Without You ~ Ziuce

Chapter 3

⚠️ WARNING⚠️ - This chapter contains abuse. If you do not feel comfortable reading that, please skip to the end of the flashback.

FLASHBACK
Ace walked into the recording studio. It was a rainy day and he was already soaked from the downpour outside. Gi Jeong-hoon was waiting inside of  the control room. He checked his watch, "15 minutes late, Mr. Jang."  "I'm sorry, I woke up late, and the rain, and then-" 
"I don't want to hear it, Wooyoung. This is the second time this week that it's happened.  It will not happen again, understood?"  Ace nodded, and looked down at his feet. Jeong-hoon smiled sweetly at him. Wooyoung gave him a questioning look.
This isn't normal, he thought. He nodded again, then went into the live room. Jeong-hoon went along with the recording and singing lesson normally; his attitude was weirdly even, and he didn't lash out once the entire practice. 

The lesson had now ended, and Ace stood up to get his things and gtfo. Before he could leave, Jeong-hoon spoke, "Good job today, Ace." 'Oh, thanks,' Wooyoung mumbled back. He started to walk out the door, but Jeong-hoon grabbed him by the shoulder. "Is that a proper way to thank your elder after they compliment you?"
Ace's eyes went wide with shock. He said 'thank you,' didn't he?
"Answer me," the older one breathed.
"I appreciate your recognition of my talent, thank you Jeong-hoon Hyung." Ace said skeptically, he tried to put on a fake smile.
"I don't believe it." He stepped closer to Ace.
The younger took a few steps back.
"Stop trying to get away from me, 'Ace'." He hissed. Jeong-hoon grabbed him suddenly by the shoulders and dug his knee into Ace's stomach. The smaller toppled back against a wall as Jeong-hoon looked down at him.
He smirked,"You need to learn how to speak to your elders right and respect them."
"No.. please. I'm sorry. I won't do it again," Wooyoung began to cry," I didn't mean it please, Hyung. It won't happen again. Please, I promise."
Jeong-Hoon threw a punch down hard into Ace's skull; the pain spread quickly through his head.
Ace knew what was to come. What he didn't know was that this was going to be the worst battering of his life.

END OF FLASHBACK

Ziu gently stroked Wooyoung's hair with one hand, and patted his back with his other hand.
"It's okay, take your time," Ziu reassured him.
His shirt was already soaked with tears, and it had only been a few minutes.   Sitting up, Wooyoung took his sleeve and dried his eyes. He looked at Heejun miserably. Ziu decided to try to ease him into answering the initial question he wanted an answer to.
"Wooyoungie....,  what happened.?" He hesitated, grabbing Wooyoung's hands as he gave him a soft look, "I need you to tell me what happened."

Ace did not respond.

"Who did this to you?" Heejun pried.

"I-I can-n't sa-ay," Wooyoung said in between sniffles.
"Ok, ok. It's alright. But you will have to tell me some time, Hyungie," Heejun smiled, lightening the mood. Ace nodded.

"Can you stand? Or walk?" Heejun asked.
Wooyoung only shrugged. "Come here," he picked up Ace under the arms and helped him to stand. Then, he turned around and bent down a little bit so Ace could get on his back. Ziu handed Wooyoung his hat back, and he put it on.
   They left the bathroom like that, and Ziu started walking back towards the dance practice room. "Wait, what are you-" Ace started.   "We need to tell them we're leaving, so we can get home."

They quickly told the other members that Wooyoung wasn't feeling well and that they were going to go home for the rest of the day. The rest of VAV agreed to let the two boys leave. When their manager asked them where they were going, they explained it the same way.
The walk home was silent, for Ace had fallen asleep. It had already been such a long, difficult day. Heejun was feeling a bit tired himself, too.
Heejun opened the dorm room's door and kicked his shoes off. He took off Wooyoung's and set them near the door. Gently, he shook Ace awake and asked,"My room or yours?"
"Yours."
"Okay," Heejun smiled.
Heejun carried Wooyoung to his small room.
They laid down together on Ziu's mattress on the floor of his room.

"Goodnight Heejunie."

"Goodnight, Hyung.."  Heejun laughed, for it was only 2PM.