Stolen Love | Seongjoong

~Chapter One~

Hongjoong leaned over the counter behind a register, tapping his pen on the surface. He rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he prompted his elbow into the table. There was a chime as the doors to the building opened. A woman entered the small room and wandered down the aisles of the convenience store. She pulled up to the register, asking for a pack of cigarettes. He turned around and eyed the shelf behind the counter, reaching up and grabbing the cigarettes and bringing it back to the register.

"Four thousand won."

The woman handed Hongjoong the cash before taking the packet and walking out the door. Hongjoong sat back down on the stool and began tapping his pen once again. He was just counting down the minutes until he could leave this place. He was lost in thought as he felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket. He pulled out the object and looked at the caller ID reading 'Dad'. He sighed and accepted the call, bringing the phone up to his ear.

"What do you want?"

"Now is that anyway to talk to your father?" The voice was husky and stern and gave Hongjoong chills. He rolled his eyes and sighed in frustration. "I never once considered you my father." He replied through gritted teeth.

"Come on now, son. Why don't you come home?" His father asked, his voice more stating than suggesting.

"If you care for me, leave me alone. I want nothing to do with that messed up family."

"Hongjoong-" His father tried to call out but Hongjoong hung up. He put the phone down on the counter and looked at his wristwatch. Thank god my shift is over, Hongjoong sighed to himself as he began packing up his things. He swung his tote bag over his shoulder. He locked the doors and exited the store and out into the dark street.

It was nearly midnight as Hongjoong walked along the pavement of the dimly lit street on the outskirts of the city. As he was walking he slowly heard footsteps approaching. He cautiously peeked behind his shoulder but saw no one. He continued walking but once again footsteps approached. He picked up his pace into a slight jog but to no surprise the perpetrator also sped up. He neared a corner in the opposite direction of his house but towards the main city. It seemed as though the aggressive footsteps had stopped and so Hongjoong stopped in his tracks and looked around him. There was nothing for a second. And then he was suddenly grabbed by the wrist and pulled into a dark alley. An arm wrapped around his neck and he felt a body against his back. He tried fighting against the person but their grip only grew tighter. 

He felt immense pain on his earlobe as the perpetrator bit down on it. Hongjoong was pushed against the wall and his arms were pinned by the wrists to the wall on either side of him. Hongjoong shut his eyes, waiting for some sort of impact but it never came. Instead there was a loud thump. He peaked an eye open and saw nothing. He opened both eyes and saw the man on the floor, knocked out. In front of him stood a tall man, his figure overcasted by an intense shadow. The only thing Hongjoong could see of the man was the blank expression on his lips and a dark coat that almost reached the floor.

The person suddenly turned around and walked back out into the street. Hongjoong stared at the unconscious man on the floor that had attacked him. He clutched his chest as he fell onto the ground. He knew he had to get out of there before the man woke up. He sprinted out of the alley and back onto the main road where he called a taxi to take him to his apartment.

Hongjoong opened the door to his apartment and dropped his bag on the counter. His phone started ringing again and he pulled it out of his pocket. He checked the caller ID and immediately declined the call. Another call from dad, he sighed. He looked around his apartment. A single studio apartment, a mattress, no bed frame, a kitchen with nothing but a fridge and a microwave and a stove with no gas. The apartment itself was in a very small complex on the outside of the city. "What has my life come to" he mumbled to himself as he looked around the room.

The next morning as Hongjoong was about to leave for work, Hongjoong checked his mailbox like he would any other day. He pulled out the letter and looked at the various negative numbers on his bill payments. He rubbed his hand on his forehead as he sighed and tucked the paper in his pocket.

On his way out of the apartment complex he heard a voice call his name. "Hongjoong!" a frivolous, haggard voice spoke. He turned around and saw an old lady- his landlord, approaching him. "Could I have a word?" 

Hongjoong nodded and followed the lady. "Is everything okay?" she asked, worriedly as he placed a comforting hand on Hongjoong's shoulder.

"Yeah, no I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I keep getting calls from the bank that you haven't been paying your bills."

Hongjoong sighed and looked down at his feet as he fiddled his fingers. "This isn't something excusable. If this is going to continue, I would suggest you find another place." Hongjoong only nodded as he kept his eyes on his fingers. The lady walked away and Hongjoong made his way back up to his apartment.

"I'm sorry hyung. My roommate's family is over. We don't have any room for you. I'm really sorry."

Hongjoong sat at a bar with a brown haired male on the other side of the counter. Hongjoong picked up the glass full of alcohol and chugged it in one sip. "Thanks Mingi, I'll see you later." Hongjoong stood up, grabbing his backpack and suitcase before turning around to leave.

"Hyung!" The boy behind the bar- Mingi, called out to Hongjoong. "Please be careful." he said, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. Hongjoong looked over his shoulder to see his friend looking at him worriedly. Hongjoong whipped his head back around and walked out of the bar, dragging his suitcase along with him.

He strolled aimlessly around the city, dragging his feet at every step. 'Why did my life become such a mess', he thought to himself. As he was thinking this, his phone vibrated in his back pocket. "Hello?" he said into the phone.

"Hey man, it's Juyeon. The boss wanted me to tell you that you don't need to come into work anymore." the person on the other line spoke, his voice restrained and tight.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hongjoong's breath hitched.

"He's fired you dude. See you Hongjoong." Juyeon simply stated and hung up. Hongjoong's grip on his phone tightened as he pushed it into his pocket and pulled on his red locks frustration.

"Damn it!" He exclaims, pulling his hair tighter. What was he going to do now? He was kicked out his apartment, fired from his only job and in severe debt with the bank. What more could go wrong?