✓LOVER BOY | hwang hyunjin

06. Save Me

"Check the wardrobe."

Yeseul felt her heart fall in a lump of dread.

Hyunjin was sitting on the staircase of the attic. He felt distressed by the last message his online friend had sent him. No matter how many messages he texted out, there were no replies. Hesitation caught him, but pushing it away, he called the number for the first time.

The door of the wardrobe creaked open, and before the wounding face of Jihoon appeared before her, Yeseul pushed her body against the door, the act making Jihoon fall over Sungho. Yeseul stumbled, her ankle caught in a gripping pain. The strain made her to yelp, but the eyes of Jihoon preyed upon her with such an amusement, that she had no option other than running. Rushing down the stage, Yeseul ran for the door, her heart on the verge of bursting.

"That struggle is so unlike you, Yeseul."

Yeseul turned the doorknob, but the dim hope shattered when she realised that the door was locked, trapping her in the room with the two guys who stood with malice in their gaze.

"Oh, what's that?" Jihoon pushed his eyebrows in an act of concern. "Looks like we are trapped."

Sungho laughed, Jihoon glancing at him. "Yah, Sungho. Why would you do that, huh? Can't you see that our Yeseul avoids us?"

Yeseul was raging. She swallowed back the fear. She would never let others have a look at how weak she actually was inside. Her hands kept struggling with the knob. She kicked the door harshly, unceasingly. "Someone please open this door! Can anyone hear me? Please!"

Jihoon couldn't hold back his grin. He walked ahead, his hand reaching for Yeseul's, but before he could touch her, she flinched away. Recoiling against the wall. "Don't you dare touch me."

The thing that Jihoon despised was when his victims would retaliate. He always held the desire to control the way others acted. Retaliation meant anger. And he hated that. He enjoyed the fearful gasps, the breathless apologies, the begging, and the tears. He wanted that from Yeseul, but when her eyes would burn into his with that persistent boldness, he lost the sense of calm.

"Yah!" He shoved the girl into the wall. "Who do you think you're playing around with? You still didn't learn your lesson, huh?" He glanced away, a chuckle escaping his mouth. "This is really pissing me off. Yeseul-ah." His hand moved down to grip at her wrist. He pushed his fingers in her skin, the pain making her to wince.

"Stop."

He came closer to her, his eyes looking for hers. He pushed back the cap on her head. "Oh Yeseul. Who hurt you. That's terrible." His finger moved up to touch the wound on her mouth. He pushed his finger against the raw skin intentionally. Yeseul jerked her face away from him. "I'm sorry. Did that hurt you?"

"Jihoon." Yeseul drew in a deep breath. "You know what I think of you? That you own no respect. You actually are a coward who derives his happiness by putting others in pain. And I'm sure you had your own share of a bad childhood." She simpered, her eyes travelling to his face in a mocking way. "What next? Want to punch me again?"

Sungho snickered in the back. Jihoon pushed Yeseul away, rushing towards his friend. "What are you laughing at, you bastard?"

Yeseul turned back to the door, calling for help. But before she saw it, Jihoon gripped at her collar, forcefully throwing her on the ground. Yeseul barely escaped the fist that Jihoon threw at her. She grunted under the grip of him, kicking the heel of her shoe in his abdomen. He creased in pain, but he didn't give up. Before Yeseul could stand, he pulled her down by her hair, the rubber breaking off, blinding away her face. Her chin scrapped by the fall, Jihoon laughed, stumbling up. Yeseul pushed herself away from the floor, but Jihoon kicked her stomach. Yeseul couldn't breathe.

"I seriously won't mind getting my hands red with your blood."

Before he could do more of what he wanted, the door flung open. Hyunjin stood there, his face unreadable. His eyes stayed on Jihoon, before moving towards Yeseul.

"Hyunjin." Jihoon smiled, his eyes failing his emotions.

"Leave the girl."

The pain that Yeseul felt almost paralyzed her. Warm tears blurred her eyes. She pushed herself up, running out of the door, her body brushing against Hyunjin's. He watched her leave, his heart heavy.

"It's alright. I'm glad you came to interrupt us. Who knows what could have happened to her." Jihoon snickered. "Where's Jeongin by the way? Didn't see him around. What can I say? I miss him a lot, you know."

Hyunjin didn't say anything. The anger swirled in him with such stubbornness, but he had to hold it in. Instead he rushed away, looking for the girl who left without any words.