REPLICA (BOOK 2)

Stars

Hongjoong took Seonghwa to the couch, still holding his hands as they sat down.

"So I had a really helpful conversation with Wooyoung."

"Right." The CEO nodded.

"I just need you to listen to me for a good twenty minutes, okay?"

"Of course."

"First off, I'm sorry...for everything I've put you through."

"It's okay." He whispered, seeing how genuine Hongjoong was.

"It's not, and it never will be. But I just want you to know that I always wanted to love you, but I was too much of a pain to allow it for a lot of reasons. You deserved better than someone who only cared about materialistic things and money so I figured it would be better to make myself so unbearable that you'd leave me, but you never did. Even when I told you I wanted an open marriage, you just went with it because you wanted to make me happy. I knew it all along. But there were things that got in the way - things I never told you."

"Joongie, just tell me what Minho did. I know that's what this is about."

Hongjoong sadly smiled, then caressed Seonghwa's cheek. He was about to admit to something he kept hidden away for so long because he was afraid.

"To keep Jisung alive, Minho needed a blood transfusion from someone living. Instead of using himself, he used me instead. We didn't know the Miraclo would have such a painful effect on a healthy body, but once he realized, he didn't care. That's when he started his obsession with torturing people. Me. And I started to resent you for that because I wanted someone to blame, even though you knew nothing about it. I was just so angry that I was letting it happen, and even angrier that I wanted you to stop it, but I was too scared to say anything. But that's just scratching the surface. You know there were other drugs besides Miraclo, and you know Minho experimented with all of them after Jisung died. Well, again, I was the test subject. I'd pass out, but instead of waking me up, he'd just fuck me. He hated you so much and that was his way of saying 'fuck you'. So naturally, it just made me resent you even more. It got to the point where I was so brainwashed and overwhelmed, I could barely function. He took advantage and would put all these things in my head - telling me you were this awful person. But he knew that if he couldn't get your money, he'd take the one thing you cared about."

Seonghwa clenched his jaw tight as he wiped Hongjoong's eyes. He felt sick to his stomach, furious with himself for letting that happen, regardless if he knew or not.

"I wish you told me."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"I would've killed him, I'm serious. I absolutely would've killed him."

"I promise, it would've made things worse. I was too far gone at that point. I probably would've just hated you more."

"And now you don't?"

Hongjoong shook his head, still wiping his eyes while holding one of Seonghwa's trembling hands.

"No, because everything is different now. This is what I wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"Seonghwa, tell me the truth." Hongjoong held his face in his small hands as he pleaded. "Did it work?"

"Did what work?"

"Please don't make me say it."

"Do you want me to?"