Time; Yoonmin

Chapter One

15 years later...

"Where the fuck is my tie?"
I wince from the kitchen, my trembling fingers clutching my coffee mug as my husband and partner of so many years storms into the room with a threatening glint in his eye.
Seeing me sitting still, head down, apparently is too much trouble for him so he smacks me. Hard. I don't even bother to clutch my cheek as pain throbs through my jaw.
"You're so stupid. I'm so sick of providing for your dumb ass. Why don't you get a fucking life and stop wasting space!" He grabs my hair and jerks my head up, glaring down at me.
"Pathetic." He mumbles as my tears cascade down my cheek. "God, you're so worthless. I swear the only thing you're good for is your ass and even that's getting a little too fat. Why not skip a meal or two, huh?"
He releases me and mutters under his breath angrily as I let out the breath I was holding. My shaking fingers are scalded from gripping the hot coffee cup so hard.
I ball my fists and force myself to calm. What's the point of getting hurt? What's the point of getting angry? It's been like this for so long now I should be numb to it all.
Jung Hoseok. My dream. My partner of 15 years and husband of 13 of those years. He wasn't always like this. I never knew what changed him. Just...one day he stopped looking at me with affection and started spewing hate instead of love.
I know he's cheating on me, too. Been cheating for the last five years at least. I don't even care. At first I was depressed. Why couldn't I be enough? But as the abuse ramped up, I prayed he'd just leave me. He never did.
He claims to hate me and call me awful names but for some reason he stays. I know he won't let me be the one to walk away, though.
The one time I even mentioned just a hint of divorcing...well, I ended up in the ICU for a week for 'falling down a flight of stairs'. Yeah. For some reason he won't let me go. Maybe it's the power he loves to hold over me.
God, if only I could have seen this kind of future...I would have changed so many things.
"Jimin!" He screams at me from the bedroom.
Reluctantly, I move. I know all too well what happens when I make him wait too long. I stand in the doorway to see him ransacking the room. Searching for the stupid tie that he forgot he left at his lover's place. Of course I can't mention this or he'll go ballistic.
He scoffs at me. "What, crippled now? Fucking help me!"
I begin going through the drawers with shaking hands, flinching every time he looks my way. I loved this man. I loved him with everything I had.
And he took all I had to give and destroyed me. Took my future and my happiness and my dreams. Burned them before my eyes with a smile. The smile he now only sports for his lover. Whoever the hell he is.
I've only seen glimpses of him but never his full face. He must be something if Hoseok keeps returning to him, though. I wish he'd just stay. Replace me with him and let me go. I'm so tired of living in fear. So tired of breathing this toxic air.
Groaning, he checks his watch. "Shit! I'm going to be late! Why didn't you tell me what time it is?!" He yells, shoving me.
"I d-didn't know-"
I'm slapped across the face so hard I bite my tongue and blood fills my mouth. "Worthless. God, why did I ever marry such a fucking stupid loser!" He hastily puts on his shoes and leaves, slamming the door behind him.
I let my sobs free, crying my heart out at the injustice of my life. Of all my wasted time. Worthless. It's true. My time here, my life is completely worthless.