And It All Falls Down

Chapter 3

TW: Suicide. 

My Flaws Are My Own. What I do with them is my choice.

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Dongho's knees hurt so much. He had lost track of time down in the Shining's dungeon. It was so monotonous, the long hours spent in the darkness were starting to take their toll. His mind was getting foggy. The only thing alerting him of passing time was his hair growth. It had started at his shoulders and was down to his knees now. Minsung visited sometimes, though Ven never came. Dongho wished Ven would come, he was so lonely. It had been a while since anyone had visited him though. Dongho wouldn't mind a visit. Visits meant light and sound. Isolation was scary. Though if Taeseok came, Dongho figured being alone was better.

The door creaked open. The light didn't turn on, but step by step, the figure came closer. Sugar scented the air. Taeseok. He had a sweets addiction, a lollypop always in between his lips. Just as the figure stopped, the light clicked on. Dongho winced, the light being foreign to his eyes. The candy was blue today. The youngest member of the Shinings smiled. He was lucid today. Crap. Lucid meant he was in control and control meant a really really bad day. Dongho looked hesitantly up. He was so terrified of the boy, even with the five-year age gap.

He was like a fairy in his movements, but a demon in his actions. Taeseok bounced closer, his breath kissing Dongho's face. Though it was physically impossible, Dongho tried to shrink away from the younger. The action coaxed a giggle from Taeseok's lips.

"Hello." He seemed to float above the ground. "I'm not having as much trouble remembering today. I'm so glad."

Dongho nodded.

"I know who you are today." Dongho looked up. Did he really?

"Taewoo. You thought I'd forget you."

Dongho looked down, sadly. He wasn't remembering correctly. Taeseok never remembered who he was. Dongho suspected worsening dementia. His mind had been steadily crumbling. Taewoo, from what Dongho had gathered, was Taeseok's older brother. Something about the twitchy way Taeseok moved around him made Dongho think Taewoo wasn't kind. Often long rants would ensue with movements to compliment them.

Today was no different.

"I guess you're wondering why you're in chains?"

Play along.

Dongho nodded.

"It's because I didn't have a rope. You used to tie me up with rope. Does it hurt?"

Dongho shook his head. If he told the truth he was a liar, if he lied he was a liar. Taeseok didn't differentiate. When the slap came, Dongho was ready. What he wasn't ready for was the stinging pain that seemed worse than before. Blood dripped down from the fresh-cut, a bloodied piece of glass in between Taeseok's fingers.

"You won't. You won't be able to be perfect anymore. I'm the only perfect kid. Mom said so. She said you were too much. To rebellious. To much. I'm the good kid. I'm the favorite. I'm the better one. I did all this. Just look at what I did. I'm a Shining, I have a Crystal. I am the good kid here."

Dongho hung his head a little. He wouldn't be able to move away from the blows, but the false sense of security soothed him. He tensed when the blows came, the glass cutting at his face. There were no sounds that betrayed his pain, and that angered Taeseok. He started hitting harder, trying to elicit a sound. Silent tears streamed down Dongho's face from the sheer pain of it all. He didn't know what he had done to feel like this, after all.