Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 17: Cracks in the Armor

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍

The next morning, Da-Rae arrived at the hospital with an unnerving sense of dread. Her thoughts were in disarray, haunted by the previous evening's encounter with Jun. His obsession with her was deepening, and although she had tried to dismiss it as part of his recovery process, the lines between his illness and something far more dangerous were starting to blur.

She had become more vigilant around him, more guarded. Every time she entered his room, she felt like she was stepping into a minefield. His eyes, once distant and troubled, now followed her every move with a fixation that unnerved her.

Today was no different. As soon as she stepped into Jun's room, his gaze snapped to her, and that familiar intensity settled in his dark eyes.

"Da-Rae," he greeted, his voice soft but laden with meaning.

"Jun," she replied, trying to keep her tone professional. "How are you feeling today?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he studied her face, his expression thoughtful. "You didn't answer my question yesterday."

Da-Rae frowned. "What question?"

"Are you okay? Really okay?"

She swallowed, not wanting to engage with him on that level. "I'm fine, Jun. Let's focus on you."

His lips curled into a faint smile. "Always so focused on me. But I'm not the one who's trapped, am I?"

Her pulse quickened at his words. "Jun, you're making progress, but you still need time. We've talked about this."

"I don't need time," he murmured, his gaze unwavering. "I need you."

Da-Rae's stomach twisted at the bluntness of his statement. She knew his feelings were growing out of control, but hearing him say it so plainly made the reality hit harder. "Jun, we've discussed boundaries. You need to respect those boundaries."

"Boundaries," he echoed, his smile fading. "You think boundaries will protect you? From me? From him?"

Da-Rae took a step back, her nerves fraying. "Jun, this conversation isn't productive. We need to—"

"I saw him," Jun interrupted, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I saw him waiting for you outside the hospital last night."

Da-Rae's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"He doesn't deserve you," Jun said, his voice trembling slightly. "He's not right for you, Da-Rae. You know it. I know it."

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, trying to steady herself. "Jun, whatever you think you saw—"

"I saw him," Jun insisted, his voice sharp. "I watched him from the window. I saw the way he looked at you, the way he tried to control you. You can't be with someone like that. You need to leave him."

Da-Rae felt a lump rise in her throat. "Jun, my personal life isn't something you need to worry about. You need to focus on your own recovery."

But Jun shook his head, a twisted smile returning to his lips. "You can't hide from it, Da-Rae. You know I'm right. He's suffocating you. I see it every time you come in here. You look more tired, more drained. He's breaking you down, and you don't even realize it."

Her breath caught in her chest. "Jun, this needs to stop. Right now."

"I'm not the one who needs to stop," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "He is. I can protect you from him, Da-Rae. I'm the only one who can."

Da-Rae backed away, her mind racing. The situation was escalating, and she wasn't sure how to defuse it. "Jun, this conversation is over."

"Over?" His eyes darkened, and he stood from his chair, taking a step toward her. "It's far from over."

Just then, the door to the room opened, and Dr. Park stepped in. His presence seemed to break the tension, and Da-Rae quickly composed herself, grateful for the interruption.

"Da-Rae," Dr. Park said, giving her a concerned look. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

She nodded, hastily leaving the room, her heart still pounding. Once they were in the hallway, Dr. Park placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay? You looked... tense."

Da-Rae took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "I'm fine. It's just... Jun. He's becoming more intense."

Dr. Park frowned. "More intense how?"

"He's... becoming fixated," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's convinced that he's the only one who understands me, that he needs to protect me."

Dr. Park's expression turned serious. "That's a red flag, Da-Rae. You need to be careful. Patients with his history... when they start fixating, it can lead to dangerous behaviour."

"I know," Da-Rae said, her voice tight. "But I don't know how to handle it. He's not violent, but... the way he looks at me, the way he talks, it's unsettling."

"Maybe we should consider transferring him to another doctor," Dr. Park suggested gently. "For your safety."

"No," Da-Rae said quickly, surprising herself with the firmness of her response. "I mean... not yet. I think I can still help him. He's making progress, but he's just confused."

Dr. Park hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. But if it gets any worse, don't hesitate to tell me. Your safety is the priority."

Da-Rae nodded, though deep down, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up. As she walked back to her office, Jun's words echoed in her mind, lingering like a shadow she couldn't shake.

Later that evening, as Da-Rae drove home, she couldn't stop thinking about Jun. His intensity, his obsession—it was growing into something she could no longer ignore. She knew she needed to draw clearer boundaries, to find a way to distance herself before things got out of control.

But even as she thought about that, she felt a pang of guilt. Jun had been through so much. She didn't want to abandon him, especially when he was starting to make progress. But was it progress, or was it something else entirely?

As she pulled into her driveway, her phone buzzed with a message. She glanced at the screen and felt her heart sink. It was Hyun-Woo.

We need to talk. Tomorrow. Don't try to avoid this.

Da-Rae closed her eyes, leaning back in her seat. Her life was unravelling at the seams, and she wasn't sure how to hold it together anymore.

Between Jun's growing obsession and Hyun-Woo's suffocating control, Da-Rae felt like she was caught in a web of impossible choices.

Something had to give. And soon.

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