back to you || 𝐒𝐞𝐮𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞

Chapter 11: Shut up and kiss me

Meeting the Bae's is like a suicide mission. One wrong word and move you can get killed. But the bright side is you get killed by Mr Bae himself. Or even better Mrs. Bae.

As Seulgi drove to pick up her partner's parents, an uncomfortable silence filled the car. It felt like a heavy blanket, making every movement and sound seem amplified. In that confined space, every glance and gesture carried extra weight, as if they were being watched closely. The atmosphere was tense, like they were sitting in a room waiting to be questioned, each moment feeling like it could lead to something awkward or revealing.

"So how was-" Seulgi began, but her words were cut off by Mr. Bae's interruption. "Shh, save that for later. Let my wife sleep, then we can talk," he insisted. Seulgi could practically hear the gulp in her throat. "Yes, Sir," she managed to reply, her voice barely above a whisper.

As they arrived at the Bae's Hotel, Seulgi felt a slight sense of relief. "I'll see you later," Mr. Bae said as he departed. As Seulgi walked near the entrance, she heard him call out, "You and your "buddies " watch out later." Seulgi gave a hesitant thumbs-up in response. "Is he serious?" she muttered to herself, cursing silently.

After dropping off Irene's parents, Seulgi made her way to the hospital. Without pausing to speak to anyone, she headed straight for Irene's room.

"Oh, hey Seulbear, where have you been? I missed you," Irene pouted, her words melting Seulgi's heart. Despite the rush of emotions, Seulgi remained focused on her question. "Do you remember your parents? And their names?" she asked. Irene furrowed her brow in concentration. "Yes! I love them! They're a little strict, but I still love them," Irene giggled. However, she couldn't seem to recall their names. "I know their faces, but not their names," Irene confessed, her giggles fading into a frown.

10:00PM

Seulgi picked up Mr. Bae from his hotel, and the atmosphere in the car was thick with tension. "How's Mrs. Bae, sir?" Seulgi ventured, hoping to break the uncomfortable silence. However, instead of easing the atmosphere, her question seemed to invite judgment. "Well, she's asleep and won't be waking up anytime soon," Mr. Bae replied tersely, his words hanging heavily in the air.

They finally reached Seulgi's workplace and went directly to the meeting room.

"You have a nice place Seul."

"Thank you sir. I like to keep my space clean."

But her house is a MESS.

Mr. Bae settled into the president's chair, but Seulgi paid it no mind as she prepared to present her findings. "Now tell me, where has my daughter been for the last 4 years?" Mr. Bae demanded. Seulgi retrieved a folder filled with reports, files, CCTV footage, and pictures, ready to lay out the details.

"Let's start from the beginning," she began. "Irene Bae left her apartment at 8:30 AM to visit the Bae Family. From there, she would have arrived at the station in about 10 minutes. The journey from Seoul to Daegu would take approximately 2 hours, but there's no record of her informing us of her arrival time. One of our agents, Park Sooyoung, noticed something unusual."

Seulgi continued, recounting the events meticulously. "I personally didn't know she was supposed to marry our main suspect, Kim JunMyeon, also known as Suho. We've been tracking Suho and his 'clan' for suspicious activities for four years. It took us that long to receive a message from O.S., which we initially thought was Oh Sehun, but that was impossible since he's been in prison for 5 years due to homicide."