BLOSSOMED | SEOKSOO FF

PART 30

The air in Seokmin’s private room was heavy, the walls seemingly pressing in on the two figures seated across from one another. Jisoo sat on a small chair, his posture relaxed but his eyes clouded with a mix of sadness and hope.

Seokmin, on the other hand, looked like a man drowning in an ocean of his own making. His once bright, mischievous eyes were sunken and hollow, his body hunched as though the weight of his guilt were physically crushing him.

The staff had sedated him less aggressively this time, just enough to keep his emotions manageable, but the anguish in his expression was raw and unfiltered.

“I shouldn’t have agreed to this,” Seokmin muttered, his voice hoarse from disuse. He couldn’t bring himself to meet Jisoo’s gaze. “You shouldn’t be here, Jisoo. You deserve peace, not… this.”

Jisoo exhaled softly, leaning forward. "I’m here because I want to be, Seokmin. Because I need to be. For you, for myself—for closure."

Seokmin flinched as though the words physically struck him. "Closure? You’re wasting your time. I’ve ruined everything. My love…my obsession… I told myself I just wanted to protect you, but…" He gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into fists. "But the biggest threat was me only."

Jisoo nodded, his gaze unwavering. "You’re right. You were the threat. Not Seongwoo, not the cashier, not anyone else you convinced yourself you had to protect me from. It was you, Seokmin. But…" He hesitated, the faintest glimmer of hope lighting his features. "It doesn’t mean you can’t change."

Seokmin scoffed bitterly, finally lifting his head to meet Jisoo’s eyes. "Change? What does that even mean now? I don’t deserve a second chance, Jisoo. I don’t deserve anything, especially not you."

Jisoo’s lips curved into a soft, bittersweet smile. "You’re right again. You don’t deserve me. Not now. But…" He leaned forward, his voice steady and filled with quiet determination. "You will."

Seokmin’s breath hitched, his expression crumbling. "I can’t… I don’t even know where to begin. How do I fix something so broken?"

"You start small," Jisoo said gently. "By listening to the doctors, by working through your pain and guilt. By being honest with yourself, no matter how ugly the truth is." He paused, his gaze softening. "I’m not asking for miracles, Seokmin. I’m just asking you to try. If you’re willing to grow, I’ll wait."

Tears spilled down Seokmin’s cheeks as he shook his head violently. "I don’t deserve you, Bluebell. I don’t deserve your kindness, your patience, or even your presence."

Jisoo’s smile widened, just slightly. "No, you don’t. But someday, Seokmin…you will."

The room fell silent, the weight of Jisoo’s words hanging between them like an unspoken promise. Seokmin bowed his head, overwhelmed by emotions he couldn’t yet name. For the first time in a long while, however, there was a flicker of something in his chest that wasn’t just guilt or despair. It was faint, fragile, but undeniably there: hope.

Seokmin sat frozen, his body trembling as Jisoo leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his temple. The warmth of it lingered even as Jisoo pulled away, leaving an almost unbearable ache in its absence. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was a promise, a challenge, and a lifeline all at once.

Jisoo knelt beside him, their faces close enough that Seokmin could see the tears glistening in Jisoo’s eyes, tears that hadn’t yet fallen. The strength in those eyes wasn’t diminished by the emotion; instead, it seemed to amplify it.

"I will wait, Seokmin," Jisoo said softly, his voice steady but full of conviction. "Prove them wrong. Prove to Jeonghan that you can love me—not obsess over me, not control me, but actually love me."

Seokmin’s lips trembled, but no words came out. His chest heaved as emotions warred inside him, guilt clashing with the faintest flicker of hope.

"I will keep waiting," Jisoo continued, his hand lightly brushing Seokmin’s trembling fingers. "But I can’t do this for you. You have to take the steps, Seokmin. Show them—and show yourself—that you’re more than your mistakes. Prove them that your you were not my mistake. You were the most appropriate decision of my life."

For a moment, Seokmin felt like a child again, staring at something too beautiful to touch, something he thought he’d never deserve. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words tangled in his throat, choked by his shame.

Jisoo straightened, his expression soft but resolute. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the door, the sound of his footsteps almost deafening in the silence of the room.

Seokmin watched him go, the emptiness in his chest growing sharper with every step Jisoo took away from him. When the door clicked shut, he exhaled shakily, his hand instinctively brushing the spot where Jisoo’s lips had touched his temple.

For the first time in years, Seokmin felt something stir deep within him—a need not just to repent but to rebuild. To prove that maybe, just maybe, he could be more than the monster he saw in himself.

And Jisoo’s words echoed in his mind, a beacon in the darkness he’d long been drowning in.

"I will keep waiting. Not just for me or you. But for an US."