3.

Chapter 3

Sunoo barely got any sleep.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Riki—his smirk, his knowing gaze, the unsettling confidence in his voice. I always get what I want. The words clung to him, heavy and inescapable.

By morning, exhaustion settled deep in his bones, but there was no time to dwell. His schedule was packed with patient evaluations, staff meetings, and more files than he could process in one sitting. Still, no matter how much he tried to focus, his mind kept drifting back to Patient 082.

To Riki.

"You shouldn’t call him that." Dr. Choi’s warning echoed in his mind. Sunoo knew he should take it seriously, but something about the way Riki looked at him—like he saw something no one else did—unsettled him in ways he didn’t want to examine.

With a deep breath, he pushed the thoughts aside and made his way to the staff lounge for coffee. The room was quiet, save for a few murmured conversations among nurses. He was pouring himself a cup when Nurse Park approached, arms crossed.

"You’re scheduled for a session with Patient 082 this afternoon," she said, watching him closely.

Sunoo froze mid-pour. He hadn’t expected to see Riki again so soon.

"Dr. Choi wants you to observe," she continued. "To get a better read on him before deciding if you’ll be part of his case team."

Sunoo took a careful sip of his coffee, masking his unease. "Has he asked for me?"

Nurse Park hesitated. "Not outright. But he’s been… different since yesterday. Restless. Like he’s waiting for something."

Or someone.

Sunoo sighed. "Alright. I’ll be there."

Blackthorn’s interview room was stark—white walls, steel table, and a single chair on each side. A security camera blinked in the corner, a silent reminder that nothing here was truly private.

Sunoo arrived early, scanning the notes left by previous doctors. They all said the same thing: Patient 082 is highly manipulative. Remain detached. Maintain control.

The door creaked open.

Riki stepped inside, wrists cuffed in front of him, led by two guards. He was dressed in standard asylum white, but there was nothing ordinary about him.

"Pretty doctor," he greeted, grinning.

Sunoo kept his expression neutral. "Patient 082."

Riki pouted. "Cold. I liked it better when you called me Riki."

Sunoo said nothing as the guards secured the cuffs to the table. Once they left, silence stretched between them. Riki tilted his head, studying him like a puzzle he was eager to solve.

"You didn’t sleep last night."

Sunoo stiffened. "That’s not relevant to this session."

Riki chuckled. "But it is. You were thinking about me."

Sunoo forced himself to remain composed. "We’re here to discuss you, not me."

"Me?" Riki leaned forward. "I think you’re more interesting, Dr. Kim. You don’t scare easily. Most new doctors flinch when they see my file. But you…" His eyes gleamed. "You’re curious."

Sunoo met his gaze, refusing to be baited. "Why did you attack the last doctor assigned to your case?"

Riki sighed, leaning back. "He bored me."

Sunoo’s grip tightened around his pen. "And the staff members you injured?"

Riki smiled, slow and deliberate. "They underestimated me."

Sunoo felt the weight of Dr. Choi’s warning pressing down on him. Riki was pushing, testing, waiting for a crack to form.

"You won’t get to me," Sunoo said firmly.

Riki’s smirk widened. "We’ll see."

The session continued, a careful game of words and boundaries. By the end, Sunoo knew one thing for certain—

This was only the beginning.

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Stop why is it getting shorter💔