blessed - cursed | jakehoon

vi. a coward's scheme

Fortunately, Sunghoon's parents were away. After an eventful night yesterday, his aloof father knew best to make up with his wife by indulging in her love for retreat at some fancy resort or a countryside ville. They would be away the rest of the weekend. One could say it was a monthly occurrence.

"Are you sure your parents won't mind? It feels like I'm trespassing." Jake couldn't stop gawking the moment Sunghoon motioned him inside the most renown landmark he had only read or seen pictures of from the internet. In reality, it was more spacious, grand and fulfilling even in the midst of night because it was well lit.

They strolled leisurely down the garden. Jake relieving the moment to not make anything amiss. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him after all, and a stroke of luck that too.

"They're probably busy with themselves hundreds of miles away from Seoul. Besides, the mansion is an officiated property under my name, although it sits in my father's lands, I have every right to do with it as I please."

"Lucky you.

They walked for quite some time, talked endlessly about meagre things regarding the estate, until Hetalia, a questionable name for such a priceless landmark, came to sight. The mansion was lit up; Sunghoon must've sent words for his visit. A big estate like this definitely needed help, was the only plausible explanation Jake could come up with as they entered the gates of four hundred years of longevity and Sunghoon motioned him inside.

Breathless was an understatement, he was in awe. "Are you sure your ancestors weren't nobles?" He asked helplessly at the grandiose before him. He had read that the mansion belonged to a family of shamans, which meant Sunghoon's ancestors were shamans.

Sunghoon laughed as he helped him out of his coat. "No, just shamans with good etiquette. Well, my great-great-great-great-grandfather did serve the king. The wealth before you are accumulations of assisting nobles and royals in their marriages and political antics. My ancestors were good businessmen, or money launderers. One can't really tell anymore.

"Come with me. Let me give you a tour."

Jake was taken to and fro around the mansion whilst continuously being reminded of the history inlaid within every object or portrait they came across, even a pomegranate tree in the courtyard.

"Out of all the seven bedrooms and eight servant quarters in this house, only one remains habitable today." Sunghoon opened the door to the 'habitable room'. "My grandfather made the renovations. He was obsessed with this house. Unfortunately, my father was too passive to share his interests so he granted the honour of housemaster to me when he passed."

"I'm guessing you frequent this place too, seeing as how everything was spotless and tidy. Even this room." Jake was motioned to take a seat. There were no chairs or carpet so he hesitantly sat down on the bed.

"It's peaceful here. Eerily quiet and ancient. I feel like a nobleman when I'm here."

"That must be so. I'm just a visitor but I'm already feeling elite."

The two shared a moment of laughter.

"Hold on." Sunghoon suddenly got up and opened a window, or a sliding door that led to a small terrace overseeing the entirety of Seoul and its chaos. "There. One of the reasons why grandpa picked this room."

The bed was laid in such a way one could enjoy the picturesque view without having to get up.

"Sunghoon, this is beautiful." Jake remarked, lightheaded, dizzy from the magical turn of events that disastrous dinner that led him to this moment.

Sunghoon said nothing, a victorious smile on his face as he shifted his gaze from the outside to Jake, who seemed about knocked out from all the surprises in one night.

He's breath-taking.

How was he to help this beautiful man break free from the chains of trauma? He was yet to figure it out. But as a mortal who exalted in beautiful things, and a bisexual attracted to humans, the man before him was pleasing to the eyes and the soul. How could such a beautiful creature be tainted so?

Were the chains from the trauma or something more?

Sunghoon felt congested, tight in the lungs and nauseous from the divulging thoughts emerging from deep within. He was but a mortal of darkness. Everyone in this damned family were—greedy, resentful, stubborn and arrogant cursed to tread the path between life and death—who was he to say he was different, for he wasn't.

Jake tore his eyes away from the night when Sunghoon pinched his chin, cheeks stained with tears that had dripped down unbeknownst. "Oh, sorry. I must've been too caught up in the moment," he laughed awkwardly as he wiped away the tears.

"No. It isn't your fault. It's the room, Jake."

"Huh?" An oblivious Jake asked.

Sunghoon smiled, one unlike his 'I'm only smiling so that I don't come off as disrespectful' smile. This was… An uncanny smile with a thousand meanings. "When I told you that my ancestors were shamans, you said nothing. You also must have read up this information and yet, you think nothing of it. See, that's where you're vulnerable Jake."

Jake furrowed his eyebrows.

"A mansion built from divulging the path between living and death, what makes you think this is just a normal centuries-old house hm? Or do you just simply indulge without thinking too much of the consequences? I can see you're a troubled young man with dangerous habits, but you're not a dangerous man."

"I don't…"

"You don't understand. I know. I'm speaking in circles and not really making sense, just making you uncomfortable." Sunghoon sat next to him on the bed. It was a bouncy bed, surely made of high quality mattress and wood. "Tell me this, Jake, why would you follow me around all day, hiding and watching just to jump right in when I offer to take you somewhere? Are you not even the least suspicious that I might do something to you?"

It was a threat, meant in a warning tone. Yet, when Sunghoon turned to look at the latter's reaction, he was greeted by the dangerous flushed redness on the cheek and the happiest gleam the eyes could ever behold.

...Riiiight. I forgot I was dealing with a creep. Sunghoon had to momentarily collect himself to not give away his well-built facade.

"Tch." He clicked his tongue. "Troubled is an understatement to you, right Jake?"

Why does it feel like I'm berating him just to get a sexual reaction? Sunghoon internally wailed. It wasn't meant to come to this! Well, not like he couldn't handle it. For all he was concerned of, a cornered Jake looked quite the ravishing prey.

Man, you're such a sucker for good looks.

The last beratement was directed to himself.

"You knew," Jake finally spoke. "You knew I was following you."

"Hmm. Like you were good at hiding."

"And yet you invited me to dinner, even bought me ramen and brought me to your house."

The man was making a point. And so it dawned on Sunghoon, maybe Jake's creepy nature wasn't disturbing him as much as he wished it was. Jay was right. Jay was always right. Park Sunghoon, you're mad.

Jay liked to call him that—a madman—but he believed himself to be just a little eccentric and that Jay was exaggerating. However, his impulsiveness and the consequences that followed hereon just about proved Jay right.

With a slight dip in the chin from his part and a little raise from the other, their lips met in a telepathic understanding. Sunghoon quickly grasped his neck as his right hand snaked around his tucked shirt. Jake retorted with much enthusiasm, helping Sunghoon pry away his sweater in a swift. They kissed like starved animals drugged with need. Their clothes quickly undone and their bodies fell on the mat. Reason and logic did no part to implore the revolving nature of their situation, nor did they try to make reason themselves.

Blinded by lust and starved for touch, they let all senses that might provoke their passion fly out the window and disperse into the scenic view as their lips adjourned for the second time that night in a rigorous battle of taste and want.

Fuck! Fuck this!