fighter | sequel to monster ✓

a promise should be fufilled

[Lee Jooheon]

Another pinky promise that wouldn't be fulfilled. I knew my baby, he wouldn't hurt me if he was held at gun point.

But maybe he would now...now that I'll never be myself again. He knows I'm a monster. He fears that I will hurt him. And I do too.

I let the phone drop the floor as my head filled with depressing thoughts. I would never be the same.

I would never laugh like I did before, or sing cheesy songs.

I'd never watch his favorite show with him.

Or poke fun at him for the way he sings in the shower.

I would never be Lee Jooheon ever again. All I'd be was a monster. His monster.

"I don't know what you were expecting, Jooheon. Your little lover boy isn't stupid, he knows you're a terrible person. The only stupid thing he every did was fall in love with you."

Jaebum was right. My boy was smart, he would succeed at anything he wanted to be good at. He could take down countless amounts of people single handedly.

If I hadn't gotten in the way of everything, if I hadn't befriended him when we were just little kids, none of this would've happened. Maybe I'd be in the exact position I was in now, but he wouldn't love me enough to come save me. He wouldn't love me at all. The gang would think I died, I'd be alone forever. I'd become what Jaebum wanted me to be. I'd tear everything and everyone down, regardless of my storyline.

I was built to destroy, I was built to be used.

"Just get it over with then. Make me into the monster you fantasise about. I'm ready now, I've had my closure."

Our eyes connected and Jaebum's smile grew wide. He got to me, I was vulnerable now. I was his toy and he was ready to start playing with me.

[I.M Changkyun]

I found myself sitting on Wonho's bed, earning his stares and Hyungwon's.

I kind of sort of interrupted Wonho's appointment, he's getting his angel wings re-tattooed. But I think it was a lot more than just a regular appointment, these two are always together with a door closed. I mean, good for them, I'm happy if they're happy. But I had to tell someone about my call with Jooheon, and it couldn't wait.

"I talked to Jooheon." My voice was hardly even a whisper, both Wonho and Hyungwon raised their eyebrows and looked at me confused.

"Changkyunie, talk louder. It's okay, we're here to listen." Wonho smiled widely and I felt better. He was always there for me, and I knew Hyungwon cared more than anything as well.

"I talked to Jooheon, just an hour ago. They're going to hurt him until he hurts me...until he hurts all of us."

Without warning the pair were by my side, wiping my tears and offering me various snacks around the room. I almost chuckled at their parent like efforts, they were literally my parent friends.

Hyungwon held my hand in his, showing an affectionate side I didn't know was hidden beneath his cold surface. "How did you even...How did you reach him?"

"He called me. Jaebum let him. He wanted to hear m-my voice. He wanted to k-know...he didn't know my name. H-How did he forget me? Everything a-about me."

Wonho took my face in his hands, making me look straight into his eyes. "He didn't want that, I know he didn't. He loved you, he told you every chance he could. He would never let you go like that, they're torturing his memories out of his head. We're going to get him back."

"He asked me to...to kill him before he could kill me. I p-pinky promised."

I knew nothing would bring me to kill Jooheon. I loved him more than I loved anything else in this world. I wanted him here with me so badly. But people who break promises are terrible people.

"Look at me, Changkyun. You said that to comfort him. You said it because you knew it'd make him feel better. You wouldn't hurt Jooheon if you were held at gun point."

Hyungwon was right. I couldn't hurt Jooheon even if I wanted to.

"Gun point. I need a tattoo." I ripped myself away from the couples grasp and ran down the hall to my room.

I stood in front of Jooheon's dresser, staring at the mirror before me. A slight smile appeared on my face. I pulled open the top right drawer, finding a stack of letters. I picked up the first one available and opened it ever so gently.

I felt a stray tear roll down my face as I looked at his handwriting. Every so often Jooheon would leave a note for me on the bathroom mirror, he always signed with "I love you forever, I pinky promise."

After the mission, Shownu and Soyou took on the assignment of going through Jooheon's belongings. They had found a box full of letters waiting to be delivered to me. Letters to last at least a year. All signed with his signature phrase. All for me.

I took the letter with me and rushed back to Wonho's room. They hadn't moved from the bed and their heads turned as I reentered the room. I could hardly catch my breathe, but a smile remained on my face.

"I love you forever, I pinky promise. He ended all his notes to me with it. I want it tattooed."

Wonho ran up to me, wrapping his arms around my torso and giggling a bit. And I could see Hyungwon over his shoulder, he had the smile I had never seen before. A smile that wished people the most happiness in the world, a smile that showed someone you loved them.

***

I looked at myself in the mirror. My black heart tattoo was behind small, white writing. Although the heart was still visible, it had new meaning. Jooheon's writing stood out beautifully against the black background.

He would love it. And I couldn't wait to show him once I got him out of that hell hole.