AUCTIONED | ATEEZ seongjoong

+ the prey, the protector and the evil +

hongjoong slowly relaxed into his body and rest his head on his shoulder. "i've never felt this safe in a very long time. thank you, seonghwa." the younger's arms gently wrapped around the older's waist, surprising the okder as he was not expecting him to return the hug. but he smiled, holding hongjoong even tighter.

"you're welcome, hongjoong."

* * *

seonghwa stepped out of the toilet with a pail of water and cloth, preparing to clean hongjoong up as he passed out before he was even able to do it in the toilet.

"you able to sit up or do you need help?" seonghwa asked as he approached hongjoong who is lying on the bed.

hongjoong quickly pushed himself upright, "i'm fine, don't worry!" he pushed the blanket that was covering him aside and swung his legs off the bed.

"i-i can clean myself up, actually. i don't wanna trouble you." the younger smiled shyly at seonghwa with a slight blush on his face.

"are you sure? maybe i'll help you wipe your back. don't worry, i won't try anything, i promise!"

hongjoong blinked a few times, taking in the smiling seonghwa in front of him. needless to say, seonghwa ended up helping hongjoong wash up.

after he was done, he went to the bathroom to wash himself up as well and when he came out of the toilet 10 minutes later, he caught hongjoong trying to leave the room.

"hongjoong! what are you doing?" seonghwa questions the younger as he switches off the bathroom light and shuts the door, making his way to his bed.

"i- uh... don't wanna disturb you any further so i'll just... go to my room?" hongjoong answers but it came out more like a question.

seonghwa let out an airy laugh before making his way towards hongjoong. the latter tilted his head in confusion as seonghwa stood before him.

"you," he tapped hongjoong's nose lightly as he looked dead in the younger's eyes, "are sleeping in my room tonight, alright?"

hongjoong's eyes widened as he tried to comprehend what the older had said. he stared back at seonghwa, confused at why the older would want him to sleep in his room with him.

i mean, there was only one bed.

"y-you aren't gonna take advantage o-of me, are you?" hongjoong questioned seonghwa, unconciously wrapping himself with his hands.

seonghwa let out another laugh and flicked hongjoong's forehead, causing the latter to flinched slightly.

"dumbass, of course not. if i did, i would've already done so." seonghwa reached forward to grab hongjoong's wrist, leading him to his bed.

hongjoong let out a soft "ah.. right, right. i was unconcious..." as he was being led to the older's bed.

now that hongjoong has time to observe the bed, it is actually pretty big for 2 people, let alone seonghwa alone.

"why do you need such a big bed for? 4 people can literally lie down shoulder to shoulder on just half your bed!"

"uh... i'm rich? i don't know actually. i've always had large beds since i was young so i just live with it. i mean, i guess i won't fall of the bed when i sleep?" seonghwa shrugged nonchalantly as he got on the bed easily.

well, hongjoong on the other hand had some difficulty hopping onto it as this bed was slightly higher than that of an average bed.

"i would definitely never get such a bed." hongjoong huffed as he finally settled nicely on the bed. seonghwa laughed as he adjusted the pillows behind hoongjoong.

hongjoong sat there silently, contemplating whether he should ask the older the question that was at the back of his mind the entire time.

"c'mon, ask away. you're really easy to read, y'know?"

the younger blinked twice before clearing his throat. "so, uh.... what do you do?"

there was a moment of silence after his question. he noticed seonghwa squinting his eyes slightly, as if trying to figure out the right words to use. hongjoong thought he may have asked the wrong question and was about to speak again when suddenly seonghwa opened his mouth.

"well, i am not sure myself either. i guess i clean up after my father's shit. without him knowing of course. oh, right. i own multiple restaurants, yeah."

hongjoong's mouth was wide open. he owns multiple restaurants. and he doesn't even look that old. in fact they are of the same age.

"are they... under your father's name or something?"

"no, no. i own them. i started the business myself. didn't expect it to be so popular and demanded, and now i have i think 15 restaurants around the world."

"you don't mean 5 stars restaurants, do you?"

"as a matter of fact, yes i do."

"you own 15 5 star restaurants and you don't have your own house?"

"ouch? i do actually, it is currently almost done. hopefully within the next few days. and i'll bring you along with me. it's too dangerous for you to be in this household, not knowing when my father would return."

hongjoong was confused as to why seonghwa was so afraid of his father meeting him.

"am i suppose to be afraid of your father?"

"no, not afraid." seonghwa stated, his voice more serious than ever. "you should be hating him."

"why?"

"he was the one who was selling you off."

* * *

a/n: HELLLLOOOOOO im finally back! i apologise for the long wait. but i have (kinda) graduated! im just waiting for graduation day so i guess i'm free?
but anyways, i just wanna thank you guys for supporting this book and reading it AND waiting so patiently. i'm really so sorry for making yall wait for more than a year but i guess i'm back?

i've created an ao3 acct (mainly for TREASURE [un: atinyjoongie]) and would probably split my time between ao3 and here and ofc creating stories requires juices and inspiration so i'm not sure when the next update would be but DEFINITELY, there will be!

once again im so thankful for yall and i hope u guys enjoyed this chapter!