Hurt Because of You | Sangwoo

7. Victims

You calm down, and try to collect your thoughts. Yoonbum is still crying beside you, so you rest your hand on his back to help him as well. Both of you are actually crying, but for different reasons trying to figure out what just happened. You ask him, "W-why'd you do that? I thought you said-" "He was hurting my best friend. I couldn't control myself, I'm sorry," he looks up at you. 

You hug him and whisper, "Don't be sorry. Thank you Bum." He hugs you back and you try to calm down both of you. After a bit, you realize you're free from Sangwoo now. You say, "I know it's going to be hard, Bum, but we need to go to the police." You stand up and hold your hand out from him to grab it. 

He stares at you, "But Sangwoo is down there...alone...cold." "What's done is done, and it was deserved Bum. You might not see it now, but you'll realize you'll be better without him. So come on, let's go to the police and get the help we need," you said. He grabs your hand and gets up. 

You two leave the house and go to the nearest police station. Everyone in there is shocked because your friends and family had been searching for you, and just as the trail had gone cold, you showed up at their doorstep. Also, the fact that you and Bum looked visibly seriously hurt and covered in blood. 

The closest officer immediately begins questioning you two, and you tell them everything. Bum on the other hand, still in shock, is sitting quietly beside you. The cop asks, "You were captured and held by this man named Sangwoo?" You nod, "Yes sir. I was just gone for a month or two, but the man sitting beside me, Yoonbum, has been held captive for longer." The cop says, "Well, how are the two of you here right now?" 

You say, "I...are there any lawyers? I don't think I should talk anymore without a lawyer. I'm sorry." He sighs, "Not right now, but we'll get you a lawyer. You do have the right to remain silent if you wish." You nod, "Thank you." 

The cop asks, "Could you at least tell us where this house that you two were held in is? We'll send forces there right now to check it out." You say, "I don't know where it is to be honest. I know it's in an alley that's on the way to-" "It's 3828 Piermont Drive, (your hometown)," Yoonbum interjects. The cop talks to some others and they send a few cops out. 

He walks up to us saying, "We're going to check out the scene, and your lawyer is on the way. Meanwhile, you two can sit over there, it's more comfortable." You nod your head and get up. Yoonbum tries getting up but he stumbles. You look at his ankles and they look really swollen and red, probably from walking from the house to the station. 

You ask, "Is there anywhere we can get him medical attention?" The cop nods, "Yes ma'am. You two head over there and I'll bring a medic." You help Bum walk over there, and you lay Yoonbum on the couch. You say, "Someone's going to come to help you, ok?" He nods, "Alright." 

You say, "Let's not talk to them till we get that lawyer because we might say something that can be construed wrongfully, and we are the victims here, not the perpetrators." Bum nods, "Ok." You sit beside him, "After all this, we'll get a place together and I'll get a job again. You'll rest until you can get back on your feet." He softly smiles at you. 

His legs and feet were injured and he's been walking/crawling around in pain for months. You hold his hand waiting for the medic. A while later the lawyer comes too and you sit to talk with her. You tell her about the situation and she tells you about how to tell it to the cops. 

She says, "The police have arrived at the scene and found the body and everything in the basement. They are still searching around for things, but they are sure you two haven't done anything wrong. It's obvious you two are victims of his. Is there anything you can tell them to help them find anything they might miss or not know?" You nod, "Yes, plenty. I'm willing to tell them everything so we can do something against this." 

She says, "He's already dead, but we can still press towards some type of compensation and charge him. He deserves to be a part of the disgraced and shameful dead, may he burn in hell. Forgive my forward way of talking." You say, "It's actually oddly comforting...knowing someone also sees him as the scum he is." She asks, "What about the other victim? The one that the medic is helping right now?" 

You say, "He's...honestly not well, physically for sure, but also mentally. Him and Sangwoo were in a sort of romantic relationship, but it was nothing of the sort. He consistently abused Bum, physically, and again, mentally." She nods, "I see...I'll help you two handle everything. By the way, your family has reached out to me since they couldn't get to you directly. They will handle all the charges, costs, and take you and Yoonbum in." 

"Yoonbum as well?" you asked. She nods, "Yes, I told them about the other victim and they said they'd be taking him in as well if he has nowhere else." You smile, "Thank you so much for all of this. I really appreciate it. Can you tell my family I also thank them?" She smiles, "Thank them yourself once you're out of here and at home comfortably." 

You talk with the police and tell them about how Sangwoo would bring others home and hurt, then kill them. You told them about his weird antics and things he'd say; for example, getting mad at you for being a woman like his mom, and Bum for looking like his mom. 

You told them about everything that came to mind. Yoonbum chose not to talk because he's still taking his time to process everything. And he believes he loves Sangwoo so surely it's hitting him hard. But thankfully he chose you over Sangwoo. 

Once released, you and Bum live with your family for a month till you two move out to a small apartment of your own. With the help of the lawyer of course, you've built a case against Sangwoo and he was charged with multiple different charges even while dead. You heard his body was cremated, sitting on the shelves of the police station since no one claimed it. 

One day, you come home from work, taking off your shoes and saying, "Bum, I'm home." But you notice Bum sobbing on the couch. He was holding an urn in his arms, and you put two and two together. You go over to him and hug him. You slowly take it from him saying, "I'm going to handle it." You put back on your shoes and drive to the nearest landfill. 

You stare at the urn, "You disgust me, even as dust. You got what you deserve. Hell is your new home." You throw the urn into a big dozer type machine. You pat your hands and let out a big sigh of relief, he's actually gone. You go back home and Bum has calmed down now. You two didn't do anything that day, just huddled on the couch together, thinking. 

Your thoughts are vastly different from Yoonbum's; he told you about how he felt with Sangwoo, how he missed him, and how much he still loves him. You can't help but feel bad. But you also know everything bad Sangwoo did, and you hated him. You and Bum continue living with each other and being best friends.