Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 50: Aftermath

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Da-Rae burst into the emergency exit of the nearest hospital, her breath ragged and chest heaving. Her legs felt like jelly beneath her, her entire body trembling from the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. The fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly, the sterile, clean scent of antiseptic filling her lungs. A nurse at the reception desk looked up, startled by her dishevelled appearance.

"Miss, are you all right? Do you need help?" the nurse asked, rushing over.

Da-Rae nodded shakily, leaning against the counter to steady herself. "I... I need to report something," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's urgent. Please."

The nurse guided her to a quiet area in the back, offering her a bottle of water. As Da-Rae drank in small, trembling sips, her mind reeled with the events that had just transpired. She could still feel Jun's grip on her arm, his voice echoing in her ears.

"Stay here," the nurse said softly. "I'll call someone."

Da-Rae barely registered her words, her thoughts spinning. How had it come to this? How had she ended up running for her life, hunted by a man she once pitied? She had always believed she could help Jun, that her kindness might reach him in a way that no one else could. But tonight had shattered that illusion.

Moments later, a doctor arrived, concern etched across his face. "Miss, can you tell us what's happened? Are you injured?"

Da-Rae shook her head. "I'm not hurt," she murmured. "But... someone is after me. He's dangerous. You need to call the police."

The doctor exchanged a glance with the nurse, who quickly moved to make the call. Da-Rae clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to keep herself from breaking down. She couldn't afford to fall apart—not now, not when Jun was still out there.

As she waited, she couldn't stop the flood of memories from crashing over her. The way Jun had looked at her, his face a mask of desperation and devotion twisted into something far darker. The sheer intensity of his gaze, the way he had whispered her name like it was the only word that mattered.

She felt a shiver crawl down her spine. He wouldn't stop. She knew that now.

The police arrived within minutes, their presence grounding her somewhat as they sat her down to take her statement. Da-Rae recounted everything—her escape, Jun's obsession, the fear that had gripped her as she ran through the dark streets. She told them about the events leading up to tonight, about the warning signs she had ignored for far too long.

One of the officers leaned forward, his tone serious. "Do you know where he might have gone after you escaped?"

Da-Rae hesitated, then shook her head. "No. But he's... resourceful. He'll find me if he wants to."

The officer exchanged a grim look with his partner. "We'll do everything we can to find him, Miss Da-Rae. In the meantime, we'll arrange for someone to stay with you. You shouldn't be alone."

Da-Rae nodded, though the thought of being guarded offered little comfort. Jun had proven time and again that he was capable of slipping through cracks, of manipulating situations to his advantage. She wasn't sure even the police could stop him.

As the officers left to coordinate their search, Da-Rae leaned back in her chair, exhaustion washing over her like a tidal wave. She stared at the ceiling, her mind filled with unanswered questions and the lingering terror of Jun's voice calling her name.

Somewhere far away, Jun sat in the shadows of an abandoned warehouse, nursing the gash on his arm with a grimace. His breathing was uneven, but his mind was clearer than it had been in days.

She had run from him. She had fought him. And yet, even now, his heart ached with the same twisted longing that had driven him to her in the first place.

"She doesn't understand yet," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. "But she will. She'll see that this is for her own good."

He tightened the makeshift bandage around his arm, his hands trembling from a mixture of pain and anticipation. The memory of Da-Rae's tear-streaked face burned in his mind, fueling the fire that refused to die within him.

"I'll find her," he whispered, a dark resolve settling over him. "I'll make her see that we're meant to be together. No matter what."

The sound of distant sirens echoed in the night, but Jun paid them no mind. His focus was singular, his thoughts consumed by one thing and one thing only: Da-Rae.

And he wouldn't stop until she was his.

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