The Safety Of Your Cruelty × [JiCheol]

chapter four

[Feb 2, 3:56 p.m.]

They both stop crying.

Jihoon passes out again, sobs turning into soft whimpers that continue on in his sleep.

Seungcheol cleans the vomit off the floor.

[Feb 2, 6:19 p.m.]

"Please, Jihoon, you need to eat."

Jihoon doesn't reply.

Your fault, it's your fault, he killed her for you, because of you, he has her bones in the bathroom, he didn't just kill her he ate her because of you, because of you, your fault, yours yours yours -

Seungcheol sighs and sits at the foot of the bed.

[Feb 3, 8:30 a.m.]

"Yes. He's... sick." Seungcheol says into Jihoon's phone, plastic smile on his face even if Joshua isn't in front of him. He laughs, airy and fake. Jihoon wants to vomit. He thrashes on the bed, screaming against the gag in his mouth and Seungcheol looks over his shoulder.

He glares at Jihoon and Jihoon feels his heart break.

My Seungcheol - he would - he would never hate me, he would never be this cruel.

Seungcheol's eyes are no longer black. They're back to brown. His teeth are still sharp and he still doesn't breath, his skin is still cold, but if he doesn't open his mouth Jihoon could almost fake normalcy.

"He caught it from me. We went to the doctor's, was recommended a week off." Seungcheol hums after a pause, "Oh, that's so nice of you. I'll be sure to tell him. Thank you so much. Buh-bye."

Seungcheol hangs up and powers off the phone, removing the battery and pocketing it.

"You have two weeks off, paid." He says, placing Jihoon's phone on the nightstand. Jihoon huffs, face red with anger and exertion from thrashing. "Two weeks. Two weeks for you to trust me so we can go on like normal."

But it's not. It's not it's not it's not. I don't know you. My Seungcheol would never hurt anyone. He would never hurt me. He would've left, never to be seen again, he would've turned himself in, he would've never done what you're doing now.

Seungcheol sits next to Jihoon, on the edge of the bed, looking at him with an intensity that makes his hair stand in end.

"I'm gonna go for a ride, Jihoon. A long ride. I need to get rid of her. Far away from here. Somewhere where they won't find her." He's stroking Jihoon's hair, caressing his cheeks.

Jihoon squeezes his eyes shut.

Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, no. Hyejoo I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry.

He's crying again and Jihoon feels helpless. Resentful. He feels bile rise up his throat again and he wants to die.

"I'm trusting you to behave, Ji. Please. I don't want to hurt anyone else because of you."

And it feels like Seungcheol backhanded him.

Because of you because of you because of you because of you because of you because of you because of -

[Feb 3, 9:15 a.m.]

Seungcheol kisses his cheek goodbye.

Behave, Ji.

Jihoon kicks and screams and screams and screams and screams and screams and screams -

[Feb 3, 4:12 p.m.]

Eventually a neighbor comes knocking on the door.

Jihoon thrashes even harder, sobs in relief when the man comes in and tries to release from the scarf tying him to the bed.