listen before i go - vkook | REWRITING

the beginning of the end

Some odd years ago...

Kim Taehyung led what could be seen as a relatively normal life. He had lost his parents a few years ago, but had managed to find solace in a friend of his who just so happened to be able to help him get back on his feet. His life had finally begun to even out, and he had been saving up his money here and there to attempt to get his own place and stop mooching off of his friend but, after all, he was only 19 and didn't have a college education.

So who would want to hire him?

The boy had taken quite a while to find himself again after his parents had passed away. He had mentally been locked away in a very, very dark place, but had vowed to find himself and his passions again.

He would move out, rediscover what he truly wanted in life, and forever thank his boss - who was also said friend - for the opportunity to be happy again.

--

Quiet chatter and the rattle of an AC unit filled the small cafe.

A man clad in all black was stationed in the corner, the barista currently working occasionally flashing him a fear-stricken look. After all, when the Jeon Head takes a seat in your cafe, it's reasonable to think your life is over when your shift is.

A bubbly young man emerges from the kitchen door, immediately running into the owner who was previously frozen like a deer in headlights, dropping all the food that was before atop his tray. With a horror-filled scream, the owner is immediately on the floor, scrambling to get the black coffee back in its cup, the red-hot eyes in the corner making him panic and sweat.

With a roll of his eyes, the young man takes hasty steps towards the Jeon Head, either oblivious or carrying a death wish, and places his hands on his hips.

"Are you going to leave? Or are you just going to keep terrorizing my boss?" He grumbles, setting a new, piping hot cup of coffee down and shoving it towards the man. Under his breath and walking away, he mutters, "Jesus, I can't deal with these freaks here anymore. I just moved in and- "

A firm, ice-cold hand wraps around the young man's wrist, squeezing so tight it begins to cut off all circulation. "Don't you fucking dare speak to me, parasite."

A tingle set off between both of them, but was ignored by the smaller of the two. Instead, the smaller was whimpering with both hands attached to the one on his wrist, desperately trying to get it off. He cried out in pain, eyes filled with hot, fresh tears, yet still glaring daggers in the Jeon. "You are not better than me. You'll see."

With the last words from the young man, a fist is brought to the side of his skull, and everything fades to black.

–

Just a few hours later, the young man finds himself sat upon one of the utmost silkiest materials he had ever felt, his nimble fingers gliding across the finely-woven thread like it was endless. His back gently arched, gleefully partaking in the calming feeling it provided him. That was, until he received a mind-shattering pang across the entirety of his forehead, the headache coming back to him in waves.

Wait, where was he?

Hazel-green eyes finally popped open, flinching at the lamp that flickered gently upon the table next to him, desperately scanning the room once they had adjusted. This... This wasn't his bedroom, this wasn't his bed, these weren't even his sheets! Although the lamp provided plenty of light within the room, it seemed to close in on the man; the sheets beginning to feel like they were grasping at his wrists and ankles, the air suddenly icy, his fingers feeling frost-bitten, the corners of his eyes fading to black. He was panicking, panicking, panicking... why couldn't he breathe?

That was, until the mysterious asshole from the cafe walked in.

The intimidating antique wooden door creaked open, breaking the younger man out of his previous trance as gentle, hazel eyes met hardened, black holes.

"You will remain here," Jeon paused, his freshly-polished dress shoes clicking across the hardwood floor. "Until I decide that you are worthy enough to be freed. Sounds good?" Those endless black pits for eyes followed the young man's every move, watching as the utter despair set in and he finally understood his situation. He took a few more slow, intimidating steps forward, a small, evil smirk gracing his thin lips. "Until then, you will remain here, by my side, and you will become my good pup if you want to be freed, hm?"

As Jeon studied the boy before him, he saw the gentle sparkle in his eyes. Oh, how he loved when they had that. It made it so much more fun to break them.

"I... I'm stuck here? Why... What..." Taehyung blubbered out, his lungs faltering once more. His naive brain just couldn't seem to wrap around the situation. He attempted to stand on his weak legs, but immediately tumbled to the hardwood floor beneath him. "You were knocked out, then drugged. You've been asleep for two weeks, and," Jeon added with a cruel, venomous smirk, "Not a soul has come looking for you. How sad for you, pup."