3rd April
2015
Completely used to student life at this point, Seonghwa stares blankly at his timetable.
"What's stressing you? Is the homework too hard?" Hongjoong asks, sitting beside him in the living room of their new mansion.
They moved to their new house two months ago, and are still working on making it seem like more of a home rather than a house. "The chandeliers certainly don't help," is what Yeosang had said as his piece of advice. Of course his advice was ignored.
Seonghwa shakes his head and groans. "I'm just trying to figure out which classes I can skip for the next week and which are compulsory. The drive to the college from here is too long."
Hongjoong giggles. "You really do take college so seriously, relax! It's not like you'll have the chance to fail since you won't even be doing exams," he comforts. Seonghwa shakes his head gloomily. "If I miss too many classes then I'll gain the attention from the teachers and attention is the one thing I shouldn't get."
"Forget about college for today at least then, you've just survived another year! We should celebrate the fact that you haven't died for twenty-two years now," Hongjoong exclaims. Seonghwa's eyes widen for a second before he realises what Hongjoong is talking about.
"You mean that it's my birthday?" he laughs out of disbelief. His friend sure has a strange way of wording things. "I thought you couldn't care less about birthdays," Seonghwa scoffs. "Not true! I don't care about anyone's birthday except for yours. You're already twenty-two so-"
"Stop saying that, you make me feel old," Seonghwa rolls his eyes.
Before the boys get to argue more, Yeosang comes rushing into the room. Seonghwa prepares himself for more teasing, but perks up at the sight of Yeosang's stressed face.
"I got a call from one of the guys in the old town, he said there's someone being super noisy in front of the old house. He said that she brought other people and said she won't leave until one of you come out. Whoever this is, I don't think she knows that we moved out," Yeosang rushes. He has no idea what this is about and senses a threat.
Puzzle pieces click in both of the other men's head and they look at each other with knowing eyes. "Why does that bitch only visit on our birthdays?" Hongjoong growls with gritted teeth.
Seonghwa's breathing only gets quicker and his anger spikes. Yeosang senses more danger in this room at this point than their old home currently and quietly leaves, suddenly deciding that exploring the wide range of rooms in this house is safer.
"Get ready. We're going back there and showing Harin that we keep our promises well," Hongjoong instructs in a low voice while standing up. Seonghwa also wordlessly joins him, fists shaking from rage.
Hongjoong drives the two back to the old SS house, deciding that if Seonghwa drives while this mad then the two of them will end up deep in a ditch.
He parks far from the house and the two boys silently shuffle through their range of weapons in the boot of the car. Seonghwa's eyes slightly water when he picks up his gun as he remembers all the times he trained Harin in shooting. He hurriedly blinks the tears back and equips himself.
He sneaks through the streets with Hongjoong and they peek their heads around the corner to observe the situation.
Seonghwa's whole world freezes when he sees her again. She looks the exact same, only this time with more tattoos coating her arms. His chest burns up in a flame. He wants to kill her right this instant.
Just as described, there are many armed men and women surrounding her in a circle. It seems like she knows how hated she is in the SS house and brought reinforcement to protect herself. How pathetic.
But at a quick glance, Seonghwa can tell that those people are all she's got. They don't look very alert, meaning it would be easy enough for him and Hongjoong to take everyone down quickly. There's only around six people after all.
"Park Seonghwa! Kim Hongjoong! Face me like real men and stop hiding in your house!" she screams at the house. Seonghwa's eyebrows furrow and he whips his head around at the sound of giggles in his ear.
"What, it's hilarious!" Hongjoong defends himself in a whisper.
"You have disrespected me and I understand why you'd be scared. But you can't escape from what me and my guys will do to you!" she adds on before banging on the front door again.
"Do you think the reason she won't barge into the house is because she's scared of the SS members she thinks will be there?" Hongjoong whispers, full of amusement. "Most definitely," Seonghwa replies with gritted teeth.
"I'm getting too much second hand embarrassment from watching this, can we just kill them all already?" Seonghwa complains. Hongjoong offers a smile. "Everyone except for Harin," he adds.
