VHope Fluffshots

Cursed

A boy with dark, curly hair was resting on the chaise lounge. His skin was rich with melanin, contrasting with the pearlesque robes he donned. His dark eyes were sharp, full lips pulled into a firm line. He didn't say a word until the door was shut, leaving him with Hoseok. 

"Make yourself at home." The boy gestured to one of the couches. 

Hoseok was momentarily floored by the sound of his voice. He was no boy, but a man. He was a very beautiful man at that. 

He slowly sat down on one of the couches, keeping his posture stiff and uninviting. Hoseok didn't like being stared at, but this man drilled holes into his body. It reminded him of the woman from before, but somehow so much more calculating. 

"You don't want to be here." 

Hoseok slowly shook his head, glancing at the man on the chaise lounge before gluing his eyes back to the floor. "My friends kept bugging me. I p-planned on walking back out, but...she made me meet y-you." 

He heard a quiet hum and some shifting. "Ryujin-noona doesn't take no for an answer. She's very kind, but pushy. She's a great business woman, as much as I hate to admit." There was more shifting, then the sound of footsteps coming closer to the couch. "My name is Kim Taehyung. What's yours?" 

There was something about the lilt in his voice that convinced Hoseok to look up. Taehyung was standing there, a tender look in his eyes as he crouched down in front of his client. "Jung Hoseok, nice to meet you." 

"It's nice to meet you too, Hoseok," Taehyung smiled, though it seemed a little forced. 

Hoseok shifted uncomfortably, ignoring how his heart pounded every time Taehyung spoke. "Um, I'm sorry, b-but I'm not interested in any of...of this," he stuttered, gesturing to the boudoir. 

"Are you sure? I don't touch my clients," Taehyung assured, but Hoseok nodded rapidly. 

"I don't want this, not at all." 

"Well, you're stuck with me until she unlocks the door, so --"

"She locked me in here with you!?" Hoseok nearly yelled, eyes wide in fear. He didn't like how this was going, not at all. 

"Hey, it's okay," Taehyung rushed, eyes glowing a lavender color. All the anxiety and panic immediately drained from Hoseok's body as if it were never there. "I won't do anything to you, okay? We can just talk; how does that sound?" 

Talk. Hoseok could do that; he was fine with that. 

"Okay," he breathed out, giving a weak smile when Taehyung smiled. 

"Good. Now," Taehyung rose from the floor, taking his place right next to Hoseok, "I know you're probably wondering what I just did to calm you down. It's my way of bringing pleasure; I can manipulate emotions. That's why I don't touch my clients; because I don't have to." 

"Are you...are you a witch?" Hoseok asked. 

Witches were rather common. For the most part, they were kind and incredibly beneficial to the communities they lived in. A witch lived about ten miles into the woods near the Jung Estate. His name was Min Yoongi; his power made him strong with nature, including herbal medicines. 

Taehyung laughed humorlessly. "No, but I was cursed by one. When my parents found out, they brought me to Ryujin-noona and sold me to her for a large amount of money. I've been here ever since." 

Hoseok frowned, heart aching just a bit for the man. How could people be so selfish as to sell off their child for money? Why were they so greedy? He always questioned the greed of others, since he wasn't greedy himself. All of his wealth was simply inherited and it was up to him to keep his estate and business running smoothly, as per his parents' request. He simply did it for his family. "I'm so sorry, Taehyung. I don't know what to say to make you feel better."