11: (THE SPIRAL)

Seungbae sat in the precinct's dimly lit office,

the overhead fluorescent light flickering erratically. The scent of burnt coffee clung to the air, mixing with the staleness of old paper and exhaustion.

His hands trembled slightly as he flipped through his notes, his mind running circles around the same problem.

Sangwoo was still out there.

And worse—Yoonbum wanted him to be.

Seungbae had seen it. That look in Yoonbum's eyes. That unnerving calm. It wasn't relief at being saved. It wasn't even fear.

It was longing.

A sick, tangled kind of devotion.

He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly through his nose. How the fuck do you save someone who doesn't want to be saved?

The door creaked open.

Hyunwoo stepped inside, tossing a file onto the desk. "Got something."

Seungbae glanced up, taking it with a frown. "What is it?"

"Security footage," Hyunwoo said, leaning against the desk. "From the warehouse. You're gonna want to see this."

Seungbae flipped it open.

The images were grainy, pulled from a low-resolution camera. But there—in the shadows, just before the fire broke out—

Sangwoo.

Not running. Not rushing to escape.

Whispering something to Yoonbum.

Seungbae's stomach turned.

"Look at his face," Hyunwoo muttered.

And Seungbae did.

Yoonbum wasn't scared.

He wasn't even struggling.

He was listening. Hanging onto every word, his fingers twitching like he wanted to reach for Sangwoo but couldn't.

Then, something worse—

He smiled.

A small, fleeting smile.

Gone in seconds.

But it was there.

Seungbae slammed the file shut.

Hyunwoo watched him carefully. "It's a mindfuck, huh?"

Seungbae didn't respond. His throat was tight, his heart hammering.

"I saw it too," Hyunwoo continued, voice quieter now. "That look on him. That… devotion." He hesitated. "Maybe he doesn't want out."

Seungbae's jaw clenched.

"I know," Hyunwoo sighed, rubbing his face. "It's fucked up. But that's the kind of hold Sangwoo has on him."

Seungbae pushed back his chair, standing abruptly. "I need to see him."

Hyunwoo straightened. "The hospital?"

Seungbae nodded, already grabbing his coat.

Hyunwoo exhaled. "Fine. But I'm coming with you."

Seungbae didn't argue.

Something was wrong.

And Yoonbum knew more than he was saying.

ー

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and something faintly metallic.

Seungbae's shoes echoed down the hallway, Hyunwoo following close behind.

When they reached Yoonbum's room, the door was slightly ajar.

Seungbae pushed it open.

Inside, Yoonbum sat upright in bed, staring out the window. He didn't turn when they entered.

The dim light cast shadows across his face, making him look smaller. More fragile.

Seungbae's voice was sharp. "What did he say to you?"

Yoonbum didn't answer.

Seungbae stepped closer. "Don't play dumb. I saw the footage. He whispered something to you before we pulled you out."

Silence.

Then—Yoonbum smiled.

Slow. Distant. Like he was somewhere else entirely.

"He told me…" His voice was soft, almost dreamy. "…that he was never going to leave me."

Seungbae felt something ugly claw up his throat.

Hyunwoo let out a quiet curse.

Yoonbum's gaze finally shifted, settling on Seungbae.

"But you… you don't understand, do you?" His voice was laced with something unnerving.

Seungbae's fists clenched. "Understand what?"

Yoonbum's lips curled at the edges.

"He's not chasing me," he murmured. "I'm chasing him."

Seungbae's stomach dropped.

The monitors began to beep faster, Yoonbum's heart rate spiking, but he didn't seem to notice.

Hyunwoo muttered, "What the fuck?"

Yoonbum's fingers twitched against the hospital sheets, his eyes distant, almost delirious.

"I love him," he whispered.

Seungbae felt something inside him snap.

"No, you don't."

Yoonbum laughed softly.

It wasn't normal.

It was wrong.

Broken.

Gone.

The hairs on Seungbae's neck stood on end.

Yoonbum turned back to the window.

And then, barely above a whisper—

"He's already here."

Seungbae's blood ran ice cold.

He turned toward the window just as a shadow moved past the glass.

No.

Hyunwoo grabbed his gun. "Shit—"

The lights cut out.

The monitors flatlined.

And in the darkness—

A voice.

Smooth. Amused. Dripping with satisfaction.

"Miss me?"

