SLUTLINE

Chapter 1

Sunghwa sat at the bus stop, nervously bouncing his leg and tapping his fingers on his phone, which was resting on his lap. He was waiting for his bus after a tiring night at the club where he worked—well, where he used to work. His eyes darted left and right, hoping to catch sight of the approaching bus.

Lost in his thoughts, his phone suddenly lit up with a message. It was from his aunt, offering him a place to stay at her house. Sunghwa respectfully declined, texting her back that he had already rented an apartment in the city centre.

After a few more minutes, the bus finally arrived. Sunghwa boarded and took a seat at the back. As he gazed out the window, he noticed an old man staring at him. Feeling uncomfortable, Sunghwa turned his head away in disgust, sighed, and continued to watch the passing scenery.

-After 1 hour-

Sunghwa stood at the doorstep of his new apartment, fumbling with his keys to unlock the door. When he finally opened it, he was greeted by the sight of a cozy, small apartment. Stepping inside, he walked over to the couch and sat down, feeling the tiredness of the day.

He began to remove the earrings from his ears, placing them carefully on the coffee table in front of him. After a moment's rest, he got up and started to explore his new home. He opened the bedroom door and immediately noticed a letter lying on the bed. Curiosity piqued, he walked over, picked up the letter, and began to read.

The letter was from his landlord, detailing that the monthly rent would be 650k₩, due on the 30th of each month. Sunghwa scoffed, folding the letter and setting it aside, already feeling the weight of his new responsibilities.

Sunghwa thought about how he needed to find a job, but he was struggling to find one that would pay him fairly. Frustrated, he sighed deeply a nd took off his jacket, letting it fall to the ground.

As he glanced at the big mirror next to his wardrobe, he noticed the hickeys and love marks from the previous night. He sighed again and shook his head, feeling a mix of emotions. Needing to rest, he lay down on his bed and pulled a white sheet over himself. To distract his mind, he started scrolling through social media, hoping it would help him relax and forget his worries for a while.

Sunghwa lay on his bed, the soft white sheet pulled up to his chin. The glow from his phone cast a slight light on his face as he continued to scroll through social media, trying to distract himself from the day's troubles. His eyes flitted over pictures of friends, news updates, and random memes, but nothing seemed to hold his attention for long.

The room was quiet, save for the occasional hum of passing cars outside his window. The rhythmic sounds slowly began to lull him into a state of relaxation. His breathing started to slow, and the tension in his muscles gradually eased. He set his phone down on the nightstand, its screen fading to black.

As he closed his eyes, thoughts of his job search and the night's events swirled in his mind.The warmth of the sheet, the comfort of his bed, and the quiet of the room all worked together to relax him. His mind started to drift, and his thoughts became less reasonable.

After some minutes,Sunghwafinally managed to fall asleep. His breathing deepened and evened out, his body fully relaxing into the mattress. The worries and marks of the day faded into the background as he sank deeper into a restful slumber, finding an escape in the embrace of sleep.

-The Next Day-

The sun rose, casting a gentle light into Sunghwa's apartment, signaling the start of a new day. Sunghwa opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the soft morning light. He yawned softly and stretched his arms above his head, feeling the tension ease out of his muscles.