The Sound of Magic (Ri Eul x Reader)

A Real Magician

A/N: OKAY!!!! I'm so so so soooooo sorry that I haven't updated in a while. It's been weeks now. But we're getting back into it! Also, holy moly! 2K READS!?!? I don't know how that happened, but thank you all so so so so much!! <3 <3 <3

And sorry, this one won't be too long, but I'll be coming out with the next update pretty soon! Enjoy!

------------

"I'm a real magician."

Min-hyuk's voice is shaking with rage and it sends a horrible shiver down your spine.

What is going on?? This isn't like the Min-hyuk you know at all. You're frozen in place, too shocked to do anything except stare. The stranger's choked cries continue as you watch on in stunned silence.

"Please... please..." comes the stranger's strangled begging.

Whatever this is--whatever Min-hyuk's doing--you're positive he didn't intend for you to see it. But it's too late. You're here now.

You finally overcome your shock enough to have a coherent thought. You're not sure what's going on, or what happened between them to make Min-hyuk act this way, but one thing's for certain. You NEED to intervene before things get out of hand.

You let your hand drop from your mouth. You didn't even realize you'd still been covering it.

"Min-ah." Your voice trembles more than you would like as you call out his name.

You see him stiffen at the sound of your voice, his hand frozen, clenching the knife dangerously close to the man's neck. For a moment he stays silent, and his head turns back slightly, allowing you to view the side of his face. You're able to confirm that it's him now. Then he faces forward again and his voice cuts through the quiet:

"Get out," he says to the man through gritted teeth, his voice laced with disgust. "And don't ever come back... You phony piece of trash."

Bella flaps aggressively in her cage in the corner. "TRASH! GET OUT! PHONY! TRASH!" She seems to pick up a few of Min-hyuk's words and her deafening squawks fill the room like a fire alarm.

Min-hyuk stands mechanically, looking down at the crumpled heap of a man in front of him as Bella's loud cries eventually die down. The man is gasping for breath, massaging his neck where Min-hyuk's hands had been only moments before.

"Go," Min-hyuk whispers ominously. The sound is somehow more terrifying than when he was growling. You see his hands ball into fists at his side, and he clenches the knife tighter, making his knuckles turn white. "Before I change my mind..."

The man on the ground seems to need no further encouragement. He's on his feet and running out the door in a matter of seconds. Now that he's on his feet, you get a better look at him. He's a heavy-set, older man with beady eyes. For a brief moment, those eyes meet yours, and you feel uneasy. You're sure that whoever this man is, he did not come here with good intent. He doesn't give you a second glance as he barrels past you, wanting to get out of the room as fast as he can.

Silence once again fills the room as the man's hurried footsteps fade away.

Min-hyuk remains standing, hands clenched, staring directly in front of him, as if he's afraid to turn around.

"How long have you been standing there?" He asks quitely without turning to face you. His voice is much softer now. There's no more anger or disgust that you can detect. It makes you wonder if what you just saw actually happened at all.

At the sound of his normal voice, your legs start working on their own, and suddenly you're running to him. He doesn't turn as you approach. His gaze is still locked directly in front of him. You grab his arm, trying to make him look at you, but he's avoiding your gaze.