Stone Heart | Woosan (reposted)

Forty One

"Kyungmin...your mother sold him to slavery as well."

Angel didn't hear the rest.

His ears started buzzing and his eyes blurred out.

"No...no way..." he murmured incoherently, sinking to the ground and hugging his knees. "Kyungminnie..."

Thick warm tears started falling down his cheeks uncontrollably. "Why...why...he was supposed to live a better life than mine...this can't be...mother why would you..." he sobbed,  gasping for air. "You were supposed to love him more...you were supposed to take care of him..." he started rocking his body back and forth, hugging his legs tightly.

"Angel..." San reached to comfort his slave, but was surprised that his hand was slapped away.

"Don't touch me!!" Angel screamed in panic and anger, his face turning red.

"Hey—"

"Go away!!" Angel's voice broke from screaming so loud at his master.

San stepped back and tried to breathe and control himself, deciding to leave the room for Angel's safety.

He saw Seonghwa as soon as he stepped out.

"What's wrong? I heard Angel screaming."
Seonghwa asked with concern shown on his features.

"Nothing...don't go in." San hurriedly walked past him, going to find a way to let his anger out.

Seonghwa stepped closer to the door, hearing Angel's loud sobs. He feared that San had hurt him so he decided to go in.

But the door was locked.

"Fucking Choi San, you demon." He muttered before turning and going to his bedroom to check on his slave, who was also locked in.

"I'm not even that different..."

He scoffed and walked in to see Doll curled up in a corner, hugging his knees and staring blankly at the ground.

"Are you okay...?" He carefully asked, half regretting locking the door on him for the whole day.

"Yes, master." Doll responded with no reaction or emotion.

It was hard to tell what he was thinking about.

So Seonghwa decided it was time to go back to kindness when dealing with his little troublemaker.

He sat down on the ground next to him. "You can talk to me."

Doll looked away, scoffing. "Don't try this on me, I've seen it too many times to believe it."

"I'm not trying to trick you, I'm concerned about you."

"Why would you be? You sure wouldn't be concerned if one of your shirts got ripped, you'd just get a new one. Same with slaves, once one stops satisfying you, you change it."

Seonghwa frowned. "What are you talking about? It? You're not an object."

"Am I being treated like a human? Is any slave? No, because we're no more than property, I don't think you rich people even think we deserve to use people's pronouns."

"Doll—"

"My name is Yeosang I'm not fucking Doll."

Seonghwa blinked and stared back in surprise and confusion, what's with the sudden outburst?

What a pretty name though.

"Okay, Yeosang, I see your point, slaves aren't being treated right...but what made you angry only now?"

Truthfully, Yeosang couldn't even tell. Being locked alone in a room with no windows even or any form of entertainment or occupation made him get lost in his thoughts and recall the past three years of his life.

"It always bothered me." He finally said. "I want nothing more than going back to my old life of poverty...but even if I do...my parents don't want me anymore..."

Seonghwa hummed. "What makes you think that?"

"Someone from our neighborhood also signed a contract with Paradise recently and told me that my family are living a great life and happy that I'm enslaved so they can get money..."

Seonghwa frowned. "Are you sure about that?"

Yeosang nodded, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah..."

"It's okay...you can still live alone, right?"

Yeosang laughed bitterly. "How could I ever afford it? And how will I ever be free? The contract doesn't end before 25 years..."

Seonghwa reached to hold his slave's hand. "Don't be upset...I won't return you to ρꪖ𝘳ꪖᦔ𝓲𝘴ꫀ...so you can't be sold and used again."

Yeosang stared at their hands, Seonghwa's touch was gentle and warm. "What are you going to do with me then? Why did you buy me?"

Seonghwa smiled. "That's something we'll talk about later."

Yeosang looked up to read the other's eyes and try to find a lie, but he couldn't. Should he build up his hopes up of not having to serve anyone anymore?

Seonghwa got up and unlocked the window and opened it. "As long as you're being polite, I won't have to treat you so strictly...just keep that in mind...Yeosang."

Yeosang watched him with big hopeful eyes, he got his name back and he won't be locked up anymore.

He might not even have to escape anymore.

"You can go to sleep, I still have something to do." Seonghwa said while heading towards the door. "Goodnight."

He left the room and went outside to look for San and see what's wrong.

Seonghwa stepped out and saw him there, furiously punching a tree and screaming angrily at it. It was strange that he was letting out his anger on an object and not on his slave like he usually would, but Seonghwa figured that Angel is too special for San to hurt him at this point.

"Sannie..." Seonghwa gently approached him, still being careful not to get hurt in the process.

San stopped beating the poor tree, but his breathing was still heavy and filled with anger and frustration, Seonghwa doubted he would even be able to speak.

"Are you okay?" The older held his friend's hand, frowning when he felt his own getting wet when they got in contact. "What-" he gasped when he saw his knuckles covered in blood. "Oh my god san! What have you done to yourself?!"

San turned around and fell against his best friend, feeling his body getting too tired and heavy to keep him standing on his feet. "Take me to the guests' room..."

Seonghwa supported the other and slowly took him inside while scolding him on the way.
"You're so stupid." He helped him lay down while he got the first aid kit to treat his hands. "What the hell happened?"

San took a deep breath and tiredly told him what Angel did without explaining the situation.

"What made him do that?" Seonghwa asked curiously, knowing Angel wouldn't dare hit and yell at his master under any circumstances.

"I don't wanna talk about it..."

Seonghwa nodded. "So instead of facing him, you let it out on yourself..."

San nodded while looking away.

"You've never done that for anyone before...let alone a slave."

"I know hyung...I know..."

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A/Q: what do you think will happen next?