Bound by Obsession || Jeongcheol ||

Part Nine - Crossing Paths

Jeonghan's life had become an unbearable cycle of suffocation. His dorm had become a sanctuary and a prison, and his heart weighed heavy after the confrontation with Seongcheol. Joshua and Seokmin had left, but their words of comfort felt hollow against the overwhelming reality that Seongcheol controlled every facet of his life.

As the days passed, Jeonghan knew he couldn't keep relying on his friends to save him. He needed to take control of his life, even if it was a small step. That's when he decided he would get a job something simple, a way to earn his own money and maybe gain a little bit of freedom. With his scholarship covering his university fees, he only needed enough to get by.

That morning, Jeonghan set out to look for work. Walking through the busy streets of the city, he scanned cafés and convenience stores, hoping one of them would be hiring. For the first time in a long time, the idea of something normal, something ordinary, gave him a faint sense of hope.

But that hope was short-lived.

As Jeonghan walked down a quieter road, he noticed a car trailing behind him. The same black car had been following him for the past few blocks, and the uneasy feeling in his chest grew stronger. He quickened his pace, trying to shake off the paranoia, but the car sped up to match his steps.

Suddenly, it pulled over in front of him, blocking his path. A man stepped out tall, dressed in plain clothes, but there was a distinct authority about him. Jeonghan froze, his heart racing as the man approached.

"Are you Jeonghan?" the man asked, his tone sharp.

Jeonghan nodded hesitantly, his voice caught in his throat. "Yes... why?"

"I'm Inspector Cha," the man introduced himself, his eyes narrowing as he looked Jeonghan over. "I need to talk to you about what happened at your university. The incident involving the five students."

Jeonghan's blood ran cold. He hadn't expected this. Seongcheol had made sure no one would ever speak of the fate of "The Entitled." Even the faculty had turned a blind eye, too terrified of Seongcheol's reach.

"I... I don't know anything," Jeonghan stammered, trying to walk past the inspector. "I can't help you."

But Inspector Cha's hand shot out, grabbing Jeonghan's arm with a firm grip. His expression hardened, the friendliness from his introduction vanishing in an instant. "I wasn't asking. You're coming with me."

Jeonghan tried to pull away, panic rising in his chest, but the inspector leaned in close, his voice a low threat. "If you don't cooperate, I'll make sure you end up in jail. I can create any case against you. Do you want that?"

Jeonghan's heart pounded in his ears. He was trapped. He knew he couldn't defy Seongcheol, but now, the inspector was forcing him into a situation that could only end in disaster. Before Jeonghan could protest again, Inspector Cha shoved him into the backseat of the car, driving off toward the police station.

The inspector, new to the city, clearly didn't know who Seongcheol was, nor did he understand the extent of his power. But Inspector Cha had one goal: take down the mafia kingpin. And Jeonghan was his way in. This would prove to be the inspector's gravest mistake.

Upon arriving at the station, Jeonghan was led into a cold, empty interrogation room. The walls seemed to close in on him, and the weight of dread suffocated him. He sat down, shaking slightly, knowing that if Seongcheol found out about this, it would be catastrophic not just for him, but for the inspector, too.

Inspector Cha sat across from him, eyes fixed on Jeonghan as if he were a puzzle to solve. "You're going to tell me everything," the inspector demanded. "Your relationship with Seongcheol, what happened to those boys, all of it."

Jeonghan shook his head, his voice trembling. "I can't. You don't understand... You can't win against him."

The inspector's patience snapped. With a sudden, brutal motion, he slapped Jeonghan across the face, sending a sharp pain radiating through his cheek and lips. Jeonghan gasped in shock, tasting blood. His vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes, but he remained silent. He wouldn't betray Seongcheol, not because he wanted to protect him, but because he knew the inspector wouldn't survive if he did.

Inspector Cha leaned in closer, his voice a venomous whisper. "I'll give you one more chance. Tell me, or I'll make sure your life is ruined. You have no idea what I can do."

Jeonghan's hands trembled in his lap, but he stayed quiet, refusing to let the inspector break him. After what felt like an eternity, Inspector Cha cursed under his breath and stormed out of the room, leaving Jeonghan alone, his face throbbing from the slap.

Eventually, the inspector returned, grudgingly letting Jeonghan go but not without a final, chilling threat. "I'll come for you again, Jeonghan. And if you don't cooperate next time, I'll destroy everything you have."

Jeonghan stumbled out of the police station, his heart heavy and his spirit broken. His face stung from the inspector's slap, but the real pain was the helplessness that gnawed at him. On the way back to his dorm, all Jeonghan could think was why me? Why did his life have to become this nightmare?

He dragged himself back to his room, barely able to hold back the tears. The walls seemed to close in on him, the air thick with his despair. The weight of everything, the violence, the control, the fear it was just too much to handle. He felt trapped in a world that only offered cruelty and pain. For the first time, Jeonghan considered the only escape he could imagine: ending his life.

The thought was dark, but in his broken state, it seemed like the only way out. At least in death, he would finally be free from Seongcheol's grip, from the constant fear, from this toxic world that had crushed him.

As he sat in the darkness of his dorm, Jeonghan made a decision, one he wasn't sure he could take back.

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