Session 6 [Part 2]

Y/N could hear Aaron's soft snore from where she sat. She was relieved he was finally able to sleep.

"Aaron seems like a good kid" Seonghwa said in a hushed tone.

Y/N finally paid attention to her surroundings. The streets passed by at a rather calm pace, just as nighttime had settled in. She turned her head towards him.

"Yeah" She trailed off.

"I saw your file" He said, his tone turning the inside of her mouth sour. "He-"

"Don't" She interjected almost immediately. "He will not find out"

She looked at him with a warning glare.

He nodded a few times, his mind trying to come up with something else while also focusing on the road.

"Where are you staying?" He asked softly.

It began to drive her mad. The way his posture and words changed drastically. He seemed like a genuinely nice person if it wasn't for everything she has seen and heard of.

"In a hotel" She said nonchalantly.

"Which one?" He said, arching an eyebrow.

"Why would I tell you that?" She said.

Her eyes looked forwards, only to finally change settings. They were going towards the research building.

"Because I'm not going to have a woman and a child walking alone in the middle of the night" He said.

Y/N huffed. Really? How could she believe that? Mainly with the conversation she had with him?

"Wouldn't that be better?" She said. "Get rid of me right away?"

He sighed. His jaw clenched and his hands gripped the steering wheel just a little tighter.

"I don't want you dead" He said. "In fact, I need you alive. That's why I'm offering to take you"

Y/N could tell that she was only going to get that much of an answer. She wanted to weigh her options but she needed all the brain power she could master to talk to San properly.

"It's downtown" She said. "Not very far from the main road"

The room was much colder than usual, leading to her shivering slightly as she waited. Her nails were slowly turning a light purple as she swore her ears were turning red.

Why did the session have to be in the middle of the night with winter around the fucking corner? What did she even plan to ask him? Was she to keep their interactions earlier that day a secret? Or was she to just go for it, as if nothing happened?

The sound of chains took her out of her mental whines, bringing her back to the issue at hand. Her heart sank quickly as her mood turned somber. She needed to be careful and she just hoped San would help her out.

"Good evening Mr. Choi" She said in a cheery tone.

She looked at him, only for his head to hang low, his bangs covering any sight of his eyes.

"Mr. Choi?" She asked softly.

A huff jerked his body slightly, taking her by surprise. She could spot a very grim smirk forming on his face.

"It's funny how I haven't felt this way in years" He said, letting out a long breath. "I fucking hate it"

Y/N kept her gaze on him, lowering her head to try and find his eyes.

"What do you hate?" She asked, worry evident in her tone.

"People like you" He said, lifting his eyes. "Those that find it so easy to lie to those at their lowest"

Y/N's eyes went wide.

"What-" "Your brother. Let's talk about him shall we?"

His tone was aggressive. His chest heaved as he breathed. His eyes were full of rage.

"San. What happ-"''He was an incredibly talented young man. He had it all. And then suddenly, his life is turned upside down. Now he is the villain" He said, looking right into her eyes.

She knew he was trying to crack her open. She could tell. But she was not going to allow it. She needed to find what caused his sudden outburst.

"He never was" She mumbled.

"He pointed a gun at you" He said. Y/N's heart stopped. She didn't hear the chains rattle anymore. They always made a sound whenever he moved, what happened?

She lowered her eyes for a moment only to see his hand free. His wrist carried faint outlines of maybe cuts caused by cuffs or ropes.

"And he still isn't" She said, lifting her eyes. "And neither are you"

He chuckled. It sounded forced. The type of laugh you would use to express anger or disappointment.

"I killed 13 people!" He said, his hand coming into contact with the table, startling her.

She jumped back slightly. Her eyes began to sting slightly as she wanted to cry.

"Not very different from your father" He said, a sick grin on his face.

"What do you want San?" She asked. "What are you getting at?"

"You are a fool" He said, coming closer.

His face was a few inches away.

"You lied to me. When you told me you would help me" He whispered, his breath fanning on her face. "You are no different from every other person that has sat on that fucking chair with no other reason than to be known as the one that cracked this case"

"I am not trying to" She paused, "San, I want to help you"

She looked into his eyes, trying to find what may have caused it, but he was closed off completely. Anger and sadness were all she could detect.

"San" She said, "I don't know what triggered this, but I promised I would help you. And I plan on keeping that promise"

"Your lies go by so well" He said, sitting back down. "No wonder I never noticed. Well, no one did"

Her chest began to squeeze shut. She could feel her heart speeding up as her airways wanted to close on their own. It was too similar and she was not about to lose her composure at this very moment.

"He was right!" He said. "He was fucking right"

Who was right about what?

"You can't even tell a child what his own story is, does he-" "Enough!" She interrupted, her vision turning blurry.

"What is it that you want from any of this?" She exclaimed. "Tell me so we can get this over with"

She stood up, coming closer to him. Holding onto his chin. Just like he did with her.

