Asphyxia | Taegi

Not Yet

  Taehyung's POV:

  School just ended, and I am currently trying to remember three things:

  1. When the last time I got sleep was.
  2. Whether or not I pissed off Charlie today.
  3. The number of assignments I got.
  4. How much time I have to relax before I get beaten up again.

  Yeah, not the funnest things to try to recall from your memory, but my whole life hasn't been fun, so I've relatively gotten used to it. 

  My ribs are still hurting from this morning, plus I'm pretty sure my ankle was fractured during lunch too, but it's all fine. At least that's what I keep telling myself. 

  Okay, I've got the answers to the questions:

  1. Two days ago (damn, that's a new record!)
  2. Twice (gods, I hate my life.)
  3. Ten (who allowed teachers to give kids this many assignments in a single day?)
  4. Approximately 5 minutes and 19 seconds (wow, another record!)

  I sigh and spot a bar. I grin, knowing that it belongs to an old family friend of mine. Well, it isn't a grin to others as much as my the corners of my mouth turning up by 0.7 centimeters, but it is for me.

  I enter Seokjin's bar and am surprised to see that there aren't that many people. It isn't really that weird, since it's only 17:00, but I usually find a bunch of people skipping class here.

  4 minutes left.

  There are five people there: Seokjin, his boyfriend Jimin, his younger brother Jungkook, Jungkook's boyfriend Hoseok, this guy named Namjoon who occasionally flirts with me, and a pretty tall pale guy.

  "Hey, Taehyung!" Namjoon calls out, sending me a wink. I ignore him, opting to talk to Jimin instead.

  "I want a large Irish bomb with an extra shot." I say, slumping over the counter. Jimin grins at me. "Coming right up, Taetae!"

  As he makes the drinks with his usual flair, I wonder how bad the beating will be.

  1 and a half minutes left. Since when does making an Irish bomb take so long?

  The bar's door is slammed open. "Hey, is Taehyung here? He told me we'd meet up today at around this time, and I remembered him mentioning that he comes here sometimes." Charlie says. 

  Fudge. He's early. And I couldn't even numb myself up a bit.

  I chuckle nervously, hoping it doesn't show. "I'll meet you outside after I have a drink." I say, begging whoever's out there to make Charlie give me at least a little bit of mercy. 

  He sighs. "Fine, you can have one  drink, but that's it, and then we're going to my place." 

  I grin in victory (again, not exactly a grin in normal standards, but screw normal at this point) and down the drink which Jimin had just finished making. The alcohol burns my throat, but I don't give a damn as long as I don't have to go through the pain.

  The pale guy's watching me out of the corner of his eye. I'm hoping he doesn't get involved. Last time someone did.... nah, I think I'll spare you the details. All I'll say is there was lots of blood and broken bones.

  I walk out and follow Charlie to a nearby alley. Seven members of his posse are with him - Sehun, Sofia, Andrew, Kai, and three others whom I don't recognize.

  Kai's the first one to make a move. He stomps down my foot - the one that has a fracture, unfortunately - and I cry out in pain.

  "Shut up, loser!" one of the people I didn't know yelled out. "Haven't we told you to keep your mouth shut?"

  "I-I-"

  Before I realize it, I'm on the ground, seeing stars and colors everywhere, and Chanyeol's kicking the life out of me. 

  "YOU-" *kick* "KILLED-" *kick* "MY-" *kick* "BOYFRIEND!" *kick*. My eyes are swimming with tears at the mention of Baekhyun. 

  I try to open my mouth to say something, but Sofia digs her heel into my cheek.

  "Don't try to argue, b**ch." she snarled. The tears are all spilling out of my eyes now, but I'm thanking whatever's out there that she wasn't wearing her stilettos today. 

  I vaguely see Charlie picking up a call. "Yes, sir? Oh, we're at ******. Can't wait to see you."

  He turns to me with a triumphant grin. "Looks like Mr. Lee and your father are joining us today, Taehyung."

  Oh god.

  Oh dear god.

  No.

  No no no.

  No no no no no no.

  They can't be coming here.

  They can't.

  I need to get out of here.

  But how?

  It's impossible.

  My fractured foot was stomped on literally 2 minutes ago, or something.

  Besides, I deserve this.

  I killed Mom and Baek.

  I'm the reason Mom went down the way she did.

  I'm the reason Baek was beaten to death.

  Mom even told me she hated me, hated my very existence, in her note.

  The only reason Baek didn't tell me he hated me is - was - because he's too kind.

  Dad's gonna kill me.

  And Mr. Lee's gonna-

  He's gonna-

  He'll-

  I can't die here.

  Kinda ironic, for someone who's wanted to die since elementary school.

  But I don't want to go out like this.

  Not yet.

  I want to go out with a bang, except the bang will come after  I'm gone.

  I wanna be free falling before my match goes out.

  And when the news gets my note...

  That's when everything will implode. 

  I just have to get out of here, and my plan will work, and I'll finally be free.