Two-Sided Coin

Chapter 9

"Ya! Taehyung."

I looked up at at the doorway to see Ken walk in. I quickly stood, brushing off my jeans, and rubbed the sleep from my eye.

"Yes, hyung?"

He watched me for a moment, his expression unreadable. It was uncomfortable and I began to fidget, shifting my weight. After a few minutes, I finally spoke up.

"C-Can I help you?" I stuttered, wringing the hem of my loose hoodie anxiously. He shook his head slightly and approached me, putting a hand on my shoulder. Are people normally this...touchy? It seems that every time someone here talks to me here, they initiate some sort of contact. But I've learned to stop flinching away. That's a step forward, right?

"You should go home," he told me, surprising me. I looked at the time on my phone. 12:16. I've been working for just over four hours. Frowning slightly, I calculated my earnings and nodded. I was satisfied with the number. But...something was bothering me.

"I have nothing else to do," I admitted. Even if I went straight to bed, I was terrified of what would happen. I could...turn. I could have another panic attack. I could hurt myself. I was afraid of my own thoughts.

Ken gave me a sympathetic look and ruffled my hair kindly.

"Then you can just sleep here," he offered, gesturing to the bed just behind me. I followed his motion and raised my eyebrows.

"Really? You'd let me do that?" I asked in disbelief and he shrugged.

"Sure, why not?"

Normally, I would have refused profusely and continued work, but I was exhausted. I hadn't slept in so long and almost all of my waking hours I spent working. So, I grinned and bowed slightly.

"Thank you, hyung," I said quietly, then shuffled over to the bed and slowly lowered myself on it. It was softer than the one I had at home and I sighed in content. My eyes closed and I curled up into the fetal position, burying my face into the pillow. It smelled nice. Whoever owned this bed had a good taste in cologne.

The strange feelings that someone was watching me made my skin crawl suddenly and I peeked out to see Ken still standing there, smiling goofily.

"You're so adorable," he cooed, stepping forward to ruffle my hair again, then left, shutting the door behind him silently.

I felt my cheeks heat up and I pulled up the blanket to cover my face. I've never been called adorable before. Compliments were so unfamiliar. They were...nice. I like compliments. I didn't realize I was smiling until my cheeks began aching and I just curled up, falling asleep faster than I had in a good eight years.

...

"Um... Taehyung?"

I rolled over in bed, humming in reply. I was so ridiculously comfortable.

"Tae-Taehyung?"

I finally forced my eyes open and saw and very startled and confused Sanghyuk. After a few moments, I remember where I was and bolted up, apologizing profusely.

"I'm so so sorry, Sanghyuk. Ken just told me to lie down and I just agreed. I'm sorry, I didn't realize this was your bed. I'm sorry."

He smiled slightly and shook his head.

"It's fine, Tae, really. No harm done," he insisted, kneeling down to adjust the covers. I pulled up my hood to cover my face and quickly left the room.

"If nobody needs any help, I think I'll go now," I mumbled, slipping on my shoes.

"Wait, what about your pay?"

I looked up to see Ravi approach with his wallet. I gave a small smile and stood.

"Thank you, hyung," I said politely as he gave me a wad of bills. There was a short silence where I shifted awkwardly by the door.

"Let me walk you home," he offered lightly, glancing out the window. "It's getting dark."

I widened my eyes seeing that he was right. How long was I asleep?

"Um... Sure," I finally managed, not being able to find a reason to disagree.

God, I wish I did.

He smiled a strange smile and nodded, slipping on his own sneakers and a hoodie.

"Alright. Where to?"

I opened the door and walked out, my hands deep in my pockets. I could feel him trailing behind me as we made our way down the ever-darkening street. I wasn't planning on making on conversation and neither was he. I was glad of that.

Suddenly, I felt a push. I stumbled to my right, bumping into the brick wall of an apartment building. I looked up with a frown, about to yell at whoever it was, but then saw Ravi standing there, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie and smirking. My face fell.

"Wh-What are you doing?" I stuttered in a panic, then he lunged, pulling me harshly by my arm toward an alley a few feet away.

"S-Stop. Please," I whispered, then grunted as he sent me crashing into a corner created by the wall and a metal dumpster. My breath was knocked out of my lungs and I curled into myself, hugging my arms around my stomach.

I didn't even have time to calm before he picked me up by my collar and threw the first punch at my jaw. Pain exploded in that area, then again as I tried to raise my head. A familiar metallic taste crept into my mouth and I spit, a feeling of satisfaction blossoming in my chest as red liquid painted the side of his face. But then I saw the rage ignite in his eyes and regretted it immediately.

He paused for a moment, taking his time to wipe my blood from his cheek. Fear fueled me and I grabbed his wrist, wrenching my shirt from his hold. He was shocked and I thought that this was the moment to escape. I started to run, but my shirt suddenly dug into my throat. I let out a loud cough and tripped, then was dragged back by my hood.

I must have deserved this. There was a reason for everything. Ravi was sent to punish me for my sins. After all, I had plenty.

He pulled my up as if I weighed nothing (which I practically did) and slammed me into the wall, wrapping a hand around my throat to keep me up. He brought me up so our eyes were level and stared at me for a moment, watching as my eyes watered from lack of oxygen, as my veins popped, as my lips parted and gasped for breaths that were brutally cut off. He smirked again, then abruptly let go, making me drop to my knees, then grabbed my head with both hands and raised his knee sharply, hitting my nose and forehead. A disgusting crack sounded and blood gushed. I groaned as he grabbed a fistful of shirt and slammed me into the wall again, my head making contact with the brick. I finally managed to stand and straighten, though it was only to let out a pained hiss.

Sparks lit up the back of my eyelids and fireworks thudding against my skull stopped any thoughts from forming. Blows after blows were thrown on my face, eventually blurring together into a symphony of agony. A kick landed on my ribs, then my stomach, then...lower. I finally screamed in pain as he grabbed my shoulders and quite literally threw me aside. I skidded across the concrete, feeling my sleeve tear and my skin scrape against the cold, rough surface of the ground. I breathed heavily, bracing myself for the next punch, but it didn't come. An uncomfortable calm settled over the alley and I opened an eye. He was gone. Thank god.

The ground was so hard, but I was so tired and moving was so torturous that I lay there, feeling tears slowly form and fall, mixing with the blood already pooled under me.