MANIAC | SEOKSOO FF ✔️

PART 26

After Jihoon, Soonyoung, and Dino’s visit, the atmosphere in Seokmin’s house shifted. The warmth and laughter from their time together seemed to have dissipated, leaving a cold tension hanging in the air. Jisoo could feel it—Seokmin was watching him, studying every move he made as if searching for a hidden message in his actions.

That night, Seokmin’s silence was heavy, unsettling. Jisoo sat nervously on the couch, eyes fixed on his lap, waiting for Seokmin to say something. The hours stretched long, and the house grew quieter until, finally, Seokmin spoke.

"You thought I wouldn’t notice, didn’t you?" Seokmin's voice was low, almost a whisper, but laced with restrained anger.

Jisoo’s throat tightened. He didn’t dare look up. "I... I don’t know what you mean."

Seokmin scoffed, a dry, humorless sound. He moved closer, circling the couch to stand before Jisoo, his gaze dark. "You tried to involve them. Jihoon, Soonyoung—who else, Jisoo? Do you really think anyone can come between us?"

Jisoo’s lips parted, but he couldn’t find the words. He hadn’t meant to betray Seokmin, but the ache of his isolation had driven him to reach out in small ways, hoping someone might sense his pain.

"I wasn’t—" he began, but Seokmin’s hand shot out, gripping his chin tightly and tilting his face upward.

"Don’t lie to me," Seokmin said, his voice barely above a whisper. His fingers dug into Jisoo’s skin, the pressure bruising, unyielding. "Do you know what happens to people who betray trust, Jisoo? People who don’t appreciate everything I do for them?"

Jisoo tried to pull back, but Seokmin’s hold only tightened. A hint of fear flickered in Jisoo's eyes. He’d seen Seokmin frustrated before, but this was different—this was cold, deliberate.

"I—I wasn’t trying to... to involve them," Jisoo stammered, voice shaking. "They just came to visit. I didn’t say anything."

Seokmin tilted his head, studying him with that unreadable expression. "Are you sure about that? Because I could see it, Jisoo. The way you looked at Jihoon. The silent glances. You think you’re clever, don’t you?"

Jisoo felt the pressure on his chin intensify, a sharp pain shooting through his jaw. His eyes watered, not from physical pain alone but from the helplessness sinking into his chest.

"Seokmin, please... I didn’t mean to make you angry," he whispered. "I’m here, aren’t I? I’m still here."

Seokmin finally released him, and Jisoo slumped back, bringing a trembling hand to his face, his skin aching where Seokmin’s fingers had left their mark. He watched as Seokmin paced before him, tension radiating off him in waves.

"You need to understand something, Jisoo," Seokmin said, his tone ice-cold. "There is no one who will protect you the way I do. No one else would understand you like I do, accept you as you are."

Jisoo swallowed, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. "I... I understand."

Seokmin’s eyes narrowed. "Do you? Because I don’t think you do. Not yet." He leaned closer, his voice turning soft, almost a whisper. "If you ever try to bring anyone else into our lives, if you ever try to make me the villain here... you’ll regret it, Jisoo. I’ll make sure of that."

Jisoo's heart raced. He nodded weakly, not trusting himself to speak, knowing any response might provoke him further.

Seokmin gave a twisted smile, seemingly satisfied by the fear in Jisoo's eyes. "Good," he murmured, standing up straight. "I think you’ll remember this. And from now on, maybe you’ll think twice about testing me."

The slap came out of nowhere, snapping Jisoo's head to the side, Pain bloomed across his cheek, hot and stinging, leaving him stunned and breathless. For a moment, the world felt distant, like he'd been pulled underwater, and he blinked struggling to process what had just happened.

Then he heard it--a soft gasp from Seokmin, almost like a horrified whisper. "Look what you made me do, Jisoo." Seokmin's voice was trembling, a strange mixture of regret and twisted fury. He took a shaky step back, running a hand through his hair, his expression a wild mix of anger and remorse

Jisoo's cheek burned, a tear slipping down his face as he slowly turned to look at Seokmin, feeling as if the person in front of him was a stranger. He opened his mouth, but his voice felt trapped, swallowed by the ache of betrayal and fear tightening in his throat._

"Seokmin.." he finally managed, barely a whisper.

Seokmin's face contorted, twisting between regret and something darker. He clenched his fists, glaring at Jisoo as if searching for an answer in his eyes. "Why did you make me do that, Jisoo?" he spat, his tone trembling with accusation "I didn't want to hurt you, but... but you leave me no choice when you act this way. You forced me!"

Jisoo took a shaky breath, his mind racing. "I didn't mean to.." His voice cracked, the pain of his words tangling with his fear. "I never wanted to-"

"Then why did you push me like that?" Seokmin interrupted, voice rising. "Do you think this is easy for me? Do you think I like feeling like this, like I have to.. control you?"

Jisoo stared at him, his vision blurring as fresh tears gathered in his eyes. He couldn't understand how Seokmin could twist everything so easily, turning his own violence into something he blamed on Jisoo, The feeling of helplessness was crushing.

"Seokmin, please.." Jisoo's voice was soft, fragile. He didn't know what he was pleading for-for Seokmin to calm down, to understand, or maybe for some shred of the person he once thought he knew to resurface,

Seokmin's expression softened for a brief moment as he reached out, touching Jisoo's face where the red mark of his hand was still visible, "Look at you," he murmured, his tone laced with a strange tenderness that sent a shiver down Jisoo's spine. "You look so sad, like I'm the monster here. But everything I do is for us, don't you see?"

Jisoo could only nod, his heart sinking further with every word. He couldn't find the strength to argue, couldn't muster the will to challenge him. He was exhausted, the fight inside him dulled by Seokmin's twisted logic and the suffocating fear that had taken hold of him.,

Seokmin sighed, his hand dropping away as he took a step back, watching Jisoo with a hint of pity. "You make me do these things, Jisoo. If you would just trust me, if you'd stop making me doubt your loyalty.." He paused, his gaze hardening. "This wouldn't happen."

Jisoo felt a fresh wave of despair crash over him, the helplessness gnawing at his insides. He wanted to scream, to tell Seokmin that none of this was his fault, that he didn't deserve any of it. But he knew, deep down, that it wouldn't make a difference. Seokmin had already rewritten the narrative in his mind, casting Jisoo as the cause of every ounce of his twisted behavior.

Seokmin's hand came to rest on Jisoo's shoulder, gripping him tightly as he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Promise me, Jisoo. Promise me you'll stop trying to pull away from me. Because if you don't... I don't know what I'II have to do to keep you here."

Jisoo felt his heart constrict, a chill settling over him as he nodded numbly, too frightened to do anything else. "I promise," he murmured, his voice hollow, drained,.

"Good," Seokmin whispered, his smile creeping back as he pressed a lingering kiss to Jisoo's forehead, "Then we'll be fine, won't we, Bluebell?"