The door slammed shut.

ー

Seungbae's breath hitched. His gun was already in his hand, his body instinct moving faster than his mind. The room was pitch black, save for the small, blinking lights of medical monitors struggling against the outage.

Hyunwoo's footsteps shifted beside him.

"Fuck—where is he?"

The door clicked.

Not slammed. Clicked.

Locked.

Seungbae's pulse hammered against his ribs. He's fucking with us.

A whisper, featherlight in the darkness:

"Detective."

Seungbae turned sharply, gun raised, his heart pounding.

Another whisper—right beside his ear.

"You look good in fear."

Seungbae fired.

The muzzle flash illuminated the room in a brief, violent burst—but there was no one there.

Hyunwoo cursed, grabbing Seungbae's arm. "You're shooting at shadows! Stay calm."

But Seungbae knew. Sangwoo was here.

He was close.

Too close.

The emergency lights flickered, dim and red, throwing eerie shadows across the walls.

And then—a sound.

A sharp, wet gasp.

Seungbae turned toward the hospital bed.

Yoonbum.

His eyes were wide—too wide.

His mouth parted, sucking in air like he couldn't breathe.

Seungbae's stomach dropped.

A hand curled around Yoonbum's shoulder.

A bloody hand.

A familiar hand.

Then, a voice—mocking, amused, soft against the shell of Yoonbum's ear:

"I told you I'd find you, Bum."

Yoonbum shuddered, his entire body trembling under Sangwoo's touch. His lips quivered—not in fear.

Something else.

Something worse.

Seungbae raised his gun. "Let him go."

Sangwoo grinned.

"Or what?"

Hyunwoo was already moving, gun raised, eyes sharp. "Or I'll put a bullet through your skull."

Sangwoo clicked his tongue, his fingers brushing through Yoonbum's hair like he was soaking in the moment.

"You still don't get it," he sighed, shaking his head. "You think this is a hostage situation?"

He leaned down, his lips grazing Yoonbum's temple.

Yoonbum didn't pull away.

Seungbae's stomach twisted.

Sangwoo's voice dropped to a whisper, eyes locked onto Seungbae's.

"I don't need to take him."

His fingers trailed down Yoonbum's arm.

"He's already mine."

Yoonbum didn't fight it.

Didn't flinch.

Didn't move.

Seungbae saw it.

Saw the way Yoonbum leaned into Sangwoo's touch.

Saw the quiet, trembling exhale from his lips.

This wasn't a rescue.

It was a reunion.

Sangwoo's gaze darkened. His grin widened.

And then—he moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

The blade flashed in his hand, aimed straight for Hyunwoo's throat.

Seungbae barely shoved him aside before the knife sliced the air where his jugular had been.

Gunfire erupted.

But Sangwoo was already gone.

The door slammed open.

Yoonbum was with him.

Running.

Running toward him.

Seungbae's blood turned to ice.

Yoonbum's eyes—he wasn't being dragged.

He was choosing this.

Hyunwoo was up in seconds, gun aimed.

"SHOOT HIM!"

Seungbae couldn't.

His grip on the trigger shook.

Yoonbum was looking back.

His expression—

Apologetic.

But not regretful.

And then—

They were gone.

The door swung in place, the echoes of their escape mocking Seungbae's silence.

Hyunwoo cursed, slamming his fist against the wall. "What the FUCK just happened?"

Seungbae didn't answer.

Because he already knew.

He'd lost.

And this time—

Yoonbum wanted to be lost.

ー

The night was thick with silence.

Seungbae and Hyunwoo stood at the entrance of the hospital, the cold air doing nothing to calm the fire burning through Seungbae's veins.

His hands were still shaking.

Yoonbum had run to him.

To Sangwoo.

Not out of fear. Not out of force.

By choice.

Hyunwoo ran a hand through his hair, his frustration barely contained. "Say something," he snapped.

Seungbae didn't.

Didn't trust his voice.

Didn't trust anything anymore.

Because how?

How could someone live through that? The torture, the trauma, the fear.

How could someone walk back into it?

Hyunwoo's voice softened. "Seungbae."

Seungbae finally moved. Turned.

And without a word—walked.

Hyunwoo followed. "Hey—where the fuck are you going?"

"To end this."

—

The Game Isn't Over

Sangwoo was smiling.

