#Nct horror
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maniac (m) | lee taeyong
when you try to summon your older brother, things donât go as expected.
pairing: evil spirit!lee taeyong x reader (female)
genre: horror!au, mature, angst.
warnings: heavy depiction of death and blood, possessive behavior, explicit sexual content.
authorâs note: i suck at writing horror, iâm so sorry. happy halloween!
Youâd always remember that night.
How the moonlight sneaked through the white curtains, how the shadow of the naked trees in your garden formed strange shapes that stretched across the floor and walls of your bedroom.
Not a sound could be heard, as if the world itself had gone mute.
You moved in bed to press your back against the wall behind you, wishing you could blend with it. That way, you would be safe from the horrors of the night.
You squeezed your teddy bear to your chest, looking for comfort. You had tried everything, from counting sheep to mentally singing lullabies, and all your efforts had been useless: you just couldnât sleep.
And suddenly, there were lights.
You snapped your eyes open, glancing at the blue and red lights dancing around your room.
It took you seconds to realize that they werenât coming from the inside, but from the street. Curiosity had always been a personality trait of yours, so you got out of bed to look through your window.
The lights belonged to a police car that had parked right below it, from which a man and two women came out, the man fixing his hat as he walked.
You watched them turn around the corner, disappearing. Seconds later, the doorbell ricocheted around your house. Once, twice. The third time, you heard your father's voice in the hallway. When you opened the door, he was walking past it.
âStay in your room.â He said, rushing to the staircase with bed hair and struggling to keep his eyes open, still sensitive to the sudden light. Your mother followed, putting on her thick, blue robe.
âMom?â You called, the teddy bear still caged in your arms. You didnât know much, but you knew that police officers coming to your house in the middle of the night couldnât mean anything good.
âDonât worry, honey.â She patted your head on her way to the stairs. âMatt, stay with your sister.â
But once your parents were on the ground floor, you exchanged an accomplice look with your older brother. Matt kneeled at the end of the stairs and signed you to join him in the rebellious act of peeking through the bars.
One of the women spoke, addressing your parents by their last name. Each of them showed their credentials.
âIâm Officer Walker. This is Officer Gallagher, and sheâs Doctor Edwards. May we come in?â
As your parents allowed them in the house, the doctor looked up, catching you red-handed. A soft smile appeared on her face, but you went stiff, like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
âHello.â The doctor waved in your direction. âIâm Doctor Edwards. Iâm really, really thirsty. Would you mind giving me a glass of water?â
Your brother frowned at the doctorâs request. He thought about it for a moment before grabbing your hand and walking down the steps, heading to the kitchen. You locked eyes with your mom on the way, encouraged by her quick nod.Â
You took your usual seat at the table, the doctor sitting right in front of you. Your brother grabbed a glass and poured water into it, then handed it to her.
âThank you very much.â Doctor Edwards took the glass to her lips. She drank a little and spoke again. âMay I ask for your names?â
Your brother answered so quietly that she had to ask him again. When it was your turn, you spoke louder.
âThose are so pretty.â She left the glass on the table, away from you. âAnd whatâs your other brotherâs name?â
âJackson.â You answered. Matt was distracted, looking towards the kitchen door as if something had caught his attention. âHeâs in high school. Heâs really smart, heâs top of his class.â
âWell, thereâs something I have to tell you about Jackson.â
You could see right through the doctor. She wanted to say something but struggled to find the words. It happened to you weeks ago when you couldnât tell your parents that you had lost your brand-new pencil case.
A sob reached your ears, followed by the heart-breaking cry that only loss could cause. Your little brain started to connect the dots as you jumped off the chair and ran to the living room and straight into your fatherâs arms.
The sudden realization that you wouldnât see your brother ever again punched you in the gut.
You closed your eyes and wept, hoping it was all a nightmare that would end soon.
You would discover that, even though it was indeed a nightmare, you would never escape from it.
There had been a time when you thought you would never place the last box on the floor of your new home.
For two years, you shared a house with other students. However, you were at a point in your life where you desired full independence and privacy. All it took was a little help from your parents and brother to find a cheap but cozy apartment on campus.
âThis is pretty nice.â Matt said, poking his head through the kitchenâs pass-through window that connected with the living room.
âI know, right?â You rested your hands on your hips, glancing at the empty space. âIâm so looking forward to decorating it, maybe painting the walls. What about white with an accent? Yellow would fitâŠâ
âIâd prefer green or blue.â
âNo, I like yellow.â You shook your head at his recommendations, pressing your lips together. âIt reminds me of the sun.â
âOnly you would choose the ugliest color ever.â He teased. The kitchen supplies clinked as he shoved them in the drawers.
âYouâre wrong. Red would be the worst.â
âRedâs cool.â
âItâs cool if youâre going for the âsomebody died hereâ vibe, thatâs for sure.â Your brother kneeled to store a pair of pots inside your oven. âIâm going to need your help for one last thing.â
You grabbed the biggest box and opened it. The vintage gold frame was the first thing to catch your brotherâs attention, but you saw his eyes shine the moment he noticed what it surrounded.
It was a photo your dad had taken during Easter at your grandparentâs farm. You were a year old, wearing a green dress with tiny yellow flowers embroidered all over it that your grandmother had knitted. On your left, Matt, who didnât like having pictures taken, frowned with his arms crossed. He looked tall for a five-year-old, but then again, he had always been taller than the average. At your right, Jackson, ten, smiled brightly as he bent over to hold you by the waist, preventing you from falling headfirst.
According to your mom, you had seen something moving in the grass and you were trying to grab it with your little hand.
The picture had been the familyâs Christmas postcard that year.
âWe looked adorable.â
âTalk about you, look at me!â Matthew pointed at his younger self in the picture. âI was so grumpy then.â
âJust then?â
âThatâs pretty bold, given the fact that Iâve helped you move in.â
You decided to hang it right next to the entrance door. That way, your brothers would be the last thing you saw before leaving the house and the first when you arrived.
The wave of nostalgia caught you off-guard.
Living alone was another milestone you had hit, one Jackson would never witness. You were getting closer to yet another graduation he would miss.
At some point, you had stopped grieving your brother to start grieving those things that would never happen. It made the overcoming of the trauma much more difficult.
Not only were you sad, but also angry. Out of the people in your family, you had been the one to know him the least.
Matt could look back and reminisce on the good times he spent with Jackson. He had been the one who taught him to play sports. You had also shared meaningful moments with him, of course, but the connection hadnât been strong yet.
Yet.
Three letters that set your insides on fire. His time on Earth had been so brief, his departure had been so unfair. Many times, you found yourself wishing it had happened to somebody else.
Four people in that car, but your brother had been the only one to not make it out alive.
âAre you okay?â Matt muttered. You didnât answer, simply rounding his waist with your arms. He stroked your back, letting you hug him and hugging you back.
âThank you for helping me.â You said against his shoulder. âThank you for always being there for me.â
âIâll always be.â Matt glanced at Jackson in the picture. He missed his older brother, the person who had been his hero, so damn much, but it wasnât the right time to tell you so. You needed a rock, and he would be it. âAnd heâll always be, too.â
You had absolutely forgotten how big the campus was.
Your brain had told you that assembling your new bed at midnight was a bad, bad idea, but you werenât known for being rational.
You were running a spicy four hours of sleep when the sound of your alarm hit your head like a hammer, a reminder that you had to be in class in less than half an hour.
By the time you made it to class completely out of breath, the teacher had already explained the final project and grouped students in pairs. So you sat there, waiting for someone to adopt you into their group, aware of the fact that you had made a horrible first impression.
âProfessor?â A girl at the back of the class raised her hand. âShe can do the project with us, we donât mind.â
God bless you, you thought as you stood up and walked over to the girl and her partner. You sat beside them in silence, only speaking to thank them.
For the rest of the class, you took notes and paid twice the attention you usually would, trying to make up for your late attendance.
The clock struck noon, signaling the end of the class. As you put your stuff inside your bag, one of the girls called your name.
âDo you want to go to the cafeteria to speak about the project?â
âYes, please.â You nodded, hanging your bag over your shoulder. âIâm so sorry, Iâm usually on time!â
You proceeded to explain the pain and suffering you had gone through at 1 AM after losing a screw in your wooly rug. Several hours later, you were able to sleep on a bed instead of on a mattress on the floor.
âIt happens to the best of us.â The girl who had invited you to the group laughed, showing her perfect set of teeth. You couldnât help but notice how stunning she was. âMy nameâs Heejin, by the way, and sheâs Mihyo.â
The girl beside her waved at you, shyly.
âItâs nice to meet you, guys.â You said, opening a blank document on your tablet as soon as you sat on an empty table at the cafĂ©, ready to commit to the project.
âSo, you live alone?â Heejin took the spot in front of you, placing her things on the chair next to her, forcing Mihyo to sit by your side. âGod, youâre so lucky. Iâm tired of sharing my oxygen and personal space with horrible people.â
âI totally get it.â You replied, tapping the pockets of your jacket to check that your phone was still there. You had a bad habit of leaving your stuff everywhere, and your parents had made clear that they wouldnât pay for another phone if you lost your current one. You had to be careful. âI grew up with two older brothers, so living alone has been a pretty big step for me.â
Mihyo and Heejin exchanged looks, a mischievous smile on their faces, before looking at you again.
âYou have two older brothers?â
âHow old are they?â Mihyo spoke for the first time. âAre they cute?â
âI think so?â You laughed, awkwardly. âMattâs twenty-four.â
âWhat about the other?â
âOh, heâŠâ Even after all those years, you struggled to say the word. âHe died.â
It slapped the smiles off their faces. As they rushed to cover their mouths in shock, you couldnât help but be glad. That would teach them not to be so nosy when it came to other peopleâs business. You would excuse them, though, for the sake of your education.
âIâm so sorry.â Heejin said, attempting to grab your hand as if comfort from a stranger was exactly what you needed. You rushed to place them on your lap, avoiding any kind of physical contact.
âItâs fine, it happened years ago.â You rose to your feet, grabbing your bag. âIâm going to get some coffee and a muffin, do you want anything?â
You walked over to the queue, checking your messages in the meantime. Being away for some minutes allowed you to forget about the conversation and gave them some time to gossip about you. Two birds with one stone. You texted Matt about the weird interaction, promising to tell him everything over the phone that night.
Shoving it down your back pocket, you looked around as you waited.
There were students on their way to class passing by or just chilling with their friends on the grass. A certain someone caught your eye, a boy you hadnât seen in months, only getting updates about his life through Instagram.
Qian Kun was sitting underneath a tree with an open book in his hands. By his side, you recognized two familiar faces: Lee Haechan, a computer major, and Na Jaemin, a fashion student. Haechan turned around to check out a boy who walked past them and whatever he told Jaemin and Kun about him made the pair laugh.
Kun had the most beautiful smile you had ever seen, and you wouldâve spent the rest of the afternoon admiring him if it hadn't been your turn to order.
During the first project-related session, which took place at Heejinâs apartment, you realized that she wasnât joking when she said her roommates sucked.
One of them, who greeted you with a growl as soon as you came in, had brought their boyfriend to the dorm, and the echo of the headboard hitting the wall was, to say the least, fucking annoying.
The other didnât seem to understand that people were supposed to talk when working together, and she knocked on the other side of the wall every time you, in her opinion, were too loud.
No wonder Heejin wanted to run away.
âIâm so sorry about that.â The girl apologized to you and Mihyo once you were at the door, in the hallway, ready to leave.
âItâs not your fault,â Mihyo said, her backpack hanging from her shoulder as she struggled to shove the notes she had taken inside, âbut weâll need a different place next time.â
âYou can come to mine.â
You were quick in your suggestion, refusing to go through that hell again. Heejin waved you goodbye as she closed the door, and you walked along with Mihyo towards the staircase, the air around you tense and heavy.
âHave you ever tried to speak to your brother?â The question took you by surprise, almost making you stop dead in your tracks. As you went down the steps, you allowed yourself to think about it.
âYou mean like praying?â
Mihyo shook her head. âI mean like summoning him. One of my friends did it in high school with his dad, and he sent him a message from the grave.â
The want to laugh was so strong that you couldnât help but snort as you opened the entrance door of the building. âThatâs bullshit.â
âItâs not!â Mihyo snapped. âHe told my friend something only he knew.â
âYeahâŠâ You cleared your throat, making Mihyo roll her eyes at your skepticism. âIâm sorry to break it to you, but they were totally pulling your leg.â
The girl shrugged. âDonât believe me, then.â
And you waved at each other before parting ways.
The idea of summoning your late brother was ridiculous. It would be a stupid thing to do and totally wouldnât work. It sounded like the start of every bad horror movie.Â
You repeated it to yourself, trying to vanish that what if that constantly showed up in the back of your mind, slipping through the cracks of your most rational thoughts. What if it worked? What if you got to speak to your brother even for a minute, tell him that you loved and missed him so much?
Trying wouldnât hurt anyone.
Mihyo and Heejin rang your doorbell at exactly 7 PM three days later. Mihyo was carrying a rectangular board under her arm and a plastic bag from where she took out six tall, white candles.
âAre we really going to do this?â Heejin asked, throwing you a look of concern, shocked that you had accepted to participate in the nonsense.
Mihyo scoffed, surprising you. She had been so quiet when you first met her, Heejin having the upper hand every time. Now, she behaved like a different person.
âWe havenât even started and youâre chickening out already?â
âI am not chickening out!â
âThen come here and help me light up the candles.â
Not convinced at all, Heejin walked over to the center of your living room, kneeling beside her friend, who handed her a lighter. You observed the scene from behind, your arms crossed, biting your lips in hesitation. But curiosity had taken over, and there was nothing your rationality could say or do to stop you.
Embarrassing yourself once you realized that invoking spirits wasnât possible was the worst possible outcome you could think of. More than half of the worldâs population had used an Ouija board at least once in their life, you were sure.
The sun began to fall and darkness covered every surface of your apartment with its black cloak. The only light in the room came from the candles. You felt chilly all of a sudden, the tiny hairs on your nape bristling.
âEverythingâs ready.â Mihyo announced, placing the Ouija board on the floor, in the middle of the circle she had formed with the candles. âCome sit.â
You sat beside them, careful not to knock any candle over. The last thing you needed was burning the whole building down.
âJust in case you donât know how this works,â Mihyo grabbed a triangular pointer with a hole in the middle and showed it to you, âwe place this on top of the board and ask a question.â
âAnd then?â Heejinâs voice was incredibly shaky.
âThen, we wait.â Mihyoâs dark irises fell on you. âReady? Oh, and donât you dare remove your fingers until we properly close the session. It would be a disaster.â
Trying to swallow the knot in your throat, you placed your index fingers next to Minhyoâs on the pointer and waited for Heejin to do the same. You pitied her a bit. She had been shoved into this mess for no reason other than friendship. Eventually, the girl had no other option than to add her index fingers, too.
âWhat was your brotherâs name?â Mihyo whispered after a few seconds of silence in which you questioned your sanity.
âJackson.â
âWe want to talk to Jackson, her older brother.â
The girl spoke loud and clear, with no trace of hesitation. It made you wonder how many times she had done this, as she seemed so familiar with the procedure. An empty hole was starting to form inside your stomach, growing bigger with every second. You felt dizzy and sick.
âJackson, are you there?â
Anxiety crawled into your skin. By the look on her face, it was crawling in Heejinâs skin, too. She reminded you of a statue, with her eyes fixed on the board and her fingertips glued to the pointer. You couldnât even tell if she was breathing.
âJackson, we would like to talk to you. Are you there?â
You had to blink twice to believe what your eyes were seeing.
The pointer had started to move, slowly, to the side, as if pulled by an invisible string. With wide-open eyes, you looked at Mihyo. The girl had gone speechless. The pointerâs hole reached the letter H, then I, and stopped.
âHi.â Mihyo said, trying to remain calm. âAre you Jackson?â
This time, the pointer moved even before Mihyo could finish the sentence. It slid to the right, stopping on the word No.
Who are you then?, you thought, following the pointer as it moved again.
âC, A, RâŠâ Mihyo chanted out loud. You stopped bile from reaching your mouth. âE, F, U, LâŠâ
âCareful?â You frowned, glancing at Mihyo. âWh-â
A screech ripped your throat, only drowned by Heejinâs screams.
The pointer had been lifted and thrown across the room as if someone had launched it. The object hit the wall to your back, then fell to the ground.
You couldnât move, you couldnât breathe. Half-lying on the floor, you couldnât look away from the static item lying on the floor.
You missed when Heejin, who was a crying mess, got up to turn on the lights, the yellow glim flooding your living room.
You definitely missed the figure that hid in the darkness of the hallway, watching the scene with amused eyes.
Two weeks had passed and you still couldnât find a reasonable explanation for what had happened.
There were too many options on the table: a bad dream; a joke from Heejin and Mihyo, or even just Mihyo. But the dent on your wall proved it hadnât been a dream, and Heejinâs reaction had seemed too genuine to be staged.
The three of you didnât address the issue during your next meet-up, but Heejin refused to go to your apartment anymore, forcing you to book one of the rooms the library offered for group study sessions.
Weeks passed by, and you started to forget the event. Everything felt back to normal; everything, except for one thing.
You felt more tired than usual and it had reached a point where, sometimes, you even fell asleep without noticing. It was starting to become a problem. You had things to do and assignments to turn in. You couldnât afford to lose that much-needed time.
âIâll send you a photo of some really good vitamins.â Your mother insisted over the phone. âIâve been taking them for months now and they work wonders.â
âIâm not a fan of pills, mom, you know that.â You closed the front door behind you, leaving your bag in the hanger next to it.
âYes, but these are like gummies⊠Are you there, honey? I think the line died.â
âSend me the pic, yes. Mom, Iâve got to work on my homework, so Iâll call you tomorrow, okay?â
âOh! Sure, baby. We love you!â
âBye, mom. I love you, too.â
You ended the call, eyes glued on the dark, still hallway. Homework had been just an excuse to hang up on your mom. You swore you had heard something in your room, similar to footsteps. Your mind, trying to ease your nerves, told you it probably was the neighbors upstairs.
Even if you wanted to go and check, your feet stayed rooted to the floor.
And then, the sound of glass shattering made you run to the front door, holding onto your phone for dear life. When you opened it, a figure in front of it made you scream.
âWow!â Qian Kun was holding his hands up, as scared as you. âAre you okay?â
âI think thereâs someone in my apartment.â Your heart pumped like crazy inside your chest, close to suffering an attack.
âWhat do you mean you think?â
âI donât know! I just got here, I was on the phone with my mom and heard footsteps in my room and thenâŠâ
âCalm down, calm down.â Kun gently pushed you to the opposite wall of the hall, away from your door, and leaned in a bit to peek at the inside of your apartment. Then, he turned around and whispered. âIs there anything I can use as a weapon? An umbrella, perhaps?â
âMy dad gave me a baseball bat but itâs in the kitchen, under the sink.â You whispered back.
âWhereâs the kitchen?â
âOn your right.â
You watched Kun disappear behind your door. Anxiety was eating you alive, you could barely breathe and there was a possibility of falling if you stepped away from the wall, but you couldnât leave him alone. So, walking as softly as possible, you got in on time to watch Kun grab the bat.
âWhich oneâs your bedroom?â
âThe door at the end.â
âStay behind me, just in case.â
âWait!â You looked around the kitchen, trying to find something you could use as a weapon. A knife would suffice to scare off whoever was in your room. âAlright, letâs goâŠâ
The boy made his way out of the kitchen and into the hallway. Your trembling hands held onto the knife, so hard that your knuckles turned white. You could hear your heartbeat in your ears.
He stopped in front of the door, glancing at you over his shoulder. He grabbed the handle before opening it abruptly, the wood panel hitting the wall. Kun stepped in, swinging the bat, trying to catch the person inside by surprise.
But it was empty, and you stood there holding the knife up, dumbfounded.
Kun lowered the bat. âAre you sure you heard footsteps?â
âI am!â
You brushed his shoulder as you walked past him, having noticed something missing. You rounded the bed to see what you were looking for lying on the floor: a photo your family had taken in Canada while on holiday, a few days before Jacksonâs death.
Pieces of broken glass fell as you lifted it by a corner to leave it on your bedside table, where it usually was.Â
âThat must be what you heard.â Kun supposed, leaving the bat on your bed.
âI guess so.â You muttered, glancing around to check if something else was broken. Weirdly enough, everything seemed in its place.
âI donât want to come off as nosy, but,â Kun scratched the back of his head, âdo you have any idea who would want to break into your place? A toxic ex-boyfriend, maybe?â
âIâve never had a boyfriend, so I doubt it.â You picked up a piece of glass from the floor and left it beside the picture. You would throw them away later. âIâm so sorry about this. You have places to be and I just⊠kidnapped you for nothing.â
âDonât apologize, you seemed on the verge of passing out.â Kun opened his eyes as if remembering something very important. âIâm Kun, by the way.â
âI know.â You tried to fight the smile that was about to appear on your face. âYouâre the golden boy of campus.â
âI thought people had stopped calling me that.â You told him your name when he asked. âYou should change the lock, by the way, just in case.â
âYeah, I better do that.â
After a few seconds of silence, Kun spoke again, with genuine worry.Â
âDo you want me to stay a bit longer? I donât mind.â
Letting out a sigh of relief, you thanked him. Your heartbeat seemed to have gone back to normal, but you were still shaken. And confused.
Maybe you were lacking sleep, but you werenât making up stuff. Someone had been in your room, someone had broken the picture.
But who? And why?
âDo you want anything to drink?â
âWaterâs fine.â
A pair of orbs followed you both as you left the room, the pieces of broken glass, the bat, and the knife long forgotten. He clenched his jaw.
He hadnât expected an obstacle.
Thanks to the cozy lighting of your lamp and the smell of lavender coming out of your diffuser, you truly relaxed for the first time in weeks.
You didnât even flinch when the footsteps in the hallway approached, slowly. The moment they reached your door, they ceased.
You didnât have to wait much for the visitor to reveal himself.
In front of you, there was a boy. A pair of black sweatpants was the only garment he wore. It allowed you to admire his pale skin, which contrasted with his charcoal hair.Â
He stood by the door, admiring you from afar. Then, he spoke.
âAre you scared?â To your surprise, you shook your head. âWhy not?â
âI like the company.â You replied, giving him a sad smile. âI feel lonely.â
âDo you want to tell me about it?â Again, you shook your head. The boy walked towards the bed, his gaze on you the whole time. âWhat do you want?â
On all fours, you crawled to the edge of the mattress, hands going up to touch his neck. The skin was cold. It made you shiver, but you didnât find it uncomfortable; quite the opposite. You craved more contact.
âI want you.â
The boy looked down, getting lost in your eyes. He smirked, realizing that kneeling like that in front of him made it seem as if you were worshiping him. In a way, you were. You just didnât know it yet.
He caressed your cheek with a stone-cold finger. You closed your eyes at his touch, mouth falling open.
âWhatâs my name?â
And although you didnât know, it rolled out of your tongue naturally.
âTaeyong.â
You heard him hiss.
âOpen your eyes.â
You obeyed. His skin was no longer pale, but it still felt cold against yours. You swore his eyes had gotten darker. At the sight, you pressed your thighs together.
âNow, lay down.â
You did as you were told, falling on the messy covers of your bed. Taeyongâs hands found your ankles. He caressed the skin with his palms, all the way up to your panties. Your breath hitched as he hooked his fingers in the elastic band, pulling down and letting them fall on the floor.
What followed was your pajama shirt, and soon you found yourself naked in front of Taeyong. No one, except for your mother, had ever seen you naked.
He scanned your body for a few seconds, his eyes finally landing on your breasts.
âYouâre a beautiful creature.â Taeyong whispered, placing one knee on the mattress. Your stomach tingled in anticipation as he settled in the space between your legs. âHave you been touched before?â
You avoided looking at Taeyongâs face out of embarrassment. However, his breath hitting your wet core kept you well aware of his position. âNo.â
Next thing you knew, he was pressing his open mouth against your entrance, sighing at the taste. You gripped the blue sheets beneath you, getting lost in the foreign but amazing feeling.
His tongue was warm and soft. He licked you eagerly, as if he had been waiting for this moment for years. He dragged his tongue from your folds to your clit, closing his lips around the sensitive bud.Â
Something cold pressed against your entrance, and the contrast between it and your burning walls had you squirming away, only for Taeyong to grab your thighs to keep you in place.
Taeyong inserted a long digit inside you, your velvet walls especially welcoming. The tightness of your pussy reminded him that he was the first person to ever stretch you like that. It made his dick twitch in his pants. He was greedy, and the way you swallowed him served as an encouragement to pull out, shoving two fingers instead. He heard you curse as his mouth released your clit.
You were a sight for sore eyes: moans spilling from your mouth, holding onto the sheets to ground yourself.Â
âDoes it feel good?â He asked, already knowing the answer.
âYes.â You sighed, licking your dry lips.
The boy pumped his fingers slowly, enamored by the way they disappeared into you and the noises your arousal made each time. Soon he found himself setting a faster pace that had you arching your back, hands falling on his dark hair.
It didnât feel like your first time at all.
There was no pressure, no doubts. Taeyong knew how and where you liked being touched. There was a connection between the two of you, something difficult to explain.
Taeyongâs tongue found your clit again, and you grabbed a fist of his hair. The growl he let out made you grind against his face. Taeyong stood still, letting you fuck his tongue, but never ceased the movement of his fingers, pushing them further.
Your orgasm wasnât far, you knew even though you had never felt anything like that. It was like a wave that hit you hard, bruising your skin.
Taeyong, amazed, watched as you came. Your walls hugged his fingers so tightly, you tasted so fucking good. He couldnât stop, he just couldnât.
But the overstimulation was unbearable and, eventually, you moved away.
Under your attentive gaze, Taeyong took off his pants. He was thin enough for his hip bones to stick out. His biceps flexed as he grabbed your thighs once again, sliding your body down the bed. His pale skin glowed under the light in an iridescent effect that got you hypnotized.
It was easy for Taeyong to slip into you, being fresh out of an orgasm.
You had seen a lot of movies about first times, fantasizing about your own. Not in a million years would you have imagined all the sensations it would bring.
It hurt a little, but you bit your lower lip, not wanting to look like a loser who couldnât take dick. Taeyong caressed your frowned forehead in an attempt to ease your pain, but he kept on pushing, only satisfied once he was balls-deep in.
The sting of pain was an open wound that Taeyong tried to stitch up by leaning down to whisper words of encouragement in your ear.
And it worked.
He had barely been inside you, but you wanted him to move. You wanted to know what sex felt like. You wanted the pleasure, the passion, all of it.
Moving your hips made Taeyong understand. He pulled out slowly, only to thrust back again roughly, making you gasp and whine.
Taeyong leaned down, pressing his bony chest against yours, and took the opportunity to make you round his hips with your legs. You fit together perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle.
âYou take me so well.â He confessed, quietly, as if the walls could hear. âYouâre made for me.â
And, for the first time, Taeyong grabbed your face with his long digits and kissed you. It was passionate, messy, needy. His lips and tongue, once cold as ice, were like a spring day now.
There was a subtle change in the mood. Taeyong was well aware that something had shifted inside him, a change of priorities. You were top on the list now, and he would treat you as such.
He increased his pace with every thrust. You embraced his shoulders, further pressing him against your chest. Not once did Taeyong stop kissing you. He would swallow your noises like the most expensive wine.
âYouâre close.â Taeyong said at your walls trapping his dick. You simply nodded, eyes shut, looking for his lips in the dark. He sat up, grabbing a handful of your breasts and squeezing them.
Your hands flew up to grab his wrists.
âTaeyongâŠâ
âYes.â That proud tone was such a turn-on. You wondered if you were losing your mind. âSay it again.â
Your voice barely made it out as he pounded mercilessly into you. There was a weird feeling in your tummy.
âTaeyong!â
An electric shock crossed your body from top to bottom. Taeyong exploded into you, letting out a grunt that covered your skin in goosebumps.
You were awake. Strands of hair stuck to your sweaty forehead, and the sheets beneath you were uncomfortably damp.
You touched your entrance with your middle finger, moving your hand away the moment you felt the wetness.
What the hell had just happened?
Forming a friendship with Kun wasnât on your bucket list for the year, but you guessed it was bound to happen.
Ramen nights on Fridays became a tradition and meeting up to study in the library was mandatory.
Everything you have heard about his persona before actually knowing him turned out to be true.
He was the kind of person to choose his words carefully, speaking his mind with the utmost respect towards everyone. Always the smartest person in the room, you couldnât help but stare at him with tender eyes, amazed by the knowledge he carried.
Falling in love with him was bound to happen.
âIâm choosing the movie next time.â Kun grunted at your words, putting his coat on.
âIt wasnât as bad as youâre making it seem!â
âI literally predicted the ending as soon as it started.â You smarted, your only purpose being as annoying as possible. âIt was bad.â
âFine.â He walked over to your door but didnât open it. âShould I bring candy next time as an apology?â
The fact that he knew you loved sweets made you smile.
âItâll do.â
None of you moved. Kun glanced at the picture by the door, giving you the feeling that he was trying to stick around a little more.
You wouldnât complain.
âI want to ask you something, but I donât want to look stupid.â
You quickly responded.
âYouâd never look stupid.â
âDo you have feelings for me?â
You wondered if your sincerity would take a toll on your friendship. But if Kun was asking, there had to be a reason.
âWhy are you asking me this?â
âBecause,â Kun sighed, âI have feelings for you.â
You couldnât help it. You tiptoed and crashed your lips against his. They were soft, just like him.
The kiss was a dream come true. You held onto the collar of his coat and he grabbed the sides of your face, both pulling each other closer, and giggled when you had to break it off to catch some air.
He left shortly after, having set a day for your first official date. You had wondered if you should have invited him to spend the night, but Kun was a gentleman.
He would never.
That night, Taeyong burst into your room like a hurricane. He threw every single item on your vanity to the floor. He punched the mirror, which broke under his fist, yet not a single drop of blood stained his skin.
There wasnât an ounce of fear in your system, deep down knowing the reason why Taeyong was so mad.
He locked eyes with his disfigured reflection in the mirror before turning around.
âDo you love him?â He asked, his nostrils flaring up.
You shrugged. âI like him.â
âDo you love him?â Taeyong repeated. Finding no answer, he straightened his back. âWhatâs my name?â
âTaeyong.â
âDo you love me?â
âI desire you.â
He wasnât satisfied with your answer, though knew better than trying to change your mind. He told you to turn around, his dark voice sending shivers down your spine. You got on all fours and waited.
Where Taeyong had been kind and gentle the first time, he was rough and violent. He ripped your underwear in half, making you gasp, and he grabbed your hair as he forced his way into you, ignoring the whimper you let out.
His thrusts were erratic. You knew he wasnât chasing his high or yours, he just wanted to cause pain, inflict dominance. He wanted you to know who was in charge, who you belonged to.
And you allowed him to have you his way, equally drown in pleasure and worry. You weren't yourself when you were with him, he unleashed a side of yourself you couldn't recognize.
Taeyong freed your hair, but his hands soon closed around your neck. Air got stuck in your throat as you desperately tried to inhale.
He wasnât playing.
âIf you bring him here againâŠâ He growled, his demonic tone ringing in your ear. âIâll kill him.â
You lurched awake, gasping for air.
There was no way that had been just a dream. It had felt too vivid, too real for it to be a figment of your imagination.
The hairs on the back of your neck stood up, adrenaline still pretty much flowed through your veins.
Something felt off.Â
The light coming from the streetlamps was dim, yet it allowed you to scan the room.Â
The door was open, but you couldnât put your finger on whether you had left it that way before crawling into bed. Your eyes moved towards your vanity and mirror; nothing out of place. You caught movement from the corner of your eye in the wall beside your window. Squinting, you tried to make out a figure in the darkness.
And you found it.
He had been observing you way before you saw him, inhaling your fear like the best drug ever made.
With no reason to keep hiding, Taeyong took a step into the light. He looked at you with the intensity of a predator about to kill, but you couldnât move.
Taeyong opened his mouth.
âHi.â
You jumped out of the covers, falling to the floor because of your numb legs. You looked back to Taeyong, who had taken a step closer, and crawled towards the switch on the other side of the room.
His footsteps were light, but his presence was strong. You knew where he was even if you couldnât hear him.
You punched the switch before turning around. Under the lights, everything seemed perfectly fine.
But your uneasy heart and shaking body knew better. They knew that Taeyong was still hiding in the darkest spot he could find, observing.
Waiting.
Your apartment was haunted.
Nothing else could explain all the things that had been happening ever since the Ouija session went wrong.
Getting help was urgent, and you knew exactly where to find it.
Thatâs how you found yourself knocking on Mihyoâs door eagerly on the morning of the next day. A wave of surprise washed over her face as soon as she saw you.
âOhâŠâ She muttered. âHey.â
âHi.â You hesitated for a moment. âI have to talk to you. Can I?â
Mihyo took a step to the side, letting you in. You sat on her couch, drying your sweaty palms by rubbing them against the rough fabric of your jeans. Mihyo sat on an armchair, in front of you, and waited.
You didn't know how or where to start. Although Mihyo was familiar with the paranormal world, you feared she would think you were losing your mind. Hell, even you did!
âSo, whatâs wrong?â
âPlease, donât think that Iâm crazy.â You began, aware that the phrase would set a difficult start. âEver since the⊠incident, weird things have been happening in my apartment.â
âWhat do you mean by weird?â
You breathed in, trying to calm your nerves. Recalling the events gave you chills.
âSome weeks ago, I heard footsteps in my bedroom, and even though no one was there when I came in, a picture I had on my bedside table was on the floor. But the worst thing is that Iâve been seeing someone, a man, in my dreams. And not only in my dreams. I think heâs haunting me.â
Mihyo bit her lip throughout your confession, finding it hard to make eye contact with you. During the few seconds in which nothing, not even your breath, could be heard in the living room, you thought that perhaps you were a little bit crazy. You definitely sounded like it.
âIâm going to ask you something, but donât take it the wrong way.â Mihyo spoke. âHave you, like⊠had sex with this man? In those dreams?â
The fact that she was asking gave you goosebumps, because it meant she knew something that you didnât, and judging by her tone, it wasnât good news.
Slowly, you nodded.
âAre you a virgin?â
Awkwardly, you switched your position on the sofa, playing with your fingers. âYes.â
Mihyo straightened her back, sighing.
âWell, the good news is that you arenât insane. The bad news is that youâre right.â As you rubbed your face, unable to form any coherent sentence, Mihyo continued. âApparently, there are some ghosts that prey on virgins, using sex as an energy drainer. Have you felt more tired lately?â
âI have, but I thought I was just burnt out.â
âHeâs feeding on your energy to get stronger. That way, heâll be capable of crossing the threshold and stepping into our world. If he does so, heâll be able to do whatever he wants.â
You blinked twice, speechless. The situation was simply overwhelming.
