Paid Relationship (Winrina)

X (M)

Karina's pov

I was so happy with our relationship. Minjeong and I had managed to overcome so many obstacles, and things were finally looking up. Every moment we spent together was filled with laughter and love, and I felt good- truly good, for the first time in a long while.

But today was different. I had a major project that I needed to finish, and unfortunately, I wasn't paired with Minjeong. Instead, my partner for this assignment was Chaewon. Chaewon was known around school as a "pick me" girl or "one of the boys." Despite the rumors, she had always been nice to me, and I didn't have any reason to distrust her.

"Hi, Chaewon!" I greeted her with a smile as I approached her in the school hallway. She was standing by her locker, fidgeting with her phone. "Shall we finish this at the library?"

Chaewon looked up at me, her expression unreadable. She was unusually quiet, which was unlike her. She finally nodded and we made our way to the library together. The walk was filled with an awkward silence, something I wasn't used to from her. Usually, she was chatty and bubbly, but today, something felt off.

As we reached the library, I tried to break the ice. "So, how's your day been?" I asked, hoping to spark a conversation.

Chaewon kept silent. Her eyes darted around nervously, and she barely made eye contact. We found a quiet corner in the library, away from the other students, and sat down at a table. I pulled out my notes and started to lay them out, trying to focus on the project.

"Chaewon, we need to finish this today, so let's get started, okay?" I said, looking up at her.

She didn't respond. Instead, she stood up abruptly and walked around the table towards me. Before I could react, she grabbed me by the neck and started choking me. My eyes widened in shock and terror as she pulled out a syringe and injected me with something.

___

"Mm! Mm!" I tried to scream for help, but my voice was muffled, and the substance quickly took over my body. My vision blurred, and I felt myself losing consciousness. The last thing I saw was Chaewon's cold, expression as darkness took over within me.

When I woke up, I was in a different place. My head was pounding, and my body felt heavy and sluggish. Panic set in as I realized I was in a dim lit room, surrounded by unfamiliar faces. Boys! there were boys all around me, and they were coming at me with malicious intent. I tried to move, but my limbs felt like it wanted to give up on me.

I was scared and panicked. Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to comprehend what was happening. The boys started closing in on me, their intentions clear. I tried to scream, but my voice was weak and strained.

One of the boys leaned in close, his breath hot against my skin. "This is going to be fun," he whispered, with a husky voice. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me as he touched me, violating my personal space. I tried to push him away, but my strength was gone.

They did wrong things to me, things that left me feeling violated and broken. I felt so helpless, trapped in a nightmare that I couldn't escape. Little did I know, the entire ordeal was being recorded. The camera captured every moment of my suffering, every tear, every cry for help.

As one of the boys moved closer, I let out a scream that sounded more like a moan, a distorted echo of my fear and pain. The sound seemed to amuse them, fueling their cruel laughter. I felt my mind slipping, the trauma too overwhelming to bear.

Hours felt like days, and when they were finally done, they left me alone in that dark, cold room. I lay there, trembling and sobbing, my body aching from their abuse. I didn't know how long I stayed there, but eventually, the door creaked open again.

Chaewon walked in, her expression unreadable. She looked at me with a mixture of pity and satisfaction, as if she had accomplished something significant.

"Why?" I croaked, my voice cracking from crying. "Why did you do this to me?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she turned and walked away, leaving me in the darkness once more. I couldn't understand why she had betrayed me, why she had believed such a thing.

___

After last night, I was beyond exhausted. The events that had unfolded left me drained, both physically and emotionally. I was so grateful they let me go, at least to let me see another day. The relief of surviving the ordeal was overwhelming, but it was short-lived. As I reached into my pocket to grab my phone, my heart began to race. My hands shook as I saw the disturbing video spreading everywhere. The sight of it was enough to send me into a sudden panic attack. My breathing became erratic, and my mind raced with thoughts of the consequences this video could bring. My first instinct was to go to Minjeong, hoping desperately that she wouldn't believe what she saw.

The journey to our apartment felt like a blur. Every step was heavy with dread, and by the time I reached our door, my heart was pounding in my chest. I saw Minjeong standing outside, looking cold and distant. Her arms were crossed, and she was staring at me with a very strange, unreadable expression.

"What have you... done, Jimin?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and hurt. I met her gaze, trying to find the right words. "Minjeong, I'm sorry I-" I began, but she cut me off sharply.

"Excuse me?! So you actually gave in to them?! Seriously, are you that stupid? You literally just gave me a heartfelt apology a week ago, and you are still going out, cheating on me?! Get out of my face!" she shouted, her voice shaking with anger and betrayal. Tears builded up in her eyes, and her face was flushed with emotion.

I stood there, stunned and heartbroken. The weight of her words hit me like a ton of bricks. I wanted to explain, to make her understand, but the intensity of her anger and pain was palpable. She turned away from me, her body trembling with rage.

"Minjeong, please, it's not what you think," I pleaded, taking a step closer, but she held up a hand to stop me.

"Don't. Just don't. I can't believe you would do this to me again. I thought we were rebuilding our trust, but you've destroyed it all over again," she said, her voice breaking.

I felt a lump in my throat as I watched her retreat into the apartment, slamming the door behind her. I was left standing outside, feeling utterly defeated and alone. The cold night air bit into my skin, but the chill inside my heart was far worse.

I sank down onto the steps, burying my face in my hands. The video kept playing in my mind, each frame a reminder of the chaos it had unleashed. I knew that explaining the truth to Minjeong wouldn't be easy, but I had to try. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her over something that was blown out of proportion, manipulated to ruin what we had.

As I sat there, I thought back to the events of the previous night. It had started out as an ordinary evening, but it quickly spiraled out of control. The people who took me, their threats, the fear I felt—everything was still vivid in my mind. They had forced me into a situation I couldn't escape, and now I was paying the price for their cruelty.

I glanced at my phone again, seeing the video still circulating on social media. The comments were brutal, filled with accusations and judgments from people who didn't know the whole story. Each notification was like a dagger to my heart.

Minutes felt like hours as I waited outside, hoping Minjeong would calm down and give me a chance to explain. I couldn't let this be the end of us. I loved her too much to walk away without fighting for our relationship. Eventually, the door creaked open, and Minjeong stepped out, her eyes red from crying.

"Jimin," she said softly, her voice trembling. "I don't know what to believe right now. You need to explain everything to me, from the beginning."

I nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. "I will, Minjeong. I promise. Just give me a chance to tell you the truth."

We sat down together on the steps, and I took a deep breath, preparing to recount the nightmare I had lived through. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but if there was any chance of salvaging our relationship, I had to try.

☆彡 xtsyaira