BLOSSOMED | SEOKSOO FF

PART 28

In a dimly lit conference room at the psychiatric hospital, Dr. Wonwoo, Mingyu, Jun, and Minghao sat around a table, the air heavy with tension. The faint hum of the air conditioning was the only sound until Jun placed a folder on the table. His expression was grim, his usual sharp demeanor clouded with unease.

"I found something disturbing," Jun began, his voice steady but laced with seriousness. "While looking deeper into Seokmin's background, I uncovered a name—Seongwoo."

Mingyu frowned, leaning forward. "Who’s Seongwoo?"

Jun opened the folder, revealing a photo of a man in his late 30s, dressed in formal attire, his expression stoic. "Seongwoo was a kindergarten teacher who worked in the same school as Jisoo back in Daegu. He was known to be authoritative—some even said borderline aggressive with both colleagues and students. According to my research, he had a reputation for making Jisoo’s life difficult."

Minghao interjected, his tone curious but professional. "How does he tie into Seokmin?"

Jun flipped to another page, revealing a photograph of an old identification card. "This was found in Seokmin's car. It's Seongwoo's ID from the kindergarten."

The room fell silent. Mingyu glanced at Wonwoo, whose expression remained composed but pensive. Minghao, however, raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "And how does this connect to what we already know about Seokmin?"

Jun took a deep breath. "Seongwoo disappeared around 10 months ago. Officially, it’s an unsolved case, but there’s been speculation. Witnesses reported seeing him arguing with someone a week before his disappearance, though no one could identify the other person. His car was later found abandoned near a river, but no body was ever recovered."

"And you think Seokmin had something to do with it?" Wonwoo asked, his calm tone betraying the gravity of his words.

Jun nodded. "It’s not just the ID. I spoke with a few staff members from that kindergarten. Some of them remembered seeing Seokmin around the kindergarten. Apparently, there were several confrontations between them, though nothing physical. But one teacher distinctly recalled Seokmin saying something like, 'People like him shouldn’t be allowed near kids.'"

Mingyu exhaled sharply. "So Seokmin didn’t just feel possessive of Jisoo. He acted on it."

Minghao tapped his fingers on the table, his mind clearly racing. "This aligns with the pattern we’ve seen. Seokmin has a history of eradicating perceived threats to what he values. First, it was his father and grandfather with the cat. Now, if this theory holds, it’s Seongwoo."

Wonwoo finally spoke, his voice calm yet resolute. "If he did kill Seongwoo, it’s important we handle this delicately. Seokmin’s mental state is already precarious. Confronting him too directly could trigger a catastrophic reaction."

Mingyu leaned back in his chair, his usual smile nowhere to be seen. "But this also means he’s dangerous, right? He’s not just a man consumed by guilt—he’s capable of violence."

Jun closed the folder. "Exactly. Which is why we need to tread carefully. The ID card is evidence, but it’s not enough to conclusively tie him to Seongwoo’s disappearance. If we’re not careful, we could make things worse."

Wonwoo nodded. "Then our next step is clear. We need to understand Seokmin’s mindset when Seongwoo disappeared. And to do that, we’ll need Jisoo."

Mingyu’s jaw tightened. "Do you think Jisoo knows anything?"

Jun shrugged. "It’s hard to say. But Jisoo was the common factor between Seokmin and Seongwoo. If anyone can shed light on what happened, it’s him."

Minghao leaned forward, his expression serious. "This isn’t just about uncovering the truth. It’s about helping Seokmin confront his actions and find a way to move forward. If we fail, we risk pushing him further into the abyss."

The room fell silent again, the weight of the situation settling over them. Wonwoo finally stood, his calm demeanor unwavering. "Let’s proceed with caution. Mingyu, contact Jisoo and set up a meeting. Jun, keep digging into Seongwoo’s case. And Minghao, let’s prepare a strategy to handle Seokmin when we bring this up."

Mingyu nodded, determination flashing in his eyes. "Understood. We’ll get to the bottom of this."

As the meeting ended, they dispersed, each carrying the burden of their roles. The mystery surrounding Seokmin deepened, and with it, the realization that saving him would require confronting the darkest corners of his mind—and his past.

Sorry guys for keeping you wait so long...... I was kinda.. too enthusiastic to attend a wedding full fledged.. Cuz yeah my parents are kinda strict but they let me go this time for what.. a whole sum of 3 days.. and I wore sari for first time in my life in a damn wedding...

Basically I had fun..
Now it's your turn...