PSYCHO → SEVENTEEN

SEVENTEEN

Mingyu had been avoiding checking the news since Seungkwan died. He didn't want to hear anything, and he didn't want to know anything. He had checked out from life. However, when his mom came to him and told him about Minghao, Mingyu lost it. He had panic attacks galore, and no one was able to help him. He was recommended to a psychiatrist, and going to the doctor's office was the first time Mingyu had left the house. His parents sat with him as the psychiatrist prescribed different medications for him to calm his anxiety and help him go to sleep.

Nothing helped Mingyu, though. He still struggled with everything. He struggled with eating, sleeping, breathing, and living. He completely isolated himself. He didn't want to go back to the psychiatrist. He didn't want to go outside, but he also didn't want to stay at home. Even home proved to be dangerous despite the added security. Mingyu honestly just wanted the Psycho to get to him as soon as possible.

The group chat was active again after Minghao died. They discussed the Psycho to their heart's content because if the police were going to be unhelpful, the least they should do is work together and figure it out. The police were basically useless at this point.

"I can't do this anymore," Mingyu said aloud as he typed; he was crying. "I want the Psycho to get me."

The group chat immediately freaked out and had a group call.

"Mingyu, don't you dare think about it," Seungcheol warned.

"I can't lose another friend," Chan sounded as if he were about to cry.

"If the Psycho doesn't get me, then I'll just end my own life," Mingyu stated.

"Mingyu, that isn't right. Don't say things like that," Jeonghan yelled.

"I can't handle this anymore! I can't live with the fact that all of my friends are dead and that I'm still alive!" Mingyu cried.

"We're still here, aren't we?" Jeonghan screamed. "You don't think we're going through the same pain? Mingyu, we all are fearing for our lives! Stop thinking about yourself for one second and get your fucking shit together!"

"Don't yell at him, Jeonghan!" Chan was crying.

"Jeonghan, Chan is right. None of us are going to benefit from us turning on each other," Seungcheol tried to calm the boy down.

"Whatever," Jeonghan spat out before hanging up.

"Mingyu, don't listen to him. You need to stay safe," Seungcheol tried to reassure the boy.

"I'm going to kill myself," Mingyu said quietly.

Mingyu started bawling his eyes out. He cried so loudly that his parents ran up to his room and started comforting him. They hung up the phone for him and reassured him that everything would be alright. His sister stood at the doorway watching him. His parents told her to go to her room and spent the night with Mingyu as he recovered from his mental breakdown.

The next day, Mingyu's parents took him back to the psychiatrist. They called in a therapist for him. Mingyu didn't say a word though. The life was completely depleted from his eyes. He had officially given up. The therapist scheduled another meeting for him and his parents before they left.

Before they got home, Mingyu's parents stopped at a grocery store. They wanted to cheer up his son, so they went in to buy him some of his favorite foods. They wanted him to come into the store with them, but he refused to. He just wanted to sit in the car and rot away.

The car door opened, and Mingyu thought it was his parents, but it wasn't. It was a figure dressed in all black- it was the Psycho. Mingyu felt tears come to his eyes. He was waiting for this moment.

"Thank you," Mingyu breathed out.

"For what?" the Psycho asked quietly.

"For taking me out of my misery," a tear trailed down Mingyu's cheek.

"You really want to die that much?" the Psycho tilted their head.

"Yes," Mingyu nodded.

The Psycho removed their face mask. They had a pained look on their face. Mingyu smiled and patted the Psycho's thigh.

"You know, I always thought it was you," Mingyu smiled. "I won't ask questions. Just finish the job."

The Psycho slapped Mingyu's hand away and put the mask back on. They got out of the car, and Mingyu was confused. He thought that the Psycho had come to kill him, so why didn't they kill him?

The Psycho walked over to the gas tank and opened it. They took a lighter out of their pocket and lit it. They then threw the lighter into the gas tank and immediately took off. The second the Psycho disappeared, the gas tank blew up, and Mingyu's car completely caught on fire.

Mingyu's parents ran outside and saw the burning vehicle. They screamed. The staff inside of the grocery store called the fire department and tried their best to extinguish the fire, but it was too late. Mingyu had died in the fire. He burned to death. If the fire department hadn't gotten to him in time, he probably would have been cremated. His parents were devastated.

Officer Yoon showed up on the crime site and tried to recover the black box, but the car was in complete shambles, and they couldn't find it. Officer Yoon threw his hat and badge on the ground. He was furious and frustrated. How did this one psychopath kill ten different people of the same group and get away with it? It baffled him. He had to catch the Psycho, even if it was the last thing he did.

"Sir," one of the police officers walked up to him. "There's footage of the Psycho."

"What?" Officer Yoon looked at the officer. "Show it to me right now."

The officers reviewed the footage, and sure enough, they saw a figure in black running away from the scene. Officer Yoon slapped the desk and screamed, "Yes!"

They finally had a lead on the suspect. Soon, they would catch the Psycho.

..

who is it?