Seraphiel [TCF X ORV]

III

~Hyung~

The room exuded a quiet luxury, with dark wood paneling and intricate moldings that added an air of sophistication. A grand chandelier hung from the high ceiling, casting a warm glow over the polished marble floor and plush velvet furnishings.

On the bed lay Kim Namwoon, the evening sunlight gently caressing his face as he stirred. His nose scrunched slightly as his eyes fluttered open, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. 'Where...?' he wondered, then the memories returned. Slowly, he sat up, noticing how his rough, worn clothes seemed out of place in this elegant room. His gaze drifted to the door, where he spotted—

An ethereal figure, bathed in the soft evening light. Red hair cascaded smoothly over his shoulders, and his expression was stoic with a subtle hint of softness. The figure—Cale Henituse—stood by the door, arms crossed. Cale, who had been dozing until now, pushed off the doorframe and walked forward with slow, deliberate steps, careful not to startle him.

Namwoon tensed slightly, unable to place his trust in Cale Henituse. Even though this red-haired man was said to be his cousin, trust didn’t come easily to him. (A/N: This situation feels oddly familiar TwT)

Noticing the boy’s unease, Cale paused mid-step, careful not to add to his tension or worries.

Kim Namwoon looked ahead, noticing how Cale had stopped midway. In a gentle tone, Cale said, "It's alright, take your time. I've sent a servant to bring you something light to eat, Kim…?"

Cale hesitated slightly, uncertain if he should address Namwoon by his first name just yet. The familiarity felt strange, but he decided to go with it anyway.

Namwoon blinked, a bit taken aback. No one had ever addressed him so formally before, and he certainly hadn’t expected such respect from this cousin.

Cale's eyes softened as his shoulders relaxed. He softly uttered, his voice just loud enough to be heard in the stillness of the room, "After all... I know what it’s like to go through this..."

Namwoon blinked in surprise, processing Cale’s words. "Huh..? What do you mean..?"

Seeing that Namwoon didn’t tense up, Cale took another step closer, slowly approaching the boy in bed. "Of course... I’ve been through it too. The abuse..." Cale’s voice faltered slightly, unease creeping in as he spoke of something he rarely shared.

But to build trust, he knew he had to reveal his own vulnerability, to show Namwoon that he wasn’t alone.

Cale pulled a chair closer and sat down, his expression gentle as he noticed Namwoon’s stunned reaction. "But you... here, and...," Namwoon stammered, struggling to reconcile the poised figure before him with the painful confession he’d just heard.

Cale shook his head softly, a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. "I didn’t start my life as the president of a company... There was a time when I was just a boy, barely a teenager..." His voice wavered as he met Namwoon’s eyes, a flicker of vulnerability shining through.

"A year ago, when my parents died..." Cale’s gaze fell to his hands, his fingers curling slightly as if trying to grasp something intangible. The smile on his face was soft, almost sad, as memories he’d buried deep began to surface.

He looked back at Namwoon, the weight of his past evident in his eyes. "I was handed over to one of my uncles... a man who thrived on cruelty. He would beat me, starve me, and worse..." Cale rubbed his hands together, a nervous habit he couldn’t quite shake, as the memories threatened to overwhelm him. His voice trembled, the strength it took to speak of such things apparent in every word.