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Holding the scruff of the stranger's neck, Seonghwa dragged the male through the hallway and sat him forcefully on the bottom of the staircase. "Stay there." He ordered.
The stranger obeyed. That was until Seonghwa went ahead with his task of getting a chair, the male tried to run off before being forcefully held in place by a set of strong arms. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jongho spoke into their ear as he sat on the step above.
Meanwhile, Seonghwa brought out a chair, putting it in the middle between the kitchen and living room, and some rope before ordering Jongho to sit the male in the seat, which he did instantly as well as tied him up.
While struggling, the male tried to escape his ties. "Let me go." His voice was unstable.
With Jongho keeping a watchful eye, Seonghwa bent down so he was face to face with the stranger. "What's the time?" He directed his question to Jongho.
Jongho checked his watched and replied after a few seconds, "1:34"
A sinister smile crept upon Seonghwa lips like a criminal in the night, "We have two hours until Hongjoong gets home. That's plenty of time."
Seonghwa stood up, sliding a blade out of his pocket in the process. His pointer finger traced the sharp metal, his eyes following each movement the digit made as if he wasn't in control. "Now," his gaze flicked to the man in the chair, "you're going to give me every piece of information I desire unless you'd rather me take it forcefully."
"I know nothing." The man spoke through gritted teeth.
No hesitation was present when Seonghwa sliced the blade through layers of skin and muscle as it weaved its way through the stranger's hand, attaching it to the arm of the wooden chair. The male's screams bounced of the white walls of the penthouse, neither of the occupants caring.
"That's not an answer I care for." Seonghwa's grip was still holding tightly onto the hilt of the blade.
"Please..." the stranger panted. Sweat was dribbling shamelessly down his temples and his breaths were heavy, filling the empty space.
"Y'see, someone is after Hongjoong. Have you heard that name before? Kim Hongjoong?" Seonghwa revised each time the male's expression changed, and the moment Hongjoong's name was uttered, he watched as the stranger's eyes changed to ones of fear; catalysing Seonghwa's curiosity about his husband.
"Seems like you do." Seonghwa spoke again. "So, unless you want to deal with him, I suggest you give me what I want." His voice deepened as each syllable left his lips.
"I-I promise...I don't know anything." He cried, seething from the pain in his hand, "some guy just come up to me, offering me to slip something into that guy-with-the-blonde-hair's drink."
Seonghwa jogged the knife a little as he became eager, "who?"
The stranger sobbed as the pain was becoming unbearable, "I don't know...he was wearing a mask." He looked as Seonghwa with cloudy eyes, "I promise...I wouldn't have done it if I knew it was Kim Hongjoong. I swear."
"That I kinda do believe." Seonghwa muttered to himself before focusing his attention on his victim. "Is there anything specific or unique about this guy that can help us identify them?"
Seonghwa could practically see the cogs moving inside the stranger's head as he thought for an answer, then he nodded his head rapidly, "yes, yes he did. A tattoo on his neck." He explained, pain explicit in his tone. "It was a circle."
"Just a circle?" Jongho questioned to himself, but loud enough so everyone could hear.
The victim breathed a quiet "yes." His head fell to rest on his chest as he tried to maintain stature miserably, "a large circle on the left side of his neck."
Seonghwa smiled at the progress and looked up at Jongho. They both nodded, sharing a mutual understanding. The older then stood up, yanking the blade up with him, earning another agonised cry from the stranger.
The raven-haired then wiped the crimson liquid on the stranger's dress shirt while looking him in the eye. "I know it's never morally correct to shoot the messenger...but morals are overrated, right?"
Without giving the nameless male a chance to react, Seonghwa didn't waste a second when slitting his throat, their blood spraying Seonghwa's pretty features rudely; yet he didn't flinch.
He stood up and started untying the ropes, Jongho soon rushing to help.
"You grab the arms, I'll get the legs." Seonghwa instructed, receiving an understanding nod from the younger.
Lifting the body up, they both walked sideways to the hallway leading to the front door. But both men ended up stopping in their tracks, the body still dangling from their grips lifelessly, as they spotted Hongjoong clutching his school bag and watching the pair with wide eyes.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the thrice, soon to be broken by Seonghwa mustering up a cough. "Welcome home."
Hongjoong's gaze shifted from the dead body to Seonghwa, "Who is that?"
Seonghwa peaked a look at Jongho before they both shrugged, "We didn't bother asking for a name." The older answered honestly.
"Why is he dead? Why did you kill him?"
Ignoring Hongjoong's question, Seonghwa countered with another, "why are you home early?"
By now Seonghwa had memorised the younger's schedule incase things like this happened. He found himself wanting to keep the violent aspects of his life away from Hongjoong, knowing he doesn't like it very much.
Hongjoong had yet to see the vicious and merciless side of Seonghwa, and Seonghwa was unconsciously trying to keep it from him.
"My professor called in sick."
The conversation was flowing normally. Though in this case, it was abnormal.
"Cool." Seonghwa nodded slowly, avoiding eye contact with the blonde .
Hongjoong had had enough. "Why is there a dead man in your arms!?" He was getting frustrated.
Seonghwa and Jongho just glanced at each other nervously. Why? They have no idea why the authority in Hongjoong's voice irked them a little. They felt like children getting scolded.
