[1] Code: RED || KTH

Ch5: Reasons Why

I hastily pick up the first aid kit and run out of the room, ending in my bedroom where I lock my door.

I stand in silence for a few seconds. Too silent that it's scary. I don't hear any footsteps. He didn't run after me? Was I hallucinating?

I shrug and go to bed, but just as I'm about to turn the lights off, I hear very faint footsteps, as if he doesn't want me to hear them. I press my ear against my door and listen carefully.

The footsteps are going fainter, then I hear a small creak. An almost inaudible bang follows it and some shuffles. I stay like that for a few minutes.

There's shuffling again, another small bang, and his footsteps are becoming more audible. He passes by my room and walks to the end of the hallway where he enters his room and shuts the door quietly.

What was he doing?

I open my door and walk out to the living room, looking around to detect any changes.

Nothing.

Then it clicks in my head. I go to the kitchen and open the fridge to find the leftover food I had delivered this morning almost completely gone.

I smile in triumph and walk back to my bedroom, satisfied with how my first day with him went.

---

"I'm home!" I yell as I lock the door behind me. I struggle to walk with so many shopping bags as I make my way to the living room. I leave the bags there and head to Taehyung's room.

Earlier this morning, I invited Taehyung to go shopping. I told him he'll get to buy clothes, eat ice cream and all that, but his answer was a solid "no".

So I went alone, and I shopped for him, hoping I got the right size.

I knock on the door then walk in. Taehyung is sitting on the bed, like always, and he's fiddling with the hem of his sleeves. Once I walk in he puts his hand down and glares at me.

"Privacy," He mutters under his breath.

"I bought you clothes!" I cheer. "Come and check them out."

He hesitates for a moment but follows me to the living room anyway. He rummages through the bags and snickers.

"You have a horrible sense of fashion," He shakes his head.

"You're welcome," I say as I sit on the couch.

"Oh, and look at what I've got!" I open my handbag and bring out the thing I've been excited about showing him the most.

It's a dark blue collar, with a round metal name tag, embided with 'Taehyung'.

He stares at me for a moment, then raises an eyebrow. "Do I look like an animal to you?"

"It's better than the one you're wearing," I protest, pointing at the heavy metal collar with the red light.

He looks at the collar in my hand, then back at me, then back to the bags where he mocks my style.

I clear my throat and he looks at me.

"I'll remove the electric collar under one condition," I say. "You promise you won't hurt me, or anyone."

He shrugs. "I can't promise you that. I can't help but attack you. You're too annoying."

My hands fall to my side. "Yes, you can. You choose to attack me, it's not like you can't control yourself. So if you promise you won't do it, you simply won't."

"You think I'd keep my promise?" He asks, now picking up the sneakers I bought and scanning them in disgust.

"It's not that hard to keep a promise. Plus, why did you attack me in the first place? I didn't do anything."

"You removed the collar, that's what you did." He rolls his eyes.

"If removing the collar means you attacking me and my friends, then I'm very sorry, Taehyung, but I'm not removing it until you behave."

He whips his head to me and grimaces in disbelief. "Behave? What are you even talking about? I'm not waiting for you to remove the collar, because one day you'll wake up, and you won't find me. You'll find only the collar."

"You're planning to escape?"

"It's not 'escape', it's 'leave'. I'm not in a fricking prison. I'm in a disgustingly small apartment with a disgustingly annoying human who's too stupid to think that I don't know she's lying about adopting me for no reason."

I sit still, processing his words in my head. "What?"

"See what I mean? You're too stupid...," He pauses. "And I don't even remember your name. I know there's a reason behind this, and I didn't figure it out, yet, but I will. Not that I care, but if I'm staying here then I'd better know why."

And with that, he walks back to his bedroom and bangs the door loudly.

What have I gotten myself into?