The streetlights flickered above them, casting broken shadows across the pavement as he walked—slow, deliberate, satisfied.

Yoonbum followed, silent, his arms wrapped around himself.

His feet felt too light.

Like the pavement beneath him wasn't real.

Like he wasn't really here.

Sangwoo had been gone for so long. So long.

And now—

Here he was.

Alive. Breathing. Touching him.

Sangwoo looked over, eyes gleaming.

"Are you scared?"

Yoonbum's breath hitched.

He didn't answer.

Sangwoo stepped closer.

Fingertips brushed his jaw.

"I bet you are."

Yoonbum's chest tightened.

Because it wasn't fear clawing at his ribs.

It was something worse.

Something ugly.

Something he couldn't kill.

Sangwoo's smirk widened. "That's my good boy."

And Yoonbum—

Didn't pull away.

—

The Final Chase Begins

Hyunwoo was pacing.

His anger filled the entire apartment, the tension so thick it could strangle.

"This is insane," he said, voice sharp, cutting. "You're chasing a ghost."

Seungbae didn't stop loading his gun.

Hyunwoo's hands curled into fists. "You saw him, Seungbae. Yoonbum left with him. By choice. What the fuck are you even trying to do anymore?"

Seungbae's jaw tightened.

"The right thing."

Hyunwoo scoffed. "The right thing? The right thing would've been putting a bullet in his skull the second you saw him."

Seungbae's grip on the gun twitched.

Because Hyunwoo was right.

He should have.

But he hadn't.

And now, Yoonbum was gone.

Hyunwoo exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Sangwoo's always been five steps ahead. He wants you to chase him."

Seungbae looked up.

Eyes dark.

Unyielding.

"He's not running."

Hyunwoo stilled.

Seungbae's fingers tightened around the handle of his gun.

"He's waiting."

Hyunwoo's breath was slow. Calculating. "Then we don't play his game."

Seungbae didn't blink.

"We don't have a choice."

—

The phone buzzed.

Seungbae's hand shot out, gripping it before it even finished vibrating.

Unknown Number.

He answered.

Static.

Then—

A whisper.

"Come find me."

Seungbae's blood went cold.

The line went dead.

But Seungbae already knew.

Knew where Sangwoo was.

And that meant—

This time, there wouldn't be another chance.

This was the end.

ー

The night stretched endlessly as Seungbae sat in his car, parked just outside the city. The glow of the dashboard lights barely touched the exhaustion lining his face. His fingers drummed against the wheel, slow and methodical, like a heartbeat trying to steady itself.

Hyunwoo sat in the passenger seat, watching him. "You're not thinking straight."

Seungbae didn't respond.

"You know this is a trap."

Seungbae exhaled through his nose, finally looking at him. His voice was quieter than before, but no less firm. "I don't care."

Hyunwoo sighed, leaning his head back against the seat. "You always do this. Chase after things alone. Like it's some personal mission to get yourself killed."

Seungbae's jaw tensed, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. "It's not about me."

"Then who is it about?"

Seungbae's eyes flickered to the phone on the dashboard. The weight of those words still clung to him.

Come find me.

A direct challenge. A taunt. A warning.

He looked back at Hyunwoo, his expression unreadable. "It's about stopping this."

Hyunwoo scoffed. "Right. And what happens when you get there and it's just you against him? You think he doesn't already know how this plays out?"

Seungbae turned away, starting the engine. The car rumbled to life, headlights cutting through the darkness.

"I know exactly how it plays out."

And that was the problem.

—

Somewhere Else, Somewhere Worse

The air in the room was stale. Heavy.

Yoonbum sat on the floor, his knees pulled to his chest, fingers curled around his own arms as if trying to hold himself together. His heartbeat was too loud in the silence.

Sangwoo sat across from him, back against the wall, watching. Always watching.

Neither of them spoke.

The quiet stretched, pressing down on Yoonbum's ribs, making it harder to breathe.

Finally, Sangwoo broke it. "You look like a kicked dog."

Yoonbum flinched.

Sangwoo chuckled. The sound was almost fond. "Relax, Bum. You're safe now."

Safe.

The word didn't fit.

Sangwoo tilted his head, eyes gleaming in the dim light. "You don't believe me?"

Yoonbum swallowed. He didn't know what he believed anymore.

Sangwoo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You always do this. Doubt me. Like I haven't been the one keeping you alive this whole time."

