#petricur

A husky voice calls out, “There you are.” And despite the early morning headache from the day after flying in, he had strength to pull her in his arms. She soon became suffocated in his scent, bare skin against her face while he placed a kiss on her head. “Why are you up so early…?”

“It’s noon, silly.” it prompts him to look at the bedside clock in panic. 08:52AM. he huffs at the lie, playfully rolling over his entire body weight over hers.

She whines and attempts to push him off, only to be rolled over his chest. She frowns upon this, seeing he attempted to go back to slumber. A finger presses repeatedly on his cheek as Minseo wanted more than just his sleepy gaze. He tries to catch a bite of it and they share a moment of laughter. He holds her tightly once more. Silence creeps in just like it was earlier, with their bodies intertwined.

He spoke up first, “I’m sorry for missing your birthday…” gentle hands sweep strands of her hair, himself feeling sorry for the recent happenings. “This trip is yours, and yours only. Whatever you want to do.”

“With you, right?” Minseo felt that Yohan was still preoccupied with everything back home, the anxious attachment had followed her and she wasn’t confident things will go right. “No phone calls or anything—“

“My phone is blocked for work related calls, yes.” He promised with a stern voice. “I promise.”

Minseo could think of many ways to pick a fight with Yohan at that moment, finding it difficult to believe him considering it’s been rough for the early stages in their relationship. She didn’t want to appear like she’s asking for too much nor did she want him to prioritize her if it isn’t necessary. But wanting his attention was something she craved. It felt like if she wasn’t the one to take command, he will disappear. Yohan senses this and assures her with a heartfelt intention. “I promise. I wanna make it up to you.”

“Okay.” She huffs, internally cursing herself for not giving more trust. “Can we eat breakfast then?”

“Alright—“ Yohan had trapped her in his arms, hovering above before he began to litter her with kisses, nipping softly on her skin. They share a passionate kiss, offering a distraction for him to slide his hands under her clothes and pulls her lose the gap.

“I said breakfast please—“

“I’m trying—“

“Il Yohan!!!—“

It didn’t take long before it goes further, her words couldn’t even break through because of his way to interrupt. His hands already ghosts higher than her waist with her shirt sliding higher. It was a way to ask permission and herself answering in letting him settle between her legs. She had imagined something intimate happening like this before and there was the need to touch every inch of his skin, too. It proved the same for him, it was evident— it as he pressed his hips down on hers.

“This won’t do…” his lips leave a trail of soft kisses down her shoulder, settling to speak on a muffled tone. “I came prepared but I don’t want to keep us in the room all day…”

There was a stupid grin, she tilts his head up to face her. “So sly—you’re not sleepy anymore? you need to fix this...” Yohan takes the hint, picking up where he left off. He reaches over the bedside drawer to reveal— “condoms? yes, safety first— You planned this didn’t you?”

“I’ll try to be gentle since I need you to walk.” She smacks his arm, a feast for her eyes watching him prepare. Though her eyes focused specifically in one area. “Eyes up here, baby.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Her hands reach over around to drag him down, himself already positioning himself to her entrance with a teasing touch. “Stop tea— oh!”

Though he skips an entire moment of foreplay, he enters slowly with herself providing ease of access. She felt her walls being stretched, the feeling wasn’t new to her but it was something she hadn’t felt in a while. Her eyes were shut from the initial feeling of pain, Yohan placing marks on her neck to e comfort her. But then it became good. Pleasure pits in her stomach when he began sliding in. And then out. Soft mewls were heard while he buried his head on the nook between her neck and shoulder, hiding his amused expression. He wanted to do inexplicable things at that moment but wanting to stick to his promise from earlier.

