SAVE ME - CHOI HYUN WOOK a.k.a AHN SOO HO

10. New World

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."

From "The Long Dark Tea" by Douglas Adams

After she went inside her home. At the playground in front of her apartment building, Soo Ho stared at the screen of his phone. His knee bounced aggressively.

30 minutes left, and there was no call or text from Soo Bin. Jerking his body in shock, he could hear the sound of sirens approaching him from a distance.

As he quickly raised his head, an emergency car and a black car were driving along. His heart racing, Soo Ho anxiously watched the scene not far from where he was.

Several police officers on the stand with their guns in their hands along with paramedics could be seen running into the building. A bad feeling spread through him, his eyebrows knitted together, and his chest felt tight.

Soo Ho couldn't take his eyes off the scene until again a few minutes passed, the paramedics came out carrying a familiar figure on their stretcher.

He let out a heavy sigh, his steps were shaky, as he slowly drew closer to the ambulance. The thing that he feared the most, was now happening right before his eyes.

"Bin-a." Soo Ho scanned every inch of Soo Bin's bloodied body with burning eyes. " Excuse me, do you know her?" One of the detectives came up to Soo Ho.

"Yes. I'm her boyfriend." Soo Ho blurted out without looking at him. "Your name?" The detective held Soo Ho's shoulder. "Ahn Soo Ho. It was him, wasn't it?" Soo Ho turned around. His jaw clenched his face flushed bright red, glaring madly at someone with handcuffs on his hands, walking unsteadily behind the detective. 

The detective simply nodded. An angry Soo Ho clenched his fists, "Soo Ho-ya, don't." Soo Ho started to throw his fist but stopped, catching Soo Bin's weak voice and sensing the cold grip of his fist.

"Let's take her to the hospital first, kid." The detective gently pushed Soo Ho's body into the car, seeing the darkened look on his face. He never let go of her hand along the ride to the hospital, he was sobbing in silence.

***

Jungjin Seoul Hospitals.

In front of the operating room, he slumped his body on the chair, resting his elbows on his knees, supporting his head on his hands. His thoughts were clouded, as tears kept flowing down his cheeks.

"Soo Ho-ya!" He turned his head to his left, feeling someone put a hand on his shoulder. "Ssaem? *teacher's nickname."

He sniffed. He looked up as he noticed Si-eun beside the detective. "How come you two are here?"

"What's happened to her?" Their teacher ignored his question. "Detective, can you tell us the details?" Soo Ho looked so broken his wet eyes were begging.

"Now that we have an adult here, I can tell you, but... Ahn Soo-ho, you have to deal with what I'm going to tell you." The detective nodded before starting to tell them the chronology show he went inside the house until she ran to lock herself in her room.

"...the incident was recorded on the 360-degree CCTV camera that she installed on the air conditioner vent on the ceiling of the main room. It recorded every angle of the room... I think she must've predicted something like this because it's not the first time he did it, right?" The detective crossed his arms in front of his chest. Anger rushed their body as they heard the story.