Promise (Ateez au)

Chapter X

"Hongjoong, did you steal it? Did you steal my books? Where are you keeping them?!" Yunho's voice sounded through the room while Hongjoong didn't care enough to turn around and look at him. He wasn't in the mood right now after the complaints of yesterday. He didn't leave the metal in there on purpose, he just forgot it was there.

"Look at me!" Yunho raised his voice, sick and tired of the older's attitude.

"I didn't take anything. Stop blaming me for your carelessness. You probably lost it somewhere." The silver-haired man sounded frightingly calm. But they all knew already that it took just one wrong word to make him explode in anger. So Yunho knew it was better to leave now.

"Hyung, can I talk to you?" Seonghwa suddenly asked. Yunho almost forgot he was even there.

They walked away from the oldest, finding a place to talk privately. But after having arrived in Yunho's room, neither of them have said a word.

"Hyung, I ... I heard you talking about a book you lost. May I ask what it was about?" Seonghwa carefully broke the silence. There was a slight sound of guilt in his voice.

"It was about everyone's past. I kept it in one book to make it easier to look things up. I wrote that down and how they became a vampire. The book has so much information in it. If I can't find it back and it gets found by someone with bad intentions ... I never wanted to put you guys into danger, but I lost it ... I'm sorry." Yunho said, almost bursting out in tears. He felt so guilty towards everyone who got exposed in it. The book had so much information in it that he didn't even want to think about the consequences of someone finding it to hurt them.

"I took it ... I'm so sorry, hyung. I didn't want to make you worry, but ... I wanted to know something. I have to know about my past. But I didn't have the time to read it and now you found out that it was gone and I'm so sorry. But no one wants to tell me the truth. What is my relationship with Mingi? Why is Hongjoong doing whatever he's doing to me? Why am I like this?" He pointed to his eyes after his last sentence.

"You could've asked me. But I can't give you all the answers." Yunho paused for a moment, thinking about what he would say next. "You can ask one question, and I'll answer it as best as I can. But think it through."

"O-one question? Why?" The ravenette stuttered.

"I want to know what is most important to you, so choose wisely. I only have an answer to two of the questions." The blonde continued. He had to know where Seonghwa's priorities were, and he hoped they were in the right place. He didn't want to hurt Mingi, if Seonghwa chose for Hongjoong. But he didn't know what to do if he actually asked about Mingi. He didn't want to force him to remember, but he didn't want to keep lying to him.

"I ... Why do you make me choose? You are all just as important to me. I only act so differently around others because of Hongjoong. He made me like this, Yunho. He made me a crazy, bloodthirsty monster." The ravenette's eyes were filled with guilt. He knew what he does, isn't right, but he still has to find out how to fight it.

"What ... What exactly is it that he does? You should know, right? I know that you know." Yunho asked carefully, not wanting to force Seonghwa too much. He just wanted to know how to stop Hongjoong, because he went way too far.

"He-" Seonghwa got cut off by sudden yells from just outside the room.
Yunho quickly went to open the door and saw both Wooyoung and Hongjoong standing there. The older was holding the blonde by his collar, his eyes turned red in anger.

"What do you think you're doing, huh?! Why are you eavesdropping their conversion?! You're planning something, aren't you?! I knew I couldn't trust a human like you. Come on, tell us. Why were you eavesdropping?" The last sentences were said so calm, that it almost sounded like just questions. But Wooyoung had to answer correctly, or he would get hurt. Hongjoong's red eyes revealed his anger.

"I ... I wasn't eavesdro- eavesdropping. I just wanted to talk to Y-yunho hyung and that's why I was h-he- auw!" The blonde could feel the silver-haired male's nails dig through his skin.

"Stop lying! Why don't you tell the ugly truth you've been hiding, huh? Are you scared Sannie is going to be hurt by it? Because let me tell you, you're hurting him more by lying about everything." He threw the boy against the wall angrily. The one thing he hated the most, was people lying to him. Because he knew when they were lying.

"I-I'm s-sorry ... Y-yes, I was eavesdropping ... But I j-just didn't want to interupt their c-conversation. I b-barely heard a-anything. I promise I won't do it a-again." Wooyoung stuttered, tears rolling down his cheeks. Everyone would've believed the innocent boy that was in tears now, but Hongjoong could see straight through the mask he was trying to hold up for them.

"This, it's yours, right?" The silver-haired man had turned around, holding a book in his hands. It was the old research book Yunho thought he had lost. He knew Seonghwa wouldn't have taken it, but he would've never suspected Wooyoung.

"Why did you take it?" Disappoinment was clear in Yunho's voice. He had hoped he could've trusted the blonde, but clearly he couldn't.

"I-I'm s-sorry ..." Wooyoung sniffed.

"He asked you something!" Hongjoong took the boy's collar again, holding him tightly. "Come on, tell us. Who are you working for?"

"Joong, stop." The look in Yunho's eyes immediately made the older let go of Wooyoung. That look was the reason he hated himself. That look was something he never wanted to see again. That look made his whole world fall down.

"Don't look at me like that." He took a step backwards. "Don't act as if I'm the monster here. You know what I want from you ... There's ... There's one thing I want from you, and you could never give me that ... All of this is your fault, Yunho! Don't act as if it's mine! You are the cause of this, not me!" He felt a sudden dizziness and took a few steps backwards, not letting his eyes move away from Yunho's.

"Joong? Are you okay?" There was real worry is the tone of his voice. He had never seen his hyung like this before.

"J-just leave me alone." He finally broke the eye contact and ran away, slamming his bedroom door behind him.
He just wanted Yunho to know the truth. He had to tell him one day what he did to him. But he didn't have the courage to do so. Seonghwa was the only one slightly keeping his toughts from the blonde, but even that distraction wasn't enough anymore. He needed more, but he was already almost killing the ravenette. As long as they didn't get too close with Yunho, they were safe. But what if they didn't keep that distance? Would he really have to kill someone again?
He wanted Yunho to know what he meant to him. He wanted Yunho to know that he was both the cause of his sanity ...
And his insanity.

🌹

Here's me trying to figure out where to go with this story because I have way to many paths I can take with this 😅

Well, I'm finally eighteen since 8:49PM today 🎉🎉🎉

I hope you liked this chapter and I'll explain their ages a little bit.
Yunho and Hongjoong have been vampires for longer than any of them, so they're the oldest. Then come Yeosang and Mingi, and then Seonghwa. San has been a vampire for the least amount of time and Wooyoung is still a human so the youngest out of all of them. If you want to know where Jongho is ... Just wait 😉

Also, the picture up above ... I love that look on Seonghwa so much!