Seonghwa nods and pulls out his rifle, Hongjoong following. They have the disadvantage of having an awkward angle to shoot from, but Seonghwa knows that that won't put even a dent in his accuracy.
Hongjoong slowly counts down from three and Seonghwa's emotions dull for a moment as he prepares to take more lives.
As soon as Hongjoong has finished counting down, the two men unleash their attack. Multiple gunshots ring out through the air with no break, and not even one bullet is wasted from Seonghwa as he hits every person in the chest. Hongjoong helps in shooting anyone who aims in their direction.
Harin, who was at the front door, whips her head around and ducks low in a futile attempt to defend herself. Completely unscathed, Seonghwa slowly steps out from behind the wall with Hongjoong. He glares at the girl on the ground with fury in his eyes and a hardened expression.
Harin starts shaking in fear and fumbles with the gun in her hand and aims it at Seonghwa, even though her hands shake. Seonghwa doesn't even flinch as Hongjoong harshly kicks her hand, the gun flying to the other side of the garden. She lets out a cry and cradles her hand close to her body while trying to appear enraged to the two men.
When Seonghwa lets out an exhale and smirk, she knows she's done for. All she can do now is hope that she can get shot in the head and let this be over quickly. She ducks her head low and can't even hide her fear.
Not a word has been said this whole time, until Hongjoong finally opens his mouth. "Same place we tortured Hoseok?" he simply asks. Harin's head whips up. They were the ones who killed Hoseok?
Seonghwa nods. "Carry her, I'll get the car ready," he orders Hongjoong. Hongjoong stares at the girl's crazed eyes and smiles. "I'll see you at the car!" he chirps before sprinting away. Seonghwa can't help but sigh.
He scoops her up roughly and throws her over his shoulder. "Let go of me!" she shrieks, thrashing about. Seonghwa rolls his eyes and continues to the car, her attacks barely feeling like light taps on his back. He wants to slam her down and kick her so bad, but instead he just screams at her to keep quiet. She yelps out of surprise but stops squirming.
Seonghwa throws her into the back seat of the car and jumps in too, quickly grabbing her arms and holding them tight. "Hongjoong, go!" he barks. Hongjoong holds back from scolding his friend, feeling a shiver down his own spine at how mad he looks.
As they drive, Seonghwa turns to the sobbing girl. "I told you to never show your face to me again. Do you have a death wish?" he growls. She avoids eye contact and takes a deep breath. "I just wanted revenge," she barely whispers. Seonghwa's eyebrows raise and she flinches.
"You? Getting revenge from me?" he laughs out of disbelief. "You're going to explain everything later, you hear me?" he threatens her with his eyes alone. And of course, that's all he needs to scare someone half to death. Harin nods shamefully.
They arrive at the same warehouse where Hoseok was tortured, the blood coated chair sitting there in the same place as always. The boys have not used this chair since Hoseok, but it's clear that others have used it as the wood has been fully painted red and brown with blood.
Harin's heart drops at the sight and Seonghwa dumps her onto the chair and holds her in place as Hongjoong works on the ropes. "Do you think those torture tools are still here?" Hongjoong wonders out loud. Seonghwa glances to the shelves in the corner of the room and notes that they're considerably more empty than before.
"We'll figure something out," he shrugs while the girl sweats buckets.
"Now, explain your association with MX and everything that happened after you joined SS," Seonghwa demands. "W-What will you do with the information? MX are already d-dead," she stutters. For once, Seonghwa really means it when he says the next line.
"I'm just curious."
Harin's eyes shoot up to meet with Seonghwa's and feels a shiver run through her body at his serious expression and dagger in his hand.
"I'll tell you everything. I was with MX and Hoseok sent me to SS to seduce you and kill you when you're vulnerable. I joined SS then, but MX cut off all contact with me and wouldn't even talk to me when I tried. I really started falling for you then after feeling abandoned, I'm telling the truth. When you guys left me with Hyungwon after shooting me, he immediately dropped me off at a hospital and told me to never return. I got mad at you and joined another gang so I could attack you and Hongjoong but I change my mind, I would never be able to hurt you," she blurts, barely taking time to breathe in between sentences.
