scoffed softly at me, "Prove it."

I sat the phone down and pulled my wallet out of my pocket, grabbing out my ID and a folded picture of my family and I together. I slapped them both to the glass with one hand and picked the phone back up, "Fuck you."