Insidious Wrath - K.TH.

Four

With a hand clenching your loosened, grimy shirt at your heart, your eyes grew ten times larger than before. Your lips trembled, the tears in your eyes split when the water welled too much. The hot tears were a contrast to the cold sweat that was building at your hairline, the fear inside your body bringing your limbs to their weakest points. You were ready to collapse--but not yet. 

Height gained by intimidation, the man deemed Taehyung stood as a barricade between you and Junsu, fists clenched at his sides. You couldn't see the front side of him, but the man held a straight posture, chin jutted up. The streetlights were more faded than the lights on the bus were, but you had the ability to see the shadowed side of his face, just faintly catching the slightest smirk that quirked up the corners of his mouth.

"Unfair, isn't it?" Taehyung proclaimed to Junsu in a booming voice that resonated across a few blocks. Though, you caught sight of his fists beginning to tremble a tad. "Being thrown like a ragdoll?"

Peering over to Junsu, you noticed the man that once screamed with threat and dominance was now torn to the ground and lost some confidence. The left side of his face was chafed from being thrown to the concrete. Small bubbles of blood picked up on his skin. With boring eyes, he growled at Taehyung, "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm a bit of an asshole, too, but I know better than to treat a lady like that," Taehyung barked a laugh, but there was no humor hidden behind it. His torso bent a little to lean closer to Junsu, who was shrinking away a little. "Now, why would you do something like that? Doing that to a woman must have some kind of meaning behind it."

"Mind your own damn business," Junsu scoffed. He began to get to his feet, but kept some distance.

"I just want to know. After, I can walk away and leave you back to whatever you were discussing." Taehyung crossed his arms over his chest, holding his ground between you and Junsu. You were thankful for him to act as a wall, but you hated the idea of him leaving you when he got an answer. 

"Money business," Junsu retaliated. He reached the back of his hand up to his face and dabbed at his bloody cheek. He grimaced at the sight of the bubbles displayed on his skin. 

"Ooh, money business!" Taehyung exclaimed, leaning his torso a little towards Junsu in a rocking position. "What we talkin'? A due debt? A business deal? Oh! Or is it a secret pass off of money to buy a weapon of some sort like in the movies? It's a little romanticized, but I enjoy the imaginary of a good story about--"

"A debt, you freak," Junsu huffed lowly. "Why don't you get the hell out of here so we can get a mutual agreement about how to settle it?"

"No, not yet, my friend! Usually debts can be settled in a civil manner. Why throw the poor lady against the wall when you can have a simple conversation?"

That hushed Junsu up. His dark eyes drifted away from Taehyung, to the ground, and over to you. He locked eyes with you. All muscles inside stiffened, like a volt of electricity flowed through you. The eye contact must have been traceable because Taehyung slowly turned, looking your way. Now with two pairs of eyes on you, Taehyung slowly said in a much quieter voice, "If you don't fess up, then maybe she can."

You bounced your eyes back and forth between the two men, tears still streaming down your face. Your back was flat against the cool bricks behind while your knees knocked together. You watched Junsu slowly shake his head at you from behind Taehyung's back as a sign to keep your mouth shut, but Taehyung seemed to know about this action. He took a small step your way, head cocking to the side. "Why has this situation escalated?"

"There--I can't--I don't have my rent money," you managed to sob out quietly, bowing your head in shame. You refused to meet any eyes, feeling the bore of Junsu's on you while your face burned with embarrassment and fear. You knew Junsu was never going to forgive you for that.