"Do you mind if we talk about this after?" Jongho asked, "This guy is getting kinda heavy."
"And we still have to pull out his teeth." Seonghwa unnecessarily added.
Hongjoong grimaced and shook his head as if it could remove the graphic images from his mind. "I don't want to hear it." He shrieked. "Just get it away from here." And with that, he ran up the stairs as fast as his little legs could provide.
Seonghwa and Jongho found themselves working harder as they loaded the body in the back of Jongho's car without anybody seeing. And then the younger drove off, leaving Seonghwa alone.
Walking back into the penthouse, Seonghwa spotted Hongjoong cleaning up all the blood that found home on their marble floor. "What are you doing?" He asked stupidly while approaching the blonde.
But Hongjoong completely blanked him. Seonghwa was going yell at the younger for being so ignorant until he saw the AirPods in his ears, so he plucked one out, catching Hongjoong's attention immediately. "Give it back."
"Why are you cleaning?" Seonghwa avoided his pleas.
"Because you've left blood everywhere." He motioned to Seonghwa's bloodied face, "And you need to get yourself cleaned up."
Seonghwa snatched the mop from Hongjoong's tiny grip, "it's my doing, I'll sort it."
Hongjoong mimicked Seonghwa's rude action, receiving the mop back in his hands. "But I've already started, I may as well resume."
"Just give me the mop." Seonghwa held out his hand expectedly.
"No."
"Yes."
Seonghwa was confused as to why Hongjoong was being so insistent on cleaning when he never did it after himself anyway. Once again, he took note of how easy the younger's personality changes.
Taking a final stance, Hongjoong opted on snatching the mop once again, but unfortunately he ended up slipping on the blood on the floor pulling the mop and Seonghwa with him.
After processing the impact on his back, Hongjoong opened his eyes, only to find Seonghwa on top of him. Instantly, he felt his cheeks redden and his neck burn, he couldn't even meet the older's intense gaze.
Seonghwa, on the other hand, was deniably adoring the sight of Hongjoong seeming so vulnerable and weak beneath him, it caused his pride to reach the sky. The corners of his lips curled as he watched the other avoid his eyes. "This is why you should listen to me more often." He provoked.
"Get...get off of me." Hongjoong stuttered, trying to push Seonghwa off of him with no success.
Seonghwa's face purposefully inched closer to Hongjoong's, giving the younger no choice but to look at him. Once again, Seonghwa was staring into those pretty brown eyes with perfectly curled, long lashes. "Make me."
"Seonghwa." Hongjoong spoke more clearly this time, "I'm not playing games."
The older cocked his head to the side, "neither am I." He stated as if it was obvious. "Now, if you want me off...Make. Me."
Hongjoong's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. He knew Seonghwa was stronger than him in terms of literal strength, but Hongjoong was smart, tactical. "What if I want you to stay here. Right. On. Top. Of. Me." He spoke with a provoking pause between each word.
It clearly caught Seonghwa off guard, because the moment Hongjoong spotted Seonghwa's eyes falter, he flipped him over with all remaining power he had left, resulting in Hongjoong straddling Seonghwa while having the older's hands pinned above his head.
A victorious smile plastered Hongjoong's lips, and Seonghwa couldn't help but admire the expression. He'd never seen Hongjoong smile before, and it was beautiful. His straight teeth were displayed behind his plump, pink lips. Is he wearing lipgloss? Seonghwa thought to himself, until he caught himself just staring at the younger's lips.
Seonghwa cleared his throat, "Well played." He fidgeted underneath Hongjoong's grip, it was firm and inescapable. "But you can move now."
"No." Hongjoong insisted.
"Excuse m-"
"Why did you help me?" Hongjoong cut Seonghwa off, "why did you help me when I got drugged. Why not just leave me like you did at the docks?"
Seonghwa was unpleasantly surprised by Hongjoong's sudden question, a question he himself didn't know the answer to. "I don't know..."
One minute he was desperate to corrupt the younger, but the more he took note of the little things Hongjoong does and how innocently he plays things out, Seonghwa found himself wanting to shield Hongjoong from the dangerous things in their lives.
"I...I may not remember what happened, but I woke up in clean clothes and I could smell my vanilla bubble bath on me." He was looking just slightly to the side of Seonghwa, it was like he was questioning himself. "And yet you continue to label me as your enemy."
"Isn't that what we are? We are destined to be opposites that never attract."
Hongjoong sighed, he didn't know why he was so affected by Seonghwa's words, even though he believed them. He stood up, Seonghwa copying him soon after. But before he could walk off, Seonghwa grabbed ahold of his wrist.
"Do you mark all your victims?" He asked as if it's been playing on his mind.
Hongjoong almost visually cowered away, "what are-"
"I saw Yixing's body, Hongjoong. KHJ was engraved into his neck. Those are your initials." Seonghwa said. "Why do you do that?"
Hongjoong pulled himself away from Seonghwa's tight grip, "How many times do I have to tell you that's it's not me who did that?" He spat.
"I saw the footage."
Hongjoong shook his head, "It was the slayer who did that."
Leaving Seonghwa with more confusion than before, Hongjoong ran up the stairs, escaping the constricted atmosphere.
Seonghwa needed to know. He needed to know what Hongjoong did to make everyone fear his name.
And he was going to find out.