BLOSSOMED | SEOKSOO FF

PART 36

The third year of Seokmin’s sentence had been quieter. He had carved out a fragile sense of peace in the chaos of prison life. Therapy had become his anchor, and his art was his voice. Yet, nothing prepared him for the flood of emotions that came when he learned his brother Jihoon, his brother-in-law Soonyoung, and their son Dino were coming to visit.

Seokmin sat in the visiting area, his heart pounding. It had been years since he last saw Jihoon, and even longer since he had interacted with Dino. He wondered if they resented him, if they would struggle to look at him.

When the door opened, and he saw them step inside, all his fears melted away. Jihoon was as calm and composed as ever, holding Soonyoung’s hand. Soonyoung, in contrast, waved energetically, his grin wide enough to light the room.

“Minnnieeee!” the seven-year-old squealed, darting past the guards to throw his arms around Seokmin’s legs.

Seokmin froze for a moment, stunned by the warmth of the hug. Then, slowly, he knelt to Dino’s height, wrapping his arms around the boy. “Dino,” he murmured, his voice breaking.

“You look so different, Minnie!” Dino declared, stepping back to examine him critically. “Your hair is all... weird. But you still have the same face. I missed you!”

Seokmin laughed softly, his eyes stinging with tears. “I missed you too, kiddo.”

As they sat at the table, Soonyoung immediately launched into a flurry of updates about their lives.

“Jihoon’s been working on a new album,” he said, practically bouncing in his seat. “And guess what? We’re having another baby!”

Seokmin’s eyes widened as he turned to Jihoon, who nodded with a small, proud smile.

“It’s true,” Jihoon said softly. “Soonyoung’s already planning everything—even though we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet.”

“It’s gonna be a boy!” Dino piped up confidently. “I told Mommy and Daddy, and I’m never wrong. You already know that Minnie.”

Seokmin chuckled, the sound foreign to his own ears after so long. “Congratulations,” he said, his voice filled with genuine warmth. “I’m... I’m happy for you. For all of you.”

Jihoon reached across the table, placing a steady hand on Seokmin’s. “How are you holding up?” he asked, his voice gentle but probing.

Seokmin hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. “It’s... hard,” he admitted finally. “But I’m managing. Therapy helps. And... I’ve been drawing a lot. It’s the one thing that keeps me sane.”

Soonyoung leaned forward, his energy momentarily subdued. “We’re proud of you, Seokmin,” he said. “It takes guts to face what you’ve done and try to change. Not everyone can do that.”

Seokmin looked down at his hands, overwhelmed by their kindness. “I don’t deserve your support,” he said quietly. “Not after everything I’ve done.”

Jihoon squeezed his hand. “You’re still my brother,” he said firmly. “That hasn’t changed. And it never will.”

Dino, meanwhile, was busy rummaging through the small bag they’d brought. He pulled out a stack of colorful drawings and proudly handed them to Seokmin.

“I made these for you!” Dino announced. “There’s a cat, ’cause Mommy said you love cats. And a tree, ’cause Daddy said you’ve been drawing trees. And this one’s a rainbow, ’cause rainbows mean happy things are coming.”

Seokmin flipped through the drawings, his vision blurring with tears. “These are amazing, Dino,” he said, his voice thick. “Thank you.”

“Do you have any drawings for me?” Dino asked, tilting his head.

“I do, actually,” Seokmin replied, reaching into his pocket to pull out a folded sheet of paper. He handed it to Dino, who unfolded it eagerly.

The drawing was of a family of tigers—two adults and a cub, standing together under the shade of a tree. Dino’s eyes lit up.

“Is this us?” he asked excitedly.

Seokmin nodded. “Yeah. The cub is you. Always full of energy and ready to take on the world.”

As the visit came to an end, Soonyoung hugged Seokmin tightly, whispering, “We’ll be back soon. Don’t give up, okay?”

Jihoon stood back, his calm demeanor masking the emotion in his eyes. “Take care of yourself,” he said, his voice steady.

Dino, however, refused to let go of Seokmin’s hand until the very last moment. “I’m gonna tell the baby all about you, Minnie!” he declared. “And when they’re big enough, we’re all coming to see you again! Boo and Solie also miss you a lot.”

Seokmin smiled, his heart aching with a mixture of love and regret. “I’ll be waiting,” he promised.

As they walked away, Seokmin watched them until they disappeared from view. For the first time in a long time, he felt a spark of hope—a reminder that, no matter how dark his past, he still had a family waiting for him on the other side of redemption.