27

Chapter 27

Sunoo stood there, his breath coming in slow, uneven pulls. The cold floor beneath him felt too real, too solid, too final.

And yet—

He still couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the end.

Riki lay motionless before him, his breathing steady but shallow, the sedative keeping him still. His face, even in unconsciousness, held a ghost of that smug, knowing grin.

It made something in Sunoo’s stomach twist.

This was supposed to feel like victory.

But all he could feel was dread.

The sound of approaching footsteps made his heart hammer harder against his ribs. The heavy clang of a metal door opening. The faint shuffle of someone stepping inside.

Sunoo forced himself to turn.

Dr. Choi stood in the doorway.

His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his sharp eyes—something calculating, something pleased.

"You did well," Dr. Choi murmured, stepping closer, his polished shoes clicking softly against the floor. His gaze flickered to Riki’s unconscious form, then back to Sunoo. "Better than I expected."

Sunoo swallowed, his throat dry.

"You were right," he said, voice quieter than he wanted it to be. "He never should have left this place."

Dr. Choi studied him for a moment. Then, slowly, he smiled.

"Yes," he said. "But I think you knew that from the start."

Sunoo didn't respond.

Because he had known.

From the moment Riki reappeared, from the second their paths collided again, he had known how this would end.

Riki was dangerous.

Riki was wrong.

And yet—

Sunoo's fingers curled at his sides.

He didn’t have time to think about that now.

Two orderlies entered, moving with practiced efficiency as they lifted Riki’s limp body onto a gurney. The thick straps were already in place, securing his wrists, his ankles, his chest. Reinforced. Stronger than before.

Dr. Choi nodded in approval. "Take him to his room. Double the security this time."

Sunoo didn't move as they wheeled Riki away.

Didn’t let himself breathe until he heard the heavy doors slam shut again, locking him back inside the place he never should have left.

It was done.

It was finally done.

Then why did Sunoo feel like his own chest was caving in?

The room was darker than Sunoo remembered.

Cold. Sterile.

The air was thick with something heavy, something electric, something wrong.

Sunoo stood just outside, watching through the observation window as the orderlies secured the last restraints.

Riki was awake now.

And he was furious.

His wrists strained against the leather straps. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling in sharp, quick bursts. The sedative was still dulling his movements, but not his rage.

Not the way his eyes burned when they locked onto Sunoo.

"Sunoo," Riki said, his voice hoarse. "Come closer."

Sunoo didn’t move.

"Scared?" Riki taunted, lips curling. His wrists jerked again, but the restraints didn’t give. His smirk widened. "You should be."

Sunoo forced himself to keep his expression blank. "You don’t belong outside."

Riki laughed.

Laughed like the walls weren’t closing in on him, like the restraints weren’t cutting into his skin, like he wasn’t trapped.

"You really think you won?" Riki tilted his head, dark strands of hair falling into his eyes. "You think this is over?"

Sunoo’s fingers twitched at his sides.

"I know it is," he said.

Riki grinned, slow and sharp.

"That’s cute," he murmured.

Then his voice dropped, quiet and steady and too knowing.

"You’re going to miss me."

Sunoo inhaled sharply.

Riki's grin widened. "It’s already happening, isn’t it?" His voice softened, almost teasing. "You feel it, don’t you?"

Sunoo’s nails dug into his palms.

This was what Riki did.

Even now, even locked away, even restrained—

He still knew exactly where to strike.

Sunoo turned away.

"You should rest," he said, forcing his voice to be cold, distant. "You’re not getting out this time."

Riki hummed behind him.

Sunoo made it two steps toward the door before Riki spoke again.

"I let you do it, you know."

Sunoo froze.

"I let you win," Riki mused. "Because I wanted to see what you’d do."

Sunoo clenched his jaw.

He didn’t turn around.

He wouldn’t turn around.

"See you soon," Riki whispered.

Sunoo forced himself through the door, forced himself to walk down the empty hallway, forced himself to keep breathing.

Riki was lying.

He had to be lying.

He couldn’t have let Sunoo win.

He couldn’t have wanted this.

Sunoo’s hands trembled as he pushed into his office, shutting the door behind him.

Riki was locked away.

Riki was contained.

Everything was back to how it should have been.

So why—

Why did Sunoo still feel like he had just lost?

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