SADISM

5

Hanseo is laughing deliriously as he watches the stock price go down. Panic shareholders are
selling after reading Ji Eun’s article about the new CEO. “This isn’t good,” One of the panicked boards of director says. “It is for the company.” Hanseo replies. Sitting in the meeting room with the rest of the board of directors. Everyone is looking at him confused. “How so?” “We are going to buy back the shares at a cheaper price.” Hanseo continues, “Then we will announce an acquisition which will lead to buyers driving the price up,” he picks the newspaper from the table. “Which will lead to increase in share price.” “And which acquisition would that be?” Another board member asks.
Hanseo eyes every single one on the table. Everyone looking at him enviously, “You will see.”
“That’s not how this works!”
Really? Hanseo thinks back to the time when these idiots along with Hanseok had deliberately kept the merger information from him. Remembers them making a fool out of him. “That’s how it is going to work for now!”
Hanseo is well aware of how shit worked. He just doesn’t care. It’s not that anyone can do shit to
him anyway. After the meeting, Hanseo calls on one of his assistances – one that Cha Young had picked for him – he tells her to call a certain mediator. The mediator is Vincenzo’s personal snitch – who drops rumors to the media. - Hanseo orders food before he steps into the car to go home; he is starving and wants to eat while watching his favorite tv show. The main character – none other than Hanseok – the beautiful, sexy, handsome man whom Hanseo wanted to hurt/fuck so bad. Though the food delivery is within thirty minutes; Babel Group is closer. He steps straight into the shower when he reaches home. The food isn’t delivered yet, so he takes
the opportunity to freshen up and get comfortable. The muck of the day washes off of him in warm water. He has received many phone calls today, from shareholders, institutions, and journalists. They all wanted to know what was going on with
Babel Group. The share price had fallen twenty percent today.
The article released today; it wasn’t just about Hanseo’s short interview from yesterday, but of his brother’s whereabouts as well.Ji Eun had added skepticism to Hanseok’s disappearance, and the shareholders were coming apart. It was a good play by her; after all, she did like him and was worried. Hanseo laughs as if she has a chance with Hanseok.
Hanseo will give her a week to enjoy her life; and then he will end her career once and for all. He never liked her to begin with. From her sniveling nose to arrogant attitude. She was about to get what she deserved. Ji Eun was also responsible for writing a piece about Babel Group’s weak link; the scapegoat she declared was Hanseo. He never forgot the phone call– where he wanted to talk to her and set things straight. This was two years ago, and she had brushed him off, and scolded him for wasting her time. Hanseo laughs; water spraying from his lips. Though, it was a long time ago. The humiliation still lingered. Hanseo didn’t seek revenge at the time, but he was different now. He will now allow himself to feel the closure he most definitely deserved! The doorbell rings, and Hanseo turns off the water. Throwing on his robe, he takes two steps at a
time to get to the door. Food delivery is here, and Hanseo is ready to begin his evening.
Kimchi and soft tofu stew with rice. Hanseo spreads his food over the desk where the monitors are. He expands one of the screens and sits back.
Hanseok’s apartment is large, and yet the only place he spends time in is the bedroom or bathroom. Hanseo looks through the monitors and Hanseok is nowhere in sight. Probably in the bathroom, Hanseo shakes his head angrily as he starts rewinding the footage. He decides to watch the entire
day from start! As always, Hanseok wakes at seven in the morning – it’s a scheduled time from Vincenzo. Hanseo makes a mental note of changing it to six.
Hanseok wakes sharply at seven; not even hitting the snooze button. He looks disoriented; his
flushed face, and bed hair makes him look like an innocent teenager waking up for school. He wipes his eyes and face and sits wistfully in his bed. Unmoving and staring into nothingness – the dead eyes making him look mournful.
Was Hanseok regretting his life decisions? Hanseo elates. The covers come off, and Hanseo’s mouth waters at the sight of his brother in silk nightwear. The
sleep shirt has at least three buttons open from the top and it makes Hanseok looks provocative. The older man isn’t doing much but Hanseo’s groin starts reacting. When the legs reach the floor; Hanseo can make out the hiss. Though he can’t hear anything through the cameras; he is still able to understand reactions. Hanseok is hissing, and it looks like his legs hurt. Hanseok pulls up the hemp of his pants on one leg; there are painful welts drawn over them.
Hanseo zooms in on Hanseok and watches the expression closely, pain, anger, resentment and fear. Beautiful. Hanseok massages his legs and starts going. The older man disappears into the bathroom and Hanseo taps his fingers on the desk. I need a camera in the bathroom. Hanseo wonders if it is too soon to install the camera, or he
should wait and let his brother believe everything is still the same. Hanseo takes a bite of his food and waits patiently. Patience is a virtue, though. Hanseo is getting irritated with the amount of time Hanseok is spending in there. What did he do in there? Hanseo wonders, is there something in the bathroom no one is aware of? Yesterday, when he used his brother’s bathroom, he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Undoubted Vincenzo wouldn’t let him have anything there anyway. Hanseo makes another mental note to do a sweep of the apartment. The apartment door opens and Hanseok pops his head out of the bathroom. Face dripping with
water, and hair parted in the middle; Hanseok grabs his breakfast and newspaper from the kitchen Island where Vincenzo’s men left it, and the older brother goes back to his bedroom. All food is delivered to Hanseok. Stove, fridge, and microwaves were all turned off. All dishes and utensils confiscated by Vincenzo.Hanseok remains in his nightwear; Hanseo doesn’t mind, but when his brother pulls the covers
over himself, it fumes the younger sibling. The look on Hanseok’s face turns smug, and it take Hanseo a minute to realize why? His brother is probably reading the article by Ji Eun.
Hanseo watches scornfully as his brother’s lips twitch up in a smirk. He eats his dinner while his older brother reads the morning newspaper and drink his coffee. Hanseok remains in his current bliss while he turns the pages of the newspaper and reads joyfully. The last pages of the newspaper are the stock prices and Hanseo can see the finger fall downwards and point to Babel Group’s share price. The price should be good; todays numbers will be out tomorrow and Hanseo’s stomach sinks in bitterness as he realizes the price will be down. Though it would be a short-lived victory for his older brother, it won’t last long.
Hanseok bites his lip and takes a sip of his coffee. He gets up and walks out of the bedroom; Hanseo switches to the hallway monitor and then the living room. This part of the morning; where Hanseok stretches and looks out the windows hopelessly. The previous joy from reading the newspaper gone as Hanseok puts his hand and forehead on the window and looks outside. The sun rays fall nicely on Hanseok’s face, and Hanseo aches in hunger. Something inside of Hanseo churns. It’s not guilt, but it’s something close to feeling it. He
remembers the nostalgic feeling of being in the apartment with his brother; the rare times when he would play nice. The warm hand of Hanseok patting his cheek. Hanseo feels his chest sink, emotion borderline.
Hanseok sits down heavily on the sofa and brings his feet up. His hands are covered between his lap and stomach, and Hanseo knows from his brother’s habit that he is cracking his fingers in
concern. He knew that look on Hanseok’s face; the expression always displayed when something in his life or business took a turn for the worst.

The End