Ecstasy

Chapter 6 ; The Black Dragons

What the fuck was that? That thing when we looked at each other? Why'd I do that thing? Why did my heart do that? Why? I didn't think anything of it. I think. I guess? Maybe? Jesus Christ. As I drove Toro's car home, I passed Ddaeng. Stoned as fuck, I'm sure. He looked like a zombie. He looked so damn tired. He was walking on this desecrated sidewalk with his black hoodie and fang mask under his neck. I rolled down the window quickly.

"Ddaeng. Get your ass in here." I said, unlocking the door for him. He stared me down, until he hopped in unwillingly. His face was stony and cold looking. He was even paler than when I'd seen him before. His eyes darted at me. His under eyes were darkened.

"I need to tell you something." Ddaeng said in a stern voice. His turquoise eyes were narrowed at me. They were filled with sorrow.

"Yeah." I said, keeping my eyes on the road. It was a really short drive, but I took my time so I could hear what he was saying. I detoured, and took a different route, not to our house, but on a drive around the neighbourhood, so he could have more time to speak. It must be really important for him to want to tell me, of all people. He took off his hoodie and the mask under his chin, and revealed a tattoo on his neck, a black dragon the size of my palm. A dragon. A fucking dragon.

"I'm in some deep shit." Ddaeng said, his voice colder than ice. He looked away from me, and shoved the mask in his pockets. I stopped the car so abruptly that he jumped, and my neck jerked in his direction so fast that I almost cricked it. We were nowhere near our house.

"What do you mean?" I took a closer look at his tattoo. That's the Black Dragon tattoo. The gang that's been killing kids, and recruiting them, and doing god knows what with them. Ddaeng was one of them. One of those people. Those horrible people.

"Hold on." I said, fury engulfing my better judgement. I wanted to yell at him. I should've consoled him, he looked so distraught, but I wanted to yell. I wanted to yell at him.

"Dari. I--" I didn't let him finish his sentence. Why should I? He's a Dragon.. Why would he do something so fucking stupid? Why? How could he?

"What the fuck could have possibly been going through your head?!" I shouted at him, and he flinched. How can you do something so fucking stupid?!

"Dari! I--" He tried again. Not this time. You're gonna hear me out. Listen to me. Don't fucking interript me. God, I thought he was smart. I didn't think he'd ever do something this stupid.

"Ddaeng. When?" I asked calmly. I was disappointed in him. In myself for not noticing that something was up. Of course. This was why he was so stressed.

"Since I was 14. I needed to repay a debt." I finally let Ddaeng say. He looked relieved to finally be sharing his pain. But he was disappointed. He was pissed off. At himself. Not me. He had regret in his eyes, a deep regret that I've never seen on anyone other than in my reflection.

"What kind of debt?" I asked him. There was a long, stifling silence, and I half-wished I didn't ask him anything at all. He looked so distraught, and dead. He didn't want to answer that question. He hesitated to speak.

"I killed one of their kids." He finally said slowly, not daring to look me in the eyes. I felt my insides swell with rage as I stared long and hard at him. I couldn't contain myself. I needed to yell at him.

"You fucking what!?" I screamed, raging at him. He did what?! How the fuck? Why?!

"I was 13! Shut up!" Ddaeng said defensively. It was a horrible excuse. How the fuck do you defend yourself saying that? You knew perfectly well what the fuck you were doing! So what if you were 13?!