LET THE WORLD BURN || P.SH X K.SN

E L E V E N

CHAPTER ELEVEN: UNEXPECTED

'AURTHOR'

Sunoo sat in his office, trying to push through the fog of frustration and exhaustion that clouded his mind. He couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t keep his thoughts from drifting to the ongoing tension between him and Sunghoon. The paperwork on his desk blurred as he stared at it, his thoughts elsewhere, until the sudden ringing of his phone snapped him back to reality.

He glanced at the screen and saw his mother’s name. A strange feeling of unease settled in his stomach as he answered, his voice tinged with concern. “Mom? Is everything okay?”

There was silence on the other end, a silence so heavy it made his heart pound in his chest. When his mother finally spoke, her voice was shaking, filled with a fear he had never heard before. “Sunoo… Sun-ah… come home, Sunoo.”

Her words sent a jolt of panic through him. “Mom, what happened to Sun-ah? What’s going on?” His voice rose, but the line went dead before he could get an answer. He stared at his phone, the knot in his chest tightening into something almost unbearable.

He jumped to his feet, grabbing his jacket with shaking hands, but just as he reached the door, he remembered with a surge of anger that Sunghoon had his car keys. Of all times, he thought bitterly, why now?

Fueled by fear and frustration, he stormed out of his office, his steps quick and determined as he made his way to Sunghoon’s office. He didn’t bother knocking, pushing the door open with enough force to rattle the hinges.

“Sunghoon!” he snapped, his voice sharp and edged with panic. “I need my car keys.”

Sunghoon looked up from his desk, surprise flickering across his face before it was replaced by his usual calm, infuriating expression. “Why the rush? What’s going on?”

“Just give me the damn keys!” Sunoo shouted, his fear bubbling over into anger. “I don’t have time for this!”

But instead of handing over the keys, Sunghoon stood up, grabbing his jacket. “You’re too upset to drive. I’ll take you.”

Sunoo wanted to argue, to scream at him, but the urgency in his chest was overwhelming, choking off his words. With a frustrated glare, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the office, hearing Sunghoon following close behind.

The car ride was agonizing. Sunoo’s mind was racing, thoughts tumbling over each other in a chaotic mess of fear and dread. His foot tapped nervously on the floor, his fingers drumming against his knee as he stared out the window, willing the car to go faster. He kept checking his phone, desperate for some word from his mother, some explanation, but there was nothing. The silence was suffocating.

When they finally pulled up to his parents’ mansion, Sunoo didn’t wait for the car to fully stop before he was out, sprinting towards the front door. His heart pounded in his ears, his breath coming in short, panicked bursts. He flung the door open, the echo of his voice trembling as he called out.

“Mom!”

There was no response at first, just the empty silence of the massive hall. His heart sank, dread clawing at his insides. And then, faint and trembling, he heard his mother’s voice from upstairs. Without thinking, he bolted up the stairs, his legs moving on autopilot as he raced towards Sun-ah’s room, the fear in his chest growing with each step.