Yoonbum's breath hitched. "You—"

"Saved you," Sangwoo cut in smoothly.

"Over and over."

The room felt smaller.

Sangwoo leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Do you really think they care about you, Bum?" His voice was soft. Gentle. "Do you think Seungbae gives a shit about what happens to you?"

Yoonbum shuddered.

Because he didn't know.

He didn't know anything anymore.

Sangwoo reached out, fingers brushing against Yoonbum's chin, lifting it slightly.

"Who came for you?"

Yoonbum blinked.

"Who found you?"

His throat tightened.

Sangwoo smiled. "You already know the answer."

And Yoonbum—

Didn't pull away.

—

The Last Hunt

Seungbae's car rolled to a slow stop at the edge of an abandoned industrial site. The warehouse loomed in the distance, its windows broken, its structure barely holding onto the past.

Hyunwoo stared at it, unimpressed. "Subtle."

Seungbae didn't waste time. He stepped out of the car, gun in hand, shoulders squared. Hyunwoo followed, muttering under his breath, "At least pretend you're worried about dying."

Seungbae's voice was calm. Too calm. "I've thought about dying for a long time."

Hyunwoo's footsteps slowed.

"That's not funny."

Seungbae didn't respond.

The wind howled between the steel beams as they moved closer, every step measured.

A single door stood slightly ajar.

Waiting.

Hyunwoo took a deep breath. "You sure about this?"

Seungbae's grip tightened on his gun.

"No."

And with that, he stepped inside.

The door creaked as it swung open, revealing nothing but darkness beyond. The air inside was thick with dust and something rotting, something wrong.

Seungbae didn't hesitate. He stepped inside, gun raised, eyes sharp. Hyunwoo was at his back, a steady presence, but it wasn't enough to shake the feeling that they were already too late.

The sound of dripping water echoed in the distance. The metal walls groaned as the wind pushed against them. Every step felt like walking into a grave.

Then—

A light flickered.

Further inside, a single bare bulb buzzed weakly, casting shadows that moved.

Seungbae's stomach clenched.

Something wasn't right.

And then—

A voice.

Soft. Familiar. Drenched in amusement.

"You really came, huh?"

Seungbae's blood went cold.

Sangwoo's voice echoed through the space, but he wasn't visible.

Not yet.

Seungbae's grip tightened. "Where is he?"

A chuckle. "You're not even going to say hi? That's rude, Detective."

Seungbae ignored him. His heart was hammering against his ribs, but his voice stayed steady. "Where is Yoonbum?"

Silence.

Then—

"Right where he belongs."

A click.

The dim light cut out, plunging them into darkness.

Hyunwoo cursed under his breath, and then—

A scream.

Seungbae's blood turned to ice.

Yoonbum.

He was close.

Seungbae moved. Fast. His boots slammed against the concrete, gun raised, breath controlled. The scream had come from the left—

There.

Another flickering bulb sputtered to life, revealing a figure on the ground.

Yoonbum.

Tied. Gagged. His wrists were raw from struggling. His eyes—wide with terror.

Seungbae surged forward, but—

A shadow moved.

And then—

Cold steel against his throat.

Sangwoo's voice right in his ear.

"You were always so predictable."

—

Hyunwoo turned, gun raised, but he barely caught a glimpse of Sangwoo's grin before a blade sliced across his arm.

Pain flared.

Hyunwoo staggered, cursing, but Sangwoo was already moving—fast, controlled, a predator in his element.

Seungbae barely had time to react before he was yanked backward, Sangwoo's knife pressing deeper into his skin.

"One wrong move," Sangwoo whispered, "and you won't get another."

Yoonbum whimpered, eyes locked on Seungbae.

Seungbae's mind raced. Think. Move. Do something.

Hyunwoo clutched his bleeding arm but didn't lower his gun. His aim was steady, locked on Sangwoo's head.

"Let him go."

Sangwoo laughed.

"Oh, Hyunwoo," he sighed,

"you really don't get it, do you?"

A pause.

Then, slowly—deliberately—Sangwoo leaned closer to Seungbae's ear.

"You're not the one in control here."

Seungbae clenched his jaw. "You think this is going to end well for you?"

Sangwoo's smile widened.

"Who said it's ending?"

And then—

A gunshot.

Yoonbum screamed.

Hyunwoo lunged.

And the world shattered.