âSo, basically, Iâm fucked.â Mihyo couldnât even disagree. âBut if we were invoking Jackson, why did he appear?â
âAn Ouija board isnât a phone, you see? The person answering might not be the one you were calling.â You cursed under your breath. âI guess he has been waiting for someone to open the door, you know?â
âWhat do I do, Mihyo?â Your lip trembled, and upon seeing you on the verge of tears, Mihyo sat down next to you, patting your back. âShould I move out?â
âThe apartment isnât the problem. Heâs stuck to you. Heâll follow, wherever you go.â A sob ripped your throat. If only you had known better. âBut donât worry, we can fix this. We must open the session again and close it properly this time. The only problem is, those who were there the first time should be there again.â
Obviously, it was Heejin Mihyo was referring to. To be honest, you wouldnât blame her if she refused.
âHowâs she doing?â
âWe barely speak now.â Mihyo admitted, rather sadly. âSheâs been avoiding me, but her roommates told me she has been acting weird: she can barely sleep, sheâs having nightmares, and sheâs not doing well in class.â
The burden of guilt felt right on your back.
âGod, how could weâve been so stupid?â
âIâll convince her.â Mihyo took your hand, trying to give you the illusion of safety. âDonât worry. Weâll fix this.â
Much to your surprise, you found them both waiting at your door.
Mihyo was right, she looked terrible. She had bags under her eyes and had bitten her nails to the point of gnawing on the skin. Although the wounds had been tried to be covered with bandaids, you could still see them. It looked like she hadnât washed her hair in weeks. Heejin muttered a low hello to you, and nothing else came from her mouth.
A blast of cold air hit your face the moment you stepped into your place, making you shiver, but not from the cold. It came from a window that you didnât remember leaving open, but you knew better than to scare Heejin to death. You simply walked towards the window and closed it.
Just like the first time, Mihyo lit up candles and placed them on the floor, forming a circle with the Ouija board in the middle.
You couldnât shake the eerie feeling of something possibly going wrong, very wrong. But, if you wanted your old life back, you had to suck it up and solve it, so you were the first to sit in front of the board and place your index fingers on the pointer. Mihyo followed and, after a moment of hesitation, Heejin.
âWhatâs his name?â
âTaeyong.â Mihyo nodded, letting you know that the session was about to start.
âWe want to talk to Taeyong.â She said out loud. âTaeyong, are you there?â
He didnât take long to answer, the pointer moving to the word yes.
âItâs not you that we wanted to contact, Taeyong. Itâs time to go back where you belong.â The pointer remained in its place, and you allowed yourself to fantasize about the idea of him being gone. âWeâll close the session now.â
âNo.â
That familiar voice ricocheted against the walls of your living room, turning your stomach. You thought you had just heard it in your head, but as you glanced at the girls before you, you understood that it hadnât been the case. Heejin was white as paper, on the verge of passing out. She made the pretense of separating her fingers from the pointer, only for Mihyo to scream at her to stay where she was.
âTaeyong, you donât belong here!â Mihyo screamed. âYou have to go!â
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Taeyong appeared where the Ouija board was, stomping on Mihyoâs hand. The girl let out a gut-wrenching scream as she held her hand, eyes fixed on her crooked, broken fingers. Taeyong slapped her with the force of a thousand men, and she fell limp on the floor.
Your first instinct was to grab Heejin and drag her up with you, making a run towards the door. You tried to be quick but Taeyong was quicker, grabbing Heejinâs hair and yanking her back, causing you to fall. Pain spread from your shoulder to your wrist.
You looked up in time to watch Taeyong slam Heejinâs head against the wall, the noise of something cracking flooding the room, and watched in horror as he threw her away as if she was nothing, a string of blood sliding from her forehead down to her cheek.
The apartment fell silent.
âYou.â His black eyes fell on you. You were paralyzed. âHow could you do this to me?â
You opened your mouth, trying to say something, but nothing came out.
âI tried to be understanding. I allowed him in here, thinking that fucking you like a bitch would make you develop the slightest loyalty towards me. And what do you do?â
Taeyong took a step forward, snapping you out of your trance and forcing you to crawl back.
âYou try to send me back. As if I meant nothing to you.â
For every step he took, you moved away. Eventually, there was nothing but a wall behind you. You pressed your back against it, thinking that if you pushed enough you would go through it.
âIâm not a monster.â He said. Then, he crouched down and pointed at the girls. You couldnât bring yourself to look. âThis is your fault.â
A single tear rolled down your cheek as you opened your mouth once again. Struggling to find the words that got stuck in your throat, you ended up whispering.
âIâm sorry.â
Taeyong tilted his head to the side. For a second you thought that you would get away alive. He looked at you with nurturing eyes, the way you glance at a child who has said something incredibly innocent and naĂŻve.
âI know you are. I am, too.â
You didnât have time to process his words as he straddled your lap. Desperation and fear flooded your mind as Taeyong closed his long, bony fingers around your neck, stopping any air from getting to your lungs.
But you wouldnât go without a fight. You kicked the air, you scratched his face, his eyes, but it was like trying to catch vapor.
You thought of your parents, of Matt. Losing another kid, another sibling, would break them. You thought of Heejin and Mihyo, who had lost their lives because you didnât know better. You thought of Kun, lamenting not having said something sooner.
As you slowly lost consciousness, you came to terms with the fact that you were going to die. Through your half-closed eyes, you took your time to take in the face of your murderer.
He was insanely beautiful, like the fallen angel.
You breathed in so quickly that you choked, coughing as you got up. You jumped over Heejinâs dead body, repeating to yourself that there was nothing you could do for her or Mihyo other than find help.
You left the door open and ran down the empty hallway. When you turned around the corner, you found yourself inside your apartment again, in your hall. You could see your furniture from your position.
You swore you had left your apartment. You tried again, and again. Yet every time you turned around the corner, you appeared in your hall.
No rational explanation could make you understand what was happening. It felt like a sleep paralysis experience: knowing that you were dreaming but unable to do anything to wake up. Except this was real life, and you were trapped.
Then, you saw it.
It hadnât been Heejinâs body the one you had jumped over. It had been yours. Your open eyes pointed to the ceiling, devoid of any life.
Your body collapsed and you fell to the floor, on your knees, weeping like a child. You called for your mom, your brother, Kun.
âThereâs no need to cry.â Taeyongâs words were sweet like honey, but they made you want to vomit. âItâs not as bad as it seems.â
âWhy are you doing this to me?â You cried. âWhy, why?â
âYou told me you were lonely.â His faked innocence didnât go unnoticed. âI was lonely, too, but now I have you.â
âPlease, please, let me goâŠâ
âNow we have each other.â The smile on Taeyongâs face was prominent but never reached his eyes. âFor eternity.â
No reposting or translations allowed.
© epinebleue 2023
#nct smut#nct taeyong fic#nct fic#taeyong smut#nct taeyong#nct taeyong smut#nct taeyong horror#nct horror#taeyong imagine
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blood & lust. (l.yy)
PAIRING: liu yangyang x reader GENRE: smut, horror WORD COUNT: 5.8k
SYNOPSIS: you're invited to one of the biggest halloween parties of the year. unbeknownst to you, the host's vampire costume isn't as fake as you think it is.
CONTENT WARNINGS: vampire!yangyang, horror aspects, minor character deaths (some are mentioned, others are briefly hinted at) heavy mentions of blood, blood sharing, blood drinking, biting, marking, dubcon themes (reader is unsure at first but yangyang is adamant), yangyang is mean and cocky, light breast play, breast biting, humping, unprotected sex, yangyang is kinda rough, he is fucking for his pleasure but you cum too, open ending? maybe?
âAre you sure that this is a good idea?â You say with uncertainty, struggling to readjust the straps of the white swan wings that cling uncomfortably to your shoulders as you stare up at the decorated halloween mansion in sight.Â
Carved pumpkins scattered amongst the front lawn, fake cobwebs and spiders wrapped around hedges and potted plants, fancy lights of dark purples and oranges illuminating the windows and the cracked cemented path that leads up to a wooden door thatâs splattered with fake blood, the words âENTER IF YOU DAREâ written in smudged black paint. Youâre thoroughly impressed with the decor, but it does nothing to hide your hesitancy in entering this unknown house.
âThe website said; âall are welcomeâ⊠This is a great idea!!â Ningning grins with excitement, adjusting her own black swan wings, her outfit perfectly matching yours despite having opposite colours. âChenle sent me the link and you know how trustworthy he isâ
Your face twists, âThatâs questionableâ
Ningningâs shoulders sag slightly, âYouâre right⊠But heâs the only person we know that can get us into places like these, and I refuse to let us go to some shitty low quality halloween party again when we have the perfect opportunity right here! This is the real dealâ
You hate how right she is. Not only is your shared friend Chenle remarkable at getting you both into some serious events, to which youâre unsure of how heâs even able to even do in the first place, but the last halloween party you had both attended was a complete disaster that ended with pathetic drunken fights and police turning up to shut the party down for people causing too much chaos.
You couldnât blame Ningning for wanting one good night, especially on her (and yours) favourite night of the year. Halloween. As an icon once said: Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it. It was a tradition that you both went by, digging out your savings to buy the sluttiest outfit you could find, matching ones to be exact.
Last year you went as slutty cops and robbers and the year after that it was slutty Ghostface and Michael Myers. But this year you went as white swan and black swan, sticking to your slutty theme of short dresses and showing as much skin as possible. You, admittedly, loved the tradition.
âOkay, fine, whateverâ You give in a little too easily for your liking, swayed by the puppy dog eyes sheâs giving you. âIâm sure I can hear the tequila shots calling out our namesâ
âI love you!!â Ningning squeals, smooching your cheek loudly before clasping your hand in hers to drag you up the pathway, heels scraping against the concrete. Â
Youâre far more impressed by the interior of the house when you step inside: another fake set of cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, fake blood splattered up the walls that youâre positive would be a pain to get off of the white paint, caution tapes stuck to doors and smoke machines hiding in every corner of the room that creates a misty atmosphere. You almost want to go around and find the person that had managed to make the perfect halloween party, but with the amount of people that overcrowd this house, youâre positive you wonât be able to even find them.Â
Although being absolutely astonished by the decorations, the hairs couldnât help but stand at the back of your neck and shiver runs down your spine when you see whatâs written on the opposite side of the front door. âNO ONE LEAVESâ. It has you feeling a little unsettled, but you know thatâs the whole purpose. Itâs Halloween after all.Â
âBOO!â A voice screams loudly in your ear above the bass of the music that thumps from the speakers, fingers digging harshly in your ribs to catch your attention. You and Ningning jump in shock, your grip on her hand tightening as you both whiz around to find the suspect and you face Chenle who is dressed head to toe in his The Nun costume you knew he was making, fake yellowy green contacts staring at you both in amusement, screeching a laugh throw fake bloodied teeth. âOh my god, I got you both so goodââ
âYouâre a dickâ You grumble, but the anger washes away almost in an instant when you finally get a good look at his costume, even taking a step back to get a full view and you hum, âImpressive. Another ten out of ten this yearâ
âWhat else did you expect from me?â Chenle teases, doing a little twirl in his spot before his arm curls around Ningningâs waist to pull her close to his side. His fake rubber pointed nose nudges against Ningningâs tiara and she whines, immediately putting it back into place. âLooking slutty as always, black swanâ
âAnd what else did you expect from me?â Ningning repeats his words and Chenle smiles proudly, pressing a slobbery kiss to her cheek before leading you both out of the foyer and towards a door that has bats dangling from the doorframe, but once you walk through the opening, you realise youâre in the kitchen.Â
Endless amount of red coloured punch bowls fill the dining table, ice cubed hands floating above the concoction, but what throws you off the most is the empty blood bags that hang off the bowls, the spouts dipping into the drink to insinuate that the alcohol is âmadeâ out of blood. Creepy, but creative. Youâre impressed yet again.Â
As Chenle fixes the three of you a drink, you take it upon yourself to nosely search through the pantry, on the hunt for something more of your taste. But weirdly, and much to your dismay, everything is completely bare. Thereâs no other beverage in sight, or food for that matter. You find it strange even though you try to convince yourself that this was supposed to be a part of their âHalloween Party Plansâ... you still find it odd.Â
âSo, which one of your rich, geeky friends owns this place?â Ningning asks the question that's resting on the tip of your tongue and you turn just in time for Chenle to hand you a drink. You take it out of his hands to nurse it in your own, staring at the liquid that stains the plastic cup.Â
âNone of themâ Chenle passes Ningning her drink next. âBelongs to a friend of a friend. He told Kun to invite as many people as possible because this is apparently his last night in town⊠wants to make it a night he never forgets or something like thatâ
âThatâs not suspicious at allâ You chuckle softly, trying to make a joke out of a strange situation. âHow does Kun even know this person?â
âI have no ideaâ Chenle shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, not seeming to care about the host as he raises his cup high. âAnyway! Cheers losers!â
âCheers!â Ningning says with enthusiasm, knocking her cup against yours and Chenleâs before downing her drink. You say your cheers with a little less enthusiasm, bringing the beverage to your lips to take a sip and youâre instantly confused at the thick consistency that slides down the back of your throat, the taste of copper overwhelming your tastebuds.Â
You grimace, coughing and rubbing your neck as you struggle to swallow the punch. Chenle and Ningning seem to have the same problem as they stare at their drinks quizzically and you take this opportunity to put the cup down, refusing to drink anymore and possibly choke to death. Although it would be fitting for Halloween, dying wasnât exactly on your list of things to do tonight.Â
Youâre surprised when you see Ningning and Chenle both shrug at each other before chugging down the remains of the drink, although you shouldnât be too surprised when you know what theyâre like. As long as it gets them drunk, theyâll drink anything.Â
âDefinitely needs more vodkaâ Ninging confesses, handing her cup over to Chenle who happily refills it even though he nods his head at the suggestion.Â
âHeâs trying to keep it as real as possible, which is why you probably canât taste the vodkaâ A voice speaks up from behind and you slightly turn to see who was talking. Youâre met with a black haired male who seems a little bit older than the three of you, dressed in a white silk shirt and black pants with a black cloak hanging off his shoulders, red eyeshadow blended underneath his eyes and lips shaded the same colour.Â
âKun!â Chenle greets happily, handing the drink over to Ningning before slipping through you both to throw an arm over his broad shoulders. âGuys, you remember Kun right?â
âBrieflyâ Ningning eyes him suspiciously even though a smile sneaks its way onto her lips. âYouâre the guy that picked up Chenle from the bar we was at last weekendâ
âThatâs meâ Kun chuckles softly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. âIâm surprised you even remember that night seeming as you were too drunk to walk to your taxiâ
Ningning shrugs her shoulders, âI surprise myself sometimesâ
âArenât you a little old to know Chenle?â You poke, arms coming up to cross over your chest as you stare at him questioningly. Chenle shoots a blank look your way, clearly unimpressed with your choice of words but all Kun does is chuckle again.
âI am. But Iâve known Chenle for quite a while⊠His brother and my grandfather are a part of the same companyâ Kun explains to you without even batting an eyelid, clamping his hand down on Chenleâs shoulder as he grins. âWeâre good friends, possible upcoming CEOsââ
Ningning immediately throws up her hand to silence him, âWe donât need to hear about how rich you both areâ
âNotedâ Kun smiles, eyes flickering around the kitchen before they settle on Chenle. âHave you met Yangyang yet?â
âYangyang?â
âThe host. The owner of this house. Heâs lurking around here somewhere⊠making sure everyone is having a good timeâ Kunâs voice trails off slightly, his eyes beginning to wander around again. Your brows furrow at that, watching him suspiciously as his face lights up, gently tugging Chenle in a certain direction out of the kitchen that has you and Ningning following closely behind. âThatâs Yangyang. Heâs the one that arranged this entire partyâ
Your eyes dart towards the person in question, seeing a blonde haired man dressed all in black with a drink in hand and a girl dressed in a nurse costume in the other, his hand resting dangerously low on her hip. The dark circles under his eyes and the pointed fangs that peek through his lips when he smiles lets you know that heâs dressed up as a vampire tonight, similar to Kun, but minus the cloak.Â
Youâre somewhat impressed with knowing that this is the guy that owns this incredible mansion as he seems a little young. It makes you wonder what type of person he is or what job he has to even afford a place like this, you come to a conclusion that maybe heâs in the same wealthy group as Chenle and Kun, or maybe heâs just using his parents money.Â
Yangyang takes one look at the crowds that fill his humble abode before turning to the nurse hanging off his arm, dipping his head low to make eye contact with the girl as he whispers something which makes her nod slowly, allowing him to wrap his arm securely around her waist as he leads them both up the spiral staircase.Â
âHe wasnât lying when he said he wants to make it a night he wonât forgetâ Ningning jokes and you snort, finding her comment far too funny. Chenle smiles too but Kunâs lips form in a straight line, his facial expression blank to make you unable to figure out exactly how heâs feeling which you find strange, but you donât question it further as Ningning slips her hand in yours, dragging you through the mass of sweaty bodies to find a perfect place to dance.
Chenle tugs Kun along despite his attempts at trying to rip his wrist away from his grip, not wanting to join in on the fun but he resists after a while, allowing Chenle to sway his body back and forth as Ningning does with yours, keeping you as close to her as possible as you both happily lose yourself in the music.
âWhere are you going?â Ningning shouts over the music after a few hours of dancing, lips forming into a pout as she tries to tug you back into her embrace, wanting to continue to dance with you but you shake your head, claiming how desperate you are to go relieve yourself in the bathroom. Ningning offers to come with you, wanting to stick by your side but Chenleâs already swooping in to steal her away, screaming the lyrics at the top of his lungs as he spins her around.
Due to Ningning being distracted, you take this opportunity to leave, muttering small apologies as you push through the crowd of people, heading up the staircase to locate the nearest bathroom, pausing in your steps every so often to stare at the portraits on the wall, admiring the unusual art of half naked bodies sprawled in different ways with a shadowed figure hovering over them, blood splattered and pouring from open wounds.
This really is the best decorated Halloween house youâve been to.Â
Youâre almost out of breath as you trek up the, what seems to be, endless amount of stairs before you reach the top floor, eyeing the multiple doors to try and figure out which one could possibly lead to the bathroom and you head towards the closest one, twisting the doorknob in your grasp and pushing open the wooden door, immediately met by darkness.Â
You quietly curse to yourself, stepping further into the room as you blindly reach out for the light switch, flicking the little button just as the door closes behind you, illuminating the room and granting you the access to see, but your eyes widen when you realise that this is not a bathroom⊠and youâre not alone in the room.Â
Yangyang, you remember his name, has the nurse pushed up against the wall of the bedroom, head buried in the crevice of her neck with his hand gripping tufts of her hair, pulling so hard youâre afraid he is going to snap her neck. She remains still, blank eyes staring directly into yours, mouth slightly ajar as if sheâs taking short gasps of air, trying to find her breath, but thatâs not what concerns you.Â
Itâs the blood thatâs pouring down her white nurses' outfit and dripping to the floor that does, pooling at both of their feet and creating a puddle for them to stand in. A part of you believes that this must be some sort of âvampire actâ, that maybe he was hoping someone would walk in and capture this happening for the effect. But this seemed too realistic to you, especially with how the disgusting sounds of his mouth slurping ravishingly at her neck with low, pleasant hums. It makes you stumble back in surprise.Â
Hearing the heels scrape against the floor, Yangyang retracts his head from the girlâs neck, slowly turning to look over his shoulder at you, eyes completely blacked out and you struggle to remember if he wore contacts prior to this, but your thoughts are answered when you see dark red veins slithering unhuman-like beneath his eyes as his iris turns brown and the sclera dissolves into a normal white, the black disappearing.Â
Neat trick, you want to say, but the words never come, not when youâre so conflicted with what youâre seeing in front of you.
âWell⊠youâre a pretty little thing, arenât you?â Yangyang speaks first, the boyish grin that slips onto his face fails to ease the nerves that bubble in your stomach, all too focused on the blood that stains his lips and drips from the corner of his mouth as he fully removes himself from the girl, her body thumping to the floor almost a little too lifeless for it to be apart of the âvampire actâ you had in mind.
Your attention darts down to her chest, praying that youâd see any type of movement that indicates sheâs breathing or that sheâll hopefully raise her hand and give you the thumbs up to tell you all is well. But she doesnât, and your blood immediately runs cold as you take a cautious step back, your hand flying behind you to try and find the handle of the door.
Yangyang snorts in amusement, shaking his head as he steps over her body. âThe door locks from the outside, little swan⊠Unless, that is, you have a keyâ
The way he dips his bloody hand beneath the collar of his shirt to pull out a silver chain necklace with a key attached to it is almost taunting, and instead of the fear, itâs anger that rises inside of you as he begins to sway it back and forth, daring you to come closer and take it from his hands.Â
âEnough with this fake actâ You find your voice, even though you donât believe your words so much anymore. You glance down at the body once again before meeting his eyes that are filled with excitement. âYou win best Halloween costume of the year⊠happy?â
âFake act?â He repeats with a laugh, tucking the necklace back into the collar of his shirt. âI wasnât aware I was putting on a showâ
You swallow thickly, âI think youâre taking your party and your costume too seriouslyââ
âWhy donât you come closer and find out how fake this costume truly is?â The change in his tone and facial expression is enough to have you spin around and try the door handle again, jiggling it with force in hopes that it would miraculously open without the need of a key. You hear him laugh at your failed attempts, not realising how close he is until you feel his chest press up against your back, moving your white swan wings out of the way so he could connect his mouth to your shoulder in a wet kiss.Â
âDonât touch me!â You spit, shoving him back with as much strength you can muster. Yangyang doesnât move far, much to your dismay, maybe a few steps back but it was enough to create some distance between the two of you. Your hand reaches up to your shoulder, frantically wiping away the blood off of your skin with a grimace.Â
âI was only kissing youâ Yangyang fake pouts, reaching to stroke the white swan feathers in your hair but you whack him away once again and he grins widely, tilting his head to the side as he looks at you. âAre you afraid of me, little swan?â
âNoâ
His grin falters slightly, face hardening. âI donât like liarsâ
âGive me the keyâ You ignore his words, opening out the palm of your hand towards him as if heâd straight up give you the key. Youâre hoping he would. âIâll scream if you donâtâ
His brow twitches upwards, âNobody will hear you up hereâ
âMy friends know I leftâ You try again. âMy friends know I left and they will come looking for me if Iââ
âNo they wonâtâ Yangyang braces his hands on either side of your head, resting against the door as he leans closer to your face. Your eyes dart down to the dried up blood around his mouth before looking back up to his eyes, trying to ignore the smell of copper that emits from his breath. âTheyâre already stuckâ
Your heart drops as you repeat with a whisper, âStuck?â
Yangyang hums with a nod, hand coming down to rest on the side of your neck, thumb rubbing against your jugular, putting a slight pressure that has your heart rate picking up. âNo one leaves⊠not even youâ
âWhââ
Your words die in the back of your throat as Yangyang lurches forward, sharp teeth piercing the skin of your neck and a silent scream rips from your lips, trying your hardest to rip this animal away from you and free yourself from the pain that spreads around your neck and chest, feeling a burn surge through your veins. Your fingers pry at his shirt with voiceless pleases, head whirling at the sounds of him ripping into flesh, vision going blurry to the point you struggle to make out the details of the bedroom.Â
Yangyang retracts his mouth away from your neck suddenly and your body slumps forward, too dizzy to stand straight and he captures you with ease, letting you fall slack against his chest. Your neck feels numb, but you can still sense the blood pooling out of the wound, ruining your costume of the night.Â
His hand caresses the top of your head as he walks backwards from the door, leading you both to what seems to be a bed as youâre laid down against something cushiony and soft. He climbs above you, knees resting on each side of your hips and you manage to faintly make out his face through blurred vision, tears springing in your eyes at the blood that drips down his chin. Your blood.Â
âYou taste absolutely divine, little swanâŠâ Yangyang compliments. âI almost donât want to kill youâ
âPleaseâ You pathetically whisper. âPlease, let me goâdonât kill meâ
âBut whereâs the fun in that?â Yangyang chuckles, fingers dancing across your shoulders and over your wound, making you flinch at the tenderness. Something flickers in Yangyangâs eyes as they meet yours, âDo you want to have fun with me?â
âIââ
âI can make everything go awayâ Yangyang says to you lowly, licking at his lips and sighing in content as he swallows the blood from his mouth. âI can make you feel good too⊠I can make you feel good while Iâm feeding off of you, doesnât that sound better?â
âI donât want to dieâ You splutter out through tears. âPlease, I donât want to dieâ
âYou wonât die, little swanâ His voice is soft, but you know deep down that heâs lying. Youâre going to die tonight. There was no way you were getting out of this alive. As if he could hear your inner thoughts, Yangyang sighs softly as he brings his wrists up to his lips, pricking the skin with the edge of his fang before forcefully shoving his arm against your lips, the blood from his wrist dripping into your mouth and on your tongue.Â
You try to fight back immediately, stiff limbs trying to push him away but it was no use, not when his blood was sliding down the back of your throat. You gag instantly, the taste making your face twist and turn in disgust to which Yangyang laughs at, dropping his wrist from your lips to lean over you again, eyes watching you intently.
Youâre shocked at how your body suddenly seems lighter, the slight tinge of pain in your neck disappearing into almost nothing and how your vision clears up, now being fully able to see the man thatâs hovering above you clearly. Your hand shakily comes up to touch your wound and you bring your hand back to inspect, surprised to see the dried blood on your fingertips. You stopped bleeding?
âWhat did you do?â Your question with a whisper.
Yangyang grins at this, tilting his head to the side once again. âI told you, little swan. I can make everything go awayâ
Incredible, you think. You slightly wonder what else he can do but you mentally slap yourself for thinking that way, not wanting to succumb into his wants and needs. Heâs going to kill you. You blink as the thought repeats in your head. Heâs going to kill you. There is no way out of this. Youâre going to die.
âLetâs have funâ He insists, caressing your cheek softly. âIt wonât hurt anymore⊠Itâll feel good, I promiseâ
âI donât believe youâ You admit, swallowing thickly. âYouâre a⊠youâreâŠâ You canât bring yourself to say the word and you shake your head. âItâll hurtâ
âDoes this hurt?â Yangyang asks you, taking your hand in his own hand and bringing it up to his lips, opening his mouth wide to show off his precise fangs before sinking them into your palm. You wince instantly, awaiting for the pain to come but thereâs nothing, absolutely nothing. You can feel him drinking from your wound, how his tongue laps over the holes heâs created in your skin, but you donât feel the pain you once did when he bit into your neck.Â
You watch mesmerised as he drinks from you, those dark red veins appearing under his eyes again, slithering around beneath his skin as the black pools into his eyes, completely overtaking any other colour present and you feel yourself relax into the pillows, head becoming a little too fuzzy and lightheaded, but there was no pain. The pain was gone. It felt⊠good. Almost too good.Â
A light gasp leaves your lips as you feel Yangyangâs lower half rut against your stomach during this, harsh thrusts making the bed squeak beneath your bodies, the air knocking out of your lungs. You struggle to form a sentence as Yangyang drops your hand from his mouth, letting your arm flop to the sheets motionlessly as his fingers roam over your white dress, fingers digging into the fabric before ripping the material apart with ease.
He isnât gentle as he pulls the ruined dress from your body and the broken swan wings from your shoulders, his mouth dropping to your breast and sinking his teeth into the flesh with a guttural moan, brows furrowing at the blood that rushes down the back of his throat. You hiss at the slight sting you feel, but it morphs into something a lot more pleasurable and bearable which makes you let our airy moans of satisfaction.
It makes you sick at how much you're enjoying being ravished by a monster, how your mind overcrowds with lust and want, something you know you shouldn't be experiencing. You should be screaming, you should be pleading for him to spare you and to let you go, to fight back with a much strength as you can must, but you can't.
His teeth retract from your breast with droplets of blood rolling down his chin, dark eyes staring at you through his blond strands of hair that hang in front of his face, lips curling into a smirk that sends a wave of fear and lust through your body, goosebumps rising to your skin.
âYouâre doing so good for me, little swanâ Yangyang praises, tongue swiping over the wound heâs made on your breast and teasing over your nipple. You gasp, back immediately arching into his touch. Yangyang chuckles, âAre you enjoying this?â
Your voice wavers, âNoâ
âLiarâ Yangyang snorts, head dipping down to leave wet bloody kisses down your stomach, nipping gently at the skin before breaking the surface at your navel. A whisper of his name leaves your lips involuntarily and you swear you can feel him smirk against you, hands caressing your body as he slurps hungrily and the bulge in his pants grows against your leg, desperate to be let free and touched as he ruts.
He travels further down your body, fingers hooking beneath the waistband of your panties before being torn apart, the flimsy material being carelessly thrown to the side. Youâre now completely bare to him and you shiver at the cold air that hits your skin, hands splayed across the bed sheets, tugging the blanket in hopes to cover yourself but the low growl that comes from Yangyang has you dropping it instantly.
Although, when you feel his fangs graze over your mound, you shriek with a frantic shake of your head, hands flying down to his hair and gripping the roots, trying to yank him away from you but Yangyang remains still, only raising his gaze to look at you quizzically.
âNoâ Your voice is stern. âNo, not there. Pleaseâ
âIt wonât hurtâ He tries to tell you but you refuse to listen, shaking your head once again and you hear the deep sigh that leaves his lips. You calm down for a brief second before you see him crane his head to the side, now choosing to sink his teeth into your inner thigh instead. You mewl at the feeling, legs snapping together and closing Yangyang in between your thighs to which he laughs at, holding your thighs with an iron grip to keep himself locked in as he feeds from you.
You grunt, tears pricking your eyes at the weird sensation of his fangs tearing through skin, slurping and lapping up the blood thatâs now mixing in with your arousal that leaks from your pussy. Whether youâd like to admit it or not, you yearn to be touched by him, to make the ache between your legs disappear.
But instead, itâs his weight that disappears off of you and you stretch your neck to see what was going on, your heart thumping wildly in your chest at the sight of Yangyang unbuttoning his shirt and unbuckling his pants in inhuman speed, revealing his toned body to you. Although, your eyes zone in on the key that dangles from his necklace, just a small reach away.
âDonât even think about itâ His voice grumbles and his weight returns over your body, slotting himself between your legs that he rests upon his shoulders, bending you in a way that has your body burning and you whine at the uncomfortable feeling, trying to move yourself in a comfortable position but Yangyangâs already burying himself back into the crevice of your neck, biting down on the opposite side as his cock slides into you roughly, not giving you time to adjust to his size.
Gasps and moans combine with his low grunts and pleased hums, hips feverishly snapping against your own, his cock hitting all the right places at once which has you seeing stars in your eyes. Yangyangâs ruthless as he drinks from your neck, tongue hot on your skin as his cock plunges in and out of the warmth of your walls.
âYou are unbelievable, little swanâ Yangyang groans between slurps, pulling back slightly to stare into your eyes that flutter with each harsh thrust. The cocky smile returns to his lips, âFeels good?â
You weakly nod, tears streaming down your face. âYesâ
âI like it when you tell the truthâ Yangyang hums, pressing his hips further into yours to hit even deeper, chuckling at the way you moan loudly for him. His fast strokes have your head spinning and lolling to the side, drool seeping from your lips and onto the pillow, mixing in with the mess of your blood.
The knot in your stomach tightens with each sharp movement of his hips, nearing you towards your climax as he pounds into you, fingers fisting the hair on your head and tugging your neck to the side awkwardly to dive back into the wound, tongue lapping and sucking up the blood. Itâs enough to have your orgasm hit you intensely.
Your legs tremble on his shoulders, pussy convulsing around his cock as you cum, unable to control the sounds that leave your lips as a moan rips from the back of your throat, back arching off of the bed.
Yangyangâs rhythm falters at the tightness of your pussy, jaw locking around your neck with a grunt as his dick pulsates, hot cum spurting around your walls, choking out a deep groan that rumbles in his chest as he empties inside of you.
You both lay still for a moment, the nerves returning in your belly as you await your pending doom, wondering if Yangyang would be kind enough to let you go after everything that happened. Heâs still drinking from you and the pain from earlier slowly emerges, the effect his blood had on your moments prior no longer keeping you safe from the pain and discomfort. You fidget beneath him, legs dropping limply from his shoulders as you whine at the sting, itâs enough for him to remove himself from you.
âThank you for making this a night I won't forget, little swanâ Yangyang whispers to you in your ear before climbing off of you, reaching down to grab his pants from the floor to dig his hand into the pocket, pulling out a silver pocket watch that reads midnight. âLooks like fun for everyone else is just beginning⊠Can you hear them, little swan?â
The music cuts off abruptly and a familiar scream echoes throughout the mansion, followed by others that make your body tense up. âW-waitââ
âShhhâŠâ He coos at you as he crawls back above your body, licking at his lips that are smudged with your blood, droplets dribbling down his chin. Yangyang cups your face in his hands, the gesture almost seeming sweet if it wasnât for the tight grip and the slight sting of his blunt nails digging into your skull.
The sounds of the screams outside of the door makes you feel utterly sick, trying your best not to imagine whatâs happening but the smirk that Yangyang gives proves that itâs nothing but good, itâs evil. A sob blubbers past your lips, tears streaming down your cheeks and Yangyang hums softly as his thumbs brush your tears away a little forcefully.
âItâs okay⊠Itâs going to be all over soon, my little swanâ His fake reassurances do nothing to calm down your nerves, already seeing through his pathetic little lies. You wish you could move to throw him off of your body but with your weakened limbs and his unbelievable strength, you know you wouldn't be able to do anything of the sort.
Yangyang dips his head down to hover over yours, his lips pushing against your own in the form of a kiss that you didnât reciprocate, yet the metallic taste of blood sits on the tip of your tongue and the nausea hits you, throat tightening with the urge to throw up. Yangyang creates a slight distance between you, still feeling his breath fan across your face and his eyes bore into yours. The grip he has on your head becomes too much to handle and a pained squeak leaves your lips, your hands slowly coming up to wrap around his wrists but it's far too late.
A loud pop rings through your ears as he forcefully twists your head to the side, darkness immediately overcrowding your vision, dipping you into complete nothingness.
tag list :- @hall0ween-twn . @skzzznct . @jenoslutie . @yujaemna
©mrkis
#nct smut#wayv smut#yangyang smut#nct horror#wayv horror#liu yangyang smut#nct yangyang#wayv yangyang#nct vampire#yangyang vampire#oneshot: blood & lust
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hurry, i'm worried
labyrinth | ch. 1
It was that damnâŠmelody. That sick, haunting tune. Once again. Over and over andâŠover again.
pairing:Â hyuckren x fem!reader
word count:Â 3.5k
genre:Â mystery-thriller, horror, angst
warnings: profanity (use of the f word), mental illness (some allusions to s/h, please don't read if sensitive), mentions of medications and psychiatry, polyamory, police, mild mention of sexual activity (minors proceed with caution)
disclaimer: this is a fanfiction purely from my imagination. I don't know the nct members and don't claim that they act like this in real life. I also don't condone any of the activity by any of the characters in this fic. I'm not a mental health expert and don't claim to be at all, if you are struggling please find some resources to help yourself or dm me for support <3
a/n:Â ahhh it's finally here! the series I've been wanting to write for SO LONG. I hope you enjoy the first chapter because I got this random burst of inspiration yesterday and wrote it all and I'm so happy with the set up! hopefully as it progresses it becomes spookier and creepier and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing this already <3 lav out p.s. can you tell I love my mystery-thriller movies and kdramas hahah (send me recs!!)
