You Smell Like Hope

10. Romantic Homicide

And I'm sick of waiting patiently for someone that won't even arrive

Forest.
Every plant, every bird, every animal, they all live there, but you don't know if you could.

Jisung's pov.

Another morning.
No more rest.
My life has to get back to what it once was.

More shifts.
More undressing for strangers I hate. For strangers I don't trust.
Will this ever end? Is what I always used to ask myself, but I don't anymore. It's No use.

I accepted reality, even tho somewhere back in my mind I had a little bit of hope that it may end. It never did. So I killed that hope.

Last time I wished something would end was at the strip club, little did I know that it would end in a more horrible situation.

Let me die like it killed you. I whispered to my hope. Please let go of me.

I got dressed without bothering with a shower, knowing it's Sunday there's no water. I wore the same clothes I found myself in when I woke up in the unknown bed, I didn't bother checking my wallet either. Going with no food another day won't be so bad, I'm sure they fed me with these tubes in the hospital yesterday that should be enough.

I walked down the cracked stairs avoiding the broken steps as much as I could, my body was met with shivers of cold once I left the building.

"Come with me." The guy said surprising me, I thought I was already told what I needed to do in order to stay alive. "Okay." I whispered instead.

We walked for minutes till we reached the base. "The owner is waiting for you." He said and left with no other letters spilled.

I took a deep breath before climbing the steps that lead to the main office, I knocked 5 times before someone finally answered, "come in." The voice shouted angrily. I gulped and opened the door to be met with all the owners sitting there like usual, the smell of alcohol and weed almost made me want to throw up, no matter how much I face it everyday I never got used to the scent.

"Oh Jisung my darling," ignore the cold shivers, these shivers are so much worse, the flashbacks to when I first heard them, the worst night of my life, the night they decided to change my job after, you're so good to just be watched.

I shook the terrible memory away not wanting to remember it again, did you ever forget it tho?

"We've missed your company, but unfortunately we won't be able to have you to ourselves anymore." One of them started and I didn't dare to show any reaction or emotion, "you were sold today." Stop talking about me like that. I said in my brain.

"Apparently the businessmen in the event loved you. They bought you out of us this morning, woke me up, but it was worth it." Could it be- no no way, please not again my body hasn't even recovered yet. Bought does that mean I'll have to stay there, forever??

"Go shower in the shared room, then go home and wait for more information from us." Another one said and I left with no words, I showered where I used to before moving, the water was of course cold but I'd didn't care, nothing matters anymore.

I walked home in the cold with soaked hair and the clothes sticking to my wet body. I climbed the stairs with pain crawling everywhere in bones, my stomach, my throat, my head, everywhere.

I threw myself on the bed falling asleep again with the same thought, please don't wake up.

I did with a knock on the door, there's no light in the room which means I've slept the whole day, I got up slowly, no energy is left in my body as I made my way to the door, I turned on the small lamp before opening the door.

I hope I didn't.

The instant fear and anxiety ran through my blood. It's him, it's too early, I still didn't prepare myself for this.

I stared at him for no one knows how long until he finally spoke up, "aren't you going to let me in?"

I moved backwards away from the door to make room for him despite my own head protesting against my moves.

My worlds ran away from fear, I had no idea what should I say or how to say it, my body somehow grew even weaker I lost control of my limbs and fell to the floor.

"Please don't hurt me." I whispered, "I'll do anything you ask, but please don- don't-" I shook my head in desperation. "I won't, I won't I promise. Calm down." Minho spoke and walked slowly to my side like I'm a stray cat he's afraid to scare away, "I'm here to help, don't be afraid." Help? Help who? After everything he's done?

"Can I touch you?" He asked and of course that's what he meant, that's why he bought me after all, I nodded against everything in me yelling at me not to.

He touched my face. My face. He's checking my temperature. "You have high fever, let me help you to bed so we can talk." He didn't wait for an answer this time, he just took my hand and guided my to my bed, his hand on my waist and the other is holding my arm for extra support. "Did you take any medicine?" He asked and even my tired brain is confused at his shift of personality, is this a homicidal ideation?

"Doesn't look like you did." He said when he was met with my silence as a response. "I don't think you're in a good state to talk either. Sleep. I'll get you medicine and food and we'll talk when you wake up." Was the last thing I heard before drifting off to sleep, my eyes couldn't stay opened for a second more. I was too tired to even worry.