After Kim Hyun-ji's discussion with Dr. Kim Dong-won, she heads to the police station while thinking to herself, *"Why was he so calm when I told him about Mr. Song-ho's disappearance? Is this just how psychiatrists are, or what?"*
She sighs deeply before entering the police station quietly, greeting the other officers before taking a seat. Hyun-jin looks at her and murmurs softly.
**Hyun-jin:** Did you find any information?
**Kim Hyun-ji:** A little... Dr. Kim Dong-won said that Mr. Song-ho was experiencing a severe psychological condition that made him want to kill...
**Hyun-jin:** Kill!?
**Kim Hyun-ji:** Yes… He explained some medical reasons for this. He also mentioned that Song-ho didn't come to him last night, but Song-ho's wife said he told her he was going to see Dr. Kim Dong-won. That seems a little strange…
**Hyun-jin:** Maybe he lied to her because of his condition… Maybe he killed himself?
Kim Hyun-ji furrows her brows, looking at him in frustration.
**Kim Hyun-ji:** No… His condition wasn't that severe to make him commit suicide. Maybe the man he interacted with when he arrived in the city is responsible… But there's no information on this unknown man.
**Hyun-jin:** Hmm…
Their conversation ends in a state of confusion, leaving many questions unanswered.
---
Meanwhile, Byum-suk, a 25-year-old university student, stands quietly in front of Kim Dong-won's residence. He takes a deep breath before knocking and speaking nervously into the intercom.
**Byum-suk:** Hello, Mr. Kim Dong-won… I-I'm Byum-suk, the one who spoke with you on the phone last night… Are you there?
Byum-suk anxiously looks around. After a few moments, the gate opens, and Kim Dong-won appears, standing quietly. He murmurs softly.
**Kim Dong-won:** Hello, Mr. Byum… Please, come in.
He gives a faint smile before stepping aside, allowing Byum-suk to enter. They walk together to the second floor of the building and enter Dr. Kim's office.
**Kim Dong-won:** Please, have a seat.
Smiling lightly, he watches as Byum-suk hesitantly sits on the medical examination bed, looking nervous. Dr. Kim approaches him with slow, deliberate steps before sitting beside him. His voice is calm.
**Kim Dong-won:** Tell me… what's the problem?
Byum-suk exhales deeply, trying to steady his emotions. His eyes, filled with sorrow and pain, lock onto the doctor's as he speaks.
**Byum-suk:** I'm a university student at Dongseo University… But… umm, ever since high school, I've been bullied and abused by a group of students. When I graduated, I thought this nightmare was over. I got into the college I wanted, I even started dating… But after a week, I found out they had come to the same university.
He pauses, his voice trembling.
**Byum-suk:** This time, their bullying became even more violent. They started using sharp objects to hurt me… And then I found out that my girlfriend started dating one of them… That completely crushed me. No matter how much I try to avoid them, they never stop harassing and hurting me…
Tears well up in his eyes and begin to trickle down his cheeks. Dr. Kim remains silent, his cold, lifeless gaze locked onto Byum-suk. He finally speaks, his voice calm.
**Kim Dong-won:** Do you have any scars on your arms or anywhere else?
**Byum-suk:** Oh… Yes. I have scars everywhere, but these ones are recent…
He speaks softly, lifting his sleeve to reveal fresh cuts and bruises on his arm. The wounds stand out, still raw and deep. Dr. Kim observes them quietly before meeting Byum-suk's gaze.
**Kim Dong-won:** Bullying exists everywhere. It often stems from their own insecurities, psychological issues from childhood, or their need to dominate and appear strong. So they target the weak… And you, unfortunately, were the weak one in their eyes.
He pauses before continuing.
**Kim Dong-won:** But in the end, if you don't do something, they won't stop. One day, they might even beat you to death.
**Byum-suk:** …What should I do?
Dr. Kim looks at him with quiet intensity before a faint smile creeps onto his lips. He speaks softly.

**Kim Dong-won:** Revenge…
Byum-suk's eyes widen in shock, his mind unable to process what he just heard. His voice trembles.
**Byum-suk:** But how…? They're stronger than me… and—
Dr. Kim interrupts him, standing up and slowly circling around him before resting his hands gently on Byum-suk's shoulders. He grips them lightly.
