Untouched [minsung]

Chapter 97

I looked over and watched as Lee Know absorbed that information. His mother had been alive and well and had been killed by his best friend on his boss's orders.

"I'm so sorry, Lee Know, I didn't know. I'm so sorry," Chan began apologizing as he knelt before Lee Know. But Lee Know didn't even so much as look at him. His eyes were focused ahead at the woman behind the window who had just admitted to taking something from him.

She eyed him carefully as he made no movements. His face didn't even twitch in sadness or grief. It was like time had come to a stop as he processed what he'd heard.

Finally, he spoke, his voice raspy and dry, "Why."

One word. One word was all he managed.

Mrs. Seo's eyes crinkled in response and her lips which had been in a straight line tugged upwards into a smile.

"Why not?" was all she said.

Two words in response to his one... but it was enough.

All of us, including Changbin stared in shock at the heartlessness displayed. The loss that she had caused just those of us in the room was not something we'd easily overcome, but we could do it together.

"Han's parents. Lee Know's mom. Changbin's dad...when will it be enough?" Chan shouted.

I hadn't even known about Mr. Seo, and I looked toward Changbin in empathy for what he was going through.

"Do you think that's all Chan? Do you think your parents really dropped you off here as a child? Do you think Seungmin's mom really died in a house fire?"

They both looked on in shock at what they were hearing. Mrs. Seo hadn't just killed my parents...she'd taken nearly all of our parents from us, and she'd done so with a smile.

Changbin went down the hall. None of us followed after him.

"What did you gain from all of this?" I asked. The question had been bothering me since I'd found out it may be true that she had killed my parents.

She thought for a moment about how to best explain herself. "Those who have nobody to run back to, are best at their jobs. At least that was the case for those three," she pointed at Chan, Seungmin, and Lee Know. "You, I just wanted you to myself. My son. Your parents didn't deserve you."

Her explanation made it worse. I had more questions about why I was so important to her.

"She was going to kill the Hwangs next," Chan muttered.

"They're dead," Hyunjin whispered as his voice cracked.

Chan looked at Jeongin who just nodded and turned back to face Mrs. Seo. I still wondered if they'd made that decision together or if Jeongin had acted impulsively. I wondered how Jeongin came to stand on this side of the door in the first place.

"Was it worth it?" Chan asked, his voice strained in hurt.

"I'm the last one standing, aren't I?" she held her hands out around her as if to emphasize the statement.

"Your dad...is he okay?" I whispered to Lee Know. I could feel the wrath rolling off of him.

Lee Know turned and walked in the opposite direction of Changbin down the hall. He quickly pulled out his phone and began dialing. I knew he was checking on his father.

"What do we do?" I asked Chan. He was blinking back tears.

"How did my parents die?" he asked her. "I searched for them and never found any proof of what happened."

"That's such a grim story darling. Wouldn't you like something more lighthearted?" she replied pleasantly though we all knew it was fake.

"Tell me," he pleaded.

She took a long breath, and we waited to see if she'd oblige. "When you were about three I was driving past a preschool and saw you get into a fight on the playground. You were taking on several kids double your size. Do you remember?"

He shook his head. He must've been too young.

She grinned as though she'd expected he wouldn't. "I pulled over to watch you beat them. So ravenous and full of aggression. I knew you had something useful for me. I maintained a distance but was watchful of you for a while. When you turned 13, you were fighting regularly. You were even fighting for cash and I knew you were ready to train. Your parents got into a car accident. You won't remember it. You suffered greatly but recovered well since you were so young."

Chan stared blankly, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a single tear.

"Your mother died upon impact. Your father made it to the hospital and was healing until someone accidentally put a pillow over his face to suffocate him," she shrugged casually, and Chan's jaw tensed.

She turned to Seungmin, offering up his story as well. "Seungmin was fun. His dad left when he was born. I never needed to track him down since he didn't care enough to begin with. Your mom died in the house fire of course...that little dog you carry around is the last remaining tie to your childhood. So sweet."

"You found me in the military, though," Seungmin argued.

She shook her head, "No, Seungmin. You went to the military because I found you. I made sure your mother died. I chose the former military foster family. As a great friend of theirs from church...church you didn't attend...I made sure they encouraged you to serve our country. And they did."

Seungmin wasn't as contained as Chan. He spun around and ran down the hall with Chan chasing after him.

Lee Know finally returned he gave me a soft smile, and I knew that his dad was okay. He stood behind me with both hands on my shoulders.

"What do we do?" I asked him. His face was expressionless, but he reached out to take my hand. I sucked in a sharp breath.

"I don't know," he whispered.

But Changbin was returning. His face was red and his steps were heavy as he marched down the hall. His muscles were tensed, and I realized he carried a weapon.

"Changbin, stop!" I called out as he flung open the door, but Lee Know put a hand on my chest and stood in front of me to block my view.

"Let him," he sighed.

And the gunshot went off.