Chapter 4: "Cracks in the Facade"

Yoon-jae's stepfather's face turned red with rage. "How dare you talk back to me!" he shouted, taking a step closer to Yoon-jae.

Yoon-jae stood his ground, his heart racing. "I'm not afraid of you," he said, his voice firm.

"You should be," his stepfather sneered. "I'm your father, and I'll do whatever it takes to teach you discipline."

"I don't need your discipline," Yoon-jae said, his voice shaking with anger. "I need you to leave me alone."

His stepfather raised his hand to strike Yoon-jae, but he hesitated, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're ungrateful," he spat. "I've given you everything, and this is how you repay me?"

Yoon-jae stood his ground, his heart pounding in his chest. "You've given me nothing but pain and fear," he said, his voice firm.

His stepfather's face twisted with rage, and he lunged at Yoon-jae. But before he could hit him, Yoon-jae dodged out of the way, and his stepfather stumbled forward, off balance.

That's when the police arrived, responding to a call from an unknown number. "Freeze!" a lady officer shouted, her gun drawn. "We've had reports of domestic abuse."

Yoon-jae's stepfather stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock.

As the lady officer entered the house, she was met with a scene of utter chaos. Furniture was overturned, dishes were shattered, and liquor bottles were scattered all over the floor. It was clear that a violent struggle had taken place.

"Yoon-jae, are you okay?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of injury.

Yoon-jae nodded, still standing frozen in shock.

The lady officer's gaze fell on Yoon-jae's stepfather, who was still pleading his innocence. "I'm his father!" he protested. "I was just teaching him discipline!"

The lady officer's expression turned skeptical as she took in the state of the room. "Discipline?" she repeated. "By destroying your own home, beating, molesting him and terrorizing your son?"

Yoon-jae's stepfather's face turned red with rage, but the lady officer stood firm. "You're under arrest for domestic abuse and destruction of property," she said, her voice firm.

As the police handcuffed Yoon-jae's stepfather, he turned to Yoon-jae, his eyes pleading. "Tell them, son," he said. "Tell them I didn't do anything."

But Yoon-jae just shook his head, his voice firm. "No," he said. "You've hurt me for the last time."

The lady officer nodded, her expression sympathetic. "We'll take care of you, Yoon-jae," she said. "You're safe now."

As they led Yoon-jae's stepfather away, the lady officer turned to Yoon-jae. "We need to take you to the station to record your statement," she said. "But first, let's get you out of here and somewhere safe."

Yoon-jae nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He knew he still had a long way to go, but for the first time in his life, he felt like he was not alone.

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