Below the surface- YeonKai

Chapter 22- Change of stakes

AUTHOR POV

Beomgyu's mind drifted back to the present with a jolt, Yeonjun stood over him with rage and sadness flickering through his expression. While Beomgyu's memories he had just relived seemed 'positive' there were many darker memories suppressed into his psyche that were so far hidden but also scarily close to the forefront of his mind that the paranoia.

Yeonjun's screams echoed in the silent room. It was known that everyone in the house could hear but with Yeonjun presuming Kai to still be unconscious he saw no reason to hide anything. Soobin and Taehyun knew what he was like all too well for him to want to hide it.

"YOU HAVE ME. IS THAT NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU? AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? I am who you need, do you hear me? Even Taehyun who you seem to like too much would push you away in the end, HE HAS NOTHING I DON'T HAVE. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE ME." 

The words he spoke hung heavy in Beomgyu's mind. He stood trembling, trying to catch his breath, his mind racing to process Yeonjun's outburst. The tears in Yeonjun's eyes starkly contrasted with his harsh words, a glimpse into the burning fire within.

As the silence stretched on, Beomgyu's knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the floor, his body wracked with silent sobs. The exhaustion and fear finally overwhelmed him, his inability to scream or shout for help rendering him alone. Yeonjun, seeing the broken figure before him, felt a surge of rage mixed with frustration. He took a step forward, his fists clenched tightly.

"You think being lonely is an excuse for breaking the rules? You think that justifies disobeying me?" Yeonjun's voice was sharp, each word a dagger. "I've given you everything, Beomgyu. Everything! And this is how you repay me?" he asked, instantly feeling guilt in Beomgyu's heart.

"I... I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible, Beomgyu's eyes, filled with a mixture of fear and desperation as his throat burned raw from the mix of talking and crying.

Yeonjun's anger did not dissipate. If anything, it burned hotter. He knelt beside Beomgyu, grabbing him by the collar. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Beomgyu! Do you hear me? You have one chance" Yeonjun hissed into Beomgyu's ear.

Beomgyu nodded weakly, too drained to respond. He let himself be pulled into Yeonjun's arms, the thin skin and ridged bones wrapping around his own. Beomgyus's breath hitched, no longer feeling safe to cry or speak. He simply froze in place. Yeonjun's fury was still simmering as he let go of Beomgyu, who slumped to the floor, gasping for air. The room was thick with tension, the echoes of the confrontation ringing in their ears. Yeonjun paced back and forth, his breaths coming in sharp, uneven gasps.

Beomgyu, still on the floor, couldn't muster the strength to stand. His body ached from the encounter, and his mind raced with thoughts of what he had just brought upon himself.

That was his second strike. While the rules previously emphasised they weren't exactly...solidified. Yeonjun tended to twist his own rules when he wanted. Realistically, both he, Soobin and Taehyun would all be long gone if it weren't for Yeonjun's inconsistencies. You may think of this as a positive but Yeonjun's unpredictable nature only made it harder for anyone to feel safe doing anything.

The silence stretched on, broken only by the sound of Yeonjun's footsteps and Beomgyu's laboured breathing. Finally, Yeonjun stopped and turned to face Beomgyu, his eyes cold and calculating.