Amidst The Chaos - In Delusion...?

Chapter 23: Inmate 8478

4PM, SEATTLE COUNTY PRISON

"Why did we agree to come here again?" Olivia asked me as we walked towards the telephone place where my father would be.

"Moral support." I just say blandly. I bought Olivia, Minho and Eunbi to back me up, just in case he decided to attack me. I'm just paranoid.

"I did not come here to America to be someone's bodyguard, Soo-jin. I came to study the art of business." Minho says angrily. He started to call me Soo-jin since the day we talked and bonded in the cafe, which I didn't mind at all. If it's easier for him, he can feel free to say it.

"Hey, this is your dear uncle we are seeing, at least look somewhat happy and jolly."

"Jolly about what? My father is in prison and so is my uncle." He says and Eunbi glares at him.

"Look, just don't think about your father. He was a bad person. I may not know this guy but he's probably like your father too. Cold and cruel. You should be jolly and happy that justice has been served, if anything." She starts to scold him. Eunbi had been the peacemaker of our little friendship group since we met, she was always so sweet and we clicked almost immediately. She was also extremely patient with Minho, which I admired about her.

"Thank you, Eunbi. Now we're already here. Would you look at that, time flies when we're having fun." I say, gritting my teeth as Minho scoffs. We're now waiting for my father to come on the other end.

"Inmate 8478, please take a seat here. 2 minutes." The cop tells him.

We see his dark shadow arrive and sit down at the other end of the telephone. His eyes are daggers towards me as he picks up the phone motionless, I do the same.

"Why hello there, Rose." He says and I just roll my eyes.

"Nothing to say, huh? How does it feel living the free life and locking your own blood and flesh into this cage- oh, you've also bought company, how nice- wait a minute, Lee Minho..? What are you doing here?" His eyes pop out of his sockets as he sees his nephew at the other end looking at him coldly. I hand him the phone and he sits down.

"Hi. How are you doing?" My father asks softly.

"Drop the act, uncle, I didn't expect you of all people to turn out just like my father. Soo-jin told me everything."

"How do you know she isn't lying-"

"Why did you disappear from her life, uncle? She did not deserve the life you gave her- and a fake asylum too? I didn't believe it at first but how low did you stoop?"

"I did this for her betterment-"

"Betterment," Minho chuckles in ridicule. "You ruined her life."

"Uhm. How is my bro-"

"Don't even finish that sentence. He's rotting in jail, just like you. I guess you really are alike, you both gave your children trauma." Minho says in a raised tone. I could tell his blood was boiling just talking to my father. I was just about to take the phone back but a cop came out of nowhere.

"Times up." He says to us. We all just walk out of the police station in anger. I knew it wasn't right to have this encounter with my father. I wish I stopped caring so much about the whole situation.

"Well, that wasn't very nice." I say,  looking down at the ground. I was unable to face my friends because they were always roped into my mess. I didn't want that for them. I needed to pick up my own pieces.

"If I knew your father was this snobby and full of himself, I would have never agreed to come." Minho says, still fuming.

"I'm sorry, I thought he would show at least some remorse." I say, still looking at the ground.