Kill Me Softly

Another Side

"I-I was here with my uncle. He knew I didn't have any money or a job, so he offered to help me out if I would help him with something. Of course, I agreed. I remember... the first time, I was grateful. I thought my uncle was finally going to start supporting me." Yoonbum laughed, but this laugh was hollow and sarcastic, "I can't believe I thought after the way he had always acted he would just turn around and start being nice to me. I remember he said he was working on a project in the basement. He said he needed an extra set of hands. I followed him down and..."
"He beat you." Sangwoo cut in, he was almost shaking in anger, but for some reason, this anger was comforting. It was so unlike the rage that possessed Yoonbum's uncle. He knew this anger kept him safe. Yoonbum knew Sangwoo was only so angry because he cared so much about him. This thought brought back some of Yoonbum's lost confidence and strength, and he kept talking.
"Yeah. He abused me. Physically, mentally,... sexually. I couldn't get away, though. I needed his money to live and I couldn't get a job. I couldn't go to the police because I couldn't afford all the legal bullshit they would have made me go through. So I just kind of... dealt with it. After a while it stopped hurting and I started feeling nothing. It became just another thing I had to do to survive."
Yoonbum knew Sangwoo must already know all of this, but the feeling of verbalized get what had happened to him for the first time gave him so much relief. The night Sangwoo supposedly saved him was where his memories stopped. He guessed he wasn't going to remember that any time soon. After a moment of silence, Yoonbum noticed that Sangwoo's breathing had calmed down a bit and decided it was safe to ask another question. Ever since he had realized what had really happened, this question had been the one Yoonbum wanted to ask the most. He hadn't asked it yet because he had been afraid of what the answer might be. Despite his nervousness, his curiosity got the better of him:
"S-sangwoo? What... what happened to my uncle? Why did he leave us alone after that night?"
Sangwoo sighed deeply as though he knew Yoonbum was going to ask this but had been dreading it. He lifted Yoonbum off his lap and leaned him up against the wall. Sangwoo, without even a glance at Yoonbum's questioning face, stood up and crossed the room until he was staring at the door, his back turned to the bed.
"Sangwoo, wait! Don't leave I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
Sangwoo turned around, his expression a mixture of pain and anger.
"Oh, Bum, I would never leave you. You really want this, don't you?"
Without waiting for a response, Sangwoo looked up at the ceiling, as though he was trying to remember something. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes like he was bracing himself, and said, almost whispering,
"He hurt you so bad, Bum. I couldn't just let him get away. I was so angry, I barely even remember myself."
He opened his eyes and stared down at Yoonbum, who was motionless, waiting for more. His face was so full of passion and rage he looked crazed, and Bum felt a shiver go down his spine. He had to remind himself that this was the Sangwoo who would never hurt him. He wouldn't hurt him, right?