It was that damnâŠmelody. That sick, haunting tune. Once again. Over and over andâŠover again.
You wake with a gasp, shooting up in your bed, blood rushing upwards and dampening your hearing with a blunt drone. You groaned at the jolts of pain in your temples, your cold hands caressing the supple skin as you squeezed your eyes shut. 8:09am.
âRenjun-ah?â Your voice came out a lot harsher than you expected, but there was nothing you could change about it as you watched your boyfriendâs petite frame walk into your shared room, his soft, nimble fingers tying the buttons on his wrist. Â
âYeah?â He barely looked at you. His attention was divided, long lashes flicking up and down his wrists, and you realised with a sick nausea that you were starting to become annoying.
You swallowed, throat dry and eyes burning with tiredness. âUm, nothing. Just wanted to check if you had left already.â It took everything in you not to mention the dream, the song, but you knew how he would react. As if like clockwork, he had the same reaction every single time.
âYou just miss him, _. Thatâs why you keep having these dreams. Take your meds, and get some rest today, okay?â
You were sick and tired of hearing the same line every single day, almost as much as you were tired of having the same dreams. If there was something worse than being stuck in this insane loop of same same same, it was not having Renjun the way you always did.
But could you complain? Ever sinceâŠwell, you were only a shell of the person you were before. You were bitter, grating, much like the shots of expresso you had once downed with your lover, squealing âOh! Thatâs so strong!â much to the disgust of the haughty young waiter watching from the corner. You felt your chest tighten with a tender nostalgia as Renjun walked over to peck you on the forehead, his lips as fleeting as that memory passing through your brain.
Take care of yourself today, honey. Okay?
âTake care of yourself today, honey. Okay?â You smiled, gritting your teeth at the irritation of his newfound predictability. Falling into this routine of stark distance and hospital-grade perfection. You were truly and utterly sick of it.
You counted to 383âŠno, 384. Three hundred and eightyâŠ(I donât know what I should eat today)âŠThree hundred and eighty-one...(Renjunâs probably sat at his desk by nowâŠ)âŠThree hundred and eighty-twoâŠ(âŠwonder if heâs thinking of meâŠ)âŠThree hundred and eighty-threeâŠ(âŠis he eating well? What if he gets sick from all the takeout?)âŠThree hundred and eighty-four.
You dragged yourself out of bed, looking at the date glaring back at you from your bedside alarm clock. August 6th, 2022.
Three hundred and eighty-four days since Haechan had gone missing.
â
âWe should have studied French properly instead of just-â
âOh, our French sessions were pretty fun,â Renjun raised his eyebrows while Haechan smirked at you suggestively, swiftly followed by you giving him a playful kick under the table to shut him up. âSheâs pretty damn good.â
âGross, Haechan. Weâre on vacation in a nice place. You should have left your shameless thoughts at home.â
âHmm, but we are in the city of love, arenât we?â Haechan outstretched his arms like a comical cartoon character, making you and Renjun both look down in embarrassment, Renjun cursing softly under his breath. You watched a young Timothee-Chalamet looking waiter side-eye the three of you in the corner and your cheeks grew warmer. Yet, you didnât really care. He was right. You were in the city of love with the only two men you had ever loved in your entire life. What was so wrong about that?
âWaiter!â Haechan yelled out, raising his hand like he was a primary school student in class, and both you and Renjun lunged out to make him stop being so loud. âHyuck, oh my god, everyoneâs looking.â
âYes?â It was almost a blessing the waiter had come regardless of your collective bickering, and Renjun went first, speaking in perfect French. âWeâd like number 3, please.â
âAll three of you?â He frowned through his glasses, peering through the lens like he would look at spectacles at a freak show. You suddenly felt self-conscious, but Haechan started leaning over towards Renjun, acting like the waiter wasnât even there. âWhat was that? What did you say? Number 3? I donât want that one. Tell him I want number 4.â
âThe young man over there will have number 4, please. And for me and my girlfriend, number 3.â You swallowed a smile at the way Renjun exasperatedly acknowledged Haechan, and the way Haechan looked just as confused as before. Once the waiter stepped away, you smacked Haechanâs thigh playfully. âYouâre so embarrassing!â
âAm I embarrassing, or do you just wanna impress mister oui oui baguette over there?â
âHaechan!â You laughed. âWhat do you mean?â
âI saw the way you were oogling him. Tsk, tsk.â He should his head exaggeratedly and added. âYou have the hottest guy sitting next to you and youâre just gonna eyeball him?â
âLeave _ alone, Haechan.â Renjun was now peering at the menu, squinting intensely. The soft morning sun illuminated his body, giving him a tender glow and making your heart feel warm with affection. He shook his head to the side to move his fringe away from his eyes. âBaby, I think I might have ordered you a shot of expresso. Do you want to change it?â
âHuh? No, thatâs okay, honey.â
âAre you sure?â You felt Haechanâs breath on your shoulder, and you rolled your eyes, pulling his arm closer to your side as you looked up at him. âYes, Iâm sure. I can handle it.â The smell of dark coffee from the kitchen mixed with Haechanâs natural musk and your light perfume, and you breathed in deeply.
Haechanâs chest vibrated as he chuckled. âIâm keen to see this.â In front of you, Renjun smiled at the table, a mix of love and playfulness, and you scoffed. âI-Itâll be fine. It will taste good. I will drink it all!â You fake-slammed the table in front of you with your fist as both men started giggling slowly.
â
You remembered the memory fondly as you watched the milk swirl and dissolve into the brown instant coffee mix. Too tired (lazy) to use the coffee maker, you settle on a bland concoction of going-to-expire-today lukewarm milk and instant coffee powder thatâs at least 2 years old for your everyday morning fix. Taking a sip, you sighed. Yep, just as disgusting as ever.
You flopped down on the couch, turning on the TV at the same time, like a trained reflex. The rain outside poured heavy and relentless, just the right amount of ambient noise to send you right back into your slumber. But you stayed awake. You couldnât be sleeping all day again. It just wouldnât beâŠright.
Turning on an old favourite show, Gilmore Girls, you let it play as you opened your laptop. The battery reader on the bottom right corner shone nice and bright. 0%.
Of course. You groaned out loud, cursing underneath your breath. Of course, the day you felt the tiniest twinge of motivation to do something, your laptop was dead. Getting up from the couch, you felt a warm-hot liquid pour all over your pajama bottoms.
âAh! Fuck!â You swore out loud, watching the coffee stain your crotch and drip onto the skin of your thighs. Clutching your laptop to your chest, you ran back into you and Renjunâs shared room.
You stared at his pajamas on the shelf, neatly packed and folded, as if he was so ready to move on. You looked to your side of the bed, messy as ever, the oldest bra you ever owned strewn across the covers.
How embarrassing.
You felt a mixture of anger, first at Renjun, then at yourself. Stupid fucking perfect Renjun with his crisp ironed clothes and his tidy side of the bed and his take care of yourself, honeys. Gosh, I hate him. As you said these in your head, hot, frustrated tears poured down your cheeks and dripped onto your collarbones. I fucking hate that man. I fucking hate myself.
You didnât know how long you were standing there, but after a while, you rubbed the rest of the rolling tears off your face and walked out of the room. You plugged in your laptop, walked to the kitchen for some paper towels and half-heartedly wiped down the almost-dried coffee (if you could even call it that) on the couch, took off your soaked pajama pants and lay on your side, facing the TV. You watched Lorelai and her mother fight for what seemed like hours, you watched Lorelai cry on the shoulder of some hunk of a man who very clearly loved her, and then you felt yourself slip into a sad, restless slumber as the credits rolled.
â
You woke at the sound of your phone buzzing next to your ear.
You blinked once, then twice. Then you closed your eyes and opened them again.
There was no way.
my teddy
iâm coming home
What the actual fuck.
You grabbed at your phone, fumbling, shaking. You dialled Haechanâs number â once, twice, three times. It was going through. It was going through.
âRenjun!â
âWhatâs up, honey? Are you alright?â
You sobbed uncontrollably into the phone, the screen now wet with tears. Â
âShhh, Iâll be there soon, okay? Please donât hurt yourself again. Thank you for calling me. Iâll be there, baby, in just a few minutes. I love you so much. Iâm coming.â
âNoâŠn-noâŠâ You rubbed your nose, hating the way it squeaked. âNo, Renjun, itâs about H-Haechan.â Silence on the other side, as if you had said a bad word. âHeâs coming home.â
You could feel the gears in Renjunâs head clicking, choosing his next words wisely. âLetâs talk about it when I get back, okay?â
âRenjun, no, you donât fucking get it. Heâs coming back. My babyâs coming backâŠâ
âHoneyâŠâ
âDonât fucking call me that! Fuck you!â You shouted into the phone, you had no idea why. You were trembling with a mixture of anger and sudden fear.
âOkay.â You heard Renjunâs voice tremble on the other line, the sounds of the rain louder now, pitter-pattering over the line. âIâm sorry. Iâll be home soon.â
âSo will Haechan.â You said, before ending the call.
â
âPlease, please, donât tell her.â
Those words haunted Renjun every single day he thought about Haechan. His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. No, now was not the time to think about that. He kept side-glancing at the time on the dashboard, as if minutes would pass without his permission. The windshields scraped the glass with a jarring squeak everytime it moved, the rain pouring as strong as ever. He prayed silently for there to be no traffic on the main road he was about to turn into, not wanting to leave you home alone for another second.
His heart ached, thinking of the phone call, the bad signal in his car breaking up your cries. His eyes welled up with tears, but he quickly blinked them away, not wanting to get distracted. I need to get home right now.
Luckily, traffic moved at a steady pace, it not quite being rush hour yet, and he was pulling up to the driveway quicker than usual. He needed to remain calm and composed for you. He knew you didnât mean any of it, and that you were having one of your episodes. He tried to think about what your psychiatrist had said, but his brain felt so heavy, like a burning lump of coal, black smoke shrouding any helpful thought he was trying to have. Dammit. I just need to go inside.
â_?â Not wanting to spook you, he started speaking from outside as he typed in the code for your shared apartment. âItâs me, Renjun, baby.â He paused slightly, wondering if he should wait for you to open the door. You clearly needed some space. Maybe he was imposing too much. Maybe you felt intruded, not in control. Maybe he should let you do small things like open the do-
âRenjun?â
At first it didnât register, but as Renjun slowly turned around, his heart started pounding louder and louder in his chest and his legs felt like jelly. He knew what â or who â he was expecting to see, but the sight of him still threw him against the apartment door with a gasp.
There was no way.
âOh my god. Itâs really you.â
Renjun didnât know what to say for once. Always the easy talker, known for making awkward situations normal, always known to have something smart to say. Nothing. His tongue felt like lead in his mouth, immobile, weighed down with the weight of a thousand stones.
âRenjun. Itâs me.â He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Renjun. He felt like a ghost for a split second, like his arms werenât quite there. But then he smelt it. That faint smell of his best friendsâ cologne he had used since their university days, back when they would go out for dinner after long days. Back before they had even met you.
Renjun inhaled sharply as the realisation hit him, his arms feeling more and more solid around his frame. âItâs really you. She wasnâtâŠbut how did sheâŠâ Snapping out of his daze, the two men parted and Renjun thought about you.
Haechan called out first. â_! Iâm home!â
â
âSo, you say you received a text message from Lee Haechan today before he came home?â
âYes, yes. Here.â Your lit up screen illuminated the face of the officer, speckles of his stubble becoming visible. âRight.â He frowned, before handing your phone back to you, the charm jingling as he did. The tips of your fingers slightly touched his as you took your phone back, still staring at him with more questions than answers strewn across your features.
His chair made a high-pitched creak as he leaned back. âSo, we have questioned him, as well as your, wellâŠâ The officer looked uncomfortable, almost squeamish, you reckoned at the thought of you having seduced not one, but two men in your lifetime.
âYes, Renjun.â You spared him the misery. He nodded.
âYes, and his story lines up with yours in terms of the disappearance. Lee Haechan, however, is saying that he cannot disclose where he was this entire time, because he just does not remember anything. We will continue to investigate his whereabouts for the past year. We have tried tracking his phone already, and we actually found its location.â
âOh?â
âYes, in your apartment.â
âOur apartment?â You were confused, and a weird feeling started brewing in the pit of your stomach.
âNo, miss. At your apartment.â
âYou mean the one I share with Renjun.â
The officer looked at you wordlessly, before flicking through the papers in his hands and passing one across the table to you.
You looked at it in utter disbelief. âWâŠwhatâŠâ
âIt was strange to us too. You didnât mention to us that you had an apartment. Yet, we were able to find this under your name. We asked the owner, and she said you had indeed bought this four years ago. In person, too.â
âNo way,â you breathed, your eyes as big as saucers. âFour yearsâŠâ You would have been fresh out of high school, just about to enter university. You remembered being penniless then, having cut off your parents and working bizarre jobs just to get by. There was no way you would have even been able to afford an apartment. And the most important part was, if you had indeed done that, you would have remembered. Despite everything that had happened, and parts of your memory being faded due to the stress of the past year, there was no way you would have forgotten something so big as an apartment.
You sighed out loud, resting your head in both hands. You kept having those weird dreamsâŠit always felt like, maybe they wereâŠlikeâŠlost memories?
âI think my memory is just bad,â you chuckled uneasily, letting the officer ease back into the chair, some of his worry lifting off his shoulders. âThat probably was me. Sorry.â
âItâs okay.â He drawled out the words, as if he didnât really mean them. âWe just wanted to inform you before we applied for the warrant because weâre going to search it.â
âRight.â Somehow, even though you had found out about this apartment 2 minutes ago, hearing that it was going to be searched made you feel kind of violated. The fluorescent white light started to feel hot against the skin of your face, and you were becoming aware of the stretch of time you had been here. Your leg started to jump, one of your many restless tics.
âCan I come?â
âHmm?â The officer looked confused.
âLike, when you search. Can I come?â
He made a sorry kind of smile with his mouth and shook his head. You felt stupid for even asking, but the feelings dissipated when you watched the officer look increasingly uncomfortable, suddenly avoiding eye contact with you as if he was scared of you.
âSo,â you leaned in, and watched as he cleared his throat and crossed his arms. âWhat does this mean? So, someone sent a text message using Haechanâs phone the day he came back. He said it wasnât him, and now his phone is at my apartment?â
The officer gave you a blank stare, and all of a sudden, it all clicked.
âNo, I-â
âLook, miss. We need to consider all possibilities. And your boyfriend told us that youâreâŠstruggling with your mental health and currently on anti-psychoticsâŠâ
You gaped at him, not believing the words that were coming out of his mouth. âYou think thatâs supposed to make me uncomfortable? Yes, Iâm batshit off the walls crazy, sir, thanks for acknowledging it. But Iâm just not that kind of crazy to send myself a text from my missing boyfriend to soothe myself, I do know that.â
âThatâs not what weâre- okay, look. Personally, I think itâs probably, like, a hack or something.â You recognised his ability to go off script, no matter how much he fought it, and you appreciated it, just a little bit. âWe just wanted to check all the possibilities. Weâll be checking the footage around the apartment and finding out if anyoneâs been coming and going, and we will search for the phone and check its usage.â
You nodded sharply. âOkay.â
The door opened, and a younger looking man inaudibly signalled at the officer in front of you. âThatâs all for tonight. You are free to leave. Let us know if there are any updates, and weâll do the same.â
â
âSo, what did they talk about with you guys?â
Renjun was slowly starting to come out of the shocked state he had been in for the past few hours as you nuzzled deeper into Hyuckâs warm body in the backseat of the car, the rain still roaring on outside.
âIt was weird. They asked me about an apartment I own.â
âAn apartment?â Renjun sounded curious, but you were distracted by the feel of Haechanâs slightly dry lips on your forehead, grazing the skin teasingly. âHaechanâŠâ
âLetâs just forget about this for now. I missed you so much.â He pressed his lips against you, the kiss resounding in your skull.
âI missed you too.â You wanted to cry, laugh, scream. Everything was pouring out of you all at once, slow and viscous like thick honey on bread. âSo much. You have no idea.â
âYeah.â Renjunâs voice was silent. âWe can talk more tomorrow.â
That night, your bed for two was a bed for three. Warm and safe, smelling like three instead of two. You were finally home. The dinner you three shared for the first time in over a year was quiet, all of you overwhelmed by the new familiarity that was now your new normal. Or old normal. It was all a bit strange. But it just felt soâŠright.
For once you drifted off to sleep naturally, not crying, or needing your pills or something to watch to distract yourself. It was like Haechanâs arrival repaired you, piece by piece, with nothing left over or loose from the reconstruction.
Everything felt right until the next morning, when you woke up to no Haechan next you, and you felt an insidious wave of anxiety waft over you, threatening to paralyse you. But then you heard chatter from the kitchen.
âShe likes it like that now. Extra chilli. Make sure you donât burn it.â
âYes, ahjussi.â The unmistakeable nasal tone of your loverâs voice calmed you, and you were convinced you werenât dreaming this time. This was real. Haechan came home.
You rolled over in bed and checked your phone. Old habits die hard.
Chills ran through your body.
my teddy
donât worry. iâm staying inside.
#nct#nct fanfiction#kpop#kpop fanfiction#nct scenarios#nct dream#nct fanfic#kpop imagine#nct imagine#nct dream fanfic#nct dream x you#nct dream x reader#nct angst#nct dream angst#nct horror#nct thriller#nct dream horror#nct dream thriller#haechan imagine#haechan scenario#nct haechan#haechan x reader#haechan angst#lee haechan#huang renjun#renjun scenario#renjun angst#renjun imagine#renjun horror#nct renjun
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[22:11]
Hiding away at the arcade was Chenleâs definition of a day well spent. He could play games in the comfort of his home, but there was something far more appealing about sneaking outside. As a teen rebel, he had to act his part.
His mother had insisted he stay within the confines of their estate, however not even the guards assigned to watch over him could stop him from chasing his wild youth.
There was a killer on the prowl, they warned him. Mysterious deaths, with no rhythm or rhyme.
Chenle had heard of the serial killer. In fact he had a rather morbid fascination with the works of the killer, though he knew it wasnât the sort of thing he should admire.
When his car flipped over for what may have been the thousandth time on screen, Chenle decided it was time to head back home. He may have a streak of rebellion, but he wasnât eager to stay out in the shadows where it was easier to be snatched.
As he pushed back his chair, the power went out, plunging the room into darkness.
Then the machines sputtered back on, all of them showing the same screen:
GAME OVER.
Thatâs when Chenle noticed that he was the only one in the arcade. Not even the staff heâd greeted when heâd walked in this morning were around.
Chenle swore when he heard the footsteps behind him.
âAm I out of lives?â he dared to ask, though he already suspected the answer.
© 2024, stayinzencity
#nct blurbs#nct timestamps#nct dream timestamps#chenle imagines#chenle drabbles#nct horror#nct fanfic#chenle fanfic#chenle fic#nct dream imagines#nct dream fanfic#nct dream ff#nct dream fic#nct halloween
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Paranoia
Pairing ⏩ Reader + Johnny
GenreÂ ïżœïżœÂ psychological thriller \ suspense \ mystery \ angst
Length ⏩ 13k â one shot
Plot ⏩ After a year spent living as a shut-in, you finally agree to go on a drive with your sister. When a storm steers your plan off course, you find yourselves brought closer to two charming strangersâbut an unsettling tension lingers in your mind.
Warnings ⏩ anxiety; agoraphobia; implications of depression; ongoing feelings of helplessness, general discomfort, self-doubt; mental breakdown; minor violence; character death
âč Note âș The feelings/mannerisms that come as a consequence of (mild?) agoraphobia in this story all come from a personal place. I donât mean to make light of anyoneâs experience with mental illness.
Disclaimer! I donât know any of the nct members personally, and would never claim this is how they behave/think in real life. They only inspire me to write these stories, and I think of them as a cast of actors like in a drama or movie. Itâs never my intention to project on or disrespect any of the people mentioned.
A sliver of light escaped through the window blinds as your fingers pulled at one of the blades. Despite the clear and sunny sky outside, it was dim in your apartment. It often was. Your eyes rejected the foreign light for a brief moment before they readjusted.
Outside, a pale pink Cadillac convertible was parked in front of the buildingâs entrance. The kind where the back just above the tail lights rose in a theatrical peak on either side. The roof was down, revealing the velvet white interior. You liked the velvet, it was comfortable; you could almost remember what it felt like.
Although, right now, it only served to remind you of how much time had passed since you were last in it. Maybe a year, maybe a little longer than that⊠Right before your driverâs license got revoked and you gave up entirely.
âAre you gonna keep staring at it, or are we gonna go get in?â Your sister quipped from behind you, resting her chin on your shoulder. âNot that this isnât a killer view.â
Even though you appreciated her keeping up a humorous air for your sake, you could still feel the tension. She had been trying to get you to go outside for at least an entire year. Yet you still always managed to back out at the last second.
âWeâre absolutely not going to get out of the car?â You asked, probably for the tenth time now. For the whole duration of this past month, you would ask and she would reassure. Over and over again, that it wouldâve made anyone else sick of you by now.
She squeezed your shoulders. âNope, just drive around. Eat something nice. Drive back home before sunset. Weâll get on the coastal highway so there wonât even be that many cars.â
Opening the front door wasnât a problemâonline shopping was basically your lifeline. The slight nausea began only after you stepped out for the first time. Autumn was coming to an end, with the beginnings of a fierce winter approaching eagerly on its heels. The cold wind bit at your flushed cheeks, and you closed your eyes to take it in before willing yourself forward.
It almost didnât feel real. That somehow made it easier.
The sky was so blue, the trees so green, you couldnât quite stop staring as everything sped past you. The sun breathed life into the colors of its surroundings in a way that it could never fully achieve inside your apartment. Even having the sun directly on your skin felt foreign. Car roof down, the chilly wind engulfed you in waves.
Soon, you were on a curving highway by the sea. The road was flat and stretched as long as you could see, with only the odd car here and there. What you could only describe as psychedelic pop music played in a pleasant volume in the background.
The drive would be four hours long, two to the end of the coastal road and two back, but you took that as an excuse to stop by three different drive-throughs to assemble what was surely going to be a magnificent spread. A car picnic was part of how your sister had managed to entice you, after you saw some characters on a TV show do it. She even let you pick all of the food.
Breaking the trance-like silence, you said, âI donât know if I can stand the smell of that food much longerâŠâ
âSame,â she said, âweâre almost there, you see that?â
She nudged her head at a square brown building in the distance. It looked like one of those rest stops that would have a shabby family pool up front. You felt a sense of relief that you wouldnât have to go in. Maybe you would get the courage to venture out of the car next time. Or maybe the time after that. You let your mind wander as you got closer and closer.
There was one other car already parked there, a jet black Brabus G Wagon. It was a monster of a car, so big and square you thought it almost looked like an armored hearse. When your car pulled over a few spaces away from it, it still managed to dwarf you by comparison.
The music kept playing as the pair of you laid out all of your food, placing it on a checkered picnic blanket that you had covering the trunk of your car, and pushed the front seats as far as they could go for you to stretch your legs out on.
Thankfully, the food was still hot when you took it out of the thermal containers. You had yourself to thank for that idea, so you mentally patted yourself on the back.
âThe chicken is all limp,â your sister whined after she picked one up. Just as you reached out for a strip yourself, a drop of cool water landed on the back of your hand and slid off to the side. The colors had grown faded, and the air felt different.
âOh no.â
And just like that, in under a minute, a few stray drops turned into one of the quickest downpours you had ever experienced. A strong wind came and blew some of the smaller containers off, while you both rushed to hold down whatever you could.
âThis doesnât look very partly cloudy,â your sister laughed. You admired her ability to laugh it off while you panicked and scrambled around dramatically, making a mental note to never trust the weather forecast again.
âGo on, you bring up the car roof and Iâll take care of these,â she called to you over the wind that was continuously growing louder.
The moment you let go of what youâve been holding down, they slid away from you but mostly held their place (for now). The retracted roof only budged by the tiniest margin despite your incessant pulling. All this rain mustâve done something to itâŠ
At that moment, the door of the black SUV opened and a young man with soft facial features half-jogged to your car. Fighting your instinct to recoil, you found yourself avoiding his eyes instead. You really werenât ready to talk to anyone. Not to mention, you didnât get a chance to do any mental preparation for it.
He, on the other hand, had an effortless smile on as he approached, and you almost rolled your eyes at yourself for noticing his dimples right now. But you didnât, your brows furrowing instead.
âHi,â he called, âlet me help you.â Smoothly, he joined you in pulling the roof up. You could only manage a small âsorryâ but your sister added a friendly âthank you!â
He was only wearing blue jeans and a lightweight white sweater. The expensive kind of fabric you wouldnât want to get wet. So you glanced at him with guilt as it got wetter and wetter.
âItâs like itâs nailed down,â he laughed, eyes squinted in what looked like embarrassment.
âOh!â he added, looking behind you. You turned to see one more young man coming out of the rest stop this time. It was a bigger guy dressed all in black. Despite his tall and muscular build, something about him was gracefully cat-like.
âJohnny! Could you give us a hand?â The dimpled guy beckoned him over, although he was already on his way to you.
âWhatâs up? Ah.â
Soon, it was all three of you yanking at it together. Ridiculous. For some reason, it didnât feel any different than when you were pulling on it by yourself. You prayed that it would be over as soon as possible. You could already feel your breath constrictingâeven looking their way was difficult. Like they were radioactive.
âOkay, I donât think this is working out. We might actually damage it if we keep this up,â Johnny said, looking between the three of you, âyouâre better off coming inside for now. At least until this storm is over.â
You looked over at your sister, who had just successfully put away all she could save from the food, which was now stacked in a corner in the back seat, getting pitifully hammered by the rain.
Her smile was stretched from ear to ear. You tried to catch her eyes and somehow telepathically communicate to her how uncomfortable you felt, but she had already moved on to observing the dimpled guyâs physique.
Under other circumstances, you wouldâve found it funny that you could see the exact moment she snapped out of it. But you were sad to admit that over the past year you rarely found anything funny anymore. A few moments later, her eyes found yours, apologetic.
âActually, we really need to get going,â she turned to them. âThanks for your help, though!â
Owing to the storm, it had gotten darker much earlier than anticipated. A glance at the road ahead only discouraged you further when you saw just how thick the fog had gottenâeven with the roof up, driving in this weather would certainly be a questionable choice⊠You would never forgive yourself if you were the reason your sister got into an accident.
Frozen with your hands clenched by your sides, you mentally talked yourself into it. Just one night. Clearing your throat, you gave a hesitant âokay. Letâs go in.â
Her eyebrows shot up in response. âYou sure?â Even though she was offering otherwise, you could see how tired she already was. You could also feel the eyes of the two men on you, although you didnât look up to confirm it.
âYeah. Itâs too dark. Weâll leave as soon as the sun comes up, okay?â Although your words were directed at her, part of it was also said to yourself for reassurance. You continued in a low voice, forcing yourself to look up at them, âuh, thank you so much for trying to help.â
âNo worries,â the dimpled guy smiled at the both of you.
If your sister had a tail, she wouldâve been wagging it. It was hard not to see that she had a type. The dimpled man, who had a laid-back demeanor and a twinkle in his smiling eyes, was exactly the type she always gravitated towards. The type that looked like he would never hurt you.
A stagger in your step, you found your body resisting the walk inside. Something felt very wrong in your gut, twisting a knot into your stomach. Sharp feelings of regret started to find their way into your mind at having offered to stay. Today wasnât supposed to go this way. You werenât supposed to run into anyone.
It couldâve been your imagination, but you felt Johnnyâs stare linger on you as you finally followed everyone inside.
*
You were wrong about there being a pool by the entrance of the rest stop. That was probably for the best, because everything else looked fairly uncared for, and the rain only exaggerated all the dirtier aspects.
Past the small courtyard covered in dead (and now, wet) leaves, and a lone vending machine with a few snacks covered in a thick layer of dust, the four of you walked through a smaller door leading to the lobby.
It was just as shabby on the inside as it looked on the outside. Dim, warm-toned light-bulbs provided less-than-ideal lighting so that you could only just make out your surroundings. A musty smell wafted your way almost as soon as you stepped in.
âIâm Jaehyun, by the way,â the dimpled guyâs voice made you turn, and you saw that he still had a relaxed smile on. You and your sister introduced yourselves as Johnny went ahead to the front desk, which was manned by an old woman and her cat. The cat sat with its front paws tucked into its chest, unfazed by the new guests.
âAre you guys staying here, too?â Johnny called back to the two of you.
âGo on,â your sister encouraged. You shot her a look, and she returned it with two thumbs up, miming you can do it.
Keeping any further signs of discomfort to yourself, you agreed that you were in dire need of practice. Given that you hadnât spoken to anyone other than your sister for the past year, even the thought of a brief exchange with a clerk was enough to set you on edge. You approached the counter with heavy feet.
âGood afternoon,â you started, but the woman spoke right away in a sharp tone. âNo vacancy. Under repair, dear.â
âOh. Well⊠Weâll just wait in the lobby then, if you donât mind.â
Your sister had moved on with Jaehyun, the pair of them talking by the entrance. Sopping wet and looking giddy, their laughter and voices were drowned out by the storm outside.
Johnny looked down at you then back to Jaehyun across the lobby before offering âyou guys can crash at our room if you want.â
His smile was cat-like to boot, and he was even bigger up close. Absurdly attractive, too. Something about that almost made you queasy, but you passed it off as your nerves building up. How long was the storm going to last?
âWe couldnât. Thank you for your offer, though.â You managed to return a small smile, but by then there was something else in his eyes that you couldnât decipher. Interest? Amusement?
It mustâve been something you didnât like, after all, because you hurried away and hooked your arm through your sisterâs. She took her time before finally turning away from Jaehyun and back to you.
Deciding it was best to speak away from Jaehyunâs ears, you dragged her farther away. Just in case he felt charitable enough to repeat the same offerâat this point, you werenât so sure sheâd turn it down.
âNo vacancies. We can just wait in the lobby for now,â you relayed, steering her towards the waiting area. At least you would get it to yourself.
There were only two shabby couches facing each other, with peeling wooden legs and faded out green fabric. With a start, you noticed for the first time that it wasnât empty after all.
There was someone sleeping with his legs stretched out on the floor in front of him, ankles crossed. His head slumped forward so that his red hoodie obscured his face, his arms folded against his chest. He was only as big as you or maybe a little taller. Strange. You hadnât noticed any other cars parked outside.
âIs he with you?â Your sister whispered to Jaehyun, who had followed the pair of you and was suddenly looking around the lobby awkwardly, brows slightly furrowed. He shook his head no.
There was still water dripping from the ends of his hair. He mustâve noticed you unconsciously stare, because he said âIâll go get us some towelsâ and went up a narrow set of stairs to their room. Johnny glanced up at him only for a second, before going back to playing with the cat on the counter. The cat squeezed itself past his hands and stalked away into the shadows somewhere.
Why was Jaehyun sitting in the car, if they already had a room with their things in it?
âShe doesnât like us very much,â Johnny said to himself, his tone light. You donât know why your heart did a little jump. He was talking about the cat. Not you. Right?
That was a non-ideal time for him to look straight at you. But nevertheless he approached, and his quiet walk reminded you of the cat he had just been petting. When he got close enough that it made your body tense up, you were relieved that he didnât stop and instead kept walking past you.
âForgot something in the car,â he said to no one, and left the lobby.
A pang of guilt sounded in your chest. You knew you were coming off as stand-offish, but you had your set limits. Especially today.
Your sister had her back turned to you, and was observing a large, muted painting of a tall ship sailing through turbulent waters. There was an ornate but faded golden frame around it.
Reaching out for her hand, you opened your mouth to say something, andâ
âTowels?â A smooth voice spoke up behind you, and you spun around so quickly that you almost twisted your neck.
âAww, thanks!â Your sister took one and let it fall over your head before taking another for herself. That made Jaehyun laugh, twinkles in his eyes. Everything seemed to make him smile or laugh, like he didnât have a care in the world.
You grabbed the towel off of your head and absentmindedly held it out to your sister until she took it, then you turned to follow Johnny out into the rain.
A cold hand gripped your arm, stopping you. Turning around, you saw Jaehyunâs pale face staring back at you. âYouâre gonna catch a cold if you go out there again. Do you need me to get you something? Your roof is open anyway, so I donât need your keys.â
Next to him, your sister was looking at you with a puzzled expression. You hoped your voice wouldnât crack, and said âuh, no⊠No, nevermind, itâs nothing.â
âYou okay?â Your sister put her arms around you. âLong day, huh,â she said, rubbing your back.
âYeah.â
When Johnny came back, you noticed he didnât have anything in his hands.
What did you forget in the car? You wanted to ask him. But you knew better than to share what was on your mind, with everyone around.
You cursed under your breath at Jaehyun, who was still buttering up to your sister. The curse wasnât only for how stuck to her he was, or how taken she was with him. It was also for how despite that, he still wouldnât let you follow Johnny outside.
Although you supposed you had yourself to blame for that, too. Itâs not like he forced anything on you. But somehow, when he told you not to go, you felt rooted in place and could no longer do anything other than what he told you to do. Somehow, your body was under other peopleâs control more than it was under your own.
The whole past year, you had felt yourself slowly slippingâyou had been at a war with yourself that went on for so long it left you only as a ghost of who you once were. A silent shadow etched onto the pavement you once sat on.
All the new activity mustâve been noisy, because the sleeping man (boy?) took a deep breath in, sat up, and stretched his arms out in front of him. When he looked up at the three of you and his big eyes caught the light, you decided it would be more accurate to call him âboyâ rather than âman.â Wide, circular glasses framed his youthful but angular face.
He immediately looked away and awkwardly drummed his hands on his knees. His clothes were wet, but his hair was dry underneath his hoodie, so you guessed that he mustâve ran in just before your group did. Probably while you were all struggling with pulling the roof up.
âHi there, storm messed with your plans, too?â Your sister scrunched her nose at him playfully. âSorry if we woke you, by the way.â She was still rubbing your back.
âNo, not at all! Um, I wasnât actually sleeping or anything. I just ran in a few minutes ago, actually,â he said, âthat storm really came out of nowhere! And there was nowhere else to stop⊠so, yeah.â he paused, then added âIâm Mark.â
You introduced yourselves, and Jaehyun asked if Mark wanted him to check the front desk for a towel for him.
âNo, Iâm okay, thank you,â he pulled his hood back and shook out his hair, running a hand down its front to calm it down. Something made you instinctively look to your side, and you caught Johnny quietly staring at Mark. His eyes looked different when he wasnât smiling. He glanced back at you, and that blank expression disappeared just as quickly.
Johnny took that as a chance to address you. âHey, could I talk to you for a second?â When you nodded, his hand brushed gently against your wrist and led you to a more private space.
âIâm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier.â He leaned into you, his voice soft. âIt wasnât my intentionâŠâ
âDonât worry about it,â was all you could scrape together. Youâd be lying if you said this hadnât caught you off-guard. That being said, you still kept your defenses up. You were a naturally wary person. To be honest, you werenât even sure what he was apologizing for.