**Kim Dong-won:** Revenge isn't about strength… It's about mindset.
He leans closer, whispering into Byum-suk's ear.
**Kim Dong-won:** They've bullied you since childhood. Now they're using weapons against you… They even took your girlfriend. To them, you're nothing but a weakling, an easy target, a helpless prey.
His voice turns into a whisper, sinister yet persuasive.
**Kim Dong-won:** You need to stop them… You need to… *"get revenge."*
Byum-suk trembles, his breathing unsteady as he whispers.
**Byum-suk:** But… what if the police catch me? I don't want to go to prison…
**Kim Dong-won:** You have two choices. Either kill yourself peacefully after taking them all down… or go to prison, but at least you'll have had your revenge. The choice is yours.
His tone is soft, almost soothing, as he leans back into his seat, watching Byum-suk with a piercing gaze. Byum-suk remains silent, lost in thought, before taking a deep breath and standing up.
**Byum-suk:** I think… that's enough. I should go home. I have class tomorrow… Thank you for your help.
He bows respectfully before quickly leaving. Dr. Kim watches him go, his expression unreadable.
---
That night, at 11 PM, Byum-suk sits at his desk, typing an essay on his computer. His thoughts, however, are consumed by everything that's happened.
*"If I don't stop this… they'll bully me to death. If I put an end to it, I can finally escape this hell."*
A small, eerie smile forms on his lips. His hands stop typing, and instead, he writes a single word:
**"Die."**

---
So-yeon, Byum-suk's ex-girlfriend, is scrolling through her phone when an unknown number sends her a message.
*"Your boyfriend is in danger… He's taking his last breaths. You'll find him in the abandoned garage next to your house… if you want to see him."*
Her eyes widen in shock. She quickly tries to reply, but there's no response.
**So-yeon:** What the hell…?
She dials Young's number, but his phone is off. Without thinking, she grabs her coat and runs out of the house toward the garage.
**So-yeon:** Young! Are you here!?
A faint, pained breath catches her attention. She turns to see Young lying on the ground, stabbed multiple times, bleeding out.
She lets out a terrified scream, rushing to him with tears in her eyes.
**So-yeon:** Young! Who did this to you!?
Suddenly, a familiar, quiet voice speaks behind her.
???: *You care about him more than you ever cared about your ex…*
Soyeon looked around in terror, her eyes wide with fear, before she shouted in a trembling, tearful voice filled with rage and panic.
Soyeon: Who are you, you bastard?!
She heard no response. She looked around frantically, her face wet with tears, before turning back to Young, speaking in a desperate, tear-filled voice.
Soyeon: Come on, Young! I'll help you get to the hospital…
As she struggled to support Young, she suddenly felt a rope tightening around her neck. She gasped in pain, her body jerking as she instinctively tried to claw at it. Her eyes widened in sheer horror when she saw who was holding it—Byum Seok.
He stood there, glaring at her with hatred and despair, pulling the rope even tighter around her throat as he spoke in a quiet, eerily calm voice.
Byum Seok: You ruined my life… I never did anything to you, and this is what I get?
His voice was filled with bitterness as he yanked the rope even harder, causing dark bruises to form on her neck. Soyeon desperately clawed at the rope, struggling to breathe, her sobs turning into gasping, pitiful whimpers of plea.
Byum Seok: He was right… I have to end this hell myself… I loved you, but… you never cared about my love for you… I guess I'll miss you, after all…
His voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. Then, he tightened his grip, pulling the rope with such force that it dug into her skin, slicing through her flesh and reaching the bone, cracking her cervical vertebrae.
Soyeon's body went limp.
Byum Seok let her lifeless body fall to the ground, tears brimming in his eyes as he whispered.
Byum Seok: I finally feel at peace… It's good that I ended all of them, even the rest of that bastard Young's friends… "Thank you, Dr. Kim…"
His voice was barely audible as he pulled a knife from his pocket, gripping it firmly before pressing the blade against his own throat. With one deep, forceful motion, he drove the knife into his flesh, cutting through nerves, muscles, ligaments, and even bones.
His body collapsed onto the cold ground, blood pooling around him. A faint smile lingered on his lips as his life faded away within seconds.
To be continued…