𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 | 𝖼.𝗌 𝗑 𝗃.𝗐

f̸o̸u̸r̸t̸e̸e̸n̸

warning: themes of violence

as wooyoung went about his usual work routine of returning books to the correct position on the shelves, he found it difficult to focus on anything else other than missing choi san.

he had only been away for two days but wooyoung was admittedly already missing him like crazy.

"woo? I said are you done with that?" yunho asked pointing at the book trolley.

"what? oh, urm, sorry yunho - here"

"you feeling okay, woo?

wooyoung hadn't even realised that he was in his own little world just a few seconds ago. "urm, yeah, I'm fine!"

"okay, well I have a huge favour to ask: mingi has a thing tonight that he wants me to attend, would you be able to lock up for me?"

"oh yeah, sure" wooyoung agreed, but really feeling like he just wanted to go home to bed to count down the hours till san would be back.

"thanks, woo. you look happier... by the way"

wooyoung couldn't help but feel shy at his words, "thanks, yunho"

"anything to do with a certain doctor I know?" yunho prompted.

"shut up" wooyoung shot back with a telling giggle.

"I'm happy for you, he obviously has a great affect on you. do you have a title yet?"

wooyoung looked around them to ensure no customers were in earshot before he continued talking about his personal life, "no... I nearly asked him but... we got interrupted"

"to be your boyfriend?"

"well...yeah"

a large smirk appeared on yunho's face, "arghhh, so cute!" he cooed.

"I don't know if it's a little soon - oh, who am I kidding, it totally is - but... well, I think... I'm in love with him, yunho"

"shut up! no way?!"

"yeah" wooyoung shrugged and turned to the side to try and hide the fact that he was now a little red.

"do you think he feels the same?" yunho ventured.

"well, I hope so"

yunho let out a small squeal, "oooo, I'm so happy for you, woo! plus, he probably makes a decent paycheck..."

"that doesn't matter, yunho!" wooyoung laughed.

"I know, I know - but it helps"

the two boys laughed loudly, not caring about the customers around them. wooyoung's laugh was genuinely full of joy and contentment for the first time in such a long time.

-----

6pm

at the end of the day, wooyoung turned out all the lights and made sure the security alarm was set while humming a tune to himself. he smiled as he thought about the fact that san would be home tomorrow and would undoubtedly come straight for wooyoung.

he exited the bookstore door and closed it firmly behind him, turning the key in the lock and then depositing the key into his pocket. but before he could turn to leave, a voice sounded behind him.

"well hello"

wooyoung didn't recognise the voice, but the way in which they said those two words sounded... evil.

wooyoung turned himself to face the owner of the voice and upon realising who it was, wooyoung immediately felt his heart begin to hammer against his chest.

"hyunjin, what do you want?"

he was with some other guy who looked equally as threatening, probably for some sort of "back up".

"well - I didn't like the way your boyfriend spoke to me in the store the other day"

"well maybe you deserved it - I saw what you wrote about me online" wooyoung tried to defend himself.

"well it's the truth. that's what you are - a murderer"

at once, wooyoung felt the familiar dread returning at that word.

"no... I'm not!"

"but you are. and this is what you've always deserved"

"what are you talking about?" wooyoung felt himself beginning to panic.

"he" hyunjin said referring to the individual next to him, "is gonna give you what you deserve"

"why do you hate me so much?!"

hyunjin put a finger to his lips to pretend to think deeply, "I don't know" he concluded, "I just do"

wooyoung could hear his heart pounding as he wished san was here to defend him again.

"now, what you're gonna do is go down this little path here down the side of your little bookstore and you're not gonna make a sound"

wooyoung stayed put for a few seconds while he contemplated his options. he didn't have many though. it was either try to make a run for it and undoubtedly be caught or just go along with hyunjin and his friend and hope whatever they did wasn't too painful.

in the end, he was used to pain, wasn't he?

so he gave hyunjin one last look full of hatred and began to make his way round to the back of the store, followed closely behind by the other two boys.

"great, glad we could do as we were told"

where the fuck was changbin? was he aware that this was happening? there's no way he would stay with hyunjin if he found out, right?

"well, go on then" wooyoung spoke, feigning bravery.

hyunjin turned to the other, "you heard him" was all he said before wooyoung felt the impact of fist against skin.

he faltered, finding it difficult to stand up straight. another hit came at him but this time it knocked him to the ground, as blood started to spill from his lip.

there on the ground, he curled into a ball and begged "please, stop"

but it didn't stop. soon, the unknown boy's foot was making contact with wooyoung's stomach, his chest, his legs, his face again as he kicked with brute force.

"you just have to think about what that little girl went through and it will take all the pain away, I promise"

wooyoung could only just make out hyunjin's voice through the ringing in his ears. his body was almost numb from the pain and he could feel himself giving up trying to protect any other part of himself. he just let the unknown boy continue without putting up any sort of a fight.

"this is what you get - murderer"

-----

after a few minutes, it was finally over. hyunjin and the other were nowhere to be seen. wooyoung stared up into the darkening sky and saw the image beginning to blur with his tears.

then his vision began to fade of it's own accord as he felt himself drifting away into a sleep. he was too weak, too battered, too broken to stay awake another minute longer. there was too much pain that he didn't have the energy to withstand it.

so he stared at the sky until his vision turned to nothing but black.