Don't Blame Me || Jeongcheol

Chapter 27

Jeonghan's face went completely pale, the blood draining from his cheeks. The weight of the revelation was almost too much to bear, and he sat in stunned silence, staring at Seungcheol with a mixture of shock and horror.

His mind was spinning, struggling to process the information that Seungcheol had just dropped on him like a bomb. He couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't do anything but sit there stunned, his mouth open in horror.

Seungcheol could see the shock and horror on Jeonghan's face, but he didn't have the heart to look away. He needed Jeonghan to know the full extent of what he had done, and what it had cost Seungcheol.

"I...I didn't know..." Jeonghan said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I swear, I didn't know. Seungcheol, you have to believe me. I had no idea, I swear..."

He reached out, his hand shaking, as if he wanted to touch Seungcheol's shoulder but was too afraid to actually make contact. "You have to believe me," he repeated, his eyes pleading with Seungcheol to understand.

Seungcheol took a deep breath, clenching his jaw as he forced himself to remain calm. He knew Jeonghan was telling the truth. He knew that Jeonghan had no idea that he had killed Seungcheol's parents.

But the pain and grief that had been buried within him for so long was now rising to the surface, and it was hard to keep it contained. Seungcheol's hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white as he struggled to maintain his composure.

"I believe you." he said, his voice tight. "I know you didn't know. But it doesn't change what you did. It doesn't change the fact that you killed my parents."

Jeonghan's face crumbled at the words, tears streaming down his cheeks faster than he could wipe them away. "I'm sorry." he choked out, his voice breaking. "Seungcheol, I'm so sorry. I would do anything to take it back, anything."

"Anything?" Seungcheol repeated, his voice emotionless. "Anything, you say? How about bringing my parents back to life?"

Jeonghan winced at the sharpness of Seungcheol's tone, his shoulders sagging as he realized the enormity of what he had done. "I...I can't do that." he said, his voice shaking with sobs. "I wish I could, I really do. But I can't."

"You can't." Seungcheol echoed, his voice still cold. "Of course you can't. Because no matter what you do, my parents are gone. They're gone and it's your fault."

But even in the midst of his own grief, a part of Jeonghan wanted to reach out to Seungcheol, to offer some comfort and solace. He moved towards him, his hands extended, but Seungcheol stepped back, his eyes hard and cold.

"Don't!" Seungcheol said, his voice cold and sharp. "Don't come near me. Don't try to comfort me. You have no right to offer me comfort. Not after what you've done."

Jeonghan's shoulders slumped, his body trembling with sobs. He knew that Seungcheol was right, that nothing he could say would make up for what he had done. The guilt and shame were overwhelming, and he couldn't bear to meet Seungcheol's gaze.

Seungcheol clenched his fists tightly, the anger and pain battling within him. A part of him wanted to scream and lash out, to make Jeonghan feel the same pain he had felt for so long. But another part of him, a small, stubborn part, was willing him to forgive Jeonghan.

Jeonghan was still crying, his body trembling as he tried to regain control of his emotions. He knew that Seungcheol was struggling too, the pain in his eyes evident even through the tears that still streamed down his face.

"Please." Jeonghan choked out, his voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Seungcheol, say something. Anything. Don't just stand there and look at me like that."