Second Time Around

Chapter 20.

So-Hee POV

It had been four days since anyone had last talked to Min-Sun, much less seen her. Everyone was worried that she wasn't going to come out and face them no matter how hard they tried, but that still did not cause them to give up. They took turns going to her apartment in the morning before work or class, and then they would circle back to check on her in the afternoon as well. They had a haphazard routine going of who would go to see her.

They were growing increasingly worried about how she was doing. She hadn't been to work in the past couple of days, and no one had seen her on campus at all. She had cut off communication from everyone and no one even knew if she was even still in school or if she even lived in that housing unit anymore. They had tried asking the teachers about her, but all they said was that she had switched to online classes about the time of Haewon and So-Hee's attack.

Even while they were all worried about her, the worst of all was Han.

Ever since the visit at the hospital, he  would go to her house everyday and wait outside her door for hours on end and talk to her trying to get her to come out. He would leave her flowers and brought food for her to eat. She never did open to the door to get the food or the flowers, but he still left them every time he came. He replaced them every time he went and all he hoped was that she would open the door so he could see her again. They had to convince him to leave her house almost very night, and to get him to eat and sleep.

So-Hee stared over to Haewon and Chan on the couch. Haewon was holding Chan's hand and rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand to reassure him. If there was anyone who was beating himself up for this mess it was Chan. He had told everyone about what Min-Sun had said about the notes and the police. It explained a lot of why she avoided everyone and went to do her own thing, even though no one was really mad at her. Chan had let out his frustration on her, but he wasn't at all upset about what she did.

They all knew she did what she thought was best, they just wished she felt comfortable enough to talk to them about it.

"Alright whose turn is it to check in on Min-Sun?" Felix asked looking around. Everyone was sitting around Felix and Jeongin's house meeting up with one another for the first time since So-Hee and Haewon left the hospital. Due to everyone's different schedules and the two girls being in the hospital, it was the first time in a while before everyone could all meet.

Everyone looked at each other not sure whose turn it was to check in on her. Before anyone could really volunteer, Han raised his hand causing everyone to share a look. After the first day Han went to check on Min-Sun, Chan saw him the next morning asleep on her terrance. After that everyone made sure that if Han went to check on Min-Sun someone had to either go with him or if nothing else make sure he went home.

So-Hee watched Han get up taking his keys out of his pocket, and without a second thought she stood up ready to follow him.

"Wait Han I'll come with." So-Hee started to walk towards him but was tugged back by something. She looked to see Changbin holding her hand making her look down at him. He had a slight pout on his face but his expression softened as he stared up at her.  

"I can go with you both.." He tried to suggest, but So-Hee nodded her head no smiling squeezing his hand in reassurance.

"Binnie you know you have to go to work later, I'll just go with Han and then meet you at work later okay?" She kissed his forehead before he nodded grumbling letting go of her hand. So-Hee waved bye to everyone before following Han out to his car and getting in the passenger side before taking off.

A few minutes into the drive, Han pulled over the car to a flower stand on the side of the road. There was an older lady running the stand selling roses and Han bought a couple of them having her wrap them up for him before heading back and placing them in the backseat. They continued to drive for a little while longer before pulling over again near a restaurant. Han went inside and was gone for a while before coming back with a plastic bag full of food. He placed the food in the backseat before sitting up front handing So-Hee a drink. She stared at it before taking it from Han who had a smile on his face.

Then they were finally on the way to Min-Sun's house in silence. When they both got to the house, So-Hee took the food while Han got the flowers. They both walked up the stairs and finally reached the front door noticing it was cracked open slightly. Both Han and So-Hee looked at each other in confusion. Han pushed on the door opening it more before walking inside. "Min-Sun? Min-Sun?" She could hear Han yelling for their friend.

So-Hee tentatively followed Han inside and saw that the house was a mess. There was a random towel and silverware that littered the ground in the kitchen as well as some broken glass. There was also a baseball bat laying in the midst of the mess which So-Hee found odd. It looked like someone was trying to clean up a mess quick but ran out of time. She looked up from the mess in front of her to Han who was in the living room reading a note. The flowers he held were laying on the ground as he stared at the card reading the same words over and over.

"Han?" So-Hee called out for him. Han stared up at So-Hee and it was like the breath had been knocked out of her. Han was wearing the most devastated look she had ever seen. So-Hee walked over to Han and looked over at the letter in his hand. It was a typed out note and So-Hee took the note from Han gasping.

''Don't look for her.'

So-Hee felt sick to her stomach. It had to be some sick joke, this couldn't be happening ...right?

"Han..." So-Hee breathed out not knowing what else to say. She looked over in his direction to see he took a seat on the couch and was holding his head in his hands. Her gaze then drifted down to the flowers on the ground beside her and she looked to the food in her hands before setting it down on the coffee table. She then bent down placing the flowers and note beside the food before taking a seat beside Han on the couch.

"...Are you thinking what I am thinking..." She quietly said looking over to Han who still had his head in his hands. The fact that he wasn't moving mixed with his lack of response had her internally panicking.

"Han please say something.." So-Hee could hear the panic in her own voice voice. Han was many things but not quiet, he was never this quiet.

"What am I supposed to say here So-Hee?" He finally took his hands away and looked over to So-Hee and she could see the hurt on his face. His eyes were red from the few tears that he had shed and she realized that he was trying his best to keep it together.  

"Han...someone took Min-Sun right?" She finally said what she had been thinking and looked to the note on the coffee table feeling her stomach twist in knots. "What if...what if it is the same person who has been sending her those letters?"

"You mean that asshole that has been harassing her for weeks now? Why the hell would he do something like this?" He gestured around the room exasperated.

"I don't know but we can't exclude the possibility it wasn't him! I think we need to call the police." She reasoned with him and he nodded understanding.

"I know, I know it's just...hard to accept you know." She could hear his voice crack and she put her hand on his back giving any sign to him that he wasn't alone.

"I'll call, don't worry we are gonna find her..." So-Hee had determination in her voice as she picked up her phone and dialed the emergency number.