ALL BARK NO BITE | SADISTIC BEAUTY SPINOFF

Chapter 40

~ Office of the Editor-in-chief, 5th Floor, Main Office, Baleine Books Tower, 184-3, Ihwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Minho's heart stopped as he carefully stepped inside the office, he held his breath in painful anticipation of what was ahead of him. He already knew that something bad had happened, the mess on the floor and the eerie silence in the room said it all. He wanted to run away in tears but he was going to be brave. He decided that Wookyung was more important.

Jung Junha's screams slowly faded out behind him as he sprinted around the office, crying for help for the Boss who had fainted. Minho knew that that wasn't the case. Cha Wookyung didn't just fall unconscious... he broke himself until he couldn't stand. Minho came to face the desk, all its contents emptied on the floor with a still body lying face down in front of it, a small telltale circle of blood under his head.

Minho covered his mouth in abject horror and fell to his knees. Fighting the nerves twitching under his skin, he slowly crawled forward through the torn papers, upended junk, scraps of broken glass and plastic to get to him. Not only had everything been scattering on the floor, it looked like he actively smashed into them for a while, trying to reduce them to as little a fragment as he could.

Like he was trying to regain the control he thought he had lost...

He came over to his side, hesitant as to how he should touch him without causing any harm "Wookyung?" he cried softly, his hand hovering over his back. He could hear his gentle breathing, his heart was still humming inside his mighty chest. Minho couldn't take it anymore, he firmly held his shoulder and turned him to his side. He closed his eyes for a moment as the reality of the situation sunk in.

This wasn't him being cheerful, funny, confident, obnoxious and driven like he was used to seeing him. Nearly an unbreakable spirit of a man... this couldn't be Cha Wookyung... how could it be him... how could this have happened to him someone like him... Minho gingerly touched the blanched skin of his cheek, wiping the pieces of debris stuck to his drying sweat. A piece of glass had cut near his temple.

Without a second thought, Minho swiftly cradled him up in his arms, a protective hand under his head and the other pulling him into his lap, holding around his torso to keep him close to his warmth. He could feel his chest hurt, his heart cutting down to its half as he fumbled to fetch his hanky from his pocket, promptly pressing it to the bleeding wound on his head. This wasn't looking good.

He decided that he had to call for help. "Hello, this is an emergency" he put the 119 call to his ears and felt Wookyung shift very slightly in his arms. He gave them his number and address, asking for an ambulance "A friend of mine has fainted... yes there is injury to the head... he has a bleeding cut... yes, I'm trying to stop it. No, he is breathing normally... yes... but he's practically immobile... thankyou" he cut the call and felt Wookyung's arm nudge him.

He looked down to find his amber eyes gazing vacantly up at up. They were unfocused but still as piercing and brilliant as before. Minho's spirit settled down and he took a deep breath, finally feeling a bit of life come back to his bones. "Don't... put me in... the hospital" Wookyung barely whispered and Minho stroked his cheek, undoing his top buttons and loosening his belt as he spoke.

"Shh, It's okay, I'm here. I'll be here until you're okay" Minho told him and Wookyung kept staring at his face... as if studying every little detail. "Can you... see me?" Minho asked and Wookyung nodded a little "Do you want water... sugar? anything?" he wiped the blood from his brow, keeping it from going into his eyes. Wookyung slowly shook his head to answer, "You" he simply uttered.

"I'm already here... I'm here with you" he reassured him and Wookyung tried to raise his head "What happened to me?" he asked and Minho looked around his office, thinking about what to say "You... got into a little accident and had to lie down to rest so I'm helping you. Tell me... do you feel pain anywhere... inside?" he asked, rubbing his arms.