“So wet… you okay?” Seeing her flustered cheeks roused something in him. It was so sensual and that in itself made his heart pound. “Minseo~ look at me~”

She nods quickly, timid eyes meeting his before she just had to focus in what he did. “More, please.” The request was met, and he did give more. Yohan props one of her legs over her shoulder that proved it gave her even more delight, the lazy rolls quickly turn to hard thrusts while he kissed her inner knee with each push. Her mind goes blank, holding on to him like a life line. Her nails must’ve left marks behind his back when he felt a stinging sensation. Everything became louder as their intimacy escalated. His hand prompted to hold the head board banging against the wall, while the other stabilized her body beneath him. He knew he wasn’t going to last very long seeing and feeling how lewd they’d gotten. A brazen smirk was on his lips watching her become a mess. “Oh… don’t stop—“

“Fucking hell—“ truthfully, he wanted to stop. He wanted to play more, have a longer time to bask their shared satisfaction and their bodies becoming one. What felt like a while to happen finally reaches the end. He was close, and he made sure she was too. She was already sensitive of his touch. Minseo was reaching her peak with a call of his name, her body arched slightly with her orgasm in full swing. Her body reacts accordingly, retracting everything to attempt and contain the overflowing feeling. Yohan didn’t let her though, and kept his motion until he finished too.

“Wait — Yohan— no—“ she tried to move away, it became overwhelming that she screams out.

His body cocoons over hers, and there was warmth that she could feel inside moments later. All the tension releases, but the tenderness in his hold was still there as he remembered not to take it too far. Both try to catch their breath, and it was evident they probably wouldn’t be moving any time soon.

Minseo chuckles, lazily kissing his skin trying to recover from the high she felt. “You’re still inside, mister.” He pulses, showing he was still turned on. “Excuse me—!”

“I can’t help it—“ he mustered against her, realizing today might be the day of their trip they have to be indoors. “Damn… I think we should stay in..”

“And then?”

~

Humming was heard while Minseo was tending on Yohan’s wounds, who seemed to be in deep slumber for the time being. His face was barely recognized the night he was found, the only thing she could tell it was him was a silhouette familiar to herself.

Soft dabs of a wet cloth to clean up dry blood staining his lips, she freezes seeing movement. Her posture sits up, waiting in a way where her amusement could not be hidden. It was a condescending smile that greets Yohan.

Then, there was an awkward silence.

His eyes open slowly and he visibly relaxes at the sight of Minseo. Almost as if he knew he was safe there. He had trouble speaking, taking slow breaths and notices that hurts him too. The bandages were now taken into acknowledgement. "Hey..." he calls out weakly, along with a smile before patting her hand gently.

"Shut up," she speaks calmly, even with a smile on her face. It was threatening, too. She continues to mend him and swats the hand away gently. Yohan parts his lips and blinks softly, as if to comply of what she demanded. "Don't talk, try to only say things you can and explain to me later why I found you the way you were." Curiosity was her greatest issue. She always wanted to know. "Found on the brink of death, broken ribs, and not to mention your face. I barely noticed you."

He only smiles again at the lecture, it was endearing, for some reason. Minseo, on the other hand gave an annoyed look.

"I guess you're gonna know a part of me too if we talk about this, huh?" she muses. "What sort of trouble did you get in to, Yohan?"

"Forging documents for one of my guys to deliver, they ran into a snitch, the police had bought his information. My guy is in jail... they are prosecuting him for hiding information.. we are trying to bail him out." strained and slow, he catches his breath as he explained. She was only glad that she had nothing to do with it, at least, for the time being. And she'll make sure of it. "It compromised the whole thing so I deserved a beating. Other organizations were affected too..."

She couldn't judge at this point. As a matter of fact, she was only helping because it was Yohan. Outside of all of this, she knew she was doing this only because they were friends outside of their labels. But how much can they blur the line between the underground and with the sheep-skin they wear? It was a surprise, to know that he was in the business, too. There was a pause before she places her answer for the same question.

"I found you much worst that you are now because I was in the area. I guess you have this sort of thing to do, and I inherited something like that." It was vague, but she only hoped that he understood- and he did. "Do you remember who...?"

He stays silent, and she had a guess as to why. It's always loyalty to those you work for, even until death.

"You were found in someone's base I know..." she hums, prompting her chin on her palms and pouts a little because she didn't get an answer. "Don't get me wrong, you're my friend but this world... isn't exactly the most forgiving. I mean, look at you."

