| Antidote | Poison 2nd Book |

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟡

[A/N: I've had this chapter in my drafts, unfinished, for so long and I'm sorry it took forever to get an update out for this book, but I appreciate those who have been patient with me during this time of struggle for me. I love you guys.]

Strings of blood and saliva dripped from his bottom lip, his head drooping toward his lap from the lack of energy to properly hold his head up. Now tied to a small, metal chair, his shoulders ached from his arms bound tightly behind his back. Hongjoong's ankles and wrists bled from the ropes tearing into his skin little by little with every movement or blow that he took.

His breathing was labored, hoarse, practically painted in his own blood from the never-ending torture he was being put through. Hongjoong was breaking at this point, his body couldn't handle much more before it would kill him. He could hardly see anything, practically fading in and out of consciousness.

A rough hand grasped at the hair on the back of his head, yanking his head up so he would be forced to look at the man in front of him.

"You continue to surprise me more and more... You're so small but damn you can take a beating." The man chuckled lowly from behind the black mask covering his face.

Hongjoong struggled to focus his vision as he looked up at the man. His lips began to spread slowly into a smile, thick, crimson liquid tainting his teeth and leaking from the corners of his mouth. It started off as a weak, huff of air, but soon Hongjoong was able to manage a laugh, but it was almost eerie to hear. It wasn't a normal laugh, it was one that sounded like he was enjoying it, maniacal in a sense.

The man clearly started to become a little uncomfortable upon hearing the laugh. "What the fuck is so funny?" He snapped.

Hongjoong continued to laugh, just staring the man dead in his eyes, not even saying a single word in response.

"Why you little-"

Just as the man let go of his hair, with his fist reared back to land another right hook, the door to the dingy room flew open.

"Enough. Put some clothes on him, the owner has come to claim his pet." A different man called from the threshold of the door.

Hongjoong immediately fell silent when he heard those words come from the other guy's mouth. Were his ears tricking him? Did he hear those words correctly?

Seonghwa is here..? Hongjoong thought to himself, hope filling every ounce of his body. Seonghwa came for me... He came...

"Let me just deal one more to the little guy as a departing gift."

"Whatever, just clothe him and bring him to Boss's office."

The man then turned back to Hongjoong, a grimy little smirk forming in the corner of his mouth. Before Hongjoong could even process what was going on, a blunt force connected to the side of his head, and everything fell pitch black.

______

Small beads of sweat lined his forehead as his knee bounced impatiently. A small clock upon a marble-topped desk ticked loudly in the deafening silence, even the sound of Yohan's soft breathing from beside him was driving him nuts.

Seonghwa's original plan to take down the Choi company was quickly changed when he realized that two men alone would never be able to tackle a feat that great, but he wasn't willing to risk the lives of his own men for something that didn't directly involve them. In any other case, he would rely on their assistance, but he wasn't so keen on being responsible for so many bodies as he used to. If fatalities could be avoided in any manner, Seonghwa was going to ensure that.