Obsession | TAEKOOK FF

​Chapter 12: Blurred Boundaries

The night air was freezing, but the water in the plastic basin felt even colder against Tae’s trembling hands. Standing alone in the dim, cramped utility room, he mindlessly scrubbed the heavy garments. He didn't even notice the warm tears spilling over his lashes until they splashed into the soapy water below.

​Why? he asked himself, his chest heaving with a silent, suffocating sob. Why do they hate me so much?

​Tae’s POV

​What did I ever do to deserve this? I do absolutely everything just to please Ms. Bony, but nothing I do is ever enough for her. What am I supposed to do? "Mom... Dad... I miss you both so much," Tae whimpered into the darkness, his vision completely blurring. "I don't know how much longer I can endure this living hell... but I have to be strong. I have to wait for my real mother to find me and take me away from here."

​He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to take a deep, shaky breath. You can do this, TaeTae. Fighting.

​Wiping his eyes with the back of his damp sleeve, Tae finished hanging the heavy wet clothes onto the indoor drying racks. Exhausted and aching, he walked back toward the main hallway. But just as his hand touched the kitchen doorframe, the harsh, sneering voices of Ms. Bony and her daughter, Jenny, echoed from the dining area.

​"Tsk. That useless bastard Tae is nothing but a constant headache," Ms. Bony grumbled loudly, pouring herself a glass of water. "He completely forgets his place and his duties in this house."

​Jenny rolled her eyes dramatically, playing with her manicured nails. "Eyy, Mom, why don't we just kick him out on the street? Like, duh, who even cares about a loser like him anyway?"

​"Eyy... believe me, if I could throw him out, I would have done it years ago," Ms. Bony hissed venomously. "But I can't do that. Your father would completely lose his mind if I did. You know how ridiculously much he loves that bastard."

​"Ugh! Love?!" Jenny stomped her foot, her voice dripping with pure annoyance. "That freak Tae gets on my absolute last nerve, Mom! Gosh!"

​"Hmm, you're not the only one who suffers here, tsk," Ms. Bony sneered. "If it wasn't for your father constantly breathing down my neck and sending him money behind my back, I would have tossed him into the gutter long ago. How dare he..." Jenny groaned loudly, slumping into a chair. "Yah, Mom, I'm starving. Can you please just tell that servant to get his ass in here and cook something for us to eat?"

​Standing frozen on the other side of the door, Tae felt a massive, painful drop of tears pour heavily down his cheeks. Every single word cut straight into his soul. But he refused to let them see him break. Steeling his expression, Tae fiercely wiped his eyes, held his chin up high, and stepped into the room as if nothing had happened. He pretended he hadn't heard a single sentence, quietly heading toward the staircase to escape to his bedroom.

​"Hey! Tae!" Jenny shouted arrogantly, blocking his path. "Where do you think you're going? Why are you heading upstairs, huh? Did you completely forget that we haven't eaten dinner yet? Come here right now and cook for us, you bastard, tsk."

​Without a word of protest, Tae turned around, his head lowered as he walked straight into the hot kitchen. He quietly prepared a full dinner, neatly laying out the plates, utensils, and serving bowls. Once everything was perfectly set, he called out to Ms. Bony and Jenny to eat. Without waiting to be dismissed, Tae immediately walked upstairs, shutting his bedroom door tightly behind him.

​Desperate to wash away the filth and exhaustion of the day, Tae stripped off his heavy workplace uniform. The mirrors in his small room reflected his jaw-dropping silhouette—a gorgeously slim, sexy body with beautifully thick thighs, a perfectly rounded assets, and flawless, fair skin that made his glossy, rose-red lips standout in an alluring, angelic way. He was the kind of breathtaking masterpiece that would drive any man insane with obsession.