"I owe my life to you both. I've learned my lesson." Both?

The grim look on his face was caught by Minseo, and she gave him space to ease in to the moment. His eyes stare off the distance, as if a part of him had actually died in that place.

"You can stay here in the apartment for a little while, but you're gonna have to figure it out before they find you," her apartment in the city definitely showed her status, and it left remnants of when a child was still around. "A doctor will visit you soon and we may need to transfer you in the hospital because of your injuries."

"You're so nice to me, Minseo-ah~" She was unamused, rolling her eyes at the lack of honorific. But he was forgiven. "My people aren't savages, if not provoked or mocked. We are gentlemen of word, my senior had to beat me to make a statement before everyone else."

It was evident she wanted to argue.

"There are no rules here, even if you say you're a good guy. Everyone wants something so be careful- whatever it is you do."

"What does Minseo want in this case?" it was his turn to ask. He too, was curious. "How come an important person such as yourself visits frequently at grim and dodgy person like these." Even then, his eyes glistened as he smiled softly.

"An answer." There was a deep sigh. "I was born to be in this world, as cheesy as it sounds. I could've left but I didn't. So here I am, just figuring it out."

Before he could speak, Minseo leaves his premises to avoid any more questions. In reality, she didn't know why she helped, either.

~

"Miss Choi, I heard you brought a visitor in the pent," her housekeeper manages to squeeze in a little plate of noodles with in her line of sight, on top of reports she had finished reading. The smell of tea was near by too. "Be careful now, dear."

"A friend is a friend." She muses, immediately dropping her thoughts because of the food. "It's nothing to do with the underground."

"Don't touch other's problems, okay?"

"You know I try not to," she chuckles, thanking the woman as she bows and leaves.

Looking over the window, she watches the guesthouse across the lot to see if anyone was home. Minseo eats in peace but her thoughts were over Yohan's safety. She wasn't sure if she should delve into it, but it won anyway, and she reaches for her phone.

~

29

“You’re almost 30, this should’ve been the right time to take the company,” Yohan muses, finishing the final steps of her false identifications in a document. From IDs to passport just in case things go awry, everything was prepared. “You’re really ready to leave everything behind if things don’t go as planned?”

“They’ll be fine without me.” She responds, taking another pill. There was a soft chuckle heard on his end. “They did it once, they can do it again.”

“Again?” His words were laced with curiosity. His hands expertly presses buttons here and there. In an instant, her identity changes on paper.

“Trust me, this wasn’t the first time.”

A hum to respond, he was able to finish the last of her documents, placing everything neatly in an envelope. He placed the passport on top for to take a look at, as she exchanged a lump sum of money in a different envelope. It was thick and he had trusted her as this wasn’t the first time she had asked such favor. The only difference is that it was for her. Yohan jokes of how the name was boyish, suggesting a much gentler sounding name.

“Pleasure doing business with you, as always.” He tips his head while she reads her new identity. “Until then, ‘Seojin’. I look forward to seeing you again.”

~

“You are not ready!!” His voice echoes throughout the hall, herself being stubborn as ever. “You can barely walk and you expect yourself to go off to carry out your plan?! What’s this? A suicide mission??”

Punch him.

“Matteo, I asked you to carry out everything if I failed.” She retorts calmly but her anger is already filled to the brim. “I told you to protect me.”

“I can’t do it properly if you constantly put yourself in danger when I’m not around.” He argues, also angered at the situation. “At least let your senses heal first and we can carry it from there.”

“I have to move as quickly as I can—“

“You barely got it together—“

“Don’t speak to me that way!” Her voice rises. It was an out burst that catches Hyejung’s attention, she comes into view to witness it all. “I’m still your boss—“

“Then act like one!!” His voice was stern, also raising at the peak of his anger. “You think this is easy for me?! I’ve known you my entire life—! This isn’t you—!!”

This person is a threat. Hurt him.

There was a pause. Her face softens. She felt sorry. Having Hyejung near by prevented her from lashing out completely. Before she walks away from it all.

~

Before she can even place a pill on her mouth, the doorstep opens.

