DEVIANT HEARTS| HEESEUNG

24- Father In Flames

ATHENA

"Where's your mind?" I inquired. Yes, I was here again, after two days of mind torture, I spent the weekend torturing myself over the man sitting in front of me, he had to me to never get back here, But here we were.

He locked eyes with me. "Nowhere," he fabricated. "Why are you here, willingly engaging in conversation with me?"

"What?"

"Why does it matter—" No, he didn't want to jump to conclusions. He reframed his question. "Do you have a genuine interest? I told you that I don't want to see you anymore."

I want to see you every day. Until I solve the riddles inside your mind.

His inquiry seemed to catch me off guard, and his attention drifted to my bandaged fingers. I was clearly under some strain, perhaps self-inflicted by stress or overthinking. He mused to himself.

The urge to reach for my hand surged, but he resisted, cautious of crossing boundaries or making me uncomfortable. Instead, he gently entwined his fingers, a gesture of tempered connection.

"So...you care?"

"It's not caring; it's just me. I'd do the same for anyone, even a stranger on the damn street," my discomfort was palpable, manifested in the way I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "It's my nature."

His lips remained sealed, a silent observer of my discomfort as I shifted beneath his intent gaze. "What would you desire if you were unburdened?" I posed once more.

There it was, the recurring question. I yearned for his honesty.

"I—" He began to utter, his voice trailing hesitantly, "I'd wish to pay a visit to someone," Heeseung confessed.

"Who?" I probed further, my curiosity was unwavering.

"My father." The words hung in the air, their weight reverberating within my office. It was as though he was uttering his first syllables as a newborn. I could discern the weight of emotion in the deep exhalations that escaped his lips. I can see that he longed to stand before his father once more, even if it meant standing by his grave in the cemetery.

As the words lingered in the room, a heavy silence descended between them, carrying the weight of Heeseung's unspoken emotions. Just as I was about to respond, a shrill ring sliced through the air, startling me. My gaze snapped to my vibrating phone on the desk, the caller ID indicating it was Jude, the head of their household's maids.

With a quick intake of breath, my heart raced as I swiped my finger across the screen to answer the call. "Hello?" my voice trembled slightly, my concern already palpable.

The urgent tone on the other end of the line was unmistakable. "Athena, you need to come back home as soon as possible. Your father...we don't know what's happening.."

Time seemed to freeze as the gravity of the words settled over me like a suffocating blanket. The color drained from my face, my mind racing with a flurry of thoughts and emotions. my father, the pillar of my family, is hurting.

Heeseung watched my expression shift from curiosity to shock, his concern growing as he sensed my distress. His eyes searched mine for answers, did he want to ask me if everything was right? but he couldn't.

my hand shook as I clutched the phone, my voice steadying despite the turmoil raging within her. "I'll be there. Tell them I'm on my way," I managed to reply, my voice laced with urgency and a newfound resolve.

Ending the call, I turned my attention to Heeseung, my voice quivering yet determined. "I'm so sorry, but I have to go. It's an emergency."

Without waiting for a response, I quickly gathered my belongings, my mind racing as I mentally mapped out the quickest route to the hospital. my heart ached with worry for my father, and I felt a pang of guilt for leaving Heeseung in such a vulnerable moment.