High Wire

1.1

Kyungsoo lived a pretty average life. He had two parents; a father and a mother, and a brother; Do Seungsoo. He went to school, he had friends, and went out at times. What wasn't average was the size of the house, the price of his car, and the bruises that lined his body. Kyungsoo hid them well; his smile made everything seem better. No one asked him how home life was like. They didn't care. He was the rich prince and that meant everything was fine.

Jongin was different. He didn't know what was happening but he knew it wasn't good for Kyungsoo. He wouldn't ask what was wrong, Kyungsoo could tell him if he needed too.

~

"Whoa there, what's the rush D.O.?" Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at Jongin's nickname for him. He didn't have the time to correct him. If he wasn't at home on time, he might not be able to smile off his pain.

"I have to get home. I won't be able to hang out tonight." Kyungsoo's father was already upset about Seungsoo being late to the family Sunday dinner. He wasn't going to be late tonight.

"Oh, okay. I'll just see you tomorrow then." Kyungsoo waved at Jongin, running to his car. Jongin watched the older speed off from the parking lot. Something was definitely off.

~

The screaming and pleading started way before the hits even began. Kyungsoo didn't make a sound as blow after blow landed on his body. His mother begged his father to stop, only for him to throw her quite literally down the hall. She was scared for her son, but she couldn't leave her husband. She had no where else to go. This was her second marriage and it had saved her and her sons from the streets. The beatings were something she could put up with if it meant she would have a roof over her head. The punches are scratches lasted another ten minutes. Kyungsoo was left in the hallway battered and bruised, his mother's screams filling his head as his mother tried to run away from more scars. His school uniform was torn and bloody, a new one would be needed for school the next day. This was the fifth one this month. There was no end to the horror he lived in.

~

Jongin was worried about Kyungsoo. The older always put on a brave face, his smile wide and eyes bright, but Jongin knew underneath that smile was pain. He didn't know what Kyungsoo was going through; he never bothered to ask and Kyungsoo never told. Today would be different.

Jongin found himself knocking on Kyungsoo's front door. He had to know what was really going on with him. Mrs. Do answered the door with a smile. "Hello Jongin. Kyungsoo's in his room. He'll be happy to see you." She stepped away from the door to let him in. Jongin noted the small cut underneath her eye and the bruises on her neck. He didn't say anything, it wasn't his place too, but he knew that wasn't right. He bowed respectfully at her before rushing to Kyungsoo's room.

~

"Kyungsoo! I know you're in there! Open the door!" Jongin slammed his fist against the hard wood door. It screamed in protest and Jongin feared the door would break. "D.O., c'mon. Let me talk to you. Please." Jongin's voice dropped down to a whisper. He was scared that something bad was happening to Kyungsoo. He didn't want to lose his best friend. Jongin didn't want to lose the older to the demons running inside his head, or the real ones Jongin couldn't see. He didn't want either to be true. He wished those things didn't exist. If he could he would wrap Kyungsoo in a warm cocoon and protect him for the rest of his life, but that wouldn't work. Life had a way of ripping the most precious things away from the world. But Jongin wouldn't stand for that. He was going to protect Kyungsoo at all costs.

~

Kyungsoo would rather much die than have to live his life with this way. He didn't like having to put on a fake smile every time he got a new bruise, he didn't like telling his friends that he fell down the stairs or he should pay more attention to the sidewalk than his phone when he walked, he didn't like ditching out on Jongin all the time because he was scared of getting beat up on, and he didn't like running from his home barefooted and bloody because he couldn't take all the pain anymore. He rushed to his room's bathroom, grabbing a broken razor from the top of his secret drawer. He never wanted to use the razor, he just liked looking at the shining rainbow it made when the light hit it just right, but now he was tired of feeling all the pain and wanted to end it all. He closed the door behind him, pressing the razor to clean marble skin of his wrist, drawling a line and covering paleness with crimson. He hissed at the pain, but quickly got over the sting, pressing more lines in his skin. The blood dripped down his arm, hitting the floor and painting a dark picture on the white tile. He felt good, the movement become easier as he carved out more patches, moving to the other forearm that was covered in purple and red bruises. He didn't press deep enough to burst any veins or kill himself. He didn't want that. He just wanted to feel better. He just wanted to look at the crimson running out of him, watching it pool at his feet. It was satisfying and it did him good. He crumpled to his knees as more blood rushed down his arms. He laughed humorously, tugging his hands through his hair, pulling tightly on the loose locks. To the outside world, Kyungsoo looked crazy, but to him, he was coping with the pain. And that's all that matter.