My Bloody Valentine - 36

“Let’s start our own group.”

Jaegu, who quickly emptied his hangover drink and slammed the empty bottle on the table, suggested.

“A group? Like a club?”

When Yujung asked, Jaegu nodded his head and continued, “Yeah. What do you think? We’ll meet here every day at 7 in the morning. Only those who can come.”

“We don’t even have phones. How do we contact if someone doesn’t show up?”

“Let’s wait for 5 minutes, and if they don’t show up, we’ll just go.”

Seeing that Yujung’s expression didn’t seem too bad, Jaegu quickly pushed forward.

“We can bitch about annoying guests and shitty bosses together… relieve stress while shooting the breeze. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

Yujung nodded in agreement. It was quite enjoyable to spend time with people who understood each other and could communicate well. There was no need to cater to anyone’s tastes, make oneself look pretty, or drink alcohol that one didn’t want to drink.

Han seemed to have similar thoughts.

“I’m fine with it… Yujung, what about you?”

“Yeah. Let’s do it. Our group.”

And so, a small group was formed. Creatures that could never be anything other than carnivores as long as they weren’t reborn. It was a gathering of sheep mistakenly mixed into a wolf pack. It became a small sanctuary for each other in a battlefield adorned with money, alcohol, and all sorts of pleasures.

At that moment, a man who occupied the top of the food chain appeared from around the corner of the building.

Yujung, who was the first to notice him, stiffened his face. Next, Jaegu awkwardly greeted, “Hello,” and Han, with a very uneasy expression, looked back last.

Standing just a few meters away was a tall man in a sleek suit that might seem somewhat extravagant if worn by others, and polished shoes that exuded a glossy sheen.

It was probably due to his beautiful face that the thick metal watch and onyx cufflinks didn’t catch one’s attention. If devils existed in this world, they might have a look similar to his.

Taesin emitted a chilling aura as he looked at Han.

“Han. Come here.”

And like calling a pet dog, he called out to Han. Han’s lips pressed tightly together in response to the incoming humiliation. It was undoubtedly deliberate. Like someone desperate to drag their own self-esteem down to the ground.

When Han, stiff as a board, didn’t react at all, Taesin spat out his words as if confirming something.

“We need to go get our money’s worth.”

Han narrowed his eyes.

Why did he feel relieved to disgrace himself in front of others? Why did you, who used to be so kind and affectionate, even careful not to say anything that might hurt my pride, turn into such a mean adult?

“…”

Han quietly stood up. Then, at a very slow pace, he walked towards Taesin. His steps felt heavy, like he had shackles with iron balls attached to his ankles.

Seeing that Taesin, whose patience had worn thin, reached out and grabbed Han’s arm to pull him close beside him. Even though they were close enough, he still seemed dissatisfied. He wrapped his arm around Han’s waist and pressed against his side tightly.

It was a rough movement, as if treating someone as property. The force of the arm wrapping around his waist was so vicious that Han’s heels lifted off the ground. Han struggled in his embrace, pushing away Taesin’s hand that wrapped around his waist.

“Let go of me… Let me go. I can walk alone.”

Taesin, who showed a terrifyingly affectionate smile towards Han, who spoke in a small voice so that only he could hear, responded.

“Really? I thought you couldn’t walk because I pressed you so hard that day.”

“…”

At Han’s reaction, aware of Yujung and Jaegu behind him, Taesin’s smile deepened. Holding onto Han like that, they entered the hotel.

The hotel lobby was large and magnificent. Passing through the entrance and walking through the lobby to reach the elevator, I couldn’t even remember how many staff members I encountered. They quietly greeted Taesin, bending their waist to him as if my half-hidden figure being dragged along was completely invisible, and quickly disappeared from sight.

There wasn’t a single ant in the corridor leading from the elevator to the suite, and before I knew it, we had reached his space.

I thought he would immediately throw me onto the bed, but surprisingly, as soon as we entered the room, he released me. Then, he picked up the phone from the console.

“Let’s have a meal first.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Ignoring Han’s response, he ordered room service for two.

Han sat on the sofa, waiting for time to pass like a prisoner awaiting sentencing. Meanwhile, Taesin seemed to pay no attention to my presence, focusing entirely on his computer, making phone calls, and handling some business.