âYou didnât do anything wrong, soâŠâ You trailed off. You used to be so much better at talking.
âDidnât I? Asking you to share a room with a stranger you barely just met,â he gave a soft laugh, and you could feel his warm breath on your face. Peppermint. Was it just you or was he closer now than when the conversation started?
Feeling the heat rising to your cheeks, you realized you needed to end this exchange soonâyou werenât ready for whatever this is. Willing yourself to continue, you said âyou were just being considerate. I can understand that.â
âIs that so? Well, weâre in room two if you change your mind,â he countered, only half-joking, a glint of whatever you caught in his eyes earlier still there.
âBut hey,â he said, as he reached to take his jacket off, âitâs chilly out here, so at least let me give you this.â He draped it over your shoulders and walked away, letting his reiterated offer hang without rejection.
* *
The rain outside was relentless. The gaps in the wood of the windows had the cold wind whistling through them, and rattled the glass rhythmically. It made your bones feel damp. Your sister had you wrapped in a tight hug both for her warmth and yours.
Quite the opposite from how you were feeling, these circumstances had her vibrating with excitement at all the possibilities. She adored movies where a random ensemble of characters were stuck together and had to find ways to get along.
Much to your sisterâs disappointment (and your relief) Jaehyun and Johnny had went up to their room soon after that encounter. Thanks to the lack of Wi-Fi, she had spent her time so far pestering Mark out of boredom. As the conversation went on, he had loosened up and politely entertained her with whatever random topic she sprang on him.
It was just like your sister to quickly get people to open up to her wherever she went. But soon enough, even she was running out of things to talk about with Mark.
The pause in the conversation left enough room for your sisterâs ears to perk up, picking up on the noise coming from down the hall. Considering the fairly small size of the rest stop, and the fact that you watched the two men walk into the room right across from the few steps leading up to the corridor, you could somewhat see their door from here if you strained your eyes hard enough at the dark.
The gap between the door and the floor told you that their lights were still on, and seeing the shadows moving around was the final push your sister needed to bounce up and practically skip there, dodging your desperate hands that clambered to pull her back down.
âShh, Iâm bored, Iâll just go see what theyâre up to, thatâs all!â She giggled. Your heart just threw itself against your ribcage miserably, in slow but heavy thumps. All the will in your legs escaping, you accepted that you probably wouldnât be able to get yourself to stand up and follow her. You were under an invisible binding spell. So you and Mark watched her disappear down the short corridor.
She knocked a musical tone on the wood of their door, and it opened in no time, unleashing the light from their room and illuminating their silhouettes. Judging by the size of it, you guessed that it was Johnny. His head bobbed, going along with whatever she was saying to him.
He stepped aside, and your body tensed even more when you saw her go in. From here, it was hard to make out his features as he stood still, facing you. Was he looking your way? He held that position for a little longer before finally closing the door and drowning the corridor back in shadows, making it seem darker than it was before.
You couldnât tear your eyes away from the corridor. It was as though everything stood still as you watched that door. Almost like all your surroundings shifted, steadily bringing you and that door closer, everything else around you disappearing.
Mark cleared his throat, asking âare you okay?â
That made you snap out of your hyper-focused state, sparing him a glace before returning it to the corridor. âI think so. Sorry.â
âUm⊠Do you wanna, like, go after her?â
You nodded, almost as though you were given validation to move. Just as you braced yourself to get up, the door opened again. The sight of Johnny stalking down the corridor and coming towards you made you stop, confused.
He sank down into the space next to you, casually flashing you a smile. âHi again.â
You gave him a curt nod in reply, before impulsively shifting your gaze away. When your eyes found him again, through a great deal of effort on your part, they lingered this time. At that, his eyebrows went up inquisitively.
âIs everything okay?â He finally asked.
Before you could answer, you jumped at the sight of your sister already approaching you with Jaehyun on her tail. You really mustâve been out of it staring at JohnnyâŠ
As they maneuvered to find an empty spot to sit, the pair had ditzy smiles across their faces, and you could even see a hint of childish mischievousness.
âYou wonât believe what Jaehyun here had in his suitcase,â your sister teased, both of her hands holding something behind her back. âWhich was immaculately organized, by the way. ButâŠâ She pulled out a long rectangular box, and it took you a moment before you recognized that it was a Jenga tower. âWho the hell travels around with this thing?â
All four of them laughed at your sisterâs presentation, and you felt like the odd one out for not having it in you to laugh along with them. Your sister plopped down in the space between Jaehyun and Mark, and began setting up the tower on the short coffee table that stood between the two couches.
âWe might as well make use of it, right? Youâre all playing,â she said. After that, it was mostly quiet as she finished working on it. It wasnât plain wood like what you usually saw on TV, but instead with blocks tinted red and green.
âHow about you go first?â You found your sister pointing at you excitedly. Now that she was guaranteed time spent together with everyone for at least the duration of one game, she was practically bouncing in her seat. And you knew perfectly well that she didnât plan on letting it end after only one round.
âLetâs go!â Mark clapped, saying your name to hype you up.
You reached out and plucked an easy red block towards the top of the tower, which you were eager to set back on the very top to get everyoneâs eyes off of you.
âNot so fast,â your sister said, finger twirling playfully in the air, urging you to pick the block back up. When you did, you noticed a line of small print on the underside of the block:
Whisper one of your deepest, darkest secrets to the person on your left.
Truth or dare. You never thought it was something that you would have to come across again as an adult. When participating was unavoidable, you had always defaulted to truths. But looking at it now, you concluded that the green blocks must be truth and the red ones must be dare. Although this one felt awfully a lot like both.
âWell?â She pushed, âread it aloud!â
âWhisper one of your deepest, darkest secrets to the person on your left,â you read, and Johnny perked up as he held his long hand up to his ear. Pathetically, your own hand shook as you leaned forward to set the block back.
âThe darker the better,â Johnny winked at you.
âOh. WellâŠâ For starters, telling him anything personal was out of the question. What was something believable you could come up with on a whim? Finally, you leaned into him as close as you could get yourself to go (which wasnât very close at all) and whispered âI cheated on my college final.â
âThatâs all you got?â He feigned an expression of disbelief.
âThatâs all I got.â You said, deflecting.
âYouâre welcome to give us a dark secret of your own then, mister the darker the better,â your sister teased, earning a playful nudge from Jaehyun, who seemed to be enjoying driving Johnny into a corner.
âOh, trust me, I have plenty,â Johnnyâs tone was lighthearted, but your eyes met his and you caught that same look from before, lurking just beneath the surface. He didnât look away, almost like he was pausing to savor your discomfort, so you broke eye contact first and cleared your throat.
âMark, your turn.â
When you glanced up at Mark, you caught his eyes darting from you to Johnny. Too caught up in whatever was going on between you two, you had failed to notice that Mark was somehow under the same blanket of tension. Or at the very least, he was an observer. Had Johnny noticed?
Mark mirrored you in clearing his throat, then pushed a finger into a block towards the middle of the tower. A green one stuck out on the other side, and he reached around to take it. Truth.
âWhat is the most childish thing you still do?â He read.
âAnd try to limit it to one, kid,â Johnny stared ahead at Mark, his calculated smile delayed.
So he had noticed.
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â Mark said, although he was visibly trying to keep his tone light. Meanwhile, a laid-back Jaehyun still had his amused smile on as he watched Johnny. When Johnny didnât comment, Mark moved past it and gave a half-baked answer to his prompt.
âFinally!â Your sister gave an exaggerated sigh, probably relieved to have the focus shifted away from Mark and Johnnyâs strange tension. She went straight for a red block, picking out a dare. âHm, dance with no music for one minute⊠See, no, thatâs no way to treat the game master.â
âGame master?â Jaehyun echoed, grinning.
âYep. You may be the landlord for packing the Jenga, but I dug the thing out, so I hereby officially declare myself game master. Everyone kneelâor actually, Iâll settle for some singing this time.â
Johnny held a conceding palm out to Jaehyun, who pondered for a moment before slipping into smooth singing. You werenât surprised by how it sounded just as rich and smooth as his speaking voice did.
âI fall in love too easily,â he sang extra slowly, earning a smack on his shoulder from your sister for picking a ballad, followed by some passionate head-banging as she pretended to dance at a rock concert.
âI fall in love too fast,ââhis voice broke at âfastâ as he held back his laughterââI fall in love too terribly hard,ââit was getting harder for him to maintain his composure when Mark and Johnny didnât share his reservations, with Mark clapping like a seal right next to himââfor love to ever last... Okay, okay, I think the minute is up. Youâre gonna dislocate something.â
Out of breath, she flopped back down onto the couch, hands busy fixing her wild hair. âYour turn,â she panted to Jaehyun, âAnd donât be lame. Dares only.â
âOkay, dare it is,â he laughed. Then proceeded to laugh even harder when he read out his dare. âSerenade the person of your choosing.â
Needless to say, of course your sister was serenaded twice in one night.
The game went on for a while, with Johnny, Jaehyun, and your sister routinely picking dares. The group would eventually get loud enough to warrant an occasional scowl from the old lady at the front desk, until it was late enough for her to call it a day and disappear into a door tucked away behind the counter.
Meanwhile, you and Mark had mostly stuck to truths, as the Jenga tower grew more and more unstable. It was Markâs turn again when he picked yet another green block.
âName one thing youâd do if you knew there would be zero consequences.â He read in a drowsy voice, going on to give a quick answer. âI donât know, I guess Iâd knock some snacks out of that vending machine. I donât know why I said that, I wouldnât actually do that. I really am getting kinda hungry, thoughâŠâ
âYour mind went straight to burglary? You guys better watch your bags tonight,â Johnny said, and what you assumed was supposed to be a humorous jab came across a little too sharp-tongued. Everyoneâs energy levels had been depleting over the past couple of hours spent on the lobbyâs less than ideal couches.
âIâm sorry, do you have some kind of problem with me?â Mark retorted.
âI donât know, should I?â Johnny said.
âDude, if you have something to say to me, just say it.â
Your sister pushed herself off the couch. âWell, Iâll go use the bathroom until you guys figure this out like big boys.â
âNice and condescending, yeah?â Johnny said, not bothering to look up at her as she retreated to their room.
Jaehyun hid his evident enjoyment long enough to hold both of his hands up and say âokay, guys, how about we take a break?â
âNah, Iâm good.â Johnny shot back, his face anything but. His demeanor was scarily calm throughout the entire exchange.
That cold atmosphere went on for the next few rounds. You hadnât forgotten that you were merely attempting to get along with strangers you knew nothing about. Johnny with his two sides, all calculated smiles and concealed stares. Jaehyun with his eerily laid-back demeanor and strange enjoyment of the conflict. And Mark. You didnât know what to think of him yet.
With the added tension, you stopped trying to look up at any of them.
Before you knew it, it was your turn again. Would this cursed game ever end? So far, you had exclusively picked truths and lied your way through all of them. Your eyes scanned the tower over several times, before you gave up finding a green block that was stable enough. You picked your second dare of the night, this time voluntarily.
Let the group look through your phone for one minute.
A whole host of reasons rushed through your mind at how bad of an idea that was. At the very least, they would know that the only contact on your phone was your sister. You had virtually no pictures, and no apps. Everything pointed to your ghost-like life, so empty and unremarkable that it was practically a burner phone.
âWell?â Jaehyun said.
âI donât want to do this one.â
âIt canât be that bad, can it?â Johnny asked.
âShe just told you sheâs not comfortable with whatever it is, though.â Mark spoke up, having mostly kept his silence for the past few rounds.
Johnny reached for the block in your hand, and your body flinched involuntarily, the block flying out of your hand and skidding across the floor.
âWhoa,â Johnny hung back, âIâm sorry. I wasnât gonna do anything.â
âI think youâre scaring her, Johnny.â Jaehyun said, his voice ominously quiet. Was there a hint of a smile in his voice? Were you imagining things?
âAm I?â
No one said anything for what felt like a long moment, until finally, as if on queue, your sister was back in the lobby.
âWhat did I miss?â She said, entirely missing the atmosphere of the room.
Johnny reached forward and tugged one of the legs the tower was supporting itself on. The entire thing came crashing down.
âOh.â She stopped midway, hovering awkwardly next to them. âOkay then.â
âGood night.â Johnny said, getting up and giving you a brief pat on the head, before slowly making his way back to their room. Your scalp felt like pop rocks as you watched him walk away.
* * *
It was past midnight. Now it was just the two of you again, along with Mark. Your sister was sleeping soundly next to you, her head on your shoulder.
Mark was still awake on the couch across from you, but he was back to sitting quietly in the corner and avoiding eye contact. Save for the occasional accidental eye contact with you, which he responded to by sending a small smile your way before going back to aimlessly staring away.
His hands were curled around the warm thermos your sister had given him earlier. He set it down when the ownerâs cat sauntered towards him, and patted his lap for it to come up. It deliberated for a moment, then jumped and curled up on him as he stroked it.
Your mind couldnât help but go back to your interaction with Johnny, running it over in your head again and again until you had positively squeezed the life out of it. One minute he was cold and calculated, and the next he was the gentlemanly romantic lead. Or at least he knew how to make people perceive him that way.
You shiveredâthe weather was getting colder.
âMm?â Your sister looked up at you, eyes barely able to open.
âItâs nothing, go to sleep,â you reassured her, then took the chance to get up now that her head was no longer resting on you.
The front desk was empty now, but you attempted to ring the bell on the counter anyway. A while of waiting made you accept that no one was coming. It was probably safe to assume the old lady ran this place by herself, and was most likely asleep by now.
You needed to go to the bathroom. A quick look around led you to a door with a sheet of paper taped to it, reading âStaff Only.â You twisted the doorknob, your guilt a second priority right now. Locked.
It might have been the hope of almost finding a bathroom, but suddenly your mild need for it turned into a more urgent one. You looked around some more, before cursing under your breath and going up the narrow staircase that led up to the rooms.
To your surprise, the hallway was very short. It was even darker than the lobby, so you gave your eyes some time to adjust. There were only three doors, the one in the center had a brass number 2 on it, and was right across from the staircase.
Weâre in room two, if you change your mind, Johnnyâs captivating voice played in your mind for what felt like the hundredth time. Feeling your heartbeat speed up again, you took deep breaths and willed yourself to calm down. The other rooms were under repair, but maybe their bathrooms werenât.
First, you attempted to open the door with the brass 1 on it, but it didnât budge. Then the one with the brass 3, but that one wouldnât open either.
You clenched your fists and cursed your terrible luck. Would they even be awake?
After a lengthy struggle, consisting of an internal argument about whether youâd rather ask them for help or go out into the nearby wilderness in the middle of a storm, you knocked on the door of the second room.
As you waited, you glanced back down the stairs behind you, your eyes searching for your sister. She was now lying down on the couch, breathing deeplyâŠ
The door springing open made you jump, and Jaehyun was positively beaming in the center of the door frame. Following a quick scan, his smile faltered when he realized your sister wasnât in tow.
He looked like he had just showered, his hair damp again, and his skin glowing. Johnny was stretched out on the bed behind him, awake.
âWelcome,â Jaehyun said, picking his spirit back up. âDid you change your mind?â
âNo, but would you mind if I use your bathroom?â You died a little on the inside.
âOf course not, come in,â he made way for you, and you abandoned your last remaining shred of dignity as you sprinted to what you assumed was the bathroom. Jaehyun giggled behind you before you closed the door and finally got some privacy.
Despite being done, you stalled going back out, probably out of dread. You supposed it was in your favor that the bathroom was by far the cleanest place in the entirety of this pit stop. A quick look around told you that Johnny and Jaehyun were comfortably settled in. An electric shaver was strewn on the counter, and a travel-sized toothpaste tube lay feebly next to the sink, almost all used up. Peppermint.
Finally, you took a deep breath and opened the door. You were immediately met with Johnny, who was leaning on the wall by the bathroom, not even an armâs length away. Behind him, Jaehyun was nowhere to be seen, and the door leading out of the room was closed.
Momentarily dizzied from the blood rushing to your head, you took a step back to create some distance.
He smiled sweetly, âthe storm sure is taking a while to settle down. Where were you two on your way to, again?â
âJust a short trip. Theyâre expecting us back at work tomorrow.â You lied, knowing full well there was no one there who would notice your absence, save for your sister.
âOh, you two work together? Jaehyun and I work together too, actually.â
His eyes watched you patiently as you flipped imaginary pages in your head, scrambling for something normal to say next. You felt like it would be the polite thing to do to continue the conversation, but your heart was beating too fast for that, which made you that much more nervous and jittery. Johnny seemed to be enjoying your visible anxiety. You werenât sure if it was your imagination that his smile was getting wider. Something about it wasnât so sweet anymore.
âI should get back. To the lobby, I mean. Thanks again.â He didnât lock the door, did he? The nausea was creeping back up.
You speed-walked to the door like you used to do when you were little, when you were alone in the dark and scared of whatever thing that might snatch you and drag you away before you reached the light. You could only feel fear. Fear of how powerless you felt about everything.
It felt much longer than it shouldâve but you reached the door. The hair on your neck stood and your breath quickened. You turned the knob, and it swung open.
In a hasty moment, you tripped at the first step of the stairs, and a big arm grabbed you around your waist. You could see Johnnyâs profile in your peripheral vision, curling down for his cheek to meet the side of your head, slow breaths against your ear. His chest rose and fell gently against your back; he was holding on so tightly.
He felt like a solid wall, and you knew it was impossible for you to get away unless he was the one who chose to let go of you. He alone shouldâve been able to pull up the car roof with ease.
âBack when we were playing that game,â he said, his voice so low you could barely hear it, âdid you feel like I was gonna hurt you?â
What was he saying? You left his words unanswered as you were still engulfed by your silence.
From here, you could see that your sister was still sleeping peacefully, and Mark had his head turned away. Nevertheless, just having your sister in your sight helped soothe your nerves. That feeling was fleeting as Johnny spoke his next sentence.
âAre you scared of me?â
Trapped in what felt like an iron embrace, you opened your mouth but you still couldnât make any noise come out. Some hunch or instinct, or maybe just pure chance, mustâve been what made Markâs head turn your way out of nowhere.
He was staring for a while with an expression that told you he wasnât quite sure what he was looking at. His eyes mustâve finally adjusted to the darkness of the hallway, because he suddenly got up, making the cat on his lap scuttle away offended.
âDude, what are you doing?â
The entire building let out a groan, and whatever dim lights were there all blinked out simultaneously, plunging you into complete darkness. Johnny held on for a few more seconds before finally letting go. You ran down the steps without looking back.
Mark called your name, his voice alarmed, âis everything alright?â
Your throat was still squeezed shut, as you walked into something and stumbled in the dark until you felt your way to the couch your sister was on. Your hands found her sleeping from, and you shook her awake.
âGet up, weâre leaving,â finally finding your voice, you spoke sternly. She was still in a daze and clearly confused.
âWha- what? What?â
âWeâre leaving. Iâm gonna call us a ride, I just need you to be awake with me,â you stammered. Your sister sat upright, most likely still processing.
Markâs voice spoke up. âItâs pitch black outside, the roads around here arenât lit very well. Did something happen? Are you okay?â
You couldnât put it into words. The familiar dread that built up in your gut.
At this point, you just wanted to go home and shut yourself in again.
You ignored Mark, and ruffled through your bag for your phone. You went through every corner of it four times, your heart sinking deeper with each try. âMy phone is gone. Whereâs my phone?â
Without waiting for a reply, you tossed your bag aside and felt around for your sisterâs this time. Also gone.
âWait, mineâs not there either? Thatâs weirdâŠâ Your sister went through hers again for good measure, her voice thick with sleep. âDo you think we left them in the car?â
âNo, I always have mine on me.â Something suddenly occurred to you. âI was awake the whole time, wasnât I?â
You felt your sister shrug next to you. Hesitantly, Mark answered instead, saying âI donât know, you both kinda drifted off at some point.â
âAnd you? You were awake?â You pushed.
âI was, yeah. I went to check on my Vespa for a second.â You couldnât quite grasp what it was, but something was off about Markâs voice.
Paranoia now had you firmly in its grip. You decided it was best to watch your words until you could see again. But you couldnât stop a wave of helplessness from washing over you, making your limbs go cold.
âCould we borrow your phone, maybe?â You asked Mark. One final attempt.
âOh, man, I sent it for repairs this weekend,â Mark said, apologetic. Why did his voice sound like that?
âLetâs go.â Resolute, you grabbed your sisterâs arm and attempted to head towards the exit.
âJust give me a minute!â She said, releasing her hand from yours. âYou go on and get the car started, okay?â
You hesitated, before making up your mind and following the only source of light, out into the storm.
The rain immediately battered down on you, and if you thought it was cold in the lobby then this was absolutely freezing. You could only barely make out the silhouettes of the parked cars.
If you just turned on the headlights all the way, the two of you could probably drive through the dark. And if you kept moving, the rain wouldnât bother you. You had the keys ready in your hands, and you were grateful that at least they were still in your sisterâs bag. Maybe you really did forget your phones in the car, after all.
But something was squirming in your gut, making your stomach do desperate flips as you jumped into the driverâs seat, slamming the door behind you.
You slid the key in the ignition and turned. Nothing. Not even the sound of the engine trying to start. The sounds of the howling wind and heavy rain carried on.
Reaching for the glove compartment, your hands found the flashlight, and a weak beam of light pierced its way through the darkness. You stepped out of the car, wrapping your other arm around yourself to stop from shaking. When the hood of your car was open and you shined the light at its interior, you doubted your eyes.
The battery was gone.
You were just silent. Your own worse fears coming into realization right before your eyes. After what felt like a second and an eternity of staring down at the empty spot in the hood, you felt a light touch on your arm when your sister joined you by your side. She looked exhausted, her breathing heavy. Calling over the storm, she said, âshould we ask them if they can do something about this?â
Your head snapped to her in bewilderment. Could you be wrong? You doubted yourself for a second, but then got a grip back. There was no other explanation. You were stuck here, and it was too late to speak up. The words collided into themselves and were left mangled somewhere in your throat. But you had to say something, anything.
âListen,â you started, and she looked at you attentively, concern clouding her face, âI thinkââ
âIs something wrong?â A voice spoke up from behind you. Jaehyun. Again.
âWe were just talking about you!â Your sister chimed. âTake a look at this. Think someone stole it?â
You were dumbfounded as he leaned in between the two of you to take a closer look at the carâs contents.
âMmm,â he didnât look very surprised. He turned to your sister and said âwe can give you a ride tomorrow morning. You might need to get it towed.â
âOkay... I can barely hear you. Letâs go inside?â She turned to you. Your face mustâve looked terrible because she did a slight double take and put her hand on your shoulder. âCome on.â
Shining the flashlight ahead, the three of you walked back to the rest stop.
When you were back inside, Mark was gone.
* * * *
At least an hour mustâve went by until Johnny was back. He didnât acknowledge anyone as he came in, just silently sauntering past the lobby. He was completely soaked again from head to toe. Drops of dark water trailed behind him as he made his way back to their room.
You resolved that you would find a way to take your sister and leave any way you could. Maybe you would find a way to take their car. They were only human, they had to sleep sometime.
For now, Jaehyun was still in the lobby with the both of you.
âYou donât think he took our car battery and our phones, do you?â She was talking about Mark. Your sister was sitting next to Jaehyun and mostly addressed him, since she hadnât gotten a word out of you after you failed to leave. Having Jaehyun hovering around took away any of your will to speak up.
âHe didnât seem like the typeâŠâ She trailed off, still thinking about Mark.
The night felt longer, probably because of the changing seasons, but it might as well still have been midnight. You lost track of how much time was going by and doubted yourself when you remembered that this has all been just one long day. The power was still out. You had the flashlight off to conserve its battery.
Down the hall, you heard the room open, and after a minute you felt the cushions next to you gently sink with a familiar weight.
âI found some candles and lit them in our room,â Johnnyâs voice spoke up. You could only see his outline and features like a hazy dream. You avoided looking at his face. You were too tired.
There was a soft, dancing reddish light coming from their room now. Gently, Johnny spoke again. âItâs too dark out here, isnât it? Letâs go inside.â
Your sister shifted, and you noticed for the first time how close she had been sitting to Jaehyun. Were they holding hands? You didnât know if your mind was playing tricks on you. She got up before your eyes could decide what they were looking at.
âI need to wash up,â she said, sounding just as tired as you felt. Getting up, you followed her to their room. You couldnât care less if you looked completely unhinged, sitting on the floor right in front of the bathroom door after she closed it.
âYou two are so close,â Johnny spoke though the dark, face hidden in the shadows cast by the candle light. You still refused to look up at him, but you could hear the tone of amity. The candles on the night stand behind him exaggerated the size of his shadow and made it dance over you.
âYou look tired,â his voice was gentle, surreal, âget some rest.â
You hugged your knees closer to your chest, fighting to keep your eyes open. The sound of the water running in the bathroom was steady. Your eyes kept rolling back into your head, and you kept dragging them back into focusâŠ
But they were so unfocusedâŠ
And the steady stream of the shower ranâŠ
And everything swayed in the candle lightâŠ
Everything swamâŠ
and the water ranâŠ
and ranâŠ
You dreamed that Johnny was carrying you and wading through a crimson sea. Gently. Gently.
You were floating in crimson.
Or was he the one floating?
Daylight. Your body woke up with a jolt, eyes snapping open. The first thing that screamed out at you was how incredibly sore your body was. It mustâve been from all the tension that you had built up. You were curled up on your side, holding your own body close.
Small mountains of white sheets were piled up around you, and strips of sunlight draped over the bed and made their way to your skin. It was so silent; last nightâs storm almost felt like a distant dream.
Moving excruciatingly slow, you lifted your head and looked around. Your heart hammering in your chest when you saw that Johnny was sleeping over in the other bed, his large frame rising and falling slowly with each breath.
The bathroom door was open, and you could see from here that it was empty, too. It was only the two of you in this room.
Logically, you knew that there was still a possibility that Jaehyun and your sister chose to sleep on the couches outside. But there was a pit in your stomach that crippled you. It made it hard to move. Hard to think.
As quietly as you had it in you to move, you left the bed. The cold floor against your feet made you notice for the first time that you were barefoot. Good. With quiet footsteps, you made your way to the bathroom to double-check. The floor was wet under your feet, like someone had walked in from the lobby straight to the bathroom not that long ago.
But just like you suspected, it was empty. The curtains drawn shut over the bathtub caught your eyes, but one look at the material told you that it would be too noisy to try and move it right now. It was too quiet for anyone to be sleeping there, anyway.
You turned back towards the bedroom door, taking glances behind you to make sure Johnny was still asleep. You didnât take your eyes off of him as your hand gripped the doorknob and turned it. It opened without resistance, and you peeked outside at the lobby past the staircase. Empty.
Trying to slow your breaths and breathe more quietly only proved to make things worse for you. It was as though you were running out of air. Before you could give your brain more time to panic, despite your overwhelming instinct to just run out and start calling for your sister, you walked back towards Johnny, who looked so peaceful in his sleep that your own panicked state was almost laughable.
At this point, you mustâve gone out of your mind, because suddenly you found yourself fighting the urge to laugh. You were hysterical. You had to stop and put your hands over your face, as your body shook with silent laughter, but tears started to stream down your face.
Thoughts of your sister were racing through your mind. Maybe she really was cuddling up to Jaehyun last night. Maybe they went somewhere together. Maybe she thought sheâd be back before you woke up.
But you knew deep down that she wouldnât leave you behind. You were so convinced of that, that any what ifs you tried to feed to your worry, to keep it from consuming you, just felt forced.
You knew she wouldnât leave you because she knew how fragile you were after what happened last year. You were so fragile, you saw everything through the lens of a horror movie. With your own little cast of strangers.
Something caught the light just outside of your line of vision, halting your chaotic train of thought. Your hands wiped away any tears that lingered on your eyelashes so you could see more clearly. There, carelessly tossed away on the nightstand by his bed, a set of keys were reflecting the sunlight. Among them was a car key.
Well, if you really were crazy, then you might as well see where it led you.
The closer you came to Johnny, the harder it was to breathe. Until you couldnât bear to do anything but hold your breath. Finally, when the keys were within your reach, your hand closed around them. There was only the slightest sound of scraping against the wood of the nightstand.
With no time for you to worry about the sound the keys had just produced, Johnnyâs hand shot up and grabbed your wrist. But it didnât stop. His grip got tighter and tighter until the ends of his fingers yellowed, and your hand shook and dropped the keys with a clatter. Even so, he didnât release his grip.
âWhere were you gonna go?â He spoke slowly.
âIt dependsâwhereâs my sister?â You shot back, voice shaking.
He laughed quietly. He had a gentle laugh. Finally letting go of your wrist, his hand instead brushed through his hair. âI told her you might get worried. You mustâve gotten a scare⊠Sorry about that.â
You turned to him with an inquisitive look, hanging onto his words. He looked sleepy and relaxed, his hair tousled. Not like someone who almost broke your wrist less than a minute ago.
âJaehyun told me about all our phones going missing, and your car battery. That Mark mightâve made away with them or something. He and your sister went to pick up a new one.â He explained. And as you listened, your heart sank.
âOkay. Please take me to her, then.â
âYou know, I think they wouldnât have minded some time alone, too,â he chuckled, âbut sure, if youâre so worried. Iâll take you.â
Passing through the lobby, you noticed the old lady was back at the front desk. Were you brave enough to finally say something? Everything in your body screamed at you not to, straining your muscles into place.
Your heartbeat quickened, and you used any strength you had left and turned to approach her. Before you could go on, you felt Johnnyâs hand hold onto your upper arm and pull you closer, wrapping you into a hug by his side.
âLetâs not waste any time,â he whispered, and held on as he led you all the way out of the rest stop. He only let go of you when you were in the shadow cast by his giant car.
The day you stopped for the car picnic, you had parked farther away on the left side of it, but as you approached the other side of his car this time, you saw what had been obscured by the SUV. A turquoise Vespa came into view.
Markâs.
Seeing it sent goosebumps down your back and up your neck, but you dragged yourself away. You couldnât afford to comment on it right now, not to Johnny. You would talk to your sister when you saw herâŠ
A sting creeping into your eyes warned you of incoming tears, but you blinked them away rapidly, not ready to face a possible reality. When you saw your sister, you would tell her everything you had on your mind and you wouldnât care who might be listening in.
Johnny was making his way to the driverâs side when you spoke up abruptly, before you could help yourself. âOne more thing?â
âWhat is it?â
âI just want to get something from the car. My sisterâs car.â
âGo ahead,â he leaned an arm over the car roof as he waited for you.
In the trunk, a few thermos flasks were stacked neatly to the side, with small labels taped to them, reading â12â and â24â and â48.â Your sister had always been meticulous when it came to packing. This would be all you had of her with your right now. You found the one labeled with the number twelve, and hugged it close to your chest. Twelve would do.
For now, you walked with your own two feet right to what felt like your doom, and hoisted yourself up into his car. A second after you got in, all the locks snapped shut.
* * * * *
He drove with the two of you in silence for a while, his eyes focused on the road, one hand on the steering wheel. You were getting farther and farther away from the rest stop, in a strangerâs car, your sister nowhere in sight.
Reality finally crashed into your chest like an icy wave. The tears you were holding back fell down your cheeks, making your chest heave in small, irregular breaths.
Incoherent thoughts raced through your head, and you started hyperventilating, your seemingly never-ending tears threatening to choke you.
âHey, hey,â Johnny reached his other hand out, the one that wasnât on the steering wheel, and brushed his long fingers against your face, lulling you, âdeep breaths. In⊠out⊠thatâs right. Just like that. In⊠outâŠâ
Your rattled breathing slowed, your mind halted.
He didnât turn your way once, his cold stare on the road, face expressionless. But his voice was gentle. Effortlessly soothing. If you looked hard enough at his face, maybe you could find something you wanted to find. Maybe it wasnât cold. Maybe he was just tired.
âWhat are you so afraid of? Youâre safe. Everythingâs going to be okay.â
He sounded so reassuring that for a long moment you doubted that anything out of the ordinary had happened today. Maybe you were just imagining everything. Maybe your isolation had finally gotten to you.
You were glad someone kind like Johnny was here to look after you.
Taking his outstretched hand into your own, you nestled your face into his palm and closed your eyes.
âGood girl,â he said.
That was the last thing he said for a while.
Hours must have passed by the time you realized you had fallen asleep out of exhaustion. Orange hues now stretched across the sky in broad strokes, clouds almost dissipated. Next to you, Johnny was still silently driving, soaked in the orange light. Everything was so saturated, it looked like a painting.
âHow did Jaehyun leave without his car?â You asked, your voice coming out small.
âThis is my car,â Johnny said. âBut we came with two. I told you, we work together.â
âOh.â Somehow, the more time you spent with them, the more you didnât have it in you to know more about them. Ask about their life or what they did for a living.
âYou know, I had this car modified. Itâs sound proof. And bullet proof, even.â
âHm.â
The silence was strangely comfortable now. You closed your eyes and leaned your head back on the headrest.
âYou cold?â He asked.
âNo.â You said, your hands unconsciously pulling in his jacket tighter around your frame. âI never thanked you for giving me your jacket⊠Here. I want you to have this,â you handed him the warm thermos. The last thing you had of your sisterâs.
Somehow, you felt like everything would be okay. Just like he said it would be. He gave a grateful smile and took slow mouthfuls from the flask, as you watched the sun outline him through his window.
The trees that were scattered more sparsely before now gathered into denser bunches the farther along the road he drove. Before you knew it, you were driving into the middle of a forest thick with pine trees. The car rocked left and right underneath you as the ground grew wilder. At some point, all directions started looking identical.
Eventually, the car slowed into a stop and he cut the engine. You were surrounded by nothing but trees, in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. âGet out,â Johnny said, not looking your way.
The silent bubble you were in was broken by a rush of cold wind when he opened his own door, stepping out. Following him out into the forest, the smell of pine twined with the cold air seeped into your lungs. The silence was only broken by the sound of Johnnyâs and your shoes against the vegetation.
Your body felt so heavy with sleep, it only exaggerated your dream-like state of mind. The orange light of the sunset warmed you to your core. You were the calmest youâve been in a very long time, as you followed him deeper and deeper into the forest.
âWhere are we?â Your own voice sounded jarring against the silence.
âJaehyun likes it here. Itâs quiet, and there are no eyes around. Iâm just making a guess that they made a stop here.â
The trees parted and the sea revealed itself for the first time. It had been years since you were this close to it, and the air coming through over the water felt nice on your face.
Johnny had stopped walking ahead of you, and you were now the one in the lead. You stopped as soon as you got to the edge of the water, staring down at the crimson ripples.
There was a trail in the sand that looked awfully a lot like something heavy had been dragged away, back towards the thick of the trees.
âWhy are we here, Johnny?â
Johnnyâs arms reached around from behind you, slowly, wrapping you into a snake-like embrace, his broad hands curling around your frame. His movement was tentative, like he was giving you a chance to pull away.
It was quiet for a while before either of you said anything.
