Beautiful Crime || DoTae

Chapter Five

Please refer to the end for this chapter's trigger warnings.

Wednesday, August 24th 2161, 09:52.

Cheongnam, South Korea.

Taeyong felt weightless, as though he was floating along the sky like a large fluffy cloud, far away from any and every worry that once filled his mind. Every breath that he took was so tranquil and soft that it almost felt as though he wasn't even breathing at all. He could have stayed like that forever, but he didn't know what was going on. Taeyong felt as though his body was entirely numb, but to him, it was better than the agony of the nightmares that had plagued his sleep for almost thirty years.

It was as though he was falling slowly and gradually, becoming more and more aware of everything that was occurring around him. He could feel the warm, firm mattress underneath his back, and the fairly lightweight blanket that was draped over his body. He turned his head, too preoccupied by bathing in his comfort to expose himself entirely to reality.

A quiet ticking filled the room, its pace becoming a grapple for Taeyong as he awoke in an unfamiliar pure bliss. He felt freed from the constraints that his life entailed. But he wasn't sure if that was the case. He heard quiet voices somewhere nearby, and there was a warm grip clasped around his wrist, holding on for dear life as though he'd slip away from them if they let go. Taeyong lifted his free hand and placed it over the iron grip that grasped him.

He felt a weight shift on the bed, but it was only slightly. Whoever it was, they weren't laying beside him. Taeyong's mind was hazy, and he didn't like to be in the dark about his circumstances. He was left with no other choice but to open his eye, and examine the environment around him.

Taeyong was met by bright light when he opened his eye, and he squinted, trying to minimise the strain that he was experiencing. He wasn't surprised to discover that there was a white ceiling above his head, but something struck him as different. It was much brighter than the apartment tended to be. That fact set off the alarms in Taeyong's mind and he gave up on easing himself into the brightness.

He turned and glanced beside him, to the owner of the warm hand that was wrapped around his wrist. They were none other than Doyoung, but something wasn't right.

As he examined the space closely, Taeyong recognised that he was beneath Moonlight, in Taeil's underground clinic. He couldn't recall at all how he'd gotten there. Doyoung was sitting on a chair beside the bed, and his head was resting beside his arm. Taeyong smiled discretely to himself, allowing himself to relax from the initial alarm that he felt due to his uncertain location.

Other than a mild throbbing sensation in his head, he didn't seem to be injured. That being said, he doubted that Taeil would just allow him to stay in the clinic without a reason.

Taeyong didn't want to disturb Doyoung, as the younger man appeared to be peaceful as he slept, softly breathing through his parted lips with his head resting on his arm, but if he was to stay and wait for the latter to awaken, a thousand questions would eat away at his soul until somebody quenched his curiosity.

He gently shook Doyoung, not wanting to alarm him too much by his rude awakening. Taeyong smiled to himself as the younger man shifted where he was sitting, repositioning his head on his arm with a groan. A single further shake was all that it took for Doyoung to open his eyes, squinting in the artificial lighting inside of the clinic. Despite being woken up from his rest, Doyoung's expression immediately softened when he saw the cause of his awakening.

"Oh my God, Taeyong. Y-You're okay?" asked the younger man, and he sat up straight, tearing himself from the bed. "I've been worried all night, but I must have fallen asleep. I want to be angry at you, but... I can't be. I'm sorry that I didn't come home sooner. I wasn't there for you when you needed me."