"I hope you understand this is your last chance." She said. "This is my last session with you"

His eyes suddenly grew angrier. He pulled away her hand as he stood up.

She could see his hands shaking. He wanted to do something. Maybe bash her head in. Or see her beg for mercy. Maybe see her bleed. But she knew he wouldn't. He was too unsure and it showed on his features no matter how much he tried to hide it.

She laughed bitterly as she placed her weight on her hands. The table cold against her palms.

"You are going to leave me with no answers. No mystery. Just a rattle and an emotional breakdown" She said as a tear escaped her eye. "I'm trying to help you while the world outside falls apart"

She wiped her tears away, not daring to look up as the immediate fear was present. She felt as if her brother was about to hold onto her throat and squeeze. See those eyes crazed over betrayal. Something she could never commit even if she tried.

"Then why did you lie to me?" He asked.

She looked up.

"Tell me when and I'll give you a reason" She said. "I lied to you when we first met. And a few times after that"

Her hands balled into fists.

"But the moment I built my own theory, I knew I couldn't do it. I needed to see you as San, not Mr. Choi" She said. "I needed to find out what happened. I needed to see what you saw. Live what you lived. Know what made it so unstoppable"

She allowed herself to sob slightly. Her hand came up her nose, trying to keep herself calm. A few tears escaped her eyes as she squeezed them shut.

She opened them only to see tears rolling down his cheeks too.

"See?" She said. "I think you were right"

A bitter smile appeared on her lips. "We are somehow one and the same"

He began to shake his head.

"I can't fall for it" He mumbled.

He paused, his eyes carried a stare that could kill a man in seconds.

She frowned.

"San, please" She pleaded, her voice breaking. "I'm not trying to see you dead"

"How should I believe that?"

"You want something to believe?" She said, her tone and chest filling with anger. "As from what I can see Hongjoong wants you dead. Seonghwa wants you dead. Jongho wants you dead." She could see his shoulder shaking. "Yeosang wants you dead. Yungho wants you dead. Mingi wants you dead. Irene-"

His head suddenly shot up as he gripped her throat. He pulled her closer.

"Don't you even dare" He said.

"I will" She said. "Because even if you squeeze my throat shut, I will only be another number in that list. More blood spilled over your hands. You can pledge a deal and just get your so wanted life sentence."

She smirked.

"But you can't put them forward can't you?" She challenged. "There is something else holding you back"

His grip suddenly tightened, but she could see his tensed arm. He was debating on it. He really didn't want to.

"I want to help you" She said. "I'm crying over this for fuck's sake San! What other piece of evidence do you want?"

He didn't answer. He didn't move.

"You had some type of connection with every single one of those girls. Maybe through one of your friends." She said, her heart thumping inside her skull "You killed them for someone else"

He looked into her eyes. His hand finally began to squeeze. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them. She held onto his wrist in a frail attempt to make him let go.

"You are not figuring any of this out" He said. "You will be that other number"

Y/N could feel her insides twist at the sudden lack of oxygen.

She could only stare into the void. She could repeat that scene over and over. Her mother crying in the corner as Lucas gripped her throat. The view all so pleasantly encapsulating her family. She began to see the room spin.

Until her body fell to the floor.

"What's gotten into you!?" Irene yelled as she rushed to Y/N.

She could only hear the scene as it unfolded. She heard a loud noise, as rattling ensued.

"We let those chains off not for him to murder someone!" She could hear Seonghwa's voice.

She closed her eyes, trying to push it all out. Maybe it was just a bad dream. Maybe she was to wake up laying on the crappy sofa of the hotel and see her mother and Aaron playing a word game.

Aaron.

Her eyes shot open. She looked towards the door. San long gone.

Three other bodies were trying to get to her, but they were muffled noise. Until she finally took a deep breath in.

"Y/N?" She could hear Seonghwa.

"Yeah," She said panting, taking as much air as she could.

Someone was sobbing right next to her. The room was way colder. The world was blurry. She was disoriented and confused.

"Can you hear me?" He asked.

She finally looked at him, nodding weakly.

"We need to take you to the hospital" He said, holding onto her tightly.

"No" She held onto his arm. "I need to go back to my mother"

He huffed.

"You were almost choked to death" He said.

"I've gone through worse" He voice began to thin out as her throat began to burn. "I know how to deal with this"

Mingi suddenly gripped her shoulders.

"You need to go get checked" He said softly.

She shook her head.

"I need to go back" She mumbled. "And find my mom"

Seonghwa groaned as he helped her up.

"I'll take her and the kid" he said. "You better have an explanation as to why the chains were off him"

"You ordered it?" Irene interjected.

"No" Y/N mumbled. "He was with me"

She suddenly coughed. Pain shot through her entire throat and mouth. She swore acid was being poured into her esophagus for no damn reason.

"Then.." Irene looked at Mingi as he looked at Seonghwa.

She suddenly nudged him, bringing him back to the task at hand.

"We'll figure it out" He said, taking her out of the room as carefully as he could.