âBack when we were playing that game,â he repeated, before stopping to recollect his thoughts, and starting again, âlook, I know I havenât known you for long. But this whole time, I was watching you, you know.â
âItâs just⊠Something about you seems off,â he continued, âYouâre scared of everything. And thereâs the way you walk all folded into yourself⊠I wasnât sure at first. I thought maybe you were just having a bad day. Then I thought maybe that guy Mark was bothering you or something. Until you flinched at me like I was gonna hurt you.â
For the first time, nerves were evident in his voice, âlike⊠I donât know, like thatâs something youâre used to. Like youâre in trouble⊠Or youâre trying to hide from it.â He paused to take a shaky breath, his words dripping with uncertainty, his voice odd. Just like Markâs had been.
âYou seemed like youâve been trying to say something these past couple of days. No one is around here right now, you can talk to me. Whatever is going on with you, I think I can help.â
You kept your eyes ahead of you, watching the sea. There was nothing you could say or do now. You understood now that last yearâs events had their claws on you too deep to shake off. You were a haunted house.
Like how he had been holding you back at the corridor, his embrace lingered. But this time, he let it linger indefinitely. It was comfortable.
You donât know how long the two of you just stood there in silence. Over time, his grip loosened just a little but kept hold. Then it loosened more, until it completely slipped away from you. There was a loud thud behind you when he hit the ground, but you didnât turn around. Caught on watching the crimson ripples for a moment longer.
You still had twelve hours.
That would be enough.
When you finally turned around to face his slumped body, your eyes didnât go up to scan the forest. Instead, you trained all of your focus on Johnny, because you knew everything counted on these next coming moments. Because you couldnât let things end like they did last time.
Getting down on your knees, you pushed his heavy body until he was flat on his back. Then you put your hands around his neck and squeezed.
You knew how hard you needed to do it to cut off someoneâs air supply. How long you needed to keep it cut off until it was too late. So you knew your limits perfectly well, and how to do it just enough to be convincing. Just enough not to really hurt him.
And when your hands finally withdrew from his neck, you stayed perfectly frozen in place, not moving a muscle or making a sound until you could make sure that he was drawing the shallowest of breaths again.
Finally, your hands roamed his pockets until you found his car key. Your grip wrapped around it tightly.
A rustle and the crunching of leaves told you that your spectator had finally come out of hiding. The crunching stopped as your sister walked onto the sand of the small beach. She was scanning your face carefully. In her hand, a long metallic baseball bat.
âI almost thought you wouldnât be able to do it.â She said, proud.
âYou told me I would develop a taste for it sooner or later.â
âAnd I guess I was right, huh,â she teased, nothing different from the usual way she spoke. She didnât let go of the baseball bat as she raced towards you and drew you into a big hug. âIâm so proud of you. I canât believe itâs finally happening! Weâll be so good together!â
Your body tensed up, and she withdrew to look at your face. âSomething wrong?â
âNo! No. Iâm just⊠tired.â You pulled her back into the hug, spinning your bodies ever so subtly. Shifting her view away from Johnny.
âYouâre acting weird. Are you mad at me?â She said.
âWhy would I be mad at you?â
âYou could barely stand looking at me after last time.â
You mustered up everything in you to stop your voice from wavering. âBecause it was my first time ever seeing anything like that. There was⊠so much blood. There was so much blood on you, I would see it again in my mind every time I looked at you.â
She drew away from you again to give you an understanding look, before saying âWell, now you can do things your own way. No blood. Right?â
âRight.â
âWeâre in this together, right?â She beamed at you. You nodded in a silent reply.
âYouâre avoiding my eyes again,â her face dropped into a cold stare almost instantly.
âIâm not⊠I told you, Iâm just tired. I wanna go home.â
âI know I promised we wouldnât do anything this time⊠But you know I canât keep doing this alone. It just doesnât feel the same. Weâve always done everything else together, and I wanted you to finally accept this side of me.
"You accept it now, donât you? You just did it, too. You just killed someone! Weâre the same now,â her eyes were shining as she kept filling the silence. âHow did it feel?â
âIt felt⊠It- it felt,â you stuttered, âI was the most scared Iâve ever been in my life. I want to go home now. Please?â You felt the urge to throw up, which you held down by swallowing your bitter saliva repeatedly.
Thoughts of Jaehyun and Mark weighed heavy on your mind, and thoughts of what she would do if she noticed Johnnyâs shallow breaths made your body start shaking out of your control.
âWow, youâre really taking this hard. Shhh,â she held you to her side, supporting you back into the woods, âitâs okay. Itâs okayâŠâ
âIs Jaehyun here? Is he somewhere in this forest?â
âHe is.â Her reply was curt.
âAnd Mark?â
âPoor babyâŠâ she cooed like she was talking about a wounded puppy, âhe followed me right out into the storm. So eager to help. After I was done with him, he had to spend the night out in the rain. I had to lay his body in the bathtub the morning after, early enough while you were all sleeping.â
âOh.â Bathtub⊠BathtubâŠ
You left her with him. Why did you leave?
âAnyway, weâll need to actually go get a battery now. I donât think the one I took out is usable anymore.â
âHm.â
âWhich car do you wanna take back? I got Jaehyunâs keys. Itâs a pretty nice car. He had good taste in music, too.â
Had⊠You were the one who agreed to stay at the rest stop.
And it cost two people their lives.Â
Your step faltered. âJohnnyâs.â
She side-eyed you, âyouâre talkative. Okay then, lead the way.â
It felt as though your blood had entirely escaped your body by the time you were back by the car. The keys were clutched so tightly in your hand that you wouldnât have been surprised if they drew blood. You doubted that you wouldâve felt it right now.
âCan I drive?â You asked.
âOoh. Are you sure?â
âI think so.â
She gave you a proud look once again, and she threw the baseball bat into the car before she finally got into the passenger seat. You, on the other hand, had been pretending to circle around to the driverâs side after having used the remote control key to activate the locks. Ten more seconds before deadlock would be activated.
Nine⊠You walked as slowly as you could, but not slow enough to draw any suspicion.
Eight⊠What would happen to her if you turned her in?
Seven⊠What would happen to Johnny if you didnât? And every other person after?
Six⊠She said she wanted you two to be together. You would be. You were just as guilty.
Five⊠You were positive that these were the longest ten seconds of your life. Everything seemed to move in slow motion.
Four⊠Your eyes betrayed you as they stole a worried glance at her.
Three⊠She held your eyes for a moment, before you watched a slow change in her expression.
Two⊠Her eyes went wide, realization dawning on her face. She lunged at the door, andâ
One.
You couldnât hear her screams as she thrashed at the door handle, shouting something at you. Then, all at once, she stopped. There was a crazed expression on her face as she pulled out her baseball bat. She waved at you before pointing at it, giving you a wild smile.
Your heart sank. Your knees weakened under you and made you slump to the ground like a rag doll, using your arms to brace yourself against the soil of the forest.
It was over.
You had ruined everything.
Of course it wouldnât have worked.
You betrayed her.
What were you thinking?
She swung the bat at the window by the passengerâs seat, and you couldnât do anything but watch in stunned silence as she bounced right against the glass. Coming back for a more charged swing than the one before it, she bounced back as harshly as she had swung.
And then you remembered why you couldnât hear her screams one bit from out here. Johnny had modified the car. It was soundproof. Bulletproof.
You scampered away from the car, your legs still refusing to carry you. She wasnât giving up, baseball bat bouncing off the glass over and over again. When she finally stopped, staring into your eyes like an animal whose leg got caught in a bear trap, your heart hammered so loudly that it was all you could hear.
Please, she mouthed at you.
She was bargaining.
You werenât sure which stage weighed heavier on you, this or the anger from earlier. She dropped the bat and splayed both of her hands against the glass.
Her eyes were so wide, so scared, that you had to fight the urge to run back to her and unlock the door. She was all you had. Your sister, your best friend. You only had each other.
But you knew that more than anything you could give her, she needed help. And you needed help. If you went on living like this for any longer, you were sure you would only lose your mind more and more. That was if you hadnât already lost it.
You took a deep breath and looked her squarely in the eyes, then you shook your head no.
Her face broke down into a silent sob as she slapped her hands at the unmoving glass. Crying for the freedom she knew she had just lost. Grieving for it.
Then you were reminded that the stages of grief werenât always linear. Because just as quickly, she was back to anger, and your hand went up over your mouth as you watched her bang her head against the glass.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Maybe she was hoping you would let her out before she hurt herself too much. And then it dawned on you that this wasnât anger. This was really just her final bargain.
You couldnât do anything but sob quietly to yourself as you watched your sister. Before long, she grew sloppier and swayed against the glass until she finally gave out and collapsed.
Turning away, you walked back to where you had left Johnny, and followed the trail you had spotted earlier in the sand. Where it looked like someone had been dragged away.
Surely enough, Jaehyun was at the end of that trail, propped up under one of the thicker trees. His face was pale and peaceful, his back leaning against the tree as though he were sleeping. Your movements stuttered as you approached him.
Getting a grip on either side of his face, you pulled him forward. One look at the back of his head was enough to tell you that it was too late for him. You cried for the lives ruined and lost because of one reckless decision.
The more your adrenaline tapered off, the more your muscles reminded you of how sore you were, and the more the hammering of your headache increased. What now?
Call the police? None of you had your phones.
Drive back to the rest stop and do it from there? Your sister had the keys to Jaehyunâs car. The thought of unlocking the car and attempting to get the keys from her unconscious body spiked a horrible fear in you that you couldnât possibly face right now.
Getting on your knees next to Johnny, you lied down on the sand and watched him as he slept.
You wondered if his neck would bruise, and whether he would be as sore as you were when he woke up.
You wondered how many hours were left until the sedative from the flask weakened in his system.
You wondered what he would do when he finally woke up.
You wondered about what kind of person he was, and whether he would still help you after he found out how much trouble you were really in.
When you noticed the first signs of his understanding, you were nothing short of terrified. The past year felt incredibly lonely. But the thought of someone finding out about the burden you carried was frightening.
You had never taken a life, but you were there when your sister didâand you were too damaged to say anything about it. All you had in you to do was shut yourself away from the world and live the life of someone who had died a year ago.
And as you wondered many things, your eyelids grew heavy. From here, it almost looked like Johnny was floating on the surface of the crimson sea. So you watched him and watched him until you couldnât anymore.
copyright 2022 - 2025 © pearl-neo all rights reserved.
This work is fictional and for entertainment purposes only, but is licensed and protected under a creative commons attribution-noncommercial-noderivatives 4.0 international license. Any instances of plagiarism will be dealt with accordingly. Do not re-post or translate without my permission.
#nct#nct 127#nct x reader#sfw#johnny suh#johnny x reader#johnny fic#nct fanfic#nct scenarios#nct imagines#nct thriller#nct horror#nct angst#johnny scenarios#johnny imagines#johnny suh angst#my first fanfic#new to tumblr
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#vivi: alphabet event#div cr chaemingly#lhc (â ăŁâ Ëâ Đ·â (â Ëâ âŁâ Ëâ  â )#messy moodboard#moodboard#random moodboard#grunge moodboard#dark moodboard#nct moodboard#haechan moodboard#retro moodboard#carrd inspo#pink moodboard#black moodboard#clean moodboard#pastel moodboard#white moodboard#twitter headers#horror moodboard#fatal frame#coquette moodboard#gif#nct dream#nct u#nct 127#wayv#emo moodboard#lq moodboard#unfiltered moodboard#dreamcore
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#đȘŠ#archive moodboard#messy moodboard#haechan moodboard#haechan#symbols#1950s#canibalism#vampire#dark moodboard#american horror story#nct dream#kpop moodboard#fakeland
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Hunter (M) - Prey Sequel
this is the sequel to my story prey (m) if you havenât read that please stop and go read that one first before continuing. for those who have, thanks for taking a look at the sequel! i truly hope you enjoy this wicked little story. this is of course like the other one going to jump back and forth between time frames so please be aware of that. once again, i hope you enjoy and i hope to see you in my future stories đ
Word Count: approx. 26.7k
Paining: fem reader x jaemin feat. jeno and haechan
Warning(s): time jumping (past and present will be divided by a header donât worry), mature audiences only, explicit language, crime drama, crime solving, psychological thriller, house fire, very slow burn, storytelling, m*rder, spouts of anger (ch*king), sex, smut, abusive relationship, a long ass story ^^
Disclaimer: though it doesn't need to be said, this is just a story. i do not know any of the parties involved, don't take this sh*t seriously. also, as i am not one familiar with crime/court proceedings/durations of time involving solving a crime/police business some of this information (if this is your job) will be wrong. i tried my best with the dozens of crime dramas i watch XP
Preview:
âDepends on what you tell me here.â
âDo they really think that I would do something as deliberate as to set my home on fire with my child and I barely escaping it unscathed?! What kind of lunacy are they snorting down at your precinct?!â
âI know you would do anything to protect your kid. We all know that but my boss doesn't. So I need you to tell me EVERYTHING. The events leading up to the fire and what happened afterwards. I need to know it all and DO NOT leave anything out.â
Gulping your head slowly turns to Haechan. âExactly how much of everything do you need to know?â
Holding up his work phone he shows you the voice recording app. Turning your head away he says, âeverything.âÂ
â †â ⣠â âĄ
Staring blankly ahead of you not even bothered by the flashing red and blue lights you watch as men and women bolt towards a fiery beast. This couldnât beâŠthis wasnât supposed to happen. And yet it wasâŠ
One by one they line up and spray water on this creature trying to tame it â an opening is created and another group rushes inside their silhouettes getting lost in the smoke that pours out of every opening. They were looking for any survivors, or rather one survivor.
Glued tightly in your arms your sonsâ whales bring you back to him. Your white button down shirt soaked through from his tears. Wrapping him tighter in your arms you shield him away from the unfortunate event befalling your family. His face buried in your chest he repeats âmommyâŠmommyâŠmommyâŠâ
If it wasnât from the shock of everything you know tears would cascade down your cheeks uncontrollably as are his. Nothing went the way it should have today... There shouldn't have been an accident ⊠this wasnât supposed to happenâŠÂ
The brave souls who tried to tame the beast run away coughing and falling to the ground. Their teammates rush to pull them away before theyâre snatched by the beastsâ flames. Inside was far too hot for anyone to withstand for long periods of time. A man giving orders tries to get his team to spray water straight ahead to allow yet another team to enter, but just as a new round of men and women prepare to go inside another massive explosion sends those closest flying back and all others to duck.
Your sonsâ cries become louder. Turning away tears finally fall onto the top of your son's head. Your home, the place youâve lived together with your child for the past seven years, gone. All the memories of his first momentsâŠdestroyed.Â
âMaâam⊠Maâam!!!â A voice says next to you. âMAâAM!!!!!â They scream startling you. A woman dressed in a paramedics uniform holds her hands out in front of you. âMaâam, Iâm sorry that I startled you but I need to check you and your son for injuries.â She says calmly.
âW-We-Weâre fineâŠâ you say but your voice cracks.
âI need to make sure, please,â she gestures to an ambulance that sits a few feet away from where youâre standing.
Looking down at your son, you see a few scratches on his cheek. âO-OkayâŠâ
Leading you away from the firefighters who are desperately trying to get the raging fire under control, you and your son are placed inside the ambulance while two paramedics look both of you over for any type of injury. Your mind drifts away from what the female paramedic is doing, eyes laser focused on the entrance to your home. Your jaw tightens as bile threatens to erupt from within you. You jackassâŠwhy did you let this happen?!
âMaâam,â the female paramedic calls you to attention. âYou have a pretty nasty burn on your arm. I donât think itâs severe but you should still get it looked at.â
Glancing down at your fiery skin you turn to where your son is being fully examined inside of the ambulance. âAnd my son?âÂ
âHeâs alright maâam,â the other paramedic smiles happily. âIsnât that right buddy?â He asks your son who doesnât speak.
âIâm sorry,â your voice comes out weak and tired. âHeâs a little shy around strangers.â
âThereâs no need to apologize. What the two of you went through â â the male paramedic stops speaking, his head lowering to the floor of the ambulance.
âMy daddyâŠWhereâs my daddy?â
You freeze at the word daddy. Turning to the paramedics they both give each other unreadable looks.
âUmmm, weâll go and find out right now. Donât worry little man,â the male paramedic says before hoping out of the ambulance. âWeâll be right back.â He nods down at you.
Watching them like a hawk they walk over to who you assume is the fire chief. He at first waves them off aggressively. His eyes cold as ice. He appeared to not want to be bothered as he focuses on keeping his team safe. The paramedics, however, donât leave. Instead the male paramedic steps forward whispering something in the fire chiefsâ ears. Immediately, his head turns to you. The coldness in his eyes vanishes the moment his fall to yours. Instead his eyes show sadness or pity â you canât quite tell at this distance. Turning back rather rigidly he says something before waving the paramedics off. Moments later both of the paramedics start their trek back to you and your son, but as they get closer there is an eeriness surrounding them.
âThe fire chief said heâll be over to talk to you personally in just a minute. Theyâre still trying to get everything under control. Also, there were a few firefighters inside when the explosion happened so ââ the female paramedic starts.Â
âTh-There are people inside?!â You interject.Â
âDonât worry maâam, he said that they are the best of the best. Theyâre okay and looking for a safe way out. So itâs best to focus on yourself and your son right now, okay?â
âWhen will they get out? They need to get out before another explosion happens! Good lord!!!â You start crying uncontrollably. âHow in the world did this happen?â
âMomâŠmyâŠâ your son whispers beside you before clambering in your arms again, âdonât worry⊠daddy will be okayâŠâ he tries to soothe you but your tears come out faster than before.
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Standing before you gleaming from ear to ear is the man who has single-handedly fucked up your entire world. His brown hair slicked back, eyes sparkling with promise and unfortunately, admiration â he wears a black suit jacket, white button shirt, black tie and black trousers. You, a white wedding dressâŠ
How did this happen? How could your life get twist turned upside down like this? Just a year ago you were in your own apartment climbing up the corporate ladder and now youâre about to getâŠ
âDo you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?â The judge asks you.
Lawfully, the small sliver of who you once were snickers at the word. If only the judge before you knew what hell youâve been through. If she knew what this piece of shit did she would arrest him on the spot and open up a whole investigation!Â
Taking in a deep inhale, you close your eyes savoring the last moments of your freedom.
If only she knew⊠if only you could tell her, to give her a hint that the union she was about to officiate is a fraud, but you canâtâŠ
Gripping your hands tightly the man youâre supposed to be in love with smiles his repulsive cheshire-like smile as he awaits to hear those faithful words âI do.â Exhaling once more you do whatâs best for you and your child that is currently kicking up a storm inside of you. Either telling you to marry the ass hat in front of you or trying to knock some sense into you and blurt out what you desperately want to say to everyone around.Â
âI do.â You speak but your voice is broken and flat.Â
You fall prey to the pressure of what would happen if you did reveal everything. The twisted web of lies this snake may whisper to others â it was too much of a risk. You canât risk anything, not in your current state.Â
âWell, if there are no objections,â the judge pauses for a second.
Objections? Why would there be any objections? This fox waited for the perfect opportunity to have this sham of a wedding. Your parents who are currently in a luxurious cabin in their mountain getaway for the next four days â that was so lovingly paid for by the demon in front of you. This little trip is sadly your own dumbass fault. You foolishly let it slip one night that your parents like to travel and remember why they decided to spend the rest of their lives together â away from you, away from distractions, where they can be with each other and remember all the years filled with memories. And of course, the devil used this information against youâŠ
âNo objections here!â Your mom shouts a glass of wine in hand via zoom call.
Glancing to the people around you, a group of men whom youâve never seen before, your actual witnesses to this horrible union â all eyes are bright and happy for the two of you, all except one. Their eyes pierce through your soul as if they can read every thought, every movement of your body. Quickly, before he notices something he shouldnât, you avert your eyes and focus instead on the hem of your dress as the judge looks around and gives everyone a chance to speak up.
âWell, if there are no objections, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!â
As if you were in some twisted romance movie, Jaemin eagerly leans in. His hands cupping your cheeks ever so gently, he places his lips against yours. His lips are glossy and soft while your painted red lips are stiff as a board. Like hell you were going to kiss him! You played your part. You werenât going to give him anything more than the bare minimum. But that didnât stop him at all. His one hand, closest to the judge, drops to your waist as he pulls you to him. The room erupts with cheers and applause from his guests and your parents. Tears prickle at your waterline, the last hope of freedom leaving you as your tears fall to the floor.Â
âCongratulations!â Your parents shout.
Putting on your mask you smile gleefully at the screen. âThank you mom and dad,â your lips quiver for a second. âS-Sorry you couldnât be here.â
âWe are too!â Your mom wipes her eyes. âWe need to get together the moment weâre back in town.â
âOf course! A celebratory dinner,â Jaemin wraps his arm around your waist. âPlus, I know my beloved wife will want to talk to her mom about the nursery.â
âAhhh!!! I canât wait to get back! Weâll go shopping and help you two set everything up, wonât we honey?â She turns to your dad.
âOf course! Cheers my boy! May nothing but blessings fall upon you both.â
âThank you, sir.â
Your parents end the zoom call by stating theyâll call later but to enjoy the rest of the day and have fun. As your parents say their goodbyes, Jaemin's guests swarm the two of you.Â
âDude! You did it!â
âDidnât think youâd be the one to marry first but congrats!âÂ
âHow does your mom feel about this one?â Another glances at you. âOn second thought, fuckâem, youâre gorgeous!â He swoops down giving you a hug. âWelcome to the family!âÂ
âHey! Hands off my wife,â Jaemin jokes.
âHands off his wife and future baby,â a soft voice catches your attention. âItâs a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Jeno.â
âBaby!â Jaemin wraps his arm around Jenoâs shoulders, a huge smile on his face, the same smile that captivated you when you first saw it. âThis is my best friend, Jeno! Jeno, this is my beautiful wife! Told you she was gorgeous!â
Nodding and smiling Jeno keeps his lips pressed together tightly before speaking. âYou did, you did.â
âCome on! We need to celebrate!â Getting behind you a shorter and rather petite young man smiles sweetly. âIâm Renjun, itâs a pleasure to meet you. Now, I know this is going to seem weird but I need to put this blindfold on you.â
âN-No!!!â You squeak and try to move away but strong arms keep you from going anywhere.
âItâs okay.â Jeno chuckles. âJust a small, very small party we put together to surprise you guys. I promise nothing will happen. See,â he gestures with his chin towards Jaemin who is already blindfolded. âEverythingâs fine. I promise.â
As you look into Jenoâs eyes your rapidly beating heart starts to calm down. Thereâs something about his gaze that makes it seem like itâs okay to believe him. That itâs okay to put your faith and trust in him. Then again, you fell for that trap before too.
âI can put it on myself.â You state bluntly.
âIndependent woman, I like her already. Hey toots! The names Haechan! How this guy ended up with a beauty like you is beyond me, but once youâre done with him come and find me!â He winks.
âReally, Haechan? They just got married!â Shoving him aside a rather nervous yet charming man reaches out his hand. âIâm Mark.â
Shaking his hand you then slide the blindfold over your eyes. Hands grip your shoulders as a soft and soothing voice fills your head.Â
âThe rest of the introductions will have to wait, but if youâll just keep your hand in mine Iâll safely lead you out to the car.â Jeno whispers.Â
âWhy exactly do we need the blindfolds again? Isnât the party at our house?â Jaemin chuckles.
âWho said it was at your house?â Haechanâs voice booms next to you. âRenjun, Mark, get Chatty Cathy out of here. Jeno and I will handle his beloved bride.â
âPrincess!!! Donât worry youâre in safe hands!â Jaemin shouts his voice getting farther away as he continues to speak. âHaechan donât you dare touch her or this nice judge will have to charge me for murder!â
Giggling behind you the judge speaks up. âHave a wonderful day you two and congratulations!!! But please, no murdering anyone!!!!â
Strong hands intertwine with yours, their hand warm and comforting. âOkay, start walking forward.â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Through a crowd of first responders you hear your name. Turning to the voice you see Jeno thrashing his way through trying to get to you and your son.
"Jeno..." you whisper. "JE-JENO!!!!" You scream for him to find where you are.
âWill you move?!" He shouts at a few firefighters. "I know the people of this home! Move!!!" With one final shove he bursts through the barricade they tried to make and sprints to you. Engulfing you in his arms he holds you tightly. âAre you okay? When I saw the news I came right away.â Pulling back just enough to inspect you, he cups your face in his hands. âWhat the hell happened? Did you get hurt? What did they say?" He checks your face for any injuries.
"Jeno,â you start sniffling. âI donât⊠I donât know what happened. It justâŠit justâŠâ
Pulling you back to him he holds you in his arms. âDonât worry, everything's going to be okay now. Is everyone safe?âÂ
Nodding you step aside so he has a view of his nephew who is still sitting inside of the ambulance. âLittle man!"Â He shouts, grabbing your sonsâ attention.Â
âUncle Jeno,â he starts to cry again.Â
âHey Buddy!â He scoops him up into his arms. Your sonâs tears keep pouring down his cheeks just as yours start up again. âThereâŠthereâŠeverything's going to be okay."
"Da-Daddy..." he mumbles through his tears. "Daddy was..." he cries more.
Turning slowly to you Jenoâs eyes widen with shock. "Where is Jaemin?"
Covering your mouth you shake your head. "He-He...HeâŠâ you canât bring yourself to utter the words.Â
Everything happened so fast. One second the three of you were in the kitchen the next youâre outside with your son taking cover before the house went up in flames. It just doesnât make any senseâŠ
âWhereâŠis Jaemin?â Jeno asks again.
âHe was still inside when the house went up in flames,â you start choking on your tears.
"Mommy got hurt," your son points to your arm. "She saved me!"
Staring down at your arm, Jenoâs grip on your son tightens. "Of course she would," he smiles at him. "She would do anything to make sure you're safe."
"Is that so?" A gruff voice pulls everyoneâs attention. "Would you do anything?"
Immediately getting in front of you, Jeno blocks you from this stranger's view. "Who are you?!" He demands.
"I believe I'm the one who should be asking all the questions. I'm the one who will be overseeing this investigation."
"Investigation..." Jeno mumbles. "Wait, this is just a house fire, shouldn't the fire chief be in charge?"
"It would have just been a house fire but now we're investigating a possible homicide."
"HOMICIDE?!" You and Jeno shout.
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Your hand grazes over the pictures that were taken from your wedding reception. The smiling faces of Jaemin's friends who have strangely become quite important people in your life since that day. Renjun and Haechan bickering after Haechan shoved some of your wedding cake on his face. A slight smile tugs at the corner of your mouth at the hilarious memory. Those two are like Tom and Jerry, constantly doing things to piss the other off but at the end of the day would feel incomplete if the other werenât around.Â
Then, there is Mark, Chenle, and Jisung smiling sweetly for the camera, but the best part of the picture are Chenle's fingers behind Mark and Jisung's heads while he smiles extra bright for the picture. The little sneak thinking that he would get away with giving them bunny ears â he would have too if Jaemin hadnât sent everyone copies of the pictures.Â
When the guys came over for a meal thatâs when the arguing began between those three ensued, thank goodness when you brought out the food they forgot what they were fighting about â making the rest of the evening quite pleasant.Â
Finally, your hand stops at a picture of yourself, Jaemin and Jeno. This one being your husband's favorite picture⊠You can hear his voice ringing in your ears when he printed out the picture,
'My two favorite people in the world... We should frame this one, don't you think?'
After the fake wedding and reception and when all his friends left to go back to their homes the mask you were wearing shattered. You didnât have to pretend anymore to be happy about what was supposed to be the best day of your life. You could let your sorrow show and make sure the man that has single handedly ruined your life know exactly how you felt. Which meant going back to avoiding him every chance you got. There was no talking, no listening, and no doing anything that he requested you to do. The only thing you did was sit on the window seat staring out at the world that is no longer your oyster. This wasn't a marriage, this was a life sentence.
Slamming the album closed you place it back on the bookshelf next to all the other fake memories he's created to fit his twisted fantasy. The only memories that are real are the moments with your son. Everything surrounding the child you fortunately, yet unfortunately share with him are the realist moments between the two of you.
Opening up the album specified for your first pregnancy, you stare at a picture of the two of you from your first doctor's appointment, the memory playing out in front of you as if you were watching a movie. Jaemin couldnât stop fidgeting despite the fact he knew you were pregnant before the doctor confirmed it. Whether his fidgety behavior was due to the anticipation of you blurting out that youâre being held against your will, or because he was truly excited to hear if your symptoms were in fact true that the two of you would become parents â you still donât know to this day, but shockingly his behavior must have been normal for first time dadâs because it sure didnât flag as unusual to the doctor or nurse.Â
Turning the page you push down the memory of wanting to shout to the doctor, to the people in the waiting room that you were a victim of the man sitting next to you. Deep down you were desperately screaming for help, for someone to call the cops but from the moment he approached you at the last gate and told you that you were pregnant you lost the will to fight. The only will you have left in you is to make sure that your son has a happy life and knows NOTHING of what befell you.Â
Looking down at the next picture you gently giggle at your first ultrasound photo. That day Jaemin said your son looked like a little lima bean. Strangely, it was a sweet moment. His eyes were glued to the monitor as a trickle of sweat dripped down the side of his face. He was always nervous when it came to your checkups. It was as if he was waiting for someone to pull the rug from underneath him. But the moment the nurse found the tiny little bean shaped baby growing inside of you, his shoulders slumped down and his body relaxed.Â
He earnestly asked if you guys can have a photo and turned to you smiling brightly. As if this picture would cure all diseases, as if the child inside of you would solve all the worldâs problems â he grabbed your hand gently, pulling it up to his lips where he gave your knuckles a kiss.
âThank you.â He whispered.Â
âFor what?â You asked.Â
âThank you for making me a father. I swear I will do everything in my power to ensure that you and our baby are safe. I promise.âÂ
And you knew he meant every wordâŠ
After your sonâs first ultrasound there are plenty of photos of your growing belly. Jaemin becoming quite thrilled watching the growth of you and your son. At first it was a little weird to you. You didnât like seeing how big your stomach was getting and the small stretch marks that started to appear, despite rubbing cocoa butter on your stomach every day. But Jaemin being Jaemin reassured you every dayâŠ
âPrincess, youâre not fat, okay? You look amazing!â He says holding up the camera.Â
âI told you I donât want to take any more pictures.â
âDonât you want our son to see these when heâs older? To know that he has the best mother in the world?! To know that she took the best care of herself as well as him?â
âYeah, like a picture is going to show all of that,â you roll your eyes.Â
âPlease, just one more?â
âFine. Take it.â
In hindsight these pictures are some of the ones you treasure the most. Knowing the best gift you could ever receive in your life was with you â growing with you day by day, both of you getting stronger helped to heal some of the wounds youâve suffered.Â
But nothing will ever top the moment that both Jaemin and yourself saw your sonâs face for the first time with the three-dimensional imaging. This was the moment where you knew everything was real! That this was happening! That you were about to be a mom! And Jaemin's words after seeing your son's face for the first time darn near broke you...
'You did it,' he whispers next to you. 'Look at him... he's gorgeous... great job, mom.'
Those words of validation for some strange reason had your heart and mind playing games with you. The Jaemin you first met was in that room with you, looking at the beautiful life you both created, together. His eyes glistening with tears despite his lips trying to hold back the proudest smile the world has ever seen. At that moment, you had the Na Jaemin back...
But those moments didn't last. The moment you left your appointment realization came crashing down. This isn't real. These moments are fabricated to fit one person's psychotic fantasy. Even the child that grows within you was not created out of love, but out of survival. Those weeks where you submitted to him while you painstakingly planned your escape, only for this gift and curse to keep you tethered to him.
"You know it doesn't have to be this way, right?" An all too familiar voice whispers behind you. "We can make this work between us. For the baby at the very least," his arms wrap around your waist pulling you to his chest.Â
The numbing sensation youâve grown accustomed to starts to slither up your body. It starts from your toes to your ankles, sinking deeper and deeper into your flesh. These past couple of months since the wedding youâve learned a new skill â how to completely shut down any and all feelings. Letting whoever has control do whatever they please.Â
"I've asked for your forgiveness so many times. I've been on my hands and knees for you. I've bowed my head on the ground before you. Yet you haven't forgiven me..."
But just like the venomous beast he is, Jaemin finds a crack in this new skill of yours. Bursting through like a bull he shatters everything before facing the one emotion that is always below the surface, rage.Â
"Do you really think you deserve forgiveness, Jaemin? What if the roles were reversed? What if I bowed my head to you? If I begged and pleaded for you to forgive me after kidnapping you and gas lighting everyone in your life for my own fucked up fantasy, would you forgive me? Would you forgive me if I had forcefully rode your dick to kingdom come until I ended up pregnant further linking us together? Knowing full well no matter where you go in this world there will always be a part of me attached to you!! Would you still forgive me?!" You shout, your eyes and fists clenching.
Squeezing you tighter in his embrace, his forehead falls to the top of your head. "No.â He whispers.Â
Startled, your body freezes up. Did he⊠wait, he didnât just say, âno?â You ask.
âNo. I wouldnât be able to forgive you. Iâm not going to pretend that I would. I wonât and I canât lie to you like that. What I did was,â he pauses sighing, once again his arms wrapping tighter around you. âIs, wrong. The past few months since youâve started to ignore my existence Iâve done a lot of thinking.
âI was scared that you were going to leave me. I was scared that the one source of happiness I found on this earth was going to disappear. Logically, I know if it was meant to be we could have made it work, but I had never fallen so fast and hard for someone in my life. In fact, Iâve tried to avoid falling in love completely.
âI can say that it was because of my parents, I can say that itâs because of crappy exes who didnât care about me but about the money my family has, but thatâs not the complete truth. When I lost my grandmother a piece of me broke that day. She was the only person who saw me. She was the only person to look me in my eyes and see Jaemin, not Na Jaemin, the son of a multimillionaire, the one to take over the company one day.
âShe just saw me, her grandson. When you came into my life and we started talking, it was like I was seen,â he sniffles. âSomeone was finally looking at me for me.â
âAnd youâre telling me your friends donât see you for you?â
âThey see me as the kid whoâs from a rich family. Plus, itâs not like they arenât from well off families either.â
âYouâve doubted their loyalty?â
âNever.â
âThen you trust them and accept that they see you for you.â
âOnly one person.â
âJeno?â You inquire.
Nodding he nuzzles his face in the crook of your neck, his arms loosening for his hands to rest on your round belly. âPleaseâŠtell me what I can do. Tell me what I can do to start over. To show you the kind of man I truly amâŠplease..."
"Confess."
His body stiffens behind you. His heart pounding against your back. Closing your eyes you wait for any type of reaction from him. Whether it be anger, tears, or worseâŠ
âConfess?â He asks, but his voice sounds distant.
