Devil Returns to School Days - Chapter 201: Epilogue, Cause and Effect (3)

Another year passed.

News blared from smartphones in people’s hands and televisions in various locations.

[“It has been two years since the new administration declared war on the Golden Gate. Since then, starting with Taeyang Group, countless figures of power have been revealed as members of the Golden Circle. Over a hundred individuals, including clients, perpetrators, and the Golden Circle members operating behind the scenes, have faced judgment. People say the truth is uglier than expected. However, at times like this, we must remember this painful chapter in Korea’s history to prevent its recurrence.”]

The anchor, known for delivering hard-hitting facts, spoke firmly.

[“Despite the undeniable evidence of his crimes, Yoon Byeong-ho, the chairman of Taeyang Group, continues to appeal in an effort to lessen his sentence. We must condemn such shameless actions and confront the societal issues that fester due to negligence. The Golden Circle is a cancer born of indifference. Let us remember that only sustained vigilance and constructive criticism can rectify our society. Finally, we close with an interview with Prosecutor Kang Dongchul.”]

The screen transitioned to Kang Dongchul.

Now hailed as a star prosecutor, he spoke with his signature stoic expression.

[“If a crime is committed, it must be punished. My goal is to help create a society where at least those who have lived honestly can take pride in themselves—a society where the principle of cause and effect is upheld. And to anyone connected to the Golden Circle who has not yet faced justice, do not assume you’ve escaped our radar. If you have committed a wrong deserving punishment, the day will come when you meet me personally.”]

This case had slightly shifted perceptions within the prosecution.

Kang’s reputation as “the blade that slaughters bulls” remained intact, but whispers circulated about his growing ruthlessness toward criminals.

[“I hope criminals spend their days trembling in fear.”]

* * *

Three years had passed.

Yoon Hyeon-min remained in the psychiatric hospital.

When he had first been admitted, he had held onto a sliver of hope.

[“Father won’t go down without a fight. No matter what Kim Hyunsung has planned, he’ll break through it all and solve everything. Taeyang Group can’t collapse like this. A conglomerate ranked third in Korea can’t just crumble away.”]

He denied reality.

Even after learning of Kim Hyunsung’s schemes, he convinced himself that his future wasn’t doomed, brainwashing himself to keep going.

He ate every meal without fail.

This was a long game.

Seeing Kim Hyunsung revel in his revenge only made him more determined to remain steadfast and show that he was unshaken.

But resolve had its limits.

As a year passed, hope shattered. He had to face the reality that his father wouldn’t rescue him after all. The mental anguish was overwhelming. For a man in Korea, even the two years of military service often felt endless, but Yoon’s hospital room was a purgatory that allowed him nothing but breathing. The unrelenting anxiety drove him mad. In the frozen flow of time, doubts crept in—what if his father had failed?

Morning, noon, evening, and midnight.

His thoughts oscillated.

In the morning:

[“No, no, it can’t be true. Father will keep his promise.”]

At noon:

[“Can I even trust him? He abandoned me. If he intended to protect me to the end, he wouldn’t have sent me to this hospital, no matter what happened to Taeyang Group. That would’ve been the father I knew.”]

By evening:

[“I have to trust him. There’s no other option.”]

By midnight:

[“…Can I trust him?”]

His mind wavered.

Dozens of times each day, he felt the urge to end his life, but the faintest shred of hope kept him tethered to life. It was all thanks to Kim Hyunsung. The memory of Kim staring directly at him, speaking of revenge, drove him to survive—if only to prove his endurance.

He sought medication daily.

Lying in a daze in his hospital room, he clung to visions of a future outside.

[“First, I’ll track down Kim Hyunsung…”]

His plans spiraled endlessly.

Even the fantasies brought fleeting happiness. Imagining himself crushing Kim Hyunsung and exacting revenge allowed him to grin faintly at the empty ceiling. His imaginary world became his sole escape. He lost track of time, relying only on meal trays and questioning the doctor for hints about how much time had passed.

That day was no different.

As the doctor administered his medication, Yoon tried to cling to consciousness and asked:

[“…How much time has passed?”]

The doctor didn’t respond.

Still, Yoon clung to these moments, as the doctor sometimes let slip clues that helped him gauge time.

He closed his eyes.

He didn’t want to sleep.

He needed to hear the answer.

But his tenuous hold on consciousness gave way.

Then.

Perhaps believing Yoon had fallen unconscious, the doctor’s voice reached him, faint but clear, as they spoke to a nurse.

[“So, what’s going to happen to this patient? It’s already been three years, but the chairman who swore to retrieve him has been ruined. Even if he leaves the hospital, he’ll rot in prison for life. There’s no way out. He’s paying for his sins in the harshest way imaginable.”]

[“Exactly. I can’t feel sorry for him.”]

[“True enough.”]

The voices faded.

And Yoon finally lost consciousness.

* * *

He jolted awake.

Cold sweat soaked his body.

The fragments of conversation lingering in his mind made him pale as he rushed to the door.

