case 143 | minsung

25

!warning!
this chapter contains past abuse and suicide please proceed with caution!

☆

with all the new information jisung got from chan, he couldn't help but think about one of the scenes he had been to.

his abusive stepfather...

he didn't feel any remorse that his stepfather had died so brutally. 'he deserved it,' he thought.

jisung closed his eyes, and that's when all the memories filled with pain came rushing back to him.

☆ flashback ☆

jisung was 15 years old when his mother remarried. at first, he struggled to accept that his mother had moved on from his late father. however, what mattered most to him was his mother's happiness, so he eventually came to terms with it for her sake.

one day, jisung arrived home early after school due to a teachers' meeting that led to an early dismissal. he was excited about having extra time to spend with his family.

on days like this, when jisung didn't have classes, he and his mom would joyfully make cheesecake together. jisung's mom enjoys making confections, and he had expressed his interest in learning from her. she promised to teach him whenever he wasn't busy with school.

as jisung approached his front door, he opened it with a happy smile, only for that expression to be replaced by sheer horror.

there, he saw his mom on the floor, covered in bruises and blood. jisung was frozen in place.

he noticed his stepdad holding a broken bottle in his hand, about to strike jisung's mom. in that moment, jisung found himself lunging at the old man and hitting him.

jisung couldn't believe what was unfolding before him. he couldn't believed that his stepdad was capable of such violence.

before, he had already noticed his mom having bruises, but she had always told him she got them from cooking. jisung was only but a child then and had easily believed her explanations.

"GET OUT OF HERE, YOU MONSTER" jisung screamed at the man in front of him, shielding his mom.

his mom tried to stop jisung, pleading, "jisung, honey, please just go to your room. i'll deal with this." she attempted to persuade him.

however, those words fell on deaf ears as jisung remained in his place.

the old man he used to call his stepdad let out a forced, menacing laugh.

and before he knew it, he was being dragged by the collar of his shirt. he could hear his mom screaming at the old man, trying to stop him, but the old man just pushed his mom away before throwing jisung into the basement and locking the door.

as soon as he landed in the basement, jisung sprang to his feet, desperately attempting to slam the door open, his worry for his mom consuming him.

he screamed and cried, feeling utterly helpless. he wanted to help his mom, but he couldn't even help himself.

jisung remained locked in the basement for two days before his 'stepdad' finally released him. the old man threatened that if it happened again, he would lock jisung in the basement for weeks.

the moment jisung was let out, he immediately began searching for his mom. as soon as he saw her, his heart plummeted to his stomach.

she was covered in bruises, her lips bleeding, her hair disheveled, and there was a lack of light in her eyes. jisung rushed to her and enveloped her in a hug, tears streaming down his face.

"my baby, stop crying..." his mom's voice trailed off, her hand gently patting his back.

"mom, let's leave this place, please," jisung sobbed to his mother in a hushed tone, ensuring his 'stepdad' wouldn't hear.

his mom stayed silent but nodded in agreement.

little did he know, it was just a lie.

a few days after that incident, jisung avoided his 'stepdad.' he despised him deeply, but he didn't want to risk being locked in the basement.

returning home from school, a routine that used to bring him joy, now filled him with fear.

jisung slowly turned the knob, glancing around the house and realizing that his 'stepdad' wasn't there.

seizing the opportunity, jisung quickly made his way to his mother's room, with the intention to leave the house with her.

as he approached her room, a wave of uneasiness washed over him.

hesitation gripped him, and he felt uncertain about opening the door, even though he couldn't identify the reason why.

shaking off his uneasiness, he cautiously opened the door.

the sight that greeted him caused him to collapse to his knees immediately.

his mother lay lifeless on the floor, surrounded by pills.

jisung slowly approached her, his mind struggling to process the situation, and his heart weighed down with sorrow.

he cradled his mother in his lap, trembling as he tried to shake her awake, his taps growing desperate.

"m-mom, p-please wake up," he pleaded amid his sobs.

the crushing reality that his mother would never wake up brought forth a torrent of tears.

he let out a heart-wrenching scream, his voice hoarse from crying. in that moment, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming hatred for everything. his mom was the only person he had left, and they took her away from him.

that night, his 'stepdad' didn't return home. jisung also noticed that the old man's belongings were no longer in their house.

jisung became an orphan that night. his mother's sister took him in, but the pain of losing his only family never left him.

his aunt didn't even like having him under her roof, constantly complaining that jisung was a burden to her.

his 'stepdad,' the reason his mother took her own life, disappeared as if he had never existed.

due to that traumatic experience, jisung vowed to become a person who helps others and ensures that individuals like his 'stepdad' are brought to justice. he aspired to be a detective, determined to locate criminals and help victims to rest in peace by solving their cases.

jisung worked tirelessly to achieve his goal, and he succeeded. however, he wasn't the one to find his 'stepdad' and bring him to justice, that role was fulfilled by none other than lee know.

☆ end of flashback ☆

jisung didn't realize that a tear had escaped from his eye. he looked up and began to imagine the smile his mother would have had when she knows what kind of person jisung grew to be and that he had finally achieved his goal.

"i made it, mom," he whispered to himself with a smile, wiping away his tears.