BLOSSOMED | SEOKSOO FF

PART 29

Jisoo sat uneasily in the hospital's dimly lit conference room, his hands clenched tightly around the disposable coffee cup he'd brought with him. His normally gentle demeanor was replaced with visible tension as he glanced at the faces around him-Wonwoo, Mingyu, Minghao, and Jun. He had arrived without informing Jeonghan, his partner, knowing this conversation would be as heavy as it was necessary.

After a moment of silence, Jisoo cleared his throat. "I heard you needed to know more about Seokmin's past and what he's done. I can't hide this anymore, especially not if it might help him get the treatment he needs."

The others leaned in, their attention fixed on him.

Jisoo began hesitantly, his voice soft but steady. "Seongwoo was...a lot to deal with. He was rude, bossy, and loved to make others feel small. For some reason, he particularly liked to target me. He'd micromanage every little thing I did at the kindergarten, call me out in front of parents, and even spread rumors that I was incompetent."

Mingyu frowned, his large frame leaning forward protectively. "Why didn't you report him?"

Jisoo let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "It wasn't that simple. He had the principal wrapped around his finger. Reporting him would've just made things worse for me. So I...found other ways to deal with him."

Wonwoo raised an eyebrow. "Other ways?"

Jisoo glanced at his hands, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips-a hint of mischief long buried. "I played pranks on him. It was petty, I know, but it was all I could do to keep my sanity. Once, I switched his coffee with vinegar during a staff meeting. Another time, I filled his desk drawers with glitter. But the one that really pushed him over the edge..." He paused, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. "I replaced his shampoo with a hair removal solution."

Minghao blinked in surprise, trying to suppress a laugh. "You made him go bald?"

Jisoo nodded, his smile fading quickly. "Yeah. He was so furious he quit the kindergarten and left town. That was the last time I ever saw him. I thought...that would be the end of it."

Jun tapped his pen against the table. "So you're saying Seokmin had nothing to do with Seongwoo leaving the kindergarten?"

Jisoo hesitated, his expression clouding. "Not as far as I know. But Seokmin wasn't in my life yet at that point-not directly, at least." He paused, the color draining from his face as he prepared to say something far more chilling.

"However," Jisoo continued, his voice dropping, "when Seokmin started stalking me, things escalated in ways I couldn't have imagined. At first, it was just small things -gifts left at my doorstep, my old music player signed anonymously. I then blamed my brother for such. And moved in with Seokmin. The more I was running away from the stalker. Unbeknowst to me.. I was running towards him." He swallowed hard, his fingers trembling slightly around the coffee cup.

"The one day, I found a box on Seokmin's doorstep, after a few weeks when I moved in.. Inside were an eyeball."

The room froze. Mingyu's eyes widened in horror, and even the unshakable Wonwoo stiffened in his seat.

"Eyeball?" Minghao echoed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jisoo nodded, his voice shaking now. "There was a note with them. It said something like, 'I didn'tlike the way he was lookingat you.' Then I remembered... A cashier at the supermarket had been extra flirty with me a just a few hours before. The next day news reported it as a missing person case, but now I think...I think Seokmin did something to him."

Jun rubbed his temples, the weight of the revelation hitting him hard. "And you're certain it was Seokmin?"

Jisoo nodded slowly. "I pieced it together later, when I found out he was my stalker. His behavior, the way he talked about love and control-it all made sense in the worst possible way. One day I found a hollow book in his shelf. Full of my pictures since I was 16. I felt like a showcased trophy. He genuinely believed that hurting anyone who showed me attention was his way of protecting me."

Mingyu ran a hand through his hair, his usual optimism nowhere to be seen. "This guy isn't just unstable; he's dangerous. He's crossed so many lines, and it's like he doesn't even realize how far gone he is."

Wonwoo remained silent, his sharp mind processing everything. After a moment, he spoke, his tone calm but firm. "We need to address this in therapy, but it's not going to be easy. Seokmin doesn't see what he's done as wrong. To him, these actions are justifications of his love-proof of his loyalty."

Minghao sighed, leaning back in his chair. "This changes everything. His guilt isn't just about controlling Jisoo; it's about the lengths he went to keep Jisoo close. He's buried in a pit of his own making, and digging him out will take more than just therapy."

Jun glanced at Jisoo. "Do you feel safe right now? Knowing all this?"

Jisoo hesitated before answering. "I don't know what he's capable of when it comes to others. That's what scares me."

The room fell silent, the weight of Jisoo's confession settling over them like a dark cloud. Whatever steps they took next, it was clear that saving Seokmin wouldn't just be about addressing his guilt-it would also mean confronting the depths of his darkness.

And the question lingered.

Was Seokmin even ready to face it himself?