A Change Encounter~ Chanmin

~Chapter 12~

The nights grew longer, and the weight of betrayal pressed heavily on Seungmin's chest. Each passing day felt like a reminder of the love he had lost and the lies that had shattered his family. With Lia's deceit lingering in his mind and the kids feeling more like strangers than his own flesh and blood, he spiraled deeper into despair.

One chilly evening, Seungmin stood on his balcony, staring blankly at the city lights twinkling in the distance. The air was crisp, and a cold breeze brushed against his skin, yet he felt numb. It was a familiar feeling, one he had been battling for weeks, but tonight it was sharper, more suffocating.

As he leaned against the railing, the haunting thoughts consumed him. "Why did I ever believe in love?" he muttered to himself, bitterness lacing his voice. Just then, he heard footsteps behind him. It was Yeonjun, the very source of his anguish, yet he still felt drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

"Seungmin," Yeonjun said softly, stepping closer. "You shouldn't be out here alone."

Seungmin wanted to turn away, to push him out of his life for good, but something in Yeonjun's voice made him pause. "What do you want?" he asked, trying to keep the anger from spilling over.

Yeonjun leaned against the railing beside him, a smirk playing on his lips. "I just want to help you, you know? You're going through a lot, and I can't just stand by and watch you suffer."

A flicker of hope ignited within Seungmin. "Help me? How could you possibly help me after what you did?"

"I can be your escape," Yeonjun replied, pulling out a cigarette. "Just take a hit. It'll make everything better."

Seungmin hesitated, his heart racing. Deep down, he knew he shouldn't trust Yeonjun, but the pain was overwhelming. With trembling hands, he took the cigarette, the allure of temporary relief clouding his judgment.
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As he inhaled the smoke, he felt a ton of euphoria, but it quickly turned into confusion. Something was off. "What's in this?" he croaked, the high quickly overtaking him.

"Just something to help you relax," Yeonjun said, his voice dripping with insincerity. "Trust me."

With every puff, Seungmin felt his worries fade away, replaced by an intoxicating numbness. It was a fleeting escape, but he craved more. It didn't take long for him to realize he was no longer just smoking a cigarette; he had taken his first step into a world of addiction.

Days passed, and as Seungmin succumbed to the allure of substances, his mental state deteriorated. Writing became his outlet, a way to express the turmoil within him. One fateful night, he sat at his desk, surrounded by empty bottles and remnants of his new life, the darkness closing in around him.

He took a deep breath, picking up a pen. "I need to say goodbye," he whispered, the words barely audible.

His hand shook as he began to write a letter, pouring out his heart onto the page. He wrote to Lia, his children, and his older sister, who had always stood by him. "I'm sorry I couldn't be the man you needed," he wrote, tears streaming down his face. "I love you all, but I can't fight this pain anymore."

As he wrote, the sharp edge of the pen pressed against his skin. In a moment of desperation, he pressed it harder, blood seeping onto the paper, mixing with his words. It felt cathartic, almost as if the pain he felt inside could finally be released onto the page.

"To my beloved children, I'm sorry for leaving you. I hope you can find happiness without me," he continued, his vision blurring through tears. "To my sister, thank you for always believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. I'm sorry I let you down."

The words flowed freely, a stream of consciousness that captured his darkest thoughts. The crimson ink stained the paper, a final testament to the life he had lived and the battles he had fought.

Finally, he wrote a message to Yeonjun, the man who had led him down this dark path. "You may have taken everything from me, but you will never take my memories of Bangchan. He was my light, and now he's gone forever because of you."

As he finished, he dropped the pen, the weight of his decision crashing down on him. He knew what he had to do, and the darkness beckoned him with open arms.

With trembling hands, he folded the letter, a final farewell written in blood...