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

T W E L V E

CHAPTER TWELVE: SCARS THAT STILL BLEED

-PARK SUNGHOON'

Sunghoon stepped out of his car, the cold night air brushing against his face as he made his way toward the mansion. He had been working late, hoping to come home to a quiet house, assuming Sunoo would already be asleep. Yet, when he reached the front door, he saw the faint glow of the hallway light still on. His brow furrowed. Sunoo was rarely up this late, and something felt off.

Pushing the door open, Sunghoon was met with the sight of Sunoo slumped against the wall near the entrance, his head resting on his knees, a half-empty bottle of wine next to him. He was mumbling something incoherently, his face wet from tears. The sight made Sunghoon's chest tighten. No matter how much he tried to hate Sunoo, he was always weak when it came to seeing him cry. His heart ached, even if he told himself it shouldn't.

"Sunoo," Sunghoon whispered, more to himself than anything. He hesitated before walking over, sitting down in front of Sunoo, careful not to disturb him too much.

Sunoo noticed him and, without a word, threw his arms around Sunghoon. The action caught him off guard, but before he could think, his own arms had wrapped around Sunoo in return. He felt Sunoo's body shake as soft sobs escaped his lips.

"I... I told her Ray wasn't good," Sunoo choked out between sniffles. "She didn't listen to me."

Sunghoon sighed, knowing the depth of pain Sunoo must be feeling. He rested his chin against Sunoo's head, whispering softly, "It's not your fault, Sunoo."

Sunoo's sobs grew louder, his words becoming more desperate. "Why my sister? Sun-ah didn't deserve this... First, my best friend started hating me and left me, and now... now Sun-ah's gone too."

Sunghoon tensed at the mention of Sunoo's best friend. He knew exactly who Sunoo was talking about. It was none other than sunghoon himself, he was the bestfriend.But hearing the pain in Sunoo's voice stirred something inside him, something he couldn't suppress.

"All because of Eun-suk and his brother," Sunoo mumbled drunkenly, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

Sunghoon's confusion deepened. "What do you mean? Ray is Eun-suk's brother?"

Sunoo nodded weakly, more tears spilling down his cheeks. His head lolled against Sunghoon's chest as he continued sobbing. Sunghoon's mind raced. Eun-suk had been Sunoo's ex, the catalyst for so much pain and chaos between them. And now, Eun-suk's brother was the reason Sun-ah was gone? The pieces were slowly clicking together, and Sunghoon found himself struggling to keep his emotions in check.

Sunoo pulled back slightly, looking up at Sunghoon with swollen, tear-streaked eyes. "Why do you hate me so much, Sunghoon?" he asked, his voice soft but cutting.

Sunghoon's heart dropped. His face went cold, and his grip on Sunoo loosened. He stood up abruptly, his movements harsh. He didn't want to confront that question, not tonight.

"You know why," he muttered, his voice devoid of warmth. Without looking back, he walked away, his footsteps heavy as he made his way to his bedroom. He could still hear Sunoo sobbing as he shut the door behind him.

Sunghoon sat on the edge of his bed, running his hands through his hair before resting his forehead in his palm. Memories of the past began flooding back-the fights, the accusations, the bitterness that had consumed their relationship. He thought of Eun-suk and the twisted web of lies and betrayals that had driven a wedge between him and Sunoo. His heart still ached, but this time, it was more than just Sunoo's tears. It was the weight of everything they had lost.

'KIM SUNOO'

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Sunghoon's door shut with a heavy thud, and the silence that followed felt suffocating. Sunoo sat where Sunghoon had left him, still slumped against the wall, the tears slowing but not stopping. He wiped at his face with the back of his hand, chuckling bitterly through the lingering sobs. The sound echoed through the empty hall, hollow and broken.

His heart felt shattered, and no matter how much he tried to piece it back together, it crumbled at every touch. He took in a shaky breath, his chest tight with the familiar ache of loneliness. Sunghoon's cold retreat stung, but it wasn't surprising. Nothing surprised him anymore. He'd grown used to it-the feeling of being abandoned, of not being enough.

A disappointment.

Sunoo closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the wall with a soft thud. His mind raced, thoughts spiraling deeper and darker with each passing moment. "Why is it always me?" he whispered into the empty air, his voice breaking. His throat burned from crying, but the pain in his chest was so much worse.

Everyone left him. First Eun-suk, and now Sunghoon too, in his own way. Sun-ah had pushed him away, ignoring his warnings about Ray, and now she was gone too- Sunoo was left with nothing but memories of people who had turned their backs on him, one by one. He couldn't help but wonder if it was all his fault. Maybe he really was the problem. Maybe he wasn't enough for anyone.

His lips trembled as he let out another humorless laugh, bitter and self-deprecating. "I must be really good at driving people away, huh?" he mumbled to himself, hugging his knees tighter to his chest. The wine had dulled some of the sharp edges of his thoughts, but the ache, the void inside, only seemed to grow.

Sunoo wiped at his eyes again, though more tears replaced the ones he tried to brush away. He wanted to stop hurting. He wanted to stop feeling like the weight of everyone's abandonment was crushing him from the inside. But no matter how hard he tried, the pain stayed, lingering like an unwanted guest.

*Why can't I be enough?*

The question circled in his head, taunting him. He wasn't enough for Sunghoon. He wasn't enough for Sun-ah. He wasn't enough for his best friend. No matter how much he tried to give, it was never enough.

The emptiness in the hallway, the coldness in Sunghoon's voice, and the silence that stretched out endlessly-it was all too much. Sunoo squeezed his eyes shut, burying his face in his arms. He felt like he was drowning, and there was no one left to pull him out.

"I'm always alone," he whispered, his voice cracking as fresh tears slid down his cheeks.