âYes. Confess all of your crimes towards me.â
Instead of answering you, he wraps his arms around you, pulling you flush against him. His breath hot on your neck, you pray that he wonât do anything drastic. âIâŠI need helpâŠâ He chokes back a few tears. âPlease, I need help⊠donât make me⊠Iâm sorryâŠâ
âYou need more than help, Jaemin. You kidnapped me, locked me in that room, and had me play that fucked up game for lord knows how long! You need to pay for your crimes!â
Jaemin buries his face into the crook of your neck. âArenât I paying for them already? You donât talk to me. You wonât even look at me! You barely let me touch you. The only time you show an ounce of your true self is when weâre at your doctor's appointments. Thatâs itâŠâ
âAnd how exactly am I supposed to act? Do you want me to put on a mask and pretend like Iâm happy that my life was uprooted? That I barely get to see my family, oh, and the only time I do is when Iâm around you? Come on, JaeminâŠâ
âFineâŠâ he sniffs and tears himself away from you. âJust⊠just let me at least be here when the baby is born, okay? After thatâŠâ he takes a deep yet shaky inhale. âIâll confess to everything, okay? Iâll turn myself in.â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
âThere we go, all better!â The nurse says as she finishes bandaging your right forearm. âNow, youâre going to need to avoid getting your arm wet for a while until it heals properly,â she starts.
âHow long exactly?â You inquire.
âWell weâll schedule you for an appointment in about a week at the wound center. There is a hospital across the river that specializes in the treatment of wounds and Dr. Andrews, the one who came in and initially inspected your arm,â you nod. âWell, heâs the head doctor there so he will be checking on your healing progress. He said that youâre very lucky and itâs not a serious burn, but to be safe for the next seven days if you can avoid getting water on your arm it would be for the best.â
âWh-What about bathing? And my son, I need to give him baths!â
âI wouldnât mind volunteering,â a snarky voice startles both you and the nurse. âThat is if you donât mind disrobing in front of me.â
Exhaling deeply you let out a loud groan. âWhat are you doing here, Haechan?â
âJeno called us,â he steps forward. âNow, now, donât look so miserable. Youâll break my heart.â
âHe called you and you decided to sprint over here? How nice of you.â You spat.
âLook, I was just joking about the bathing thing. My sister can help you with that if you want,â he shoves his hands in his pocket shrugging. âAs for the little guy, arenât you staying with Jeno?â
âYesâŠâ
âWell, there you go. Plus, the little dude is like what 10? He can handle a bath by himself.â
âHeâs six and a half,â you growl.Â
âEasy now,â he smirks. âI was just playing.â
The nurse's eyes bounce between you and Haechan confused. âExactly who are you, sir?â
âIâm the guy whoâs going to be interviewing her for the homicide of Na Jaemin.âÂ
âWHAT?!â You scream.Â
âShit woman! Do you have to make my ears bleed?â
âI swear!â You look at the nurse. âI swear I didnât do anything! Haechan! You jackass! What the hell is going on?!â
âLook,â he holds up hands trying to calm you down. âWe both know you wouldnât do anything to hurt Jaemin, especially not with your son around. The problem is that they found a body in YOUR home where there was a fire and Jaemin is nowhere to be seen. Iâm not sure about the condition of the body but itâs already on its way to the coroners.Â
âTo be frank I shouldnât even be on this case since I know you, but I canât let this go to anyone else. Jaemin was my friend and when he married you, you became family to me. Until everything is resolved Iâm going to make sure you and your son are safe. So just relax, okay? Tonight Iâll come over and explain everything thatâs going to happen to you and Jeno. Call it a courtesy visit because weâre friends.â
âHaechan,â tears form at your waterline. âPlease, you have to help me⊠I didnât do anything! I swear! I could nev ââ
He hushes you with his pointer finger against your lips. âI know and I hate knowing that right now youâre the prime and only suspect.â
âBut IâŠâ
âMaâam, if this is your friend Iâm sure heâll do all that he can to help you. And if you said you had nothing to do with this incident youâll be fine. The most important thing to focus on right now is healing so you can take care of your son.â The nurse rests a reassuring hand on your shoulder.
âSheâs right. Itâll be fine and I promise I will find out what happened to Jaemin.â
âThank you, HaechanâŠâ
âOf course.â His attention goes from you to the nurse, a somber look deep in his eyes. âSo, is she able to answer a few questions now?â
âI donât see why not, but please nothing too stressful. Ever since you showed up her heart rate has acted up,â the nurse teases.Â
âI always knew you were into me,â he wiggles his brows and blows you a kiss.
âGo fuck yourself, Haechan.â
âIf you donât mind can we have a little privacy please?â
âOh, yes.â The nurse nods and leaves. âIf you need anything just press the button I gave you.â
âThank you.â
You watch the nurse leave and close the door behind her leaving you and Haechan alone. Letting out a huge breath Haechan joins you on the bed.Â
Looking out the small window in your room you ask the dreaded question. âHow bad is it?â
âDepends on what you tell me here.â
âDo they really think that I would do something as deliberate as to set my home on fire with my child and I barely escaping it unscathed?! What kind of lunacy are they snorting down at your precinct?!â
âI know you would do anything to protect your kid. We all know that but my boss doesn't. So I need you to tell me EVERYTHING. The events leading up to the fire and what happened afterwards. I need to know it all and DO NOT leave anything out.â
Gulping your head slowly turns to Haechan. âExactly how much of everything do you need to know?â
Holding up his work phone he shows you the voice recording app. Turning your head away he says, âeverything.âÂ
âThatâs a little personal donât you think?â Peeking back at him you see him press the button and know there is no way to get out of this.Â
âWhy donât we start from the beginning? Actually, none of us know this, but when did you first meet Jaemin?â
You shrug, âalmost two years before our son was born.â
âHow did you meet him?â
âI got lost while taking a back road and ended up at his grandmotherâs estate where he was staying. I had gotten hurt while trudging through the woods near her home and he allowed me to stay until I was better. He even invited my parents over so I wouldnât miss spending the holidays with them.â
Shocked, Haechan chuckles. âDamn he did all that?â
âYes it was very nice of him.â
âWhen did the two of you become official?â
âNew Yearâs Day.â
âHow long did the two of you date before getting engaged?â
Rolling your eyes you start growing irritated. âAre these questions necessary? I mean really?!â
âYes they are. We need to figure out if you had any reason to harm him.â
Turning away from Haechan you canât help but remember all those months that you were locked up in that fucked up labyrinth of a home. How Jaemin made you play that perverse game hunting you down like you were a rabbit and he the wolf. Not to mention the use of his pride and joy, NanaâŠÂ
Your head springs up. âThe dogs!!!!â You scream. âHow could I have forgotten?! What the hell is wrong with me?! Where are the dogs? Are they okay?âÂ
âThe two males seemed to have run away because they were located a few miles away in a different neighborhood. Theyâre safe and currently staying at a shelter until youâre able to care for them.â
âAnd Nana! What about her?â
Haechan shrugs, âwe donât know what happened to her. No one reported a dog that was found. Iâll check with the fire house, but as of now she may have perished in the fire.â
âSheâsâŠsheâs gone?â Tears spring to your eyes.
âIâm sorry, I know how much she meant to everyone.â
âOh, NanaâŠâ you cover your mouth as tears fall onto your hand.Â
Your lips hidden from Haechan lightly tug at the ends. Fighting back the urge to smile, you let the appearance of grief take over your body. That hellish beast will no longer haunt you! Sheâs gone! Finally out of your life for good!Â
Itâs terrible to admit that youâre ecstatic sheâs gone, but you are. She never got used to you being around. She would snap, bare her teeth, snarl, and bark at you. Not to mention all the times she purposely rushed past you making you lose your balance. The only sad part is that you will need to tell your son that his favorite dog in the whole wide world has passed away. Now that is going to be hard.
âSo,â Haechan starts the interview again. âYou were going to say how long you dated Jaemin.â
âWe dated,â you sniff, âfor about seven months and got engaged three months after I found out I was pregnant.â
âAfter your son was born, how was your marriage to Jaemin?â
âM-My marriage?â
âYes, how was it being married to Jaemin? Did the two of you fight a lot? How did you manage being a new mom and a wife?â
âI⊠u-ummm ââ
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
âOkay, Iâm going to need you to give me one more biiiigggg~ push, okay?â The doctor instructs you.
âI canât! I canât do it!â You cry out.
âPrincess you need to, okay?â Jaemin holds your hand in his. âYou can do this, you can do anything you set your mind to.â He kisses your sweat drenched forehead.
âNo! Seriously I canât!â You start to cry. âIt hurts!â
âSweetheart, just think in one more push youâll be able to hold your son in your arms. In one more push itâll all be over,â he lays his head on top of yours. âI canât imagine how much pain youâre in, but you just squeeze my hand as hard as you need to, okay?â
âOkay!!! On three Iâm going to need you to push!â The doctor says enthusiastically.
âI canât!â You now hold onto Jaeminâs hand with both of yours.
âYou can do this!â He kisses your forehead once more.
âOneâŠtwoâŠâ taking a huge breath in, you brace yourself and squeeze the living daylights out of Jaeminâs hand when the doctor says, âTHREE!!!â
âYahhhhhhh!!!â Both Jaemin and yourself shout for different reasons.Â
âWeâre almost there just a little more,â the doctor instructs.
âAhhhh câmon!!!â You growl.
âYouâve got this princess just one more push!â Jaemin winces when you squeeze his hand again.
âAHHHHHHH FUCK!!!!!!!!â You scream.
And after the longest push of your life you hear the first cry of your baby boy. Immediately your body falls back onto the hospital bed, drenched in sweat. Your chest rises and falls quickly as you desperately try to catch your breath. Peeking down at the doctor, Jaeminâs eyes widen when the doctor holds up your baby.
âPrincess! Princess!â He wraps his arm around your shoulders. âLook!â
Opening your eyes, you see the most beautiful baby in the world. Bursting into tears, Jaemin holds you close to him repeating âyou did it! You did it!â While his tears fall onto your cheeks. Â
âOkay, weâre going to cut the umbilical cord now,â the doctor informs the two of you. âSo, would you like to do the honors, dad?âÂ
Jaemin glances down at you. âC-Can I?â
âHeâs your son, go ahead.â You reach up a clammy shaky hand and place it gingerly against his cheek.
Giving your wrist a quick kiss, Jaemin rushes over shaking from top to bottom. Heâs given a pair of surgical scissors and the doctor tells him where to cut. After he is finished, they quickly take your son over to get a quick checkup, weigh in, and clean up, before he is placed in your arms.Â
Consumed by this unspeakable feeling of pure love and adoration you stare at this beautiful baby. Feeling his breathing start to match your own, you wrap your hand gently around his.Â
âYouâre so beautiful right now,â Jaemin whispers next to you.Â
Scoffing, you roll your eyes. âYeah, Iâm sure. Iâm all sweaty, my hairâs a mess and sticking to me, I must look like a mess right now⊠So, donât lie to me.â
âIâm not lying. Youâre glowing right now. And I never want to forget this sight for the rest of my life.â
Peeking up at him you gasp at the state Jaeminâs in. Eyes and nose red from the tears heâs fighting hard to hold back, but the smile on his face could make the devil himself change his ways. Itâs simply angelic. Then again, the bright ceiling light above him helps to create this angelic atmosphere around him. Bending down he rests his forehead against yours as his hand cups your cheek.
âI love you so much.â
Closing your eyes, you bite your lips before uttering, âI know, Jaemin.â
Letting out a hurt laugh he kisses your nose before pulling back. âThank you for allowing me to be here.â
âJaemin,â you whisper.
âIâll set everything up for the two of you to be taken care of for the rest of your lives.â
âJaemin.â
âIâm sure the guys will be there to help you with whatever you need so you donât have to worry ââ
âSTOP!â You raise your voice but not too loud as to wake the baby. âJust⊠stop, okay? You donât⊠you donât have to say anythingâŠâ
âA deal is a deal.â
âThis is your son! Even if Iâm not ecstatic about it, he deserves to have his father in his life and not through a plate glass window. And before you get some twisted idea that Iâve suddenly forgiven you, I just donât want to know that youâre in some jail cell counting down the days before you can see us again. I think that would make you crazier than you already are.â
âBut I thoughtâŠâ
âI will never forgive you. This is just me showing you some compassion and leniency which you DO NOT deserve. Iâm doing this for my child, but you WILL seek the help you need. The moment you stop going to therapy is the moment I change my mind and go to the police.â
âAbsolutely! I swear I wonâtâŠâ he chokes out a cry. âI wonât let you or our son down. I know you said you would never forgive me but I will do everything in my power to show you I can be a man you can rely on. Iâll become a man that will be there for you and our child.â
âThere will also be a few rule changes!â
âRuleâŠchanges?â His head tilts.
âYou will no longer accompany me when I leave the home.â
âBUT ââ he starts.
Holding up your hand you stop him. âI am not going to leave you. Not now with our son. I will also not speak a word of what happened in regards to the two of us. I will not speak a word to your friends either of the events that occurred between us and I will keep up my role as the happy dutiful wife. All I ask in return is that you trust me. I need to leave the estate at some point, Jaemin. I need to be free to visit my parents on my own. I need to be able to go to the store without having you tag along. Let me have the life of a stay at home mom, deal?â
Closing his eyes tightly, he nods his head reluctantly. âOkay. Deal.â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
The car ride to Jenoâs house is dead quiet. Your son has since fallen asleep with his head resting on your lap. The two of you are sitting in the back of Jenoâs car so your son can stretch out a little more. Across from you in the driverâs seat, Jenoâs hands grip the steering wheel tightly. Itâs weird⊠this morning you had a home, a life, belongings, dogs, and a husband â now youâre homeless with a child, no job, and your parents⊠well, you can always live with them but after everythingâŠÂ
âWhat did Haechan want to talk to you about?â Jeno whispers.
âHe wanted to know about my relationship with Jaemin.â
âWhat? Why?â
âIâm the only suspect so far,â you sigh while stroking your son's hair. âHe needed to get background information on my life with Jaemin.â
âWhat the fu ââ
âJeno!â You quickly interject.
Staring him dead straight in the eyes you look down towards your son. Instantly realizing his faux pas he gives a curt nod. âSorry, I guess Iâll have to watch my language from now on. The two of you can stay with me for as long as you need to.â
âIâm sorry that this happened, Jeno. This must be such an inconvenience.â
âYouâre not an inconvenience, youâre family!â He reaffirms.
âThank you.â
The car goes quiet again. A thickness in the air of questions yet to be asked and answers that you honestly donât want to give and canât give. Youâre still trying to wrap your head around what happened. How did the house become engulfed in such a short period of time?Â
âSo, what exactly did Haechan ask you in regards to Jaemin?â
âHe wanted to know when we started dating, how our marriage life was like. I guess just your typical background information on the prime suspect. Jeno, if anything happens to me I need you to promise me one thing. I need you to ââ
âNothing is going to happen to you!â He grips the wheel tighter. âDo you hear me? Nothing! Haechan, the guys and I will never let anything happen to you. Plus, we promised Jaemin that a long time ago.â
âWh-What?â
âWhen your son was born and after the plethora of baby pictures, I mean geez did the guy have to send every single one he ever took?â He chuckles, making you smile gently. âAnyway, after all that he called us out to have a round of drinks and said that he was the luckiest man in the world.Â
âThat he canât believe that he had you in his life. He was just so happy. He asked us to promise him that if anything were to happen to him, anything at all, that we would take care of the two of you and we all promised without any hesitation.â
âHe said that?â
âMmmhmm. But nowâŠâ Jenoâs voice grows quiet. âNow that Iâm thinking about it he was talking as if something would happen to him soon. It was strange. He was happy but at the same time he was scared.â
âHe was scared?â
âMaybe scared isnât the right wordâŠworried, perhaps?â
âWorriedâŠ?â your gaze drifts off into the dark night.Â
âYeah it was almost as if his whole world would be swept away in an instant. It was strange weâve never seen him like that before.â
âDid he ever say what was going on?â
âAhhh!! Weâre here,â Jeno states as he pulls into his driveway. âHaechan said heâll be over in about two hours to talk to us about what will happen next. In the meantime Iâll make you guys something to eat and you can get cleaned up.â
âW-We donât have anything toâŠâ you whisper.
âHaechan said heâll bring over some clothes for the two of you. His sister left some of her stuff at his place before she moved out. Tomorrow if the two of you are up for it we can go shopping for some essentials.â
âI promise Jeno Iâll pay you back! I swear!âÂ
Turning back around he cracks a wide smile. âDonât worry about it. And Iâll say it here and now so listen up. There will be no saying âIâm sorry about this,â or âNo, you canât. This is too much,â or anything like that, okay?â
âYouâre an amazing person, Jeno. Thank you for everything. Truly. We'll forever be in your debt.â
âNonsense,â he gets out of the car. âNow letâs get you two inside and some food in your stomachs.â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Sitting on the front porch on the swing Jaemin and Jeno put together for you a year ago during the early spring â you watch your son gleefully play with all of the dogs on the massive front lawn. Itâs bizarre to imagine that three years ago you were holding your son for the first time. That he was this tiny precious baby and now, heâs running, laughing, and playing with all the dogs. Heâs learning new words each and every day. How many clothes heâs grown out of, but one thing hasnât changed â his love for you grows stronger and stronger each day.
âMama!â He waves.
âHi baby!â You wave back.
Nana barks, grabbing your sonâs attention and he laughs while climbing on top of her. The smile you were proudly wearing starts to fade as the little shit of a creature wags her tail enthusiastically towards your son. Well, if there was one plus side with having Nana around, it was her loyalty. She would probably rush into a burning building to save your son before you took your first steps to do the same. She might be a bitch to you, but she loves your son dearly and for that, youâll cover your disdain for her with a clench of annoyance with your jaw.
âI made some lemonade,â Jaemin says, coming out onto the front porch. âItâs extra sweet, just how you like it.â
âAh, thanks,â taking your glass you mix the liquid around with the straw before taking a huge gulp. âItâs good.â
âItâs not too sweet?â He asks taking a seat next to you.
âNo, itâs perfect.â
A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. âIâm glad. I put in a little more sugar than last time. Iâll have to remember to make it this way from now on. So, what is on todayâs agenda?â
âI need to go into town and do a little more shopping for his birthday party. Did you call the caterer?â
âYep, theyâll be here an hour and a half before the party starts. The only problem we might have is the weather. It might rain in the afternoon, so I pulled a few strings and weâll have a big tent set up the night before in the backyard as a precautionary measure.â
âItâs supposed to rain?â You ask worried. âShould we reschedule?â
âIt would be too much of a hassle to reschedule. Plus, itâs just a smaller party this time around. Everything will be fine.â
âI just want his third birthday to be one to rememberâŠâ you pout looking out at your son who is still playing with the dogs.
âHeâs not going to remember this birthday party at all so why worry? I mean do you remember your third birthday party?â Jaemin chuckles. âOnce he hits seven thatâs when weâll have to up the ante.â
âGreat, I'll have three years to plan the best party of all time.â
Jaemin starts to swing the porch swing gently, a huge smile on his face. âI know Iâve said this a million times already but I need to thank you for everything. If it wasnât for you I wouldnât be here for moments like these. I wouldnât be able to see him grow up at all, to see him laughing and playing with the dogs, or see his first steps. Itâs all thanks to you that Iâm able to experience all of this.â
âItâs not a big deal,â you mumble. âPlus, who else would take care of Nana? She hates me and only likes the two of you.â
Chuckling, Jaemin reaches over and puts his hand on top of yours. âShe doesnât hate you.â Glaring at him he starts laughing more. âOkay, maybe she highly dislikes you, but I mean, you did try to kill me, remember?â He tilts his head.
âItâs not like I wanted to!â You snatch your hand from under his. âYou left me with no other choice!â
âI know I didnât leave you any other choice. It was a joke, Iâm sorry.â
Glancing over you see the smile that Jaemin was boasting to the world has since disappeared. These past three years have been turbulent to say the least. Youâve sporadically burst out in pure rage towards him which could be a combination of many things. Blaming most of these outbursts on fatigue, which you felt was true considering your son would not sleep right until a few months ago â deep down both of you know itâs because youâre still harboring the hatred you felt for being trapped by him. Though admittingly, the feelings have become less and less as the years go by.
Jaemin has been an excellent father. Heâs gone above and beyond anything you could have thought of. Even when he was barely getting two hours of sleep a night he would wake up and take care of his precious baby allowing you to sleep. The only time he ever woke you, was when there was no milk in the fridge that you pumped. Jaemin wanted to be present for everything in his childâs life, all of the little moments and all of the big moments. Heâs been amazingâŠ
âNo, Iâm sorry.â You rub between your brows. âI shouldnât have shouted. Plus, I knew what I was doing back then. I wanted to do itâŠâ
âYou wanted to kill me?â He asks quietly.
âI wanted to be free.â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
âOkay, what are we looking at?â Jeno asks Haechan.
âGeez, canât a guy get himself comfortable before you jump down my throat? Plus, whereâs your hospitality? No drink? No offering of food? Tsk, tsk, not a very good host at all.â
âHaechan cut the crap!â Jeno growls. âThis is serious! We need to know whatâs going to happen!â
âOkay, okay, I know,â Haechan turns to you. âI sent in the transcript of what we talked about to my boss. He glanced over a few things but heâs still not satisfied. Now, I shouldnât be telling you this, but he wants to look into the specifics of your relationship. Iâm supposed to talk to your parents and try to get a feeling of how Jaemin and yourself were like during your relationship. He said something doesnât feel right and he wants me to look into it.â
âSomething doesnât feel right?â You ask.
âFor him, the timeline doesnât make any sense. Honestly, I canât blame him.â
Jeno runs an aggravated hand through his hair. âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
âIt means while I was doing some research I found myself asking the same questions as him. How does someone who was so close to being a major player at her company just up and leave one day, out of the blue? How does she never go back to her job EVER and how does she not go back to her home? I talked with your landlord; he says he hasnât seen you in over eight years. Whatâs up with that?â Haechan asks you.
âWhy the hell are you looking into her like sheâs some kind of suspect? Do you think she had anything to do with this? Whose side are you on?â
âThatâs because as of right now sheâs the prime suspect! Itâs always the spouse who we dig into first with a fine-toothed comb, you should know this already. Look Iâm on her side, but Iâm going to do my job whether you or,â he looks you in the eyes and you knew what he was about to say, âyou like it. This is my job! My livelihood. I canât just sweep things under the rug. I promised that I would protect you and I will, but youâve got to throw me a bone, some things just arenât adding up.â
âSo she quit her job and moved in with Jaemin. What does that have to do with anything? Plenty of couples move in with each other. If this is the kind of talk you wanted to have you can just leave!â
âWhy are you getting so pissed? Iâm keeping the two of you in the loop of EVERYTHING thatâs going to happen. Iâm not hiding anything.â
Jeno rises from the couch. âBecause youâre making it seem like sheâs guilty!â
âAnd whoâs to say she isnât?!â Haechan shouts while standing up as well. âJust because sheâs family doesnât mean sheâs innocent!â
âCan we just keep our voices down, or take this conversation outside?â You ask.
âWe made a promise to Jaemin! WE, as in all of us, promised to keep her safe as well as her son if ANYTHING were to happen to him.â
âAnd why did he make us promise something like that? Hmmm?! Maybe he expected that something would happen to him!â
âAre you fucking serious? Why would he think his life is in danger?â
âI donât know, why donât we ask his corpse that is in the fucking morgue!â Haechan screams as tears fall down onto his cheeks.
âH-HaechanâŠâ you grab ahold of his hand. âPlease, stop, both of you.â
âNo! Heâs being an asshole!â Jeno shouts.
âIâm trying to put together a picture so I can prove she had nothing to do with this!â
âAnd looking into her work history is how you do this?â
Sighing, you stand up between them. âJaemin and I,â you start to speak but stop. âJaemin and I had a fraudulent marriage!â You shout.
Silence fills the room as you finally speak some of your truth. Frankly, it felt nice to speak about things. Having kept this secret, this charade up for the past seven years has been tough. With Jaemin gone, perhapsâŠyou can finally be freeâŠ
âWhat did you just say?â Haechan grabs your shoulders.
âI mean it wasnât fraudulent in the literal sense. I lied to you when I said that Jaemin and I had been dating. We, well, the thing is ââ
Scoffing Jeno rolls his eyes flopping down on the couch. âSo Haechan is right,â he shakes his head. âYouâre going to sit down and tell us everything. No more secrets.â
âE-Everything?â
âEverything,â Haechan sits down as well. âThis is only going to help you in the long run. If everything checks out then you wonât have anything to worry about.â
âWhat if I do have something to worry about? What if I say what happened between Jaemin and I and I lose everything?â Tears start to trickle down your cheeks. âLook, all you need to know is that towards the end, we were working on things. We even started to sleep in the same bed again! I swear!â
âYou werenât sleeping in the same bed?â Jeno questions.
Shaking your head anxiously, âI shouldnât have said anything. I shouldâve kept my mouth shut.â
âTell us what happened!â Haechan states firmly and while you shake your head, your eyes close tightly, repeating âI canât, I canâtâ over and over again until Haechan grabs your hand and soon you hear it click.
âH-Haechan!â Jeno gasps. âWhat the fuck are you doing?â
âHaechan!â You squeak.
âTell us everything or Iâm going to take you down to the precinct and interrogate you the proper way. Iâll put you in our holding cell until you decide to talk. So, which do you prefer?â He holds up the other end of the handcuffs making your arm raise slightly.
Your eyes bounce back and forth between your hand and Haechanâs intense gaze. He wasnât joking at all. Heâs being dead serious. Gently turning to Jeno he motions for you to just talk, clearly exhausted from this situation and most likely todayâs fiasco. Nodding, Haechan lowers your arm. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out his phone and goes straight to the audio recording app. Clicking the button he asks you the question, âwhat exactly happened between you and Jaemin?â
âJaemin and I were married legally but we werenât in love,â you start your sorted tale. âWell, at least I wasnât in love. Jaemin, he was the one who was in love with me. I guess the real truth was he was madly, enthusiastically, crazily, in love with me. When we were married, I hated him. I was numb from the inside out. I only went through with the wedding because of my son.â
âWhy would you marry someone you hate just because of your son? You were making quite enough money for yourself and any children you would have, so why go through everything to marry someone you hate?â
Shrugging you coil in on yourself. âThatâs something I canât explain. Like I stated I was numb. I had shut down all thoughts and feelings for the most part. It was as if I was looking at my life from outside of my body. I liked Jaemin when we first met. I even thought I found the person I would spend the rest of my life with, but he went crazy when I told him I had to go. He started acting erratic and, well, thereâs really no other way to say it, but he kidnapped me.â
Haechan stops the recording quickly after you finish speaking. âWhat the fuck do you mean he kidnapped you?!â
âJaemin slipped something into my drink the night before I was going to leave. I fell asleep in his arms in his bed and when I woke up I was in a different room chained to a bed. The chain was long enough for me to move around the room and to use the bathroom, but I couldnât leave. He had Nana, for the most part, watch the door I was in. That little bitch hated me.â You roll your eyes. âThe tears I was shedding in the hospital when you told me she was gone, were tears of joy. I couldnât stand that dog. She would always try to trip me, she would bark at me, snap at me. She was acting like a jealous ex-girlfriend. She was like that the moment I stepped into Jaeminâs life.â
Shaking his head, Haechan stands up. âNo. This⊠This didnât happen.â He grabs his phone.
âIt did happen, Haechan! I was locked in a fucking room for months and was made to play some stupid game where he was hunting me!â
âShut up!â Haechan growls.
âNo! You wanted to know what happened between us, so Iâm going to tell you what happened between us. Every week I had to attempt to escape the estate. That was the game. Try to get through the fucking maze below the house to the main floors and escape past the three gates that were locked â the kicker, he had put the key to the locks to the gates on my collar that he had me wear around my neck. I was given breaks only at dinner time and at night where I had to enter a designated room.
âOnce I was inside there was a light that turned green indicating that the game was officially on hold until the next morning. He would use Nana to sniff me out which made escaping damn near impossible. When he found me, heâd hook a chain to my collar and drag me back to the room I was staying in like a fucking dog! But when I got hurt, the games stopped and I was put on bedrest ââ
âIâm not hearing any of this,â he puts his hands over his ears.
Standing up you grab hold of his wrists tugging at his hands. âSo I did what I needed to do to survive! I pretended that I wanted him. I gave into every touch,â you hiss venomously remembering those moments. âThatâs when the numbness started,â a dark cynical smile spreads across your lips. âI shut down completely and surrendered to him.
âI let him fuck me how many times a day he wanted to. I begged and pleaded for more like a wanton whore!â You shriek tears pouring down your face. âBut that only gave me a chance to think about my escape. I waited until he felt comfortable around me. Until he could trust me, until he would free me of my chains that held me back from doing the one thing I couldnât do beforeâŠâ
âWhat did you do?â You hear Jenoâs shaky voice behind you.
Turning back your eyes darken over with a chilliness that has him shrinking back. âI tried to kill him. I thought I did honestly. I used a pillow to suffocate him in his sleep. I made my escape only to be stopped by Nana at the top of the steps. I pointed to where Jaemin was, and just like the dutiful dog she is, or was, she went to go and check on him.
âI sprinted through the halls that I mapped out many times in my head to get to the main floor as quickly as possible. I was afraid that at any second he would materialize before me. I made it out of the house and through the first two gates. I could barely breathe. My body was so tired, I donât know how long I was locked down in that labyrinth of hell, but the brightness of the sun almost blinded me. When I got to the final gate and opened it, I was about to take my first steps to freedom when the gates closed automatically. And thatâs when I realized I made a huge mistake, and the rest, well you guys know the rest of this fucked up tale.â
Out of nowhere Haechan lunges at you, his hands wrapping around your neck. âYou fucking bitch! You killed him! You did this!â
âWHAT THE HELL!!!!! HAECHAN!!!! LET GO OF HER!â Jeno shouts as he rushes to stop Haechan.
âYou wanted him dead! You made sure to end him this time didnât you? Didnât you?!â His grip on your neck tightens.
You claw for Haechan to let go of your neck when you start gasping for air, your vision beginning to gloss over from your tears. Maybe this was for the best. Haechanâs anger, though delayed, is justified. You did try to end his friendsâ life, but it failed, and you were still trapped with that monstrous beast.
âHaechan! Stop! Sheâs turning purple!!!â Jeno screams. âShe didnât kill him! He lived you jackass!â
âShe waited seven years to finish the job! I know she did!â
Your hands that were gripping Haechanâs wrists go limp at your sides. Jeno will take care of your son, you know he will. Plus, now your baby will never know what happened between you and his father. The secret of his conception will forever be hidden from him. No questions like âmommy how did you and daddy meet?â âMom what did dad say that won you over?â âMom, how long did it take for you to plan your wedding?â Tears sprinkle down into your ears. The only sad thing is, you wonât see your baby boy grow up.
âFuck man! Stop!!!!!â Jeno uses all his strength to punch Haechan square in his jaw and only then are you freed from his grasp. Not bothering to gasp for air, Jeno catches you in his arms. âBreathe!â He screams as the two of you fall to the floor, your body resting in his lap.
Why? You ask yourself. Why breathe? No matter what happens, no matter what truth comes out youâll be thought of as guilty, so why bother?
âFUCK BREATHE!!!!!!!â Jenoâs tears fall onto your face. âPLEASE!!! BREATHE!!!!! FUCK!!!! HAECHAN CALL FOR AN AMBULANCE!â
âLet the bitch die, itâs what she deserves,â he hisses.
âWhat the hell are you talking about? Shit! D-Donât worry, just stay with me, okay? Stay with meâŠâ Jeno scrambles for his phone in his pocket.
âShe deserves to die after what she did. How can you sit there and defend her?! She tried to kill Jaemin once, what makes you think that she didnât try to kill him again?â
âFor fucks sake man! I knew all of this shit already! I knew everything!â
Your heart pounds loudly in your ears. Your body is now screaming for air to fill your lungs. What did he mean he knew everything? HeâŠHe couldnât have. Jaemin would never tell anyone his secretâŠhe wouldnâtâŠ
ââŠWhen you came into my life and we started talking, it was like I was seen,â he sniffles. âSomeone was finally looking at me for me.â
âAnd youâre telling me your friends donât see you for you?â
âThey see me as the kid whoâs from a rich family. Plus, itâs not like they arenât from well off families either.â
âYouâve doubted their loyalty?â
âNever.â
âThen you trust them and accept that they see you for you.â
âOnly one person.â
âJeno?â You inquire.
Nodding he nuzzles his face in the crook of your neckâŠ
âMomâŠmyâŠâ You hear your sonâs voice enter the room.
GO AWAY! BABY!!! PLEASE!!!! You scream in your head.
âLittle man,â Jenoâs body trembles under you. âU-Ummm⊠your mom is just sleeping, go back to bed, okay?â
âMommyâŠâ you hear your sonâs voice again. âMama!!!!!â His voice comes closer to you. âMommy!!!!!â He cries out your name.
AHHHHHH FUCK IT!!!!!Â
And finally, you gasp for air.Â
âFinally!!!â Jeno holds you in his arms. âAre you okay?â
âMommy?â Your son sniffs. âWhatâs wrong with mommy?â He starts to cry.
âUhh, she was just sleeping deeply,â Jeno lies. âHae-Haechan, why donât you tuck him back into bed, okay?â Haechan doesnât move, his face blank and unreadable. âHaechan!â Jeno cries out. âPlease, take him back to bed. Itâs past his bedtime.â
âWeâre not done here,â he replies, his voice cold as ice.
âYes, yes, now goâŠâ Haechan reaches out for your sonsâ hand and you watch your little boy disappear into the darkness of the shadowy hallway. âShit woman,â Jeno exhales, his head resting on top of yours. âWhat the fuck were you thinking? You have a kid!â
You try to answer him, but your voice doesnât come out. Again, you try to speak, but nothing.
âDonât you ever do something like that again, got it?! Shit⊠I thought Iâd have to bury two friends and I canât do that. I canât!â
âHeâs back in bed,â Haechan returns into the living room entryway, leaning against the wall. âNow, would someone care to explain to me what the actual fuck is going on here?â
Suddenly tears well up in your eyes as you stare at Haechan. The numbing feeling that coursed through your body when he was beyond pissed at you vanished, now the only thing in its wake is fear. Fear that youâve ruined your chances of freedom. Fear that you wonât be able to clear your name when you did absolutely nothing this time around. Fear that you were actually going to let yourself chase the white light and leave everyone including your son behind.
Holding out your hands you lower your head in shame and let everything out. Your body quakes as tears fall onto the floor beneath you uncontrollably. You deserve to be behind bars. You deserve to face your fate for so many things. Lying, manipulating, gas lighting, attempting to⊠you canât even think of the word, for even contemplating ending your life, you deserve all the hell youâre about to face. Every bit of itâŠ
Footsteps ring out into the quiet room, getting closer and closer to you until they stop right in front of you. You feel Jenoâs arm wrap around your waist protectively. A burning sensation pierces the skin of your hands, they are hit away. Peering up you see Haechanâs cold gaze staring you down as if youâre a piece of shit. His hand goes up again and Jenoâs grasp on you tightens even more, his body starting to turn you away from Haechan.
Clenching his hand, Haechan sighs. âPull yourself together; youâve got a kid to take care of.â He gets up, shoves his phone in his pocket and grabs his jacket. âWeâre not done talking about what just happened.â He states before heading out the door.
