Seven | Book 1 (An EXO fiction)

7.

~Chapter 7: Count Me In~

When I wake up later the same day, I have found a new sense of purpose. I think I know what my next steps are going to be, and I need to talk to Tao to finalize my thoughts. To see if what I want to do is really going to help. I don't want to jump in head first if it's going to be for nothing.

I stare at my reflection as a brush my teeth with my new toothbrush. I feel as though I am a different person from who I was just a few weeks ago. Not only am I cleaner, but I'm healthier. I feel way healthier than I have ever felt. I can only assume my new found condition is due to that Yixing guy who came in and basically erased all of my bruises, cavities, and wounds. He's a healer, but he must have like hella power to be able to fix anything. I feel and look different, and I'm not sure whether or not this is for better or worse. I'm still just as gross on the inside as I was before.

How had I not noticed how...gross I was before? Like, I'd never had a problem with my appearance since it's all superficial and based on personal preference. But now thinking back to what I considered 'clean' before is pathetic. All of the human boys I'd known weren't much different though. Perhaps that's why I was never really concerned with it. Even still, I should have probably somewhat known how dirty and battered I looked to the trained eye. Especially compared to Tao. I had always thought that he had looked weirdly...fresh for another human. Now I know. He just took care of himself and his hygiene.

After freshening up for the day and putting the clothes I slept in back on my body (they weren't dirty so I saw no reason to not reuse them), a pale pink pair of shorts and a white camisole, I amble out of my room. The light of the moon shows me that I've missed the rest of breakfast and lunch. I might have even missed dinner at this point. I should find food before I talk to Tao. Because that's the most important thing.

Nutrition.

I leave the room and it's unmissable how lethargic my body is. Walking feels like a difficult task, and each step away from bed feels like a step closer to my own death.

I reach the staircase and am met with an unfamiliar face who was taking angry steps up the stairs. I make a noise of surprise and the new boy looks up from his feet to me. I figure that I should try a new approach and should maybe not be a dick when first meeting people. I have the chance to be nice, and for the first time I take it.

I open my mouth to introduce myself, but before I can utter any greeting his teeth are bared, and his forearm is pressed against my neck, my body against the wall. His force is hard enough to make ability to breathe difficult, but not hard enough to crush my esophagus or seriously harm me. I would fight back, but after all the mental draining and crying I really can't get my body to put up much of a fight. The hairs on my arms stand on edge like he's some kind of balloon charged with static.

"Who are you?!" he hisses. "What are you doing here you piece of-"

"Yah! June!" the pressure is released from my throat and I slide against the wall down to the floor. I take in sharp breaths. Tao stands a few feet away with both of his hands on one of the arms of the boy who just tried to kill me. I can't make out what he tells the fellow, but honestly I don't want to know. The boy's eyes are filled with blatant hate, and I know for a fact that I've never met him before this encounter. The boy shrugs Tao off after trading a few words and walks off.

"Jongdae isn't always like that." Tao puts a hand out to help me on to my feet and I gladly take it. I am already not a fan of this Jongdae guy. Try to do something good once, and this is what happens. Not a good sign. "Something must have happened in the castle to make him so hostile today." I can only nod in response as I caress my still sore esophagus. Tao tosses a long arm over my shoulder and we both head to the kitchen. We enter and Tao shoves me over to a chair that is situated at the kitchen island. "Sit."