ALL BARK NO BITE | SADISTIC BEAUTY SPINOFF

Chapter 52

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THE SAME NIGHT

~ 107-2, Sunshine Residences, Jangwi 3(sam)-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Minho stared blankly at the blurry monitor floating with disconnected words, the blue light of his laptop giving his face a pale, unwell and ghostlike cast. He felt no less than a ghost too. A troubled one. He unthinkingly raised his thumb to his lip, biting the skin at the corner. Once again, the pull-out bed was hurting his back and the blanket was too thin and his nightsuit was scratching his skin and everything just felt... wrong.

He was dangerously close to the deadline... but... Minho stared at the screen. Everything he wrote was too emotional... too flowery... too personal... too unprofessional. He couldn't think properly. Minho's eyes burned from staring at the screen too long. He had lost his strength. It had been a week now... returning from the bus stop, his face cracking from the dried-up tears and his throat scraped from the laboured breathing.

Nearly a week since it all fell apart.

In a way, he got exactly what he wanted. The things he'd always been asking Wookyung for... peace... quiet... privacy... to be left alone to his own devices and for Wookyung to stop keeping tabs on him. Now... he was free to write what he wanted, work with the Publishing company of his choice... he could date whoever... do whatever and go wherever he wanted... so why was he still waiting...

Still waiting for a phone call

A voice recording

A ping

A message

A bunch of roses

An obnoxious knock on the door...

A continuous honking

Just... any sign that would mean he wanted him back...

Just... something to say that it wasn't over. How could it be over after so many years?? That son of a bitch! He should still have those feelings for him! He should be walking through that door with apologies and kisses and presents, the heady scent of his perfume lulling him as he rested in his arms, knowing he's changed for the better and that everything was going to be alright between them... it was all Wookyung's fault!!

Minho gulped, teeth gnashing at his thumb, tearing off more skin as he spiralled down. How was he still controlling him in his absence? He should be gone! He shouldn't be in control of his life now but that rogue! bastard! creep! piece of shit! twisted brat!!! That- "Ah!" Minho let out a small cry as he bit too hard, staring down at his thumb as blood pooled on the out of his cut. The skin was grated and frayed, looking raw.

Minho stared at it, his eyes glazing over.

He took a deep breath and unable to think of anything better, closed his laptop, getting off the bed. Eunyeong was already asleep so without making much noise, he tiptoed across the floor, entering the compact kitchen, visible from the drawing-room where his bed was and sidled up against the sink counter. He turned the tap on gently and put his finger under it, watching as the blood got washed off by the small stream, turning pink.

He turned off the tap, growing more and more overwhelmed as he focussed on this one drop of water on the sink... transparent aside from the reddish tone. He had seen it many times in his bathroom, after he was done... and was left with only lines. It was amazing how just a bit of water... some time... could erase all his sick ways of coping with his desperation. No matter how much he blamed him... he couldn't lie to himself...

He wanted Cha Wookyung...

He wanted his love...

His body...