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Leafing through the papers on his desk, Haechan rolls his eyes annoyed. How could things have gone unnoticed for so long? How were you able to keep up the charade of a fake relationship with Jaemin the whole time the two of you were together? Staring at the home you and Jaemin shared he starts to bite his nails. The answer to everything felt so close and yet so far. Were you being honest about the happenings between the two of you early on? Were you hiding something?
The chatter and phones fill the precinct, but heâs since blocked out all of the noise. Three weeks have passed since he last saw you. Three weeks since he lost his temper and tried toâŠ
âShit!â He groans. âWhat the fuck is wrong with me?â He whispers to himself.
âEverything alright there?â
Haechan raises his head to see his co-worker, Mikayla. âYeah, everythingâs fine.â
âMmmhmm, is that the reason why you look like hell because everything is fine?â
âDonât you have a job to do? A case to solve or someone else to bother?â
Sliding her chair into her desk she looks across from her, smirking at Haechan. âNope. But, if someone doesnât mind handing over one of their cases I wouldnât refuse.â
âYou want the murder suicide case that badly huh?â
âWho wouldnât? It was at the Governorsâ Ball! Plus, itâll look good with the higher ups.â
For the second time in five minutes Haechan rolls his eyes before opening one of the drawers at his desk. âHere, be my guest.â He grabs a file and tosses it over onto Mikaylaâs desk. âIâve got too much to deal with on this case anyway.â
âAre you talking about the house that burnt down?â She pouts. âWhatâs there to solve with that one? Didnât the fire chief say that it wasnât an act of arson?â
âYes, but something isnât sitting well with me. He stated that a gas pipe had a crack in it, but even then his words were âthings happen sometimes. The house was old and didnât have any updates to make sure that things were up to code. If it wasnât a cracked pipe it would have been something else.ââ
Nodding she looks through the case sheâs just been handed. âAnd you donât think the fire chief of all people knows what heâs talking about?â
âItâs not thatâŠâ
âDonât tell me youâve fallen for the lady of the house already,â she chuckles. âOr,â she gasps. âDo you think sheâs the one who caused this?â
âI donât know what to think anymore,â he runs a tired hand through his hair. âI think I need to take a break for a second and clear my mind.â Pushing his chair out he takes out his keys and unlocks the front drawer, grabbing a pack of cigarettes. âCare to lend a friend a shoulder for a bit?â He asks her.
Heading outside Haechan and Mikayla bow their heads and chit chat lightheartedly with a few of their fellow detectives and cops before heading around the corner to an alley next to the precinct. Leaning against the wall of the precinct, Haechan pops up a cigarette and offers one to Mikayla.
âYou know I donât smoke.â She waves a dismissive hand.
âNot now you donât,â he puts the cigarette between his lips. âWait a couple years, itâll either be these or drinking â pick a poison now so you wonât be blindsided later.â
âWhatâs gotten into you these past couple weeks? Obviously youâre not sleeping well. Your eyes look like a pandaâs. It was a house fire, itâs terrible but what more could there be?â
âThere was a victim of the house fire, a body, but I donât know how it all connects together.â He lights the cigarette and takes an extra-long inhale. Blowing out the smoke he turns to Mikayla defeated. âWould you ever stay in an abusive relationship?â
âWhat kind of question is that? No!â
âEven if the person started out kind in the beginning, you still wouldnât?â
âIt doesnât matter if they were a saint in the beginning, no one man or woman should deal with an abusive partner. Why are you asking me this?â
Taking a smaller drag of his cigarette Haechan puffs out another round of smoke. âThe woman whose house burned down, I know her. Iâve known her for the past seven years. Sheâs practically family at this point.â
âAnd youâre working on her case? Haechan you know you shouldnât be near this case!â Mikayla pushes herself off the wall to stand in front of him. âWhat were you thinking?! If the captain finds out about this youâll be dead meat!â
âIâm the only one who can work this case. Plus, I promised her husband that no matter what happened to him Iâd be there to protect her and her son. Iâm not breaking that promise, no matter what.â
âEven if it comes back that she was somehow involved in the death of her husband? Haechan youâre not thinking clearly, pass this case on to someone else, let them look into things with an unbiased mind.â
Flicking off the butt of his cigarette Haechan chuckles, âyou know I watched them get married. I was there the day her son was born. I've smiled and laughed at all the dinner parties, birthday parties, every Christmas holiday, but it was all a lie.â He takes another long inhale of his cigarette letting the smoke fill his lungs before blowing it out once again. âHe kidnapped her,â he mumbles.
âWh-WhatâŠ?â
âMy friend, the man I thought I knew was a monster this whole time. According to her, he kidnapped her, kept her locked in that house for God knows how long before she tried to fight back and get free.â
âWhat did she do?â
âShe tried to kill him,â Haechanâs jaw tightens. âWith a pillow apparently. That was over seven years ago.â He blows out another puff of smoke.
Shaking her head, Mikayla takes her spot next to Haechan once more. âAn attempt of murder?â She whispers.
âAt that point it would be self-defense, would it not? Worst case scenario most sheâd get is a couple months or a year if the news of this was brought out.â
âIf? Youâre not going to put that in the report?â
âIs it necessary?â
âIt would show that she had a motive in the past to hurt your friend, why wouldnât you clarify this?!â
âBecause she said they were making things work, thatâs whyâŠâ with one last inhale he finishes his cigarette, puts it out on the wall next to him and flicks it off to the side. âIf you were in my shoes would you let this go, or would you put it into the report?â
âHow long was she married to your friend?â
âAbout seven years.â
Lowering her head, her arms fold across her chest. âGet the full story and then come back and ask me.â
âOr, you could listen in on an interrogation. I called her in to be here after lunch, so you down to do this?â
âYes.â
âRight this way,â Haechan opens the door to the interrogation room and you walk in. âDo you need anything to eat or drink?â
Pulling out the chair on one side of the table, you sit down placing your purse on the floor. âNo.â You answer curtly.
âYouâre mad at me, arenât you?â He asks taking a seat in the chair across from you.
Clenching your jaw, you unwrap the scarf that was around your neck, folding it neatly off to the side. âWhy would I be mad?â
Haechanâs expression falls quickly. Traces of his outburst are still visible on your neck, red bruising that anyone with decent eyesight could tell that someone had tried to hurt her. Scooting his chair uncomfortably, he leans forward. âIâm so sorry. I donât know what happened⊠I ââ
Interjecting you ask, âwhat exactly did you want to discuss?â
The three weeks Haechan stayed away from both you and Jeno gave you a lot of time to think. It wasnât that you were mad at him for what he did, hell if the roles were reversed you might have tried beating the shit out of someone who dared tried to kill your best friend â that being said, he would never be able to empathize with you. Heâll never know what kind of pain you were in psychologically, physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Talking to Jeno before he dropped you off here before heading out for some light shopping, he mentioned one thing that stuck out to you. Jaemin and Haechan had a very interesting relationship, though they were friends, they had their fair share of bad blood in the past. Arguments that resulted in small misunderstandings, fist fights that broke out because one said something they shouldnât have. Their relationship was always swaying back and forth like a pendulum from good to bad. There were only a handful of moments where their relationship was neutral, but even then â even in the bad moments, Haechan respected Jaemin.
âPlease, Iâm sorry⊠I was just so angry and I wasnât thinkingâŠâ Haechan tries to explain.
âIâm not mad but Iâm also aware that your loyalty is with Jaemin more than it is with me, it always has been and always will be. No matter what, you are his brother and I am his wife. Now, what did you want to discuss?â
Glancing behind him, he sighs and pulls out his phone. Going through the motions of setting up the recording for the interview, he starts with the basics, your name, age, and association with the deceased. Information that youâre sure is well known by all.
âWhen we last talked you mentioned that your husband hurt you, is that correct?â
âYes I did.â
âIn what ways did he hurt you?â
âLike I stated Iâm not 100% sure but I believe Jaemin slipped something into my drink the night before I was set to leave to go back to my apartment in the next city, approximately three hours from here. I woke up on what I assume is the following morning and I was no longer in his bedroom, but in another room deep below the main house. The rooms were white and at first it hurt to open my eyes.
âMy clothes were different from what I went to sleep in. I was only given a white shirt and white leggings, white undergarments, and white shoes. I then noticed that I had something wrapped around my neck, it was a leather collar and attached to it was a long heavy chain. As stated it was long enough for me to move around the room, to use the restroom that was inside of this bedroom, but to get out and leave, there was no way I could. I tried tugging and using anything I could to break free, but it was no use.
âIn the beginning he just came in and provided food and drinks for me. Brought in some books for me to read, but no matter how much I begged and pleaded he wouldnât let me go. After a while, during this time I had no concept of time or how many hours passed, how many days. There were no windows, but after a while he came in and said that he wanted to play a game with me. The concept of the game was for me to get out of this long maze of corridors underneath the house and make it out of the house and past all of the gates on the property.
âHe put a key onto my collar, removed the chain, stepped aside and told me to go ahead. I bolted out the door and from down the hall, where I was staying in â he said if I donât make it out weâll keep playing until I do. He knew very well it was going to be impossible for me to leave.â
âWhy did he keep you in this room and chained up?â
âHe stated that when I told him I was going to leave and go back home he started freaking out. He was right, he did start acting really weird. I mentioned this as the second week of the New Year was rolling in. He started to become extra clingy, and begged me not to go back. He said things like âI can provide for you,â âplease donât leave me, please!â âWhat do I need to do to get you to stay.â I was slowly starting to think this might not work out because of how he was acting, and then suddenly, he stopped acting like this. He simply asked, âare you serious about this relationship?â To which I said, âyes.ââ
Haechanâs brow quirks up in confusion. âYou mean to tell me this is all because you were going to go back to your home and to your job?â
âYes.â
âIâm sorry but that doesnât make sense.â
âWhen someone has a psychotic break a lot of things donât make sense. He confessed that he was scared that he would never see me again. He was scared that after all these years someone who saw him for him and not as some rich guy was going to leave his life forever. That wasnât true. I liked him a lot. I wanted to be with him. I fell for him, fast and hard, as he did with me. The only problem is that I wasnât alone locked up in a house in the middle of nowhere, like he was.
I didnât have a job that for the most part kept me away from people until absolutely necessary. I didnât have a family that seemed to not care if I spent the holidays alone. Actually, speaking of the holidays, why didnât any of you spend time with him?â
Pressing the pause button on his phone Haechan lets out a deep sigh. âLetâs keep this about you, shall we?â
âWhat? I canât ask questions when you know the victim as well?â Tilting your head you smile. âOr does everyone still think youâre not involved in any way?â
âOnly one person knows and Iâd prefer to keep it that way until we solve this case. As for your question, off the record, Jaemin never told us anything. If weâre talking about the time period of seven years ago, he secluded himself from the rest of us. We didnât even know he was at his grandmotherâs house. So there was no way we could have talked to him about getting together.â
âI see.â
âShall we get back to the real line of questions?â
âProceed.â
Pressing the pause button again the recording starts up. âYou said he had a psychotic break, how are you so sure?â
âI donât know, I would assume chaining someone in a room for months would be defined as a psychotic break, wouldnât you agree Detective Lee?â
Rolling his eyes, Haechan smirks. âOkay, letâs say that I believe you and he kept you in this so-called room, where is it exactly? There was nothing about an underground room in the blueprint of the house.â
âWhy would there be something on the blueprint when itâs supposed to be used for something youâre not supposed to be doing. Itâs like having a hidden passageway, not really hidden if itâs in the blueprint. Or, having your safe room listed in the blueprints. If an intruder had the blueprints to the house, for whatever reason, it would be really stupid to have that room listed, now wouldnât it?
âBut to answer your question, the room itself was the last room in a long corridor of many corridors. I canât tell you how deep below it is, but there was an opening behind a large painting on the main floor. It was right before you would head up to the second floor. You pull the painting away, unlock the door â Jaemin always had the key on hand, and go down a long narrow staircase. Once you reach the bottom itâs like a secret bunker.
âThe hallway is this bright light gray tone that almost blinds you. You keep walking down that hallway and you reach a door. Now this door was always unlocked, unless Jaemin wasnât down there with me. If I somehow managed to free myself he would need something else to keep me down there until he could subdue me once more.â
Shaking his head, Haechan clicks his tongue while leaning back in his chair. His arms cross over his chest as he sports the cockiest grin youâve ever seen. âYou expect me to believe all of this was underneath his grandmotherâs house? Are you serious?â
âIâm telling you the truth. You just refuse to believe it because it sounds outrageous.â Leaning forward you lean your elbows on the table, propping your head up with your hands at your cheeks. âThere are a lot of things in this world that are beyond imagination Haechan. There are people in this world who do terrible and evil things all the time. Perhaps think back on one of your cases that shocked you beyond imagination. How did you feel before you knew the truth versus after?â
Readjusting in his chair he turns away from you. âContinue.â
âThere were cameras everywhere. It wouldnât surprise me if Jaemin didnât have a room that was for watching me during our downtime. No matter where I was in the house, I was being watched. The only place where there were no cameras was the hidden passageways. Theyâre not exactly escape friendly. There are a lot of rusted nails sticking up from the floorboards, broken glass, not to mention the dust and bugs.
âI favored those routes, but Jaemin learned this after a few failed attempts. As soon as he figured out my plan he had Nana sniff something of mine and she always led him directly to meâŠâ you pause, closing your eyes slowly. âSometimes he would taunt me. He would pretend as if he had no idea where I was, but I knew that was a lie. I knew that with the sound of her footprints walking next to him, her nails clicking against the white tiled floor. I tried to keep moving, to keep a good distance so I could at least make it to the first floor, but I was always caught. Always.â
âThe last time we talked you had mentioned off the record that you had gotten hurt, is that correct?â
âYes.â
âHow did you get hurt?â
Sighing, you give an I-donât-know shrug. It wasnât that you didnât know, it was that there were plenty of times you âgot hurt,â but the incident he wants you to talk about is what you told him in front of Jeno, when you confessed shortly after that you tried to kill Jaemin. To say anything on record is certain doom.
âIâll repeat the question,â he says sternly. âHow did you get hurt?â
âWhich time?â
âPardon?â He looks confused.
âWhich time are you referring too? There were a few cases that I needed bed rest before his twisted game started up again.â Snickering, âI guess I have to give him some credit. He didnât want his little rabbit to be hurt while he hunted.â
âThe last time you were hurt.â Haechan specifies.
âI got startled by how close he had gotten to me and tumbled down the stairs. I sprained my ankle and when he got me ââ you pause.
It wasnât as if these past two years of working things out with Jaemin have wiped everything he did off the face of the earth. It wasnât as if you forgave him for keeping you away from your loved ones, but spending time with him, seeing him in almost the same light that you saw him when you first met⊠It almost was like a scar showing the first signs of healing, but talking to Haechan is like picking at the scar and opening it up.
The pain, the hurt, and psychological damage that you both faced resurfacing once more. Whatâs worse, he doesnât believe you. He doesnât believe anything that youâre saying and even if you could prove that itâs true⊠thereâs no evidenceâŠ
Clearing his throat Haechan gestures for you to finish. âWhen he found me he linked the one end of the chain into my collar, and started to lead me away as if I was some animal on a leash. I told him I was hurt and he got mad. He brought up the rules and ââ
Haechan interjects. âRules?â
âThere are seven rules to this game. Seven rules that you need to follow or else,â you stop again shocked. âOr else something bad would happen. It took me months to learn all the rules, but once I did I didnât dare break them. I mean I was already being held prisoner, the logical thing that would happen if I break all the rules would beâŠâ
âDeath?â Haechan asks.
Shrugging you fidget in your seat. âI donât think he would have ever killed me, but I wouldnât have, during this time mind you, put it past him to destroy everything I loved so there was nothing else in the world I could have and hope for.â
The room falls silent. It was true you never tried to break every single rule in one round of the game. Yes, getting hurt is bad and it would hinder your escapes so you always tried to at least notify him of your injuries. Denying him once he caught you fair and square â with the help of his most loyal companion, was like whining after losing rock, paper, scissors. Jaemin never mentioned what he would do but the eeriness in his voice that first time he read you the rules still chills you to the bone.
 â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Everything around you is dark. A few minutes ago, Jaemin had placed a blindfold over your eyes and stated that he wanted to play a game with you. A strange aura started to radiate from him and immediately you crawled away from him. Something about this game didnât feel right, though it hasnât even started. Pulling you back to him by your ankles, your body pulls the freshly made covers down on your bed.
âDonât make this harder on yourself, princess,â he whispers close to your ear. âThis is going to be a fun game, youâll see. Plus, youâll be able to leave this room. Donât you want this?â
âI want to go home,â you whisper.
Grabbing your arm from under you, he manages to flip you over to your back, climbing on top of you. Your blindfold exposes one of your eyes, but he simply pulls it back down. âWhat have I told you a million times?â He asks, taking both of your hands into his grasp. Something cold touches your skin and before you can put two and two together, Jaemin has your hands bound by a zip tie. âYou are home.â
Tugging on your neck you try to escape Jaeminâs grasp, but itâs no use. He has a firm hold on the chain that is attached to a leather collar around your neck. The sounds of his loyal companions' nails click on your right hand side, while Jaemin is on your left a few feet ahead of you.
âPlease Jaemin! Please, just let me go! I promise I wonât tell anyone what youâre doing, okay? I just want to go back home!â You beg.
âPrincess, Iâm not in the mood to argue with you over this matter. You are home, this is your home. Your home is with me.â
âJaemin, please, you have to stop this! Why are you doing this? I thought you liked me! Is this what you do to someone that you like?â
âOh, I donât like you,â he stops walking and you bump into him. Feeling his hands run up your arms, you scrunch your shoulders close to your ears, visibly uncomfortable with the gesture. âI love you,â he kisses the top of your head. âI want us to be together forever. I want us to start a family, to get married, to grow old together.â
âThen why are you doing this?! Huh?!â You scream only to notice your voice echoes around you. Startled you look around like an imbecile. There is no way you can see anything with this blindfold, but it was a natural reaction to the sound of your voice.
âIâve waited for people to return before,â his voice grows soft. âIâve waited and waited for the people I love to return to me but you know what princess,â his voice leaves your side and ends up behind you. âThey never came back. I waited and waited and waited like an idiot for someone who I loved to come back into my life. For that person who I cherished more than anything to save me and I was left alone!â He shouts causing you to shrink down in front of him. âBut,â he clears his throat. âIâm a reasonable man. I want you to stay with me because you desire to, but until you see this, how about a little game?â
The black fabric that was tied around your head slowly unravels before you. Squinting at the brightly lit room your hands come up to cover your eyes. âWh-Where am I?â Your voice comes out barely a whisper.
âTake a look around,â Jaemin moves back in front of you. âNow for these,â he digs into his pocket bringing out a Swiss Army knife and removes the zip ties from your wrists. âThere we go.â
Rubbing your wrists, Jaemin steps to your left side allowing you to get a view of where youâre at, but what you see doesnât make any sense. In front of you are four different hallways. All of which are the same light gray color, all of which appear to be the same length. The area you find yourself in is like the end of a road. A small enough area for someone to choose what path to go, but thatâs about it.
âWh-Where am I?â You start to shake.
âYouâre at the starting line. Every time we play this game you will start here. But, before you begin, I think itâs best if we go over the premise of this game as well as the rules. So listen up, okay?â Nodding in shock you stare down each of the long hallways, your heart starting to beat faster and faster. âThe premise of the game is for you to leave this underground maze and reach the main floor of the house. After you reach the main floor, youâre to leave the house and go through each of the three gates on the property.â
âWe-Weâre still at your grandmotherâs house?â
âYes. We havenât left. This is an underground maze of hallways that my great-great-great grandfather had made during a time of war. This was to insure that the family would be able to escape unharmed if the home were to be invaded for any given reason.â
âB-But why am I down here?â
âTo play a game, silly.â He chuckles. âThink of this as a HUGE escape room. There are plenty of secret passageways, doors that you can enter, and plenty of hallways that you can travel down,â he starts walking around the room, his eyes closing shut with a little smile on his face. âGrandmother and I liked to play hide and seek down here. She knew this labyrinth like the back of her hand. From generation after generation, all of the kids came down here to play, so thatâs what weâre going to do. Weâre going to play!âÂ
Your body starts to tremble uncontrollably. âI-I donât want to play! Wh-What if I get lost? What if I canât make it to the main floor?â
âThe game will last for four hours. You have exactly four hours to get from down here, to upstairs and out of the house and off the property. After four hours, if you are down here, whichever door youâre near will have a green light above it. That is to signify the end of the game for that day, and for a meal and sleep break. Youâll hear an alarm and that is when you wake up, get dressed, have another meal, and get ready for another four hours to try to escape. This will continue until you get to the main floor, or if you get hurt. Simple, right?â
Shaking your head you back away from him and the strange hallways. âI donât want to play this. IâŠI want to go back to that room.â
Tilting his head, his lips pucker out in a pout. âItâs either we play this game, or youâre trapped down here until you submit to me, forever.â He smiles brightly when he says forever, a cold chill raking across your body. âSo, whatâs it going to be? A shot at freedom, or a lifetime with me?â
He canât be serious⊠This is just some joke that heâs trying to play. An âI gotâchaâ moment where he says itâs all a joke and that he was just messing with you this whole time and you can pretend this nightmare never happened. No⊠no⊠this HAS TO BE a dream, no! A fucked up nightmare! Thereâs no way the man you were cuddled up against, after a beautiful romantic dinner, and a night of making love is the same sick sadistic monster in front of you. This has to be a nightmareâŠit has to be!
âTik tok, princess, we donât have all day.â He leans down so he can look into your eyes. âShould I explain the rules so you can understand better?â
âYES!â You squeak.
âOkay,â he moves away from you and starts walking back and forth, waving his arm as if heâs giving some grand speech. âRule 1, 'the one being hunted may try to escape the property by any means necessary unless they are in a safe room, or have been injured. Rule 2, if the party being hunted finds themselves hurt they are to call out the safe word 'red' or push the red button that is located on the wall outside of all of the designated safe rooms signifying that the game is over.
âRule 3, the hunter will give their prey a specified amount of time as a means for a head start before starting the hunt. They may extend or cut back on the amount of time given per round. Rule 4, it would be wise for the prey to keep themselves well-hidden and keep quiet to ensure the game does not end too soon. Rule 5, if the hunter catches their prey, the prey needs to come quietly as the round has ended. Rule 6, the hunter will then inspect the prey for any injuries once they have been captured. This is by no means a rule that can be skipped or looked past. Rule 7, if the prey tries to resist â the hunter will have to make their prey submit by any means necessary.â
Stopping right in front of you, a gentle smile on his face that makes him look like a sweet angel in disguise he asks, âdo you understand the rules, princess?â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Plopping back in his chair Haechan stares at you in disbelief. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but instantly closes his mouth and looks away from you.
âIâm not making anything up. I played that sick game for months. I tried and tried and tried again to escape. Every time I thought I was so close to reaching the main floor he would randomly appear, with Nana by his side. It was only then I discovered that he was using her to help sniff me out. Then, I found the secret passageways and started to learn how to navigate them. The games were prolonged for more than just a day. He enjoyed it. But there was one thing I wasnât going to do and that was to submit to him.â
âSo then why did you submit to him and let him have his way with you?â
âI was at my wits end and I thought if I gave him the idea that I was his and his alone, he would just take me up to the main floor. But he saw right through me. After I made it to the last gate he said ââ
âYou mean after you tried to kill him with the pillow?â
Your jaw tightens. How could he just utter this out as if itâs okay? He promised to protect you. He promised to keep you safe and to make sure that nothing was going to happen and now it feels like heâs trying to throw you under the bus. Was he this mad and upset? Could he not see how terrible Jaemin was?!
Letting out a shaky breath your head lowers, âyes.â
âYou may continue what you were saying prior.â
A tired pathetic laugh passes your lips. Running a hand through your hair, you peek up at the man sitting across from you. A man that was supposed to be your friend, but is now a complete stranger to you. âDoes it even matter? You got what you wanted. Itâs done, itâs over with. No matter what I say from here on out it wonât be taken seriously. I can scream it to the heavens that I had nothing to do with Jaeminâs death but no one is going to believe me because of what you just made me say. Which if Iâm remembering correctly, was supposed to be kept private after I talked to you, at Jenoâs house, off the record that is.â You decide to throw in this tidbit of information into the recording. If he wanted to take you down, you were going to be sure he was going to get accosted in some shape or form too. âSo,â you look up, eyes clouded with anger. You place your hands as far out in front of you as you possibly can. âSlap the cuffs on me. I know you want to. I know you want me to be in jail. You made that clear the other night.â
Haechan reaches forward and stops the recording on his phone. âYouâre fucking ridiculous,â he hisses. âDo you think I want you behind bars? Do you think I want to take a mother away from her child? Thatâs not whatâs going on here.â
âThen what is going on? You made me confess that I tried to end someoneâs life! You think I donât feel guilt over that? You think I didnât look at him every day and realize what I tried to do? I never wanted to do that in the first place. I didnât want to be put into a position where I would contemplate ending someoneâs life. But I was forced into that position. My rights, my freedom, my life was taken from me. I tried fighting for it by getting out of that damn maze, but I couldnât escape. No matter how many months I was down there I never won once. I never got close to getting to the front door until I thought he was gone.
âWhen I finally made it to the front door and past the first two gates and attempted to step across the line to freedom the last gate closed and he materialized out of nowhere. He said he knew what was going on because I changed my behavior. He knew everything so he pretended to die. It was just another sick game of his and I fell right into his trap.â
âWhy didnât you say anything? Why did you get married to him? Why were you with him all these years?â He shouts, tears running down his cheeks. âThis is the part that I donât understand. If he was so fucking terrible why did you stay?â
Seeing Haechan unravel before you has you pulling back your wrists. Sitting back into the chair more comfortably you let out a long exhausted breath. âI lost the will to fight, Haechan. I was tired. I was scared, I was disgusted with myself most of all. I ended up pregnant because I thought I could win. Like the stupid idiot I am, I thought by showing him what he believed was love I could be let out of my cage, but I was wrong and ended up pregnant all while simultaneously trapping myself in a whole new cage.â
âWhy did the wedding even happen then? Why didnât you give us a sign?â
âI was a zombie for the longest time. I didnât feel anything. I was only alive and breathing because of the child I was carrying. Everything else didnât matter to me. So, I put on a mask and played a role. Even if I wanted to say something, he would have stopped me or tried to switch the subject. I hesitated for the tiniest second while I was standing before the judge with him, his hands holding mine â for a millisecond I was going to tell the judge as quickly as possible I was being held against my will, but with a strong squeeze of his hand in mine, I knew he would stop me the moment I tried.â
Suddenly a knock is placed on the door. Haechan quickly wipes his tears away before standing up. âGive me a second. Do you need anything at all? A drink? Something to eat from the vending machine?â
âNo, Iâm fine.â
Walking out of the interrogation room, Haechan closes the door behind him seeing Mikayla is the culprit who interrupted him. âWhy did you call me out here?â He rolls his eyes in annoyance. âWe were finally getting somewhere.â
Mikayla tilts her head, âthatâs not what I saw. By the way, sheâs innocent. Her entire body language is screaming it so you can cut her some slack. Also, if someone was willing to work out the relationship after that shit show, they are in love. Whether or not itâs a strange form of Stockholm Syndrome is a topic for another day. But, thatâs only a part of why I pulled you out here,â she hands Haechan a vanilla colored folder. âIt seems youâre going to be working on this case for a little bit longer.â
âWhat do you,â he opens the folder, his eyes scanning over the documents. âMeanâŠ?â He looks up shocked.
âI know,â she sighs. âGood luck, youâre going to need it.â
Slapping him on the back she takes her leave. âWhat the fuck did you do, Jaemin?â Haechan whispers.
Haechan returns to the room with a somber look on his face. He heads straight to the table, and presses the pause button again, starting the recording once more. âYou mentioned things were getting better?â He asks tirelessly.
âU-Ummm, y-yesâŠâ You eye him suspiciously. âWhen our son was born he actually was ready to turn himself in. Two months prior we had a discussion and he asked me how he could make everything up to me. I knew he was sorry. I could tell with just a glance into his eyes he regretted everything, but he did what he did. I wasnât going to forgive and forget all the pain he caused just because he spoke the words âIâm sorry.â I told him the only way that he could make up for even the smallest bit of what he did was to turn himself in. He said he would, but asked for one thing and that was to see the birth of his son.
âHowever, just after he saw his son for the first time he was talking about making arrangements for the two of us to be well taken care of in his absence. I knew what he was talking about. I knew why he was saying everything. He asked for one thing, I obliged and he was prepared to face the consequences, but I donât know what came over me. I didn't want him to leave. I didnât want him to be in prison miserable, and long for the life he could have had if he didnât fuck it up in the first place. I told him I thought it would have made him crazier if I kept him away from his kid. So, I asked instead that he seek professional help and if he did I would keep his secret.
âIf Iâm being honest I wouldnât have told anyone of his wrong doings. So, the next day he sought help and went every week to a therapist. In the beginning we both went and talked about what our issues were but afterwards it was Jaemin who needed the help. He never broke that promise to me. Then, on my birthday things started to change. I donât know if you remember the birthday party he threw for me but thatâs the moment I decided to give him a second chance.â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
âHappy! Birthday! To! You!!!!â Everyone sings out.
Eyes brimming with tears you glance around at all of the smiling faces. Everyone showed up for your big day. Your mom, dad, all of Jaeminâs friends, and of course your sweet little guy all day has made it his mission to make you the happiest mom on the planet. Blowing out your candles your only wish is to have more days like this.
âThanks everyone,â you wipe your eyes before any tears fall onto your cheeks. âBut you really didnât need to do this.â
âAre you kidding?â Chenle chuckles. âHow else are we going to get free food?â He jokes.
âPlus, we technically didnât do anything,â Renjun wraps his arm around Jaeminâs shoulders. âThis guy right here planned everything. He just told all of us when and where and we showed up.â
âY-You did this?â You ask Jaemin.
Scratching the back of his head he nods bashfully. âWe havenât really celebrated your birthday. I thought I would give you a birthday to remember.â
Without realizing you spring up from your chair and wrap him in a tight embrace. âThank you, Jaemin, truly.â
His face falls into the crook of your neck, his arms wrapping around you tightly. âAnything for youâŠâ He whispers. And just like that the moment was gone. âSo, who wants cake?â He asks stepping away from you.
One by one your friends and parents come up for a slice of cake, laughing and smiling together as if these people were always meant to be in your life. As if this very moment was supposed to happen all along. Placing a hand on your shoulder, Jeno leans down, handing you a piece of cake.
âHappy Birthday,â he gives you a kiss on the cheek.
âEhhh?!!â Haechan starts pointing. âWhat do we have here?! I didnât know we could kiss the birthday girl!â He puts down his cake and charges towards you.
âN-No!! Haechan!â You start backing away.
âDonât you dare run from me, woman!â He starts laughing while approaching you. âNow give your favorite person in the world a kiss,â he puckers his lips.
âYAH!!!!â You scream but a giggle comes from you when he starts chasing you around the backyard.
âMama!!!â Your son giggles. âRun, mama!!! Run!!!â
âIâm trying, baby!!!â
âAlâŠMost!!!! THERE!!!!!â
Haechan sprints for you, reaching out his hand when you collide into a body knocking the person down. A low grunt comes from beneath you. Quickly scrambling off of the victim you see Jaemin was the person who you crashed into.
âJaemin!â You squeak. âA-Are you okay? Did I hurt you?â
Snickering, he sits up smiling at you. âIâm fine, but I couldnât let anyone else kiss you before I kissed you.â
Suddenly your heart skips a beat. His smile softens, his hand reaching out for yours as he pulls you down to him. Gulping your eyes scan his for some sign that heâs joking, that he wasnât really going to kiss you especially not in front of everyone. Behind you you hear Haechan complaining that Jaemin stole you away, but his complaints are soon muffled by the pounding in your ears, your heart picking up speed the closer Jaeminâs lips get closer to you.
âHappy Birthday,â he whispers and just as your eyes flutter, and the tips of your noses touch, he slides his hand around your neck pulling you down to him. âI love you,â his warm minty breath cascades down onto your face and just when it feels like heâs going to kiss your lips he pulls you down further to give you a kiss on your forehead.
He chuckles, sliding away from you. âGo ahead, Haechan,â he winks at his friend. âOkay so who hasnât gotten a piece of cake yet?â He asks everyone.
âMe daddy! Me!â
âWhat?!!! Well come here!â Jaemin scoops up your son into his arms and walks off with him.
âWell, now youâre all mine,â Haechanâs voice brings you back to the reality youâre about to face. Before you can even object, he plants a wet kiss on your cheek. âFinally!â He laughs. âNow I can get back to my cake!â
Sauntering off, head held high youâre left on the ground still in shock. Your mind races with thoughts youâve kept quiet for the past five years. Feelings you thought were completely gone, but now have resurfaced.Â
How? When?
âNeed any help?â
Looking up, Jeno has his hand stretched out. âUh, yeah, thanks.â You take hold of his hand and he helps you up.
âDonât mind Haechan, he's just beingâŠwell, himself.â He laughs. âI guess I should say sorry for starting all of this.â
âOh no, itâs fine. Really.â
âNow, I know that you havenât opened any of your gifts yet, but I wanted to give you mine personally.â He holds out a cutely wrapped box with a sparkly pink bow wrapped around it. âItâs nothing much but I saw it and thought youâd like it.â
âJe-JenoâŠâ you feel tears starting to well up in your eyes again. âYou didnât need to get me anything. Youâve done so much already,â you unwrap the gift to find what looks like a jewelry box inside. âWh-What is this?â You ask opening it.
Inside is a beautiful silver heart-shaped locket. Pulling it out, he instructs you to open it and when you do one half has a picture of your son, the other, a picture of yourself, but only you. A little surprised he takes the locket from your hands.
âI had asked Jaemin what I could get for you. He said he had no idea and to get you something that would make you happy. So I said what about a locket with all three of you inside, but he said to make it extra special for you and have it of you and your favorite person in the world.â
Jeno claps the latch for you, and the new piece of jewelry dangles around your neck. âHeâs a dumbass,â you mumble.
âHe is, but I didnât want to overstep my boundaries.â Jeno laughs.
Reaching in, you hug Jeno tightly. âIn any case, I love this. Thank you, Jeno.â
âNo problem,â he hugs you back just as tight. âAnd just between the two of us, inside the box there are alternate pictures for you to put into the locket, but donât tell the dumbass I told you.â
âI wonât!â You start giggling.
The rest of the party went by without a hitch. You couldnât have spent your birthday any better than how you spent it today. Being around those who youâre close to and sharing such a beautiful memory will go down as one of your favorite birthdayâs to date, and the best part, having your little guy part of this big day as well.
âRest well, sweetie.â You kiss your son on the cheek.
âNight night mommy,â he yawns.