*Bang, bang, bang!*

“Open the door! Open it now!”

*Bang, bang, bang!*

“Is it true that Taeyang Group has collapsed? Somebody come and tell me something!”

His voice echoed through the room.

But it was meaningless.

Despite the guards likely standing just beyond the door, no response came no matter how much he yelled.

For an hour, he screamed.

When his voice finally failed, he staggered back to his bed.

*Thud.*

“…Ah.”

Dizziness overtook him.

It felt as though the ground beneath him had vanished and the ceiling had caved in.

He had endured three years.

His father’s promise to rescue him after that time had been the only thing keeping him going through the unbearable suffering. But now, the hope of leaving was gone. The only person who could save him was his father, the chairman. If Taeyang Group had fallen, who would stand against Kim Hyunsung?

There was no hope left.

The tenuous grip Yoon Hyeon-min had on his sanity finally snapped.

“…So, in the end, everything goes your way. I’ve lost everything, and there’s no going back to the old me. But even so, this isn’t right. I can’t live in this place, suffering for the rest of my life as you intended.”

His eyes were bloodshot.

His teeth chattered.

Though terror surged within him, a single thought grew in his mind like a cancer.

*Death.*

It was the only escape.

If he had to live out his life in this place, he decided he would take the one option he could control: an escape of his own choosing.

His vision blurred.

“Hrgh…”

He bit his tongue.

With no rope to hang himself or sharp objects in the sterile environment, the only way to end his life was to sever his own tongue.

His drug-dulled mind acted without hesitation. Even as blood welled and poured from his mouth, he used both hands to clamp his lips shut. He feared that any sound might summon the medical staff, who would treat him and deny him his final choice. Face flushed red, he struggled desperately to keep quiet.

But then.

*Bam!*

“Get in here and treat him!”

“This bastard bit his tongue!”

It had only been three, maybe four seconds.

The moment he severed his tongue, the previously unresponsive staff burst through the door.

In that instant, Yoon Hyeon-min realized.

Even death was beyond his control.

The staff had always been watching, ready to intervene from the blind spot of the door’s window. Though he tried desperately to keep his mouth shut, hands from all directions forced his head down and pried his mouth open.

*Thud.*

His head slammed against the bed as his tongue was forcibly removed.

“Ahhh, ahh…”

All he could do was gasp soundlessly, his mouth agape, pleading for an end.

But the choice was no longer his.

* * *

The situation was quickly brought under control.

Thanks to the medical team’s preparation, Yoon’s injuries stopped short of severing his tongue entirely.

After treatment.

Someone approached the doctor.

It was Baek Seong-ho, who had been stationed at the hospital since the police were first assigned to watch over Yoon Hyeon-min.

“How is the patient’s condition?”

“Fortunately, there are no life-threatening issues. His tongue can’t be fully reattached, but his life is not in danger. To prevent further incidents, he will be moved to a secure ward where such occurrences cannot happen again. He will be ‘safe’ there.”

*Safe.*

They both understood what that meant.

Instead of finding freedom in death, Yoon would now live under even stricter oppression for the rest of his life.

Baek Seong-ho smiled faintly.

“Thank you.”

He turned and walked away.

Yoon Hyeon-min had been foolish.

To think he could choose death for himself.

For three years, Baek had never let his guard down, knowing this day might come. Now that Yoon had attempted suicide, it set a precedent. Whatever measures they took to suppress him further would no longer raise any concerns. This had been Baek’s intent from the start. Just once, he had let Yoon believe he had a way out.

Baek Seong-ho pulled out his phone.

He scrolled to Kim Hyunsung’s name and hesitated for a moment.

“Hmm…”

Three years ago, Kim Hyunsung had given him specific instructions.

[“Unless there’s something I absolutely need to know, don’t contact me. No news is good news. The fact that I don’t hear from you and the regular transfers of money prove that everything is fine. So, do your best to keep Yoon Hyeon-min under control. As long as he’s alive, you’ll never have to worry about money.”]

Baek understood Kim’s intentions immediately.

Kim Hyunsung wanted to erase Yoon Hyeon-min from his life entirely.

He knew that if he allowed himself to remain fixated on Yoon, he would never find peace or live a normal life. By treating silence as proof that all was well, he distanced himself from the matter.

Even so, Baek hesitated.

“This would certainly please Kim Hyunsung.”

Yoon Hyeon-min’s failed suicide attempt would undoubtedly bring satisfaction to someone like Hyunsung, who had dedicated himself to Yoon’s downfall.

Baek’s relationship with Hyunsung was entirely one-sided.

Though he wanted to inform his employer and earn his favor, after some thought, he slipped the phone back into his pocket.

“…No need to stir up unnecessary trouble.”

Over the past few years.

Baek had come to understand Kim Hyunsung’s ways.

Kim Hyunsung never made idle remarks.

If he said he didn’t want to know, he truly didn’t need to know.

Baek decided to respect that sentiment.

*No news is good news.*

With that thought, he walked back to his usual station, resuming his post as if nothing had happened.