Seonghwa raises an eyebrow. "Then how would you explain your little show in front of the old SS house earlier today?"
Harin's blood runs icy cold. Old house?
"It was an impulsive decision, I wasn't thinking straight after someone reminded me of what happened between us but I regret it, please believe me," she pleads with more urgency in her tone.
Seonghwa doesn't budge and his eyes only grow darker. He can see a trend in her behaviour. First she betrays him, and then tries to convince them that she changed her mind after she gets caught.
Seonghwa doesn't buy it one bit.
He lifts his blade and Harin's eyes widen. She winces as the blade comes lashing down, but opens her eyes again when she doesn't feel any pain.
Hongjoong is standing in front of her, grabbing onto Seonghwa's wrist. Seonghwa looks like he's ready to kill anyone and everyone in that moment, but doesn't utter a word and only breathes heavily.
Hongjoong shakes his head and leans in to Seonghwa's ear. "I have a plan, trust me when I say that you can do whatever you want to her. Just don't touch anywhere near her face or arms," he hisses. Seonghwa's eyebrows furrow and he eyes his friend strangely but feels too annoyed to argue back and shakes Hongjoong off.
Much to the girl's despair, Seonghwa flings the dagger to the side and stomps to the shelves in the back. Her breath hitches when she catches sight of him lifting a small sledgehammer.
Wait- a sledgehammer?
Although fairly compliant until now, Harin can't contain the pure terror inside anymore and starts shuffling in her chair. She screams louder and louder the closer Seonghwa steps.
"Please forgive me! I told you everything, I'm sorry! Please!" she begs over and over, head whipping between Hongjoong and Seonghwa frantically.
Seonghwa huffs one last time in front of her, swinging the sledgehammer down at her thigh with full force. Harin screams at a deafening volume, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.
She hesitates for a second after hearing the sound of something smashing, but without the agonising pain. She opens her eyes to find the sledgehammer sitting on the ground beside her among a pile of shattered wood. What was once a small table remains as a bunch of pieces of wood.
Her eyes whip back up to Seonghwa who stares at her, still panting heavily.
He stares at her blankly, though his mind runs speedily. He can't stop thinking about the memories he's had with her, and although he despises her, he can't stop hesitating. He wants to ruin her limbs beyond recognition, yet his body won't allow for him to lay a finger on her. And this infuriates him, he just wants her dead.
"You can either die slowly and painfully, or painlessly in your sleep. Which do you prefer?" he mumbles. Hongjoong's eyes are widened out of disbelief and his fingers itch to strangle the girl to death himself.
She gulps and tears trickle down her face. "Please let me die a painless death, I really am sorry," she sobs with a wobbly voice.
Seonghwa nods coldly and kneels in front of her. "This will be your last conscious moment before I put you to sleep forever. I just thought I'd warn you," he whispers to her, still not understanding the reason he's not killed her already.
More tears stream down her face as she stares into his eyes. "I have no family or friends anymore, so I really don't know what to say. But I'm sorry," she breathes. What she does next shocks Seonghwa beyond belief.
She leans forward and lightly places her lips against his. Seonghwa's eyes widen and he feels panic rise in him, but doesn't move his head. Instead, he moves his fingers up to the back of her neck and presses down firmly.
Harin doesn't move away at all and stays put, but after nearly a minute she slowly loses her grip on consciousness and her head falls away from Seonghwa's. He breathes heavily as he stares at her limp body, though she breathes lightly.
Only when he hears a quiet drop on the ground beside him, he notices tears on his cheeks as well. His heart beats a mile a minute out of shock and he scrambles to his feet, quickly pulling out a gun and aiming at her chest.
"Wait, Hwa! Don't kill her," he hears Hongjoong shout from behind. He turns his head slowly and feels a wave of calm wash over him at the sight of his friend's bright grin.
"Why don't we keep her for our new members' initiation?"
A/N
I was going to have Seonghwa torture Harin but I felt too bad for her </3 I try not to let the characters of my stories affect me but I think I've started getting attached again ahahah </3