Quietly you exit his room, but not before turning on his nightlight. Closing the door halfway, you peek at him one more time before heading back downstairs. In search of your husband, you head straight for the kitchen where he was last seen hunched over doing the dishes. His back turned to you, you watch him quietly. Leaning your back against the wall, your hands grow clammy as you attempt to speak to him. For the past five years youâve barely uttered a word to him that didnât have a purpose behind it. Not knowing how to talk to him anymore you clear your throat before walking up to the kitchen table.
Turning around at the sound of you clearing your throat, his sleeves rolled up to the bend of his arm, an apron wrapped around his waist, Jaemin stares shocked to see you⊠alone, in the kitchen⊠with him.Â
âUmmm, I⊠I thought I would tell you juniors in his room sleeping, so if you wanted to say goodnight you might have to do so at the door.â You mumble.
Nodding, Jaemin turns back to the dishes and continues. âIâll do that. Thanks for letting me know.â
Your fingers run down your face, exasperatedly â pulling at your bottom lids, as they stop at your cheekbones. Was talking to him always so hard? You ask yourself. âI, uh, I wanted to say thanks for today. I really appreciate it. You didnât have to go through all the trouble, but Iâm truly grateful.â
Shaking his head he turns to place a dish on the drying rack where you see the faintest hint of a smile. âIt was no trouble at all. Youâre a terrific mom and I wanted to do something to celebrate you. Thereâs no need to thank me.â
âNo,â you move from the kitchen table, and head straight for him. âI really do need to thank you and for more than just the party. Iâve given you a hard time these past couple of years and while I want to apologize, I still feel like because of what happened I shouldnât.â
Placing down the dish cloth in his hands he turns to you. âYou shouldnât apologize. What I did⊠I should be on my knees everyday thanking you for allowing me to be in our sonâs life.â
Holding up your hands you shake your head in protest. âI want to make things better between the two of us. I want our son to grow up in a healthy household. So, I believe in order to do this I should change the picture on the one side of the locket.â
Jaemin snickers and returns to washing the dishes. âJeno told you what I said?â
âHe did. While I donât know how to feel exactly you deserve to be in the locket as well. I wouldnât have been able to raise our son by myself. Those first few months when he wasnât sleeping you stayed up with him every night so I could rest. You fed him, bathed him, and played with him more than I did and it was all because you saw how exhausted I was. Youâve sacrificed so much of yourself for him as well as me.â
âItâs the least I could do after everything. Iâve royally fucked up my life, your life, and our sonsâ life.â
âJaeminâŠâ You whisper while your heart pounds in your ears.
Turning to face you his eyes widen when your lips press against his. You hear the dish cloth plop into the water and immediately after, Jaemin grabs hold of your upper arms and pushes you away from him.
âPl-PleaseâŠâ he keeps you at arms length, his head bowing down before you. âYou donât want⊠You canât do this.â
âWhy canât I do this?â
âYouâre not in the right headspace. What Iâve done to you, you shouldnât even have to look at me unless absolutely needed. Please, just get some rest. Youâve had a long day.â
âNo,â you place your hand on top of his. âI kissed you because I wanted to. And if you wouldnât mind lowering your arms, I would like to kiss you again. That is, if youâre okay with it.â
Jaeminâs arms start to lower, but he keeps a firm hold of you. âI donât deserve your kindness⊠I donât deserve your⊠yourâŠâ his voice gets softer and softer as you draw closer to him.
âWhat I give you from here on out will be what you deserve for your actions going forward. I want us to have a clean slate,â your hand slides up his chest, causing him to shrink inward. âI want what could have been, what should be, and what may be a life with you.â
Your hand travels up from his neck, skates over his collar bone, to his neck as you pull him closer to you. His eyes flutter wildly as if heâs unsure if he should accept this or flee. Then again, your eyes were doing the same weird dance as his. His pulse pounds crazily against the palm of your hand, mirroring your own. A strange desire to feel his lips on yours, and possibly (at least you hope) yours on his. Mere inches apart, Jaeminâs hand slides onto your hip making you gasp, and before you know it, his lips land on yours.Â
Not wasting a single second, you wrap your arms around his shoulders trapping him in your grasp. He complies, by wrapping you in a tight embrace as well. Your lips sliding across each otherâs in a feverish kiss. It felt like after years of fighting, years of distance, years of hatred, pain and hidden lust â everything was pouring out from the two of you in one single moment.
Jaeminâs tongue skates across your bottom lip asking for entrance and as if youâve been kissing him this whole time your lips part. The once sweet gentle kiss turns to hot then wet in a matter of seconds. Your tongues sliding across each otherâs a battle for dominance ensues and has both of you breathing heavy. Jaeminâs lips wrap around your tongue and immediately you become putty in his hands. Your knees give way, and quickly he pushes you against the counter for support. Holding your face in his hands he switches between sucking the shit out of your tongue, and shoving his down your throat.
Eyes watering, you grip onto him for dear life while you try to keep your wits about you. Pulling back for air both of you breathe heavily. His skin kissed with redness as he stares into your eyes like he did that night when he stole your heart. The memory smacks you in the face and before you can think about anything else, you grab the hem of your shirt and rip it over your head â tossing it onto the floor next to the two of you.
Scrambling, Jaemin unties his apron from his waist, and with shaky fingers you unbutton his button down shirt until he swiftly throws it down with yours. Your bottom lip snags between your teeth as you stare at the still sexy man in front of you. His muscles, though smaller still have your legs clenching together tightly. Jaemin grabs the back of your neck and pulls you in for another kiss, this time softer, this time sweeter.
âWhere to?â He mumbles against your lips.
âYour room?â You ask. âI donât want to risk the chance of you know who seeing.â
âA little risk adds to the excitement of it all,â his lips travel from yours and down to your neck.
âAnd last time was my father, I donât want this time to be our son.â Jaemin clamps down on your neck roughly causing you to moan. âJ-Jaemin⊠pleaseâŠâ You beg.
Turning from you, he grabs hold of your hand and both of you rush out of the kitchen a lightness in your steps and a massive amount of giggles coming from you.
Maybe this can actually work out, just maybeâŠ
The moment you enter Jaeminâs room, he closes the door behind you and locks it. Pressing you against it, his lips capture yours. The moment your lips touch, everything becomes blurry as you sink into the lust youâve kept at bay. Jaeminâs hand grabs hold of your waist, pulling you closer to him. He nips your bottom lip before his lips travel to your cheeks and back down to your neck. Your eyes flutter, a smile rests on your face â lord knows how badly youâve needed this moment, to feel someone touch you, kiss you, and caress you.
Suddenly you feel a sense of freedom. Looking down, you find your bra straps inching down past your shoulders. Giggling, you quirk a brow at Jaemin who smirks before stealing another kiss from you.
âI need to see your body again,â he confesses.
Wiggling out of your bra, he throws it across his room. His eyes go from yours down to your face, to your décolletage, and down to your breasts. Feeling a little shy, you cover yourself, but he grabs hold of your wrists pulling your arms apart.
âNever cover yourself. Youâre still as beautiful as the first day I saw you,â he reassures.
âR-Really?â You ask, your face warming up by the second.
âActually,â he takes a step back, his hand resting under his chin as he glances you over, a dark hunger in his gaze. âNow that Iâm looking at you, I have to say no.â
Your head shoots up in shock, eyes instantly becoming watery. âWh-What?â
âYouâre even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.â He smiles sweetly. âIt must be the glow of a strong, beautiful woman and mother,â he wraps an arm around you. âHonestly, youâre a lot hotter than before too.â
âJae-Jaemin!!!!â You slap his bare chest lightly.
âIf things go well,â he dips his head down placing a kiss at the center of your dĂ©colletage, âmaybe we should try again â this time however, with both of us on board.â He glances up at you.
âYou mean another little one?â
His lips slide to one of your breasts. Jaemin keeps a firm hold of you, your back arching up as he wraps his lips around your nipple. Nodding he sucks on the erect bud before giving it a playful nibble causing you to squeak. With one final suckle he pulls back smiling from ear to ear.
âThat is, if youâre okay with the idea.â
Whether it was the crazy storm of emotions roaring through your body, the lust of wanting Jaemin to take you here and now, or deep down you would love to see your little boy have a brother or sister to play with â you eagerly wrap your arms around him, jumping up and down where you stand.
âLetâs do it!â
Jaemin chuckles as he watches you turn into the cutest person in the world before him. âAre you sure? I mean we could talk to Dr. Kwon and see if she ââ
âNa Jaemin!â You state firmly. âIf you do not drag me over to your bed and plow into me in the next two seconds I will never forgive you for ruining the moment!â
Before you even realize it, youâre dragged from the door and flung onto the bed with Jaemin crawling on top of you. âI wouldnât be able to live with myself if I ruined this moment. Your wish is my command, my love.â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Haechan covers his mouth as he turns from you. âSo essentially you two ââ he becomes quiet.
âHad sex and started to restore our relationship? Yes, we did.â
âBut that was a long time ago. There is no saying things didnât turn south once more.â
âIt was not even three years ago, Haechan. How can you think that I would not only lie to you about what happened but actually hurt my husband? Yes, in the past I was in a different head space but that doesnât mean that I was or am even remotely in the same headspace. We were once a family. I know what I was about to do was wrong. I know, I understand and I myself regret telling you. It was something that Jaemin and I promised we would never bring up again.â
Glancing your way, his face looking exhausted he asks, âdid he really do those terrible things to you?â
Standing up you grab your purse. âIf you want to know the specifics of Jaeminâs state of mind and what happened to not only myself but to him, I suggest talking to Dr. Kwon. I stopped seeing her personally after the first year. I got what I could from her, but Jaemin â he kept his promise to me, he promised he would keep going so nothing like what he put me through would happen again, and he kept it! And I kept my promise as well by keeping my mouth shut of all the shitty things he did to me.
âThe only people we ever told were Dr. Kwon, apparently Jeno (which I didnât know Jaemin told him), and now you â or should I say and now anyone and everyone who will hear that stunt you pulled. You can be mad all you want, you can hate me, you can try to end my life yourself because what I did was terrible! But unless you were there, unless you went through what I did you have no fucking idea how badly I wanted to escape, how badly I wanted to get back to my life, to my parents!â
Opening your purse you take out one of Dr. Kwonâs business cards you took from her office. Slamming the card down onto the interrogation table in front of Haechan you turn to the door. âCall her before coming back to talk to me. Iâm not running and Iâm not hiding anymore. But I swear to you Haechan, I didnât hurt him. I could never hurt him!â
You head to the door and just as you are stepping out Haechan calls your name, halting you before you take one more step. âThe body,â he utters. âItâs notâŠit wasnât,â he twitches with irritation. âThe body wasnât Jaemin and there are absolutely no traces of a dog there at all.â
Slowly you turn back to him, eyes widened and mouth hung open in shock. âWhat did you just say?â
âWhen I was called out I was handed that vanilla folder.â He looks down at the table before him, your eyes following as you both stare at the folder sitting haphazardly at the table's edge. âInside is the report from not only the coroner, but also the officers on site and pictures of the scene. Itâs of a personâs body, badly burnt, but they are not Jaeminâs remains. According to the coroner they seem to belong to someone by the name of, Michael Krest. Do you know who this person is?â He asks.
In that moment your body gives out and you crash to the floor, hard. âShit!â Haechan rushes over. âHelp! Please!â Within seconds multiple officers plow through the door, some almost running both you and Haechan over in their haste. âPlease someone get me a water and damp towel. She just fell.â He orders the others.
âOn it!â You hear one of them speak.
âYou know who the man is donât you?â Haechan asks you while youâre lifted off the floor and placed back in the chair. âWho is he?â
How can this be? You havenât seen him in years. What was he doing at your house? Why was he at your house? And why is he dead?!
âHereâs the water!â The officer who left rushes over to you handing you the bottle but instead of taking it from him, he starts to freak out. âMaâam, maâam,â he gets down on his haunches trying to get you to respond. âMaâam, please say somethingâŠâ
âHâŠHâŠâ you huff out the sound of the letter h.
âH?â He looks at Haechan who shrugs.
âHeâsâŠHeâsâŠâ your body starts to tremble. âH-How?â You look at Haechan. âHOW?!â You scream as if youâre seconds from being killed â scaring Haechan, everyone in the room and those outside of it. âWhy in the hell was he at our home? Why is he dead? How did he die?!!! What the fuck is going on?â You grab at the roots of your hair. âI dumped him!!!! I havenât seen him since I left him?! Why the hell was he at my home?â
âHeâs an ex?â Haechan glances down at the folder shocked.
âHe never tried to contact me before. I never heard from him after I left him. Why was he at my house?â You ask Haechan, tears pouring from your eyes.
Scratching the back of his neck his eyes dart from the folder to you. âI believe Iâm supposed to ask you that question.â
âWell how the fuck do I know?!â You scream once again â this time those not involved in the interrogation slowly start exiting the room, leaving Haechan alone to face your wrath. âHonestly,â your bottom lip quivers. âI havenât seen him since I broke up with his cheating ass. Thereâs absolutely no reason for him to have been at my house. Hell, how did he even find me?!â
âThere is a reason for him to have been at your house, and that reason is you. As to how he got there, I donât know, did your parents meet him or something?â
âYeah they met him once or twice in the later stages of our relationship. I thought he was going to be the one before I found him balls deep in some slut backstage.â
âBackstage?â Haechan raises a curious brow.
âHeâs in a band, or was⊠I guess⊠When I saw him cheating on me I dumped him right then and there. I even cleared out his belongings from my apartment and left them at the front desk for him so I wouldnât have to deal with him personally.â
âSo you had an issue with him as well?â
Your head whips around towards Haechan, a furious glare in your eyes. Not again, not this time. He will NOT try to blame you for Michaelâs death.
âDid I have an issue with him, yes I did. I was cheated on. I caught him in the act of cheating. I was pissed the fuck off â hence throwing his stuff into boxes and taking them down to the front desk. I didnât hear from him after a simple apology note after a week of me catching him, with a simple âIâm sorry ~ Michaelâ on it. I never once looked for him, or cared to look for him. But despite the dislike I have for him I would never wish any harm such as this to come to him. I swear, Haechan. I do not know why he was at our home.â
âI believe you,â he rubs the bridge of his nose. âBut now we have a whole new set of problems. Why was he at your home in the first place? What happened to him prior to the fire before his death which appears to be smoke inhalation due to the fire. And where the fuck is Jaemin?â
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Wiggling about in ecstasy on the couch, your hands at the bend of your knees while your legs are spread wide open for Jaemin â you let out whimper after whimper as he runs his fingers up and down your glistening folds. His eyes staring daggers into yours, he watches as you come undone before him.
âJ-Jaemin,â you cry out. âPlease!!!â
Snickering he brings his fingers up to his lips and one by one he slides his fingers into his mouth coating them in his saliva. When heâs finished he brings his fingers back down to your pulsating core and slides them over your sensitive nub.
âDoes my baby need a little attention?â He asks you sweetly.
âMmmmâŠâ you respond, lips clenched tightly together.
With the flick of his middle finger he starts to toy with your clit. Closing your eyes tightly you do your best not to make a single sound that would wake your sleeping child. At night and his nap time are the only times the two of you manage to have time for yourselves. And while you were expecting a little quickie when your baby is asleep â the sensational feeling of Jaemin teasing and edging you has you thinking otherwise.
âWow, look at this,â he grabs your attention. Holding up his hand he shows you how his fingers are now coated in your juices. âYouâre so wet baby,â he smiles before popping each finger into his mouth. âSo good,â he hums delightfully. âBut I think you can do better, donât you?â
âB-Better?â Your body starts to grow warm all over. The goosebumps you felt in the beginning have multiplied, your breathing starts to get faster turning into small pants. Your toes wiggle and curl the more he rubs his fingers over your bundle of nerves.
âYes, a lot better, or should I say wetter?â He gives you the darkest smirk youâve ever seen before plunging two of his fingers into you.
Your head and eyes roll back as your grip on your legs tighten. âJae-Jaemin!!!â You squeak. Chucking with glee, he lowers his head down to your pulsing clit and slurps up all of your juices heâs caused to spill from you. âShit!!!â You say a little too loudly.
âShhh, baby, donât wake him.â Jaemin warns. âI have another round planned for us during this break.â He smiles against you.
âTh-Then go easy on me, pleaseâŠâ you beg.
âI canât do that, not when youâre this irresistible.â
And with that he dives down again smothering his face into your folds. His tongue and fingers working together at lightning speed to push you closer and closer to the edge. Your chest rises and falls quickly, your mouth hangs open as saliva trails down onto your chest. Small whimpers and moans keep coming from you the more Jaemin lapse over you and rams his fingers inside of you.
âJae-Jae-JaeâŠâ you canât get out his whole name as your body starts to loosen up from your grip. Your hands unclenching from your knees has them lowering down to Jaemin, but with a quick reaction he catches one of your legs which causes you to stop.
Popping his head up for a second, his lips swollen and coated in your slick he gives your clit a little lick which has you clenching around his fingers. âKeep your legs up and open for me baby. As much as I wouldnât mind being smothered by your thighs, I want to see your beautiful face when you cum, okay?â
âShit!â You clench around his fingers once more.
âTell me when Iâve found the spot, alright baby?â
âMmmmmmâŠâ you slide down further into the couch.
Curling his fingers inside of you, Jaemin feels around trying to find your most sensitive spot. Only having found it a few other times (purely by accident as he pounded his cock inside of you until you came around him) the exact location is still trying to be blueprinted. While one hand is coaxing you into bliss, his other hand hovers over your clit, his middle finger occasionally brushing against you.
âJaemin!â You whine.
âNot until you tell me when Iâve gotten the right spot,â he pulls his fingers out of you, but not completely.
âWAIT!â You gasp, alarming him. âSlowly push them back in,â you instruct.
Doing as instructed, Jaemin pushes his fingers back inside of you until he feels your body shake below him. Not needing a word of confirmation he curls his fingers, and goes to town pushing you beyond your wildest dreams. In a matter of seconds you go from feeling wonderful, sweetly nestled into the couch â to scrambling to sit up a little, almost as if to get away while Jaeminâs fingers work you over from both inside and out.  Â
âJae-Jae-Jae!!!â You start chanting. âFaster, faster!!!!!â Foregoing your clit, Jaemin holds onto his wrist and uses both his arms to shove his fingers inside of you. âYes! Yes! Yes!!!â You scream behind your hand to keep your voice to a minimum.
Suddenly a burst from you has your eyes rolling to the back of your head, your body quivering and shaking. Your hands grip onto the couch while wet noises come from you and fill the room along with your panting.
âThatâs my girl!!!!â Jaemin smiles proudly when he sees your pussy squirting, coating his forearm, fingers, shirt and lap. âI knew you could do it.â
As you come down from your high, Jaemin drinks up the remaining juices that drip from you before standing up. âReady for round two?â He asks while unzipping his pants. Not saying a word you open your arms wide for him â inviting him into your space to do whatever he pleases. Sliding out of his jeans and briefs he runs his soaked fingers up and down his shaft while his bottom lip is trapped between his teeth. âShit, babyâŠâ he runs his other hand through his newly dyed blonde locks. âI could get off just staring at you like this.â
âNoâŠâ you pout and whine sitting up onto the couch. âI want you inside of me,â you pull him towards you, his hand moving away from his cock. âDeep,â you take hold of his length. âDeep,â you give the tip a little smooch. âDeep inside of me,â you state before wrapping your lips around him, sliding your mouth and tongue up and down his shaft coating it with your saliva.
âFuck,â he curses. âKeep it up and Iâll need to eat you out again before Iâm ready to go once more,â he chuckles.
Pulling back a sinister look on your face and a speck of mischief in your eyes you wiggle your tongue across the slit of his cock. âI wouldnât be opposed to that.â
âNeither would I,â he pulls back from you, dipping down for a kiss. âBut like you said so sexily, I want to be buried deep,â he starts moving down to you, your body moving away allowing him more space on the couch. âDeep,â he hikes up one of your legs while he settles in between them. âDeep inside of you,â he mumbles against your lips as he slides his cock inside of you.
Hissing at the feeling of entering you, he resituates himself until heâs comfortable. âWeâll need a third, fourth, and fifth round tonight.â He chuckles and starts to move in and out of you. âFuck baby,â he smiles while ramming his hip into yours, your hands instinctively go to his wrists as you hold on tight. âYou feel so goodâŠâ he grunts and starts moving faster driving you deeper and deeper into the couch.
Your hips meet every single thrust of his pushing both of you further into sensuous blissâŠ
â â€Â â âŁÂ â âĄ
Sitting in the car next to Jeno your mind races while your fingers are snagged between your teeth. What the hell is really going on? Your leg shakes nervously as the conversation with Haechan replays before your eyes again and again. JaeminâŠHeâs⊠but if he was why hasnât he shown himself yet? If he was alive he wouldnât just leave you and his son alone, right?
As you draw closer to your old neighborhood the memories of that fateful day start to replay before your eyesâŠ
âBabe,â you call out to Jaemin who was upstairs in his office. âCan you come down here please?â
âMama, where are we going?â Tiny little hands tug on your shirt.
âWell, weâre going to have a little picnic so I can tell daddy some good news!â You boop your son's nose.
âWhat news?â
Playfully putting your hands on your hips, you puff out your cheeks. âNot so fast you little trickster. Youâll know when daddy knows.â
Mocking your pose he pouts. âBut I wanna know now!â He whines.
âWhat do you want to know, little man?â Jaemin swoops down picking him up and causing both of you to giggle.
âMama has a secret to tell us!â He squeals with laughter as Jaemin throws him over his shoulder.
âA secret? What is this secret?â His brows wiggle.
Sighing you shake your head and turn to the picnic basket you have in your hands. âLike father like son,â you wave both of them off. âI was hoping you could spare the afternoon for a nice picnic at the park. We can bring Nana and the boys with us too!â
Huffing behind you, you leap forward at the familiar growl of discontent from Nana. âSpeak of the devil (literallyâŠ)â You whisper under your breath.
âIâŠâ Jaemin puts your son down, sighing. âWhy donât you go outside and play with Nana and the boys, okay buddy?â
âOkay!â He squeaks and pats his tiny lap. âCome on Nana, letâs go play!â
Rushing out of the kitchen you watch your son and the happiest demon dog to ever walk the face of the earth, gleefully leave out the front door to the front yard.
âBabe, I canât go out this afternoon. Iâm expecting a call from a client. Is there any way we can reschedule?â
âI thought that call wasnât going to be until tonight,â your shoulders start to slump forward. âCanât you just bring your cell phone and step away when the call comes through?â
âItâs a business call, you know I donât take them on my personal phone. Plus, itâs an important call. I canât exactly bring on a new client while our son is screaming ââ as if knowing his cue both of you jump at the sound of your son's laughter coming through the opened door. âSee,â he points to the door. âI canât have that going on.â
âBut I mean⊠not even for two hours? You canât spare us two hours?â
Running an exasperated hand through his hair, he looks from you to the basket, to your son. âReally babe, Iâd love to but I canât⊠Not this timeâŠâ
âI seeâŠâ you turn from him and grab the picnic basket. âI guess weâll just go and give you the evening to have your business call. Weâll be back after dark.â You head out of the kitchen and into the living room.
âBabe! Please!â Jaemin shouts behind you. âIâm sorry.â
âI understand, Jaemin.â You wave him off. âSweetie, head over to the car and Iâll meet you there.â You shout to your son.
âWhy does daddy look sad?â He stops immediately when he sees Jaeminâs solemn expression.
âDaddy canât join us, he has a very important phone call to make.â You bend down to him and stroke the top of his head. âHe said heâll join us another day.â
âB-But the sandwiches, the secretâŠâ he looks back at Jaemin. âDaddy we need to hear mamaâs secretâŠâ
Glancing at you, you quickly turn from Jaemin. âWeâll find out another time buddy. Donât worry Iâll make sure mommy doesnât forget.â
âPromise?â He walks up to Jaemin holding out his tiny pink finger.
âI promiseâŠâ Jaemin bends down to him and wraps his finger around his baby boy's finger. âNow, as the man Iâm going to need you to protect your mom for me while weâre apart, okay?â He asks. âIf any strange person tries to approach her, what do you do?â
âGET BACK YOU CREEPY MAN!!!!!!!â Your son shouts loud enough to scare both you and Jaemin. âRight, daddy?!â He asks proudly.
Holding back a laugh, you roll your eyes. âThatâs right,â he gives him a kiss on the cheek before standing up. âReally, Iâm sorry. Weâll do this again soon, okay?â His eyes quiver with uncertainty.
Nodding, you take hold of your little boy's hand. âOf course, I still have a secret to tell.â
âIâll see you when you get back sweetie,â he wraps his arm around your waist bringing you in for a sweet kiss.
âMaybe weâll be back a little earlier than expected,â you wink. âOkay, letâs get to the park before all the good swings are taken!â
âYEAH!!!!!!!!â
âBe safe!â Jaemin shouts as you leave through the front door.
âWe will. Weâll be back in about two hours.â
âIâll be here!â He waves before closing the door.
Just as you were heading for the garage you realize you left the bag that has a blanket and a few treats and toys for the dogs inside.
âSweetie, come back here for a second. Mommy forgot something inside.â You call back to your son. He runs back up to you with the two boy dogs, Nana having walked into the home after you parted with Jaemin. âDo you remember where you left mommyâs bag with the blanket inside?â
âI left it by the door.â He points to the front door.
âOkay we just need to ââ
Shaking your head you stop the rest of that memory from resurfacing. In the matter of seconds a loud, powerful, gust of wind blasted through the door sending both you and your son back and the dogs running away. Covering him up with your body you kept him safe from what felt like a raging ball of fire spewing from inside of your home.
When you felt it was safe enough to move you told your little boy to run and to not look back, but you yourself looked back to see your beautiful home engulfed in a beastly fire. Tears poured down onto your face, your legs froze where you stood â your heart reaching out to where you knew Jaemin was still inside. Almost dragging you back to the fiery beast if not for your sonâs small hand clenching your own â no one could have survived that⊠not evenâŠ
Pulling into his driveway Jeno parks his car, turns it off and immediately you hear a tired breath come from him. âWhat happened?â He turns to you. âWhat happened with Haechan? Youâve been eerily quiet since I picked you up. Did he say something? Or,â he pauses and gulps loudly. âDid he try to hurt you again?â
âJeno,â you whisper quietly. âWhat are the odds of someone surviving that fire?â
Taken aback he takes off his seatbelt so he can turn to you. âWhat are you talking about? You were there⊠and I drove back a few days after. Your house is completely leveled. No one, not even Superman himself could have survived that fire.â
âThe police found a bodyâŠâ
âYeah but we both knew that, remember? Thatâs why you were down there to talk about the body. Did they prove you didnât do anything?â He takes hold of your hand worriedly. âIs this mess going to end?â
âNot even close,â slowly your head turns to Jeno, a wild look in your eyes. âThe body they found wasnât Jaeminâs. It was of Michael KrestâŠâ
âMichael Krest, who the hell is that?â
âMy ex-boyfriend.â
Jeno drops your hand from his ever so slowly as he leans back, his back now resting against his car door. âWhat theâŠâ
âJeno, I think Jaemin is alive⊠and I think⊠he had someone else trapped in that maze after meâŠâ
Speechless, both you and Jeno sit in his car in an eerie silence. Both of your heads spinning out of control with the news that youâve just found out and uttered. Jeno was right, no one could have possibly lived through that fire, hence Michaelâs body. The real questions still remain: why was Michael at your home in the first place? Did Jaemin do something terrible to him? Did he lock him down in the maze as he did to you? What caused that explosion? Is Jaemin still alive and if so, how did he escape? Is Nana with him? If he did escape and is out there why hasnât he come to get you and your son?
âWe-We should get inside and you can tell me everything that happened at the precinct. Alright?â Jeno asks in a shaky voice. âNone of this makes senseâŠâ
âYouâre telling me,â you sigh, undoing your seatbelt. âHaechan did say that he was going to stop by at the end of the week so maybe heâll have found more information by then. I just⊠none of this makes any sense, Jeno. None of itâŠâ
âIâm sorry,â he reaches out and places his hand on top of yours once more. âIâm sorry for everything heâs caused and is still causing. I should have said something years ago when I found out, but IâŠâ
Shaking your head you pat the top of his hand. âItâs okay, I did this to myself. I chose him once, then hated him, chose him again, and now I just have question after question for him. Maybe when this is all said and done Iâll finally have all the answers to them, hopefully that is.â
âYeah, hopefully...â
Jeno gets out of the car and quickly comes over to your side and opens the door for you, and helps you get out. Giving you a secure arm to lean against the two of you walk up to his house to find a piece of paper taped to his front door, with your name on it.
âWere you expecting someone?â Jeno asks, taking the paper and handing it to you while he opens the door.
âNo,â you open it up. âIâŠâ
Immediately all the blood drains from your face, and for the second time your knees give out and you fall to the ground.
âYah!!!!â Jeno quickly grabs hold of you and pulls you back to your feet. âWhat happened? Are you okay? Here, letâs get you insideâŠâ
âJenoâŠâ you start crying. âJenoâŠ.â
âWhat happened? What hurts?â He leads you to the couch in his living room. Crouching down in front of you, he holds the side of your face in his hands as he looks at you terrified. âWhat is it?â Holding out the paper to him, it shakes and jiggles frantically in your grasp. âThe note?â He asks. Taking it from you he opens it and just like you, the blood drains from his face and he falls back onto his butt on the floor. âWhat the fuck is going on?â
Rule 8, if the hunter finds himself incapable of being the hunter then the title of hunter goes to his former prey. When this change happens it is now the new hunters job to seek out the prey.
Come find me, hunter.
~ Jaemin
#jaemin smut#na jaemin smut#jaemin#jaemin fanfic#jaemin horror fanfic#jaemin nct dream#jaemin nct#nct jaemin#nct fanfic#nct fanfiction smut#jaemin fanfiction#jaemin fanfiction smut
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â â nonâ â healingâ â wounds
#đžàŸàœČ â à„à„à„ ă
€ă
€ ââ Ÿ ă
€ă
€ â â ă
€ă
€ă
€ă
€â â â â â â â â â â â â â â #kpop icons#messy layouts#jisung#nct#nct dream#icons#messy moodboard#bios#park jisung#nct jisung#jisung layouts#jisung moodboard#jisung icons#alternative#horror movies#vampire#nct icons#nct layouts#random layouts#random moodboard#meme#dark aesthetic#bgs icons#kpop layouts#bgs moodboard#nct dream moodboard#nct dream layouts
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ê°ââ â· idols as; horror movies âđ·âê±
halloween special
like/reblog | @snghaobin
donât repost our work or claim it as yours
#maju#halloween#horror movies#tsuki#billlie#yoohyeon#dreamcatcher#seulgi#red velvet#loona#jungkook#bts#chanyeol#exo#doyoung#nct#nct 127#nct u#minhyuk#btob#jennie#blackpink#jiwoong#zb1#zerobaseone#sunmi#joy#momo#suga#miyeon
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Different || l.yy
Summary: Yangyang's tired of fucking pretty girls and boys, so he fucks you.
Pairings: Fuckboy! Yangyang x reader
Warnings: 18+, smut, noncon, choking, sub! Yangyang, university au
Dark Content, Minor please DNI
Disclaimer: this is a work of pure fiction. I do not condone the actions of any characters in this story and the actions do not reflect the idols in any way.
Yangyang knows you like him so, so much.Â
He knows heâs attractive, born with a pretty face, pretty voice, pretty body. Yangyang knows he lives in a different world than you, surrounded by adoring fans who live and breathe for him. Everywhere he goes, people are sure to look and follow. Heâs never once had an issue with dating or fucking the most attractive men and women, most of them tripping over themselves to get to him. Of course, he indulges in this. How could he not when itâs so pleasurable? Itâs a wonderful feeling to feel beautiful and to be seen with someone so attractive. But, routine is boring to Yangyang.
Maybe thatâs what draws you to him initially.Â
Yangyang knows you find him attractive. He can see it in the way you look at him, the way you post about your love for him on your various social media accounts, the way that you follow his crowd around.Â
Youâre one of his many admirers but youâre not attractive at all. Itâs almost as if you feed into that, never styling yourself in clothes that flatter you. Yangyangâs never seen you talk with another person, much less go out with a friend or go to any social events. Heâs pretty sure youâre not in any clubs or any extracurricular activities. He doesnât even think he's seen you study on campus.Â
Yangyang finds it interesting how you act on your feelings. Your social media accounts are all set to private. Besides his public events, he never sees you around. Youâre never pushing your way forward in mobs trying to see him or talk to him, always opting to stay in the back.Â
Yangyang thinks itâll be fun to try to fuck you.Â
âGood girl, choke me a little harder.â Yangyang gasps, eyes rolling into the back of his skull in pleasure. Yangyangâs splayed out on your couch, leaning back into the headrest. He looks pretty like this, filthy words falling from his pink, bitten lips, drool leaking from his mouth, cheeks tinged pink, chest heaving. His hands are around your waist, fingers digging into your skin enough to leave a bruise. Yangyang moves you up and down his length helping you ride him.
This was not what you wanted your first time to be like. You didnât want to fuck him at your place on your old couch. You werenât ready yet. You didnât want to be forced into Yangyangâs fantasies. You never wanted to fuck Yangyang, at least not like this and definitely not raw.
You reluctantly tighten your grip around his throat and sniffle as more tears slip down your redden cheeks. Your thighs burn from riding him and the stretch of his length burns. Yangyang didnât bother to prep you properly, only hastingly working you open just enough to be able to force himself into you. You feel gross, sweaty and sticky from sex.Â
âFuck, you feel so good. Youâre so good for me, my perfect little slut to mold. Youâll do anything you tell you to do, right?â Yangyang babbles, hands moving you up and down faster. You swear heâs becoming delirious with pleasure and lack of oxygen.
âYangyangââ You try to speak, to tell him once again to stop, that youâre tired, that he doesnât have to do this to you, that he can find other people much better than you to fuck.Â
âIâm so close. Just a little bit more, Iâm gonna cum inside you and youâre gonna take every last drop.â Yangyang groans.Â
Alarmed, you remove your hands from Yangyangâs neck and try to pull yourself up from Yangyangâs lap as you plead with him not to cum inside you. Itâs futile, as Yangyang shakes his head, tightening his grip on your waist and holding you down as he continues to chase his high.Â
Itâs repulsive as you feel Yangyang cum inside you. You can feel his length twitch and his hot cum fill you up to the brim as he lets out a loud moan. Yangyang's body shudders as he holds you down as he cums, wanting your warmth to milk his length for all that itâs worth.Â
Youâre stuck in a daze as Yangyang pulls out from you and you hear Yangyangâs phone camera click with a flash. A memento for himself.Â
You vaguely hear Yangyang leave, shutting the front door behind him as he exits while you sit on your couch, Yangyangâs cum leaking out from you and making a mess on your couch.
#Wrote this right before class.. pray for me...#I will hopefully be writing more and have some Halloween/horror themed stuff out#tw: noncon#tw: choking#dark nct#nct smut#nct hard hours#nct hard thoughts#wayv hard hours#wayv hard thoughts#wayv yangyang#yangyang smut#yangyang hard thoughts#I should be studying lol...#yangyang hard hours
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