𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

Chapter eight

(Recommended song: silhouette by AQUILO)

The address from the mysterious message led Jihyo to the outskirts of town, where an abandoned skating rink loomed in the twilight. The once-grand structure was now a skeleton of rust and decay, its cracked windows and peeling paint giving it an eerie, desolate feel.

As she stepped out of her car, a gust of wind sent a chill down her spine. Jihyo hesitated at the entrance, her breath visible in the cold air. This place was a relic of another time, forgotten by most—except, it seemed, by those who knew her darkest secrets.

The rink was silent as she pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. Her footsteps echoed in the empty space, the sound amplifying the loneliness that clung to her. She hadn't been here in years, not since she was a child. This place held memories she had long tried to bury—memories of her father dragging her here for late-night practices, berating her for every missed jump, every imperfect spin.

Jihyo's heart tightened as she looked around. The rink hadn't changed much, but the memories it stirred were sharp and painful. Her father's voice echoed in her mind, harsh and unforgiving, demanding perfection at any cost.

"You'll never be good enough, jihyo. Not if you don't push harder."

She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory, but it clung to her like a shadow. The truth was, no matter how far she had come, she could never escape the scars of her past. The years of abuse, the constant fear—it was all still there, buried beneath the surface, threatening to break through.

As she approached the center of the rink, she saw something lying on the ice. Her breath caught as she recognized it—a small, worn-out teddy bear. It was the same one she had clung to as a child, the one she had lost in this very rink after one of her father's brutal outbursts.

She knelt down, picking up the bear with trembling hands. The fur was matted, the stitching frayed, but it was unmistakable. It was hers. But how had it ended up here, after all these years?

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows at the edge of the rink. Jihyo's heart pounded as she stood up, clutching the bear tightly. The figure was tall, cloaked in darkness, but there was something familiar about the way they moved.

"Who are you?" Jihyo demanded, her voice shaking despite her attempt to sound strong.

The figure stepped into the dim light, revealing a face she recognized all too well. It was suho. His expression was as cold and unreadable as ever, but there was something different about him—something that made her skin prickle with unease.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger.

"I should be asking you the same thing," suho replied, his tone clipped. "This place isn't safe, jihyo. You shouldn't have come here alone."

Jihyo's mind raced. How did he know she would be here? Was he the one who sent the message? And if so, why?

"I got a message," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Someone told me to come here. To find what I was looking for."

Suho's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. "You should have told me. You shouldn't be dealing with this on your own."

Jihyo shook her head, her emotions swirling. "Why should I? You've been nothing but cold and distant. You've pushed me away at every turn. Why should I trust you?"

For a moment, something flickered in suho's eyes—something almost like regret. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by his usual stoic mask.

"I'm trying to protect you, jihyi," he said, his voice low and intense. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"Then tell me!" Jihyo shouted, her frustration boiling over. "Tell me what's really going on! Who's sending these threats? What are you hiding from me?"

Suho's silence was deafening, and for a moment, jihyi thought he wouldn't answer. But then he spoke, his voice rough with emotion.

"There are things in my past that I'm not proud of. Things that could put you in danger if you get too close. That's why I've kept my distance. To keep you safe."

Jihyo's heart ached at his words, but she refused to back down. "You can't protect me by shutting me out, suho. I need to know the truth."

Before suho could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed through the rink, followed by a voice that sent a chill down jihyo's spine.

"Well, well, isn't this a touching reunion?"

Jihyo turned to see a man standing at the entrance, his face twisted into a cruel smile. He was tall, with dark hair and a menacing presence that made her blood run cold. There was no mistaking him—he was the same man who had haunted her nightmares for years.

Her father.

The world seemed to tilt as jihyo stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn't seen him in years, not since the day she had finally escaped his clutches. But now, here he was, standing before her, a ghost from her past come to life.

"Jihyo," her father said, his voice dripping with malice. "It's been a long time."

Jihyo's breath hitched, her mind reeling. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice trembling.

"I've come to take back what's mine," her father replied, his smile widening. "You didn't think you could run from me forever, did you?"

Suho stepped forward, his expression dark and dangerous. "Leave her alone."

Her father chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down jihyo's spine. "Ah, so this is the man you've been spending so much time with. I have to say, jihyo, I'm disappointed. I thought I raised you better than this."

Jihyi's heart raced as the tension between the two men escalated. Suho's posture was tense, ready for a fight, while her father's smug grin only grew wider.

"You don't have any right to talk about how you raised me," jihyo shot back, her voice shaking with anger. "You were never a father to me."

Her father's eyes narrowed, his smile fading. "Is that any way to talk to your old man? After all I've done for you?"

"All you ever did was hurt me," jihyo spat, her hands clenched into fists. "You're nothing to me."

Her father's expression darkened, and he took a step toward her. "You've got some nerve, talking to me like that. Maybe it's time I reminded you who's in charge."

Suho moved to block him, his voice cold as ice. "Touch her, and you'll regret it."

For a moment, the tension was so thick it was suffocating. But then, her father backed off, a cruel smile returning to his face. "We'll see about that."

With that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the rink. Jihyo stood frozen in place, her mind spinning with fear and anger. Her past had come back to haunt her in the worst way possible, and she didn't know how to deal with it.

Suho turned to her, his expression softening slightly. "Are you okay?"

Jihyo shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't know. I just... I can't believe he's here. I thought I was finally free of him."

Suho placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle. "You're not alone in this, jihyo. We'll figure this out. Together."

Jihyo looked up at him, searching his eyes for any sign of deception. But all she saw was a man who was just as troubled and conflicted as she was. Despite his cold exterior, there was something in him that cared, even if he couldn't fully show it.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Suho nodded, his expression unreadable once again. "Let's get out of here."

As they left the rink, jihyo couldn't shake the feeling that her world was about to unravel even further. The secrets, the threats, the ghosts of her past—they were all converging, and she had no idea how to stop it.

But one thing was certain: she couldn't face it alone. And despite everything, she was beginning to believe that maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to.

——————————————————

I think I'm starting to flop idk .
Stay tuned for the next chapters 🩶!!