Stoneheart || Seongsang ATEEZ

6; truth

"Now tell me. What's the matter with you and those guys?"

Yeosang sighed. "I don't even know. Mingi, basically their leader, seems to hate me for some reason. He started bullying me shortly after he changed to this school. I had never even spoken to him before. But at some point they just came up to me and insulted me. Later they didn't let it be with the insults and started hurting me physically as well."

San shook his head in disbelief. "But what's their reason? What did they say to you?" "They usually just call me a slut and a- a faggot", Yeosang mumbled looking down at his hands he awkwardly kneaded in his lap. San was silent for a moment. Yeosang kept speaking as tears spilled from his eyes: "What's so wrong about the fact that I don't exclusively like girls? Why do they even care? Why do they have to attack me for it? Why can't I even protect myself from them? Just why am I such a coward? Why am I such a waste of space? Why did I let that guy back then kiss me? Why did I let him take advantage of me? Why can't I just be straight?" Halfway through he started sobbing uncontrollably. San didn't know what to do other that take him into his arms, hug him tight and gently pat his head.

When Yeosang's sobs had mostly died down, San held him by his shoulders and made him look into his eyes. "Listen to me. This is not your fault! They are in the wrong for hurting you, not you for being bi or whatever. Okay?", he spoke emphatically. Yeosang nodded before San continued: "You need to report them." The teary-eyed boy shook his head: "I can't." "Why not?" "They'll send the video to everyone. And to my parents as well. And they'll find out. They will hate me." San was confused. What video was Yeosang talking about? When he asked him, Yeosang didn't want to answer at first. He was embarrassed. It took continuous begging and convincing to get him to spit it out: "It was about a year ago. I think it was them who set him up, but I'm not sure. I was invited to a party. I think it was someone's birthday party."

Yeosang entered the house. Music could be heard even several blocks away, but inside it almost hurt Yeosang's ears. He was looking for Wooyoung, who promised to come and make sure Yeosang would get home safely. He went towards the kitchen, hoping to find him there, getting a drink. He wasn't there. Instead Yeosang's eyes fell on a very handsome young man, probably a few years older than him and quite a bit taller. When he saw Yeosang standing in the entrance to the kitchen, he approached him. "Hi! You look lost", the man yelled to overpower the music. Yeosang nodded "I'm looking for my friend. He promised to come and stay with me the whole evening, but I wasn't able to find him yet." "How about I stay by your side until he shows up?", the stranger smiled at Yeosang sweetly, "And by the way, the name's Taylor" Yeosang liked the idea of not having to spend the night on his own, trying to find his missing friend. So, he agreed and told Taylor his name.

The two of them got into a deep conversation and got closer during the evening. During this, the older got Yeosang several drinks. The more drunk the usually shy boy got the less he cared about Taylor getting closer and closer. At some point the stranger grabbed his hand and tugged him behind him up the stairs and into one of the bedrooms. Yeosang was way too intoxicated to say no to anything and just let it happen. What he didn't know was that Mingi had put up a camera behind some books on a shelf, with a perfect view of the bed.

When Taylor was done with him he just left. Yeosang woke up the next morning confused as to where he was and how he ended up there. He couldn't remember anything that happened the night before. But when he found himself butt-naked in an unfamiliar bedroom he could put one and one together. He made sure to clean up the room a little before sneaking out of the house.

"And a few days later they started bullying me. When I said I would report them they showed me the video and told me they would spread it everywhere. So, I had no chance of stopping them." San looked at the other in complete shock. "I- Oh my god", He was at a loss of words. "I'm so sorry", he whispered and pulled the other into another hug. "I'll give you my number. If you ever need my help, call me. I'll try my best to help you", he promised before San took him to his car and drove him home. He was convinced, that Yeosang wasn't able to attend any classes in his current state. Once Yeosang arrived at home he called Wooyoung, who had the first break at that time. He told him what had happened and his best friend promised him to cancel the date he had planned with his girlfriend Chaeyeon to be there for him.