Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 40: Uneasy Realisations

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The next morning, Da-Rae arrived at the hospital with a gnawing unease she couldn't shake. Sleep had eluded her the entire night, her mind replaying every conversation, every interaction with Hyun-Woo, and every unsettling moment in recent weeks. Something about the way Jun had reacted to the news of Hyun-Woo's death lingered in her thoughts, nagging at her.

She walked through the corridors of the hospital, the familiar hum of activity doing little to calm her nerves. When she entered Jun's room, he was already seated by the window, his back to her. The morning light cast long shadows across the room, making the space feel oddly claustrophobic.

"You're here early today," Jun said without turning around, his voice smooth and composed.

"I needed to check on you," Da-Rae replied, her tone tight.

Jun finally turned to face her, his sharp eyes meeting hers. "How thoughtful of you."

For a moment, they simply looked at each other, and Da-Rae felt the tension in the room thicken. She set her bag on the desk and pulled out her notebook, forcing herself to focus on something other than the suspicion creeping into her thoughts.

"Have you been feeling okay?" she asked, flipping through the pages absentmindedly.

Jun leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving her. "Better than ever," he said with a faint smile.

There it was again—that strange sense of calm, almost too calm, considering the gravity of what had happened. Da-Rae's pen paused mid-note, and she looked up at him.

"Jun," she began carefully, "about yesterday... when I told you about Hyun-Woo."

"What about it?" Jun asked, his tone still even.

"You didn't seem... surprised."

Jun's expression didn't waver. "Should I have been?"

"Well, yes," Da-Rae said, her voice growing firmer. "Someone I was about to marry was murdered. That's not exactly an everyday occurrence."

Jun tilted his head slightly, studying her. "I didn't mean to seem indifferent. I just wanted to be strong for you."

His words were measured, but they did little to reassure her. The unease gnawed at her further, and memories began to surface—moments when Jun's behaviour had seemed a little too intense, his fixation on her a little too pronounced.

She set her notebook down and crossed her arms. "Jun, where were you two nights ago?"

His expression finally shifted, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "Two nights ago?"

"Yes," she pressed. "I need to know."

Jun stood slowly, his movements deliberate, and walked toward her. The way he loomed over her made her heart race, but she stood her ground.

"I was here," he said finally, his voice soft but firm. "Where else would I be?"

Da-Rae's pulse quickened. "I just... I need to be sure."

Jun's eyes darkened, and he leaned in closer. "Why do you need to be sure, Da-Rae?"

Her breath hitched, but she refused to back away. "Because things don't add up, Jun. And I need to know if there's something you're not telling me."

For a long moment, the air between them was taut with tension. Then, Jun straightened, his expression softening into something almost sorrowful.

"You think I had something to do with it," he said quietly, a trace of hurt in his voice.

"I didn't say that," Da-Rae replied quickly, though her voice betrayed her uncertainty.

"You don't have to," Jun said, his gaze piercing. "I can see it in your eyes."

Da-Rae felt her chest tighten, unsure how to respond. She took a step back, needing to create some distance.

"I just need to understand what's happening," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jun watched her intently, his expression unreadable once more. "You've been under a lot of stress, Da-Rae. Maybe you're overthinking things."

His words felt dismissive, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more he wasn't saying.

As she left the room, her mind raced with questions she didn't yet have the courage to confront. Jun's calmness, his unwavering gaze, and the way he always seemed to know what she was thinking—it was all too much.

For the first time, Da-Rae wondered if she had made a terrible mistake in trusting him.

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