Painter in the night| Changjin

Horror of the past life

Changbin sat in the dimly lit room, his eyes fixed on the sleeping figure of Hyunjin. The younger boy lay on the bed, his chest rising and falling with the slow, rhythmic breaths of deep sleep. His face, usually so animated with emotion, was now peaceful, almost serene. But the peace was an illusion, Changbin knew. Beneath the surface, Hyunjin's mind was a storm of turmoil and pain.

Changbin had brought him back to his own home, unwilling to leave Hyunjin alone in his shattered state. It was safer here, away from the prying eyes and the bloodstained memories of what had transpired. He had carried Hyunjin into his bedroom, laying him gently on the bed and tucking the blankets around him as if he were something fragile, something precious.

Now, as the first light of dawn crept through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room, Changbin found himself lost in thought, the present bleeding into the past in a way that made his heart ache.

It had been years since Alec. Years since that fateful night when everything had fallen apart. But the memories were as sharp as ever, cutting through the layers of time like a knife.

Alec had been everything to him once. His lover, his confidant, his other half. They had met in a world of violence and blood, but Alec had brought light into Changbin's life, a light that had been snuffed out far too soon.

He remembered the first time he had laid eyes on Alec—how the man had captivated him with his fierce spirit, his unwavering loyalty, and the fire in his eyes that had drawn Changbin in like a moth to a flame. Alec had been the only person who had ever truly understood him, the only one who had seen the man behind the mask of the mafia leader.

But that same fire had consumed Alec in the end.

Changbin closed his eyes, the memories rushing back with a vividness that took his breath away. He could see Alec's face as if it were yesterday—the way his eyes had darkened with jealousy, the way his lips had curled into a cruel smile when he had discovered Changbin with someone else.

It had been a mistake, a moment of weakness that Changbin had regretted instantly. But Alec had seen it as a betrayal, a wound that had festered and grown until it had driven him mad.

Changbin had tried to explain, had tried to make Alec see that it meant nothing, that it was a meaningless encounter born out of loneliness and despair. But Alec hadn't listened. He had become consumed by his jealousy, his love for Changbin warping into something dark and twisted.

And then, that night...

Changbin's hands clenched into fists as he recalled the way Alec had stormed into the room, his eyes wild with rage. He had found the prostitute first—a young man, barely more than a boy, who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alec had killed him without hesitation, his eyes locked on Changbin the entire time, as if daring him to stop it, as if punishing him for his perceived betrayal.

Changbin had tried to intervene, had tried to stop the madness, but Alec had turned on him with a fury that had left Changbin reeling. The fight had been brutal, a clash of raw emotion and pain, and it had ended with Alec pointing a gun at Changbin's head, his hand shaking with the weight of his own despair.

"I loved you," Alec had whispered, his voice breaking. "I loved you more than anything, and you betrayed me. How could you do this to me?"

Changbin had pleaded with him, had tried to reach the man he knew was still inside, but Alec had been too far gone. In the end, Alec had made his choice. He had turned the gun on himself, pulling the trigger before Changbin could stop him.

The sound of the gunshot still echoed in Changbin's mind, a haunting reminder of the moment his world had shattered. He could still see the look in Alec's eyes as the life drained out of him, could still feel the blood on his hands as he had cradled Alec's lifeless body in his arms.

It had taken everything in Changbin to move on from that night, to bury the pain and the guilt deep within himself and continue with his life. He had sworn then that he would never allow himself to love again, that he would never let anyone get close enough to hurt him the way Alec had.

But looking at Hyunjin now, asleep and vulnerable in his bed, Changbin knew it was too late. The walls he had built around his heart had crumbled, and despite his best efforts, he had fallen in love again.

It was a different kind of love than what he had felt for Alec. Where Alec had been fire and passion, a storm that had consumed everything in its path, Hyunjin was a quiet strength, a gentle light that had slowly but surely worked its way into Changbin's heart. Hyunjin had a way of seeing the world that was both beautiful and heartbreaking, a way of finding light in the darkest of places.

But that light was fading now. Hyunjin was slipping away, drowning in his own pain and guilt, and Changbin didn't know how to save him.

Changbin ran a hand through his hair, his fingers trembling as the memories of Alec's death collided with the reality of Hyunjin's situation. He couldn't lose Hyunjin the way he had lost Alec. He wouldn't survive it.

But how could he protect him? How could he keep Hyunjin from falling into the same abyss that had claimed Alec?

Changbin's thoughts were interrupted by a soft sound from the bed. He looked over to see Hyunjin stirring, his eyes fluttering open as he slowly woke from his drug-induced sleep. The peacefulness of sleep faded away, replaced by a look of confusion and fear as Hyunjin took in his surroundings.

"Changbin?" Hyunjin's voice was weak, barely more than a whisper. "Where... where am I?"

"You're safe," Changbin said softly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "You're at my place. I brought you here last night."

But the truth was, Changbin wasn't sure he could. The darkness that had claimed Alec all those years ago was a force that he had never been able to fully understand, and now it was threatening to take Hyunjin too.

As he held Hyunjin close, memories of Alec's final moments flashed through his mind—of the way Alec's eyes had filled with pain and betrayal as he had looked at Changbin for the last time, of the way his body had gone limp in Changbin's arms as the life drained out of him.

Changbin had sworn never to let anyone get that close to him again, never to let anyone else see the man behind the mask. But with Hyunjin, it was different. Hyunjin had seen him, had seen the parts of Changbin that he had hidden from the world, and had accepted them without question.

And now, because of that, Hyunjin was suffering.

Changbin bit down on his lip, hard enough to draw blood, as he fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. He couldn't lose Hyunjin the way he had lost Alec. He couldn't let history repeat itself.