Room service arrived surprisingly quickly. The staff member who entered with a cart placed two large steaks on the table.

Ordering steak for breakfast… Han was secretly amazed. Well, since he lived through the night, that steak would be no different from dinner.

“Han. Come over and sit here.”

He called me again like calling a raised dog. Han responded in an irritated voice.

“I said I’m not hungry.”

“Did it sound like a suggestion?”

“…”

There has never been a time when I felt good about being called by Jang Taesin. But what happened when I didn’t follow his words was even more terrifying and miserable.

Han quietly sat opposite him. Soon, Taesin’s hand gripped a fork and knife. Beneath his hand, with scars that seemed to barely touch the sharp objects, the bones protruded solidly, as if made of iron.

I could probably die if hit with that fist. As Han thought blankly, Taesin stabbed the knife into the steak.

Blood seeped out onto the white plate. The red hue from where the sharp blade cut was eerily vivid. My impression involuntarily wrinkled. It was nauseating.

The meat stained with the bloody liquid entered his mouth. The red flesh, like meat, was torn and crushed by his strong teeth, vividly depicting the entire process of being swallowed beyond the large uvula.

It felt as if he was chewing on my flesh. Han rubbed his goosebump-covered arm with his palm.

Watching this barbaric dining scene made me wonder what new torture this was. Rather than that, it would be better for my mental health to look out at the Han River view from the window. When I tried to turn my gaze away, Taesin’s voice was heard.

“Smile.”

“…”

Thinking I misheard, I turned my head to see him still cutting the steak with a calm expression.

“What did you say?”

“I said, smile.”

Although I clearly heard our language, I couldn’t understand why. Han blinked only in confusion.

“You were smiling earlier. Smile once in front of me.”

“…”

What trickery is this? Han quietly looked at Taesin’s face as if trying to discern his true intentions.

Is he now trying to control even my emotions?

“…I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s nothing to smile about.”

“There’s nothing to smile about?”

A sly smile crept onto Taesin’s lips.

“You think there’s anything that would make me smile in front of you?”

“…”

For a moment, Taesin, who had been looking at Han with sharp eyes, chuckled and resumed his meal. Han, facing him as he carefully cut into the steak, continued his words. Perhaps due to the lingering effects of Taesin’s rude temperament, which had tried to crush him in front of Jung and Jaegu, words slipped out of Han’s mouth on their own.

“All you can wish from me is that kind of… nonsense. Don’t wish for anything else.”

“…”

Han was vehemently denying Taesin. A sense of discomfort began to simmer in Taesin’s mind, as if his nerves were being pricked. Fueled by this intensified feeling, Han ignited a fire.

“Don’t even bother sitting me down to eat like this, or telling me to smile or anything weird like that.”

“…”

“I didn’t agree to do all this. It’s uncomfortable and awkward…”

Clang!

As if signaling that he couldn’t bear to listen anymore, Taesin forcefully slammed down the fork and knife he had been holding, as if to shatter the dishes. Han’s shoulders jerked at the sharp sound that pierced the silence. For a moment, it felt like a chill breeze swept through Taesin’s eyes as he stared at Han.

“Just stop it. Get up.”

“…What?”

“Can’t you understand? Get up.”

Caught off guard by the sudden incomprehensible words, Han blinked again. The predatory gaze, glaring as if to devour him, was terrifyingly intense.

Where did things start to go wrong? In an instant, the air seemed to chill, freezing Han’s heart.

As he slowly rose to his feet, Taesin grabbed the napkin that had been on his knee and threw it onto the table. Han’s gaze, trembling in confusion, fell onto the crumpled napkin. The white napkin on the plate was slowly being stained by the sauce and red blood.

As he stood up, the growing dark shadow enveloped Han.

“W-why, why are you suddenly…”

“I said all I could wish from you is that kind of thing.”

“…”

“So, take off your clothes. That’s all there is left for you to do.”

“…!”

Han’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Yeah, that’s right. There’s nothing else I could do with you.”

“T-that’s…!”

“Take off your clothes and lie down. I’ll treat you like a dog.”