Crimson Park

Chapter 13

You held your forehead in your hands as you rode the porcelain bus. After the auction, which the Chairman won for a whooping two million, you excused yourself quickly and rushed to the women's bathroom to empty your stomach. After an eternity, you were sure there was nothing left, but you needed your body to stop trembling before you stood up. That's when you heard retching coming from a stall a few doors down.

"Fuck," you said under your breath. You peeled yourself from the floor, flushing the toilet and making your way to the vanity to clean up. Your eyes were bloodshot, your mascara trickled down your eyes in tear streaks, and your lipstick was all but gone. You reached for the complimentary products displayed in wicker baskets across the counter, finding makeup removing wipes, eyedrops, and individually wrapped toothbrushes.

You heard the toilet flush from the stall where someone else had been vomiting, and were somewhat surprised when Zoya stepped out, instead of an inebriated patron.

Your eyes locked for a moment in a wordless conversation and exchange of empathy. She pulled up silently beside you, following your lead of tidying herself up.

"I don't know if I can do this for much longer," she said remorsefully. "And I'm nowhere in the position you're in. How do you do it?"

"Years of practice and selling off my soul one piece at a time."

"That was so messed up."

You both moved onto brushing your teeth, and it was actually nice to have another person's misery as company.

"Listen," you spoke just as you began to apply your lipstick. "If you're having doubts, then you should consider leaving before it's too late for you. You're the best in your field, and he's going to notice that soon."

She nodded softly, deep in thought. "What's going to happen to you?"

"Well, first I need to pay my debt to that Chairman. And after that - I don't know."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault. I can handle it. I'll be fine, as always."

⁂

"Guys, if we don't do this, then I won't get paid, and that would be a total disaster," Sheyanne - better known as your barely 20 year old auction prize, was now seated in the backseat of the SUV, pleading with you and Jungkook who rode in the front back to the city.

"You will get paid. I'm the one who manages the money and the rules said that the winner gets you for a night, and they specified that I got to do whatever I wanted. And what I want to happen is for you to tell me where I can take you that is safe, so that I can go to bed."

"Seriously, if you're worried because I'm a virgin, that's a total lie. My uncle said that it would raise the price."

"What do you need the money for anyway?"

"To pay for college."

You groaned. Dongnam was more than capable of paying for her college.

"Well, you have a lot more money now than you need for just College. You don't need to be doing this anymore.

"And seriously, I am so grateful. I will absolutely do this if you want to. You two are a hot couple - I'd be totally into it."

"No," Jungkook shook his head immediately, a soured curve to his lips. You almost laughed at how repulsed he was by the idea. You placed your hand on his arm to console him.

"Why? Am I not pretty enough for you?" she spat, offended by his reaction.

"It's just not our thing," you told her, excluding the one-hundred other reasons why it was in fact a "hell, no."