“Are you sure you wanna do that?” Hyejung’s by her side soon enough, their hands touch and she couldn’t feel the warmth. “You were in the brink of an overdose, and I hate to agree with him, but he’s right.”

She might hurt you.

Minseo’s annoyance rises once again, closing the cap of the pills and hands it over. She was quiet, the two share a comfortable silence before she tosses the pill on her hand to the ground.

“We’re here for you—“

“Stop saying that—“ she huffs out, “I get it— I’m not mentally stable to be doing anything right now. Can we just move on?”

“No, because you wouldn’t.” Hyejung frowns. She understands this difficult period and was trying her best not to trigger anything further. “It’s hard I’m sure. But there’s no reason to be this destructive.”

“This is me. This has always been me.” Destructive. Full of deceit and pain. Every time she chased love, it ends up being taken away from her. Minseo finally accepted that she can never have love like the rest. It wasn’t for her.

Have your defenses up.

~

“Since when did you smoke again?” Cash’s voice echoes between the loud music he played, opting to lay his head on her lap. His eyes were bewildered but the blunt was on his mouth. “You’re a ‘pop-a-pill’ kind of girl as far as I remember.”

“I dont-- and correct,” she responds, her line of sight in the ceiling as her hand fluff his hair. The smoke alone was already making her feel things. “Be careful smoking that around here. Aren’t you worried?” 

“About?~” He chuckles, tugging her chin down to look at him. The face of someone who’s mourning faces her, too. “Try it once.”

“No--”

“Once.” He bugs. He gets up, invading her personal space once more as the little roll is on her face. She shakes her head no again. He decides to push his luck one more time.

“What do you have to lose, little miss perfect?”

Her head tilts, she wasn’t new to things like this. But the habits she came to know were learned because of her surroundings. Of course things were more of a grander scale or she was impressing someone she needed to get a hold of. All of that changed when she was able to find the love of her life. But now it’s gone again, she couldn’t help but feel reckless. What do you have to lose? Her hand reaches for it, and she smokes after a long decade of avoiding them. Cash’s amusement of Minseo actually taking it all in made him laugh. She still had it in her, being able to hold it in her lungs well enough to blow it out of his face. And then came another round. It didn’t take long before the effects began. On top of the alcohol previously, and other drugs that was on her system already… the combination was not the best.

What?…. To lose…. what do you have to lose…?

“Cash... I feel sick...” She whispers, while the younger one observes. He held her hand gently. “I wanna go home.” She rises, despite his protests.

There was a chuckle as she was being tugged back to the couch. She started hallucinating about little things. She was looking at her hand, but it looked like a child’s. Her head feels lighter, and it looks like she’s in a brink of passing out.

She apologizes as he holds on to her, and the tears come. 

~

19

Screams fill her room as the house staff listen to it. There was no warning, there was no stopping it. They’ll just let her emotions out considering she never once lashed out publicly — understanding that it’s not her place to do it in front of others. Her room was trashed, glass shards sprawls danger on the floor. She hurts herself from gripping her hair in an action to pull them out. Her throat dry from the endless shrieks she let out. She didn’t even remember why she was angry. All she knew is that it had already built up for this week that she needs to make room for more. 

So she lets it out.

“20 minutes, ma’am.” She hears, continuing to let out her rage. It was a timer, before her father comes in the house.

She calms down at how close the time was. Minseo regains composure, as if nothing happened just now. The staff took this chance to begin cleaning up as she huffs out her breaths.

“10 minutes.” A car was heard pull up in their home, followed by the garage being felt open beneath her feet. She wipes her tears, before being handed a pill. It controlled her to be calm— worked right away like always. There was a staff that fixed her hair, made her look presentable, and ensured there were no traces of the “ugliness” she labeled her self when she was like this.

Step on it, it’s your punishment.

They send her off, leaving her room pristine and clean. Her footsteps try to make sense of which direction to go. Her father enters the home with his guards as they greet the heiress when she walks past. Minseo is standing in front of her father with a mute expression.

Jungnam takes a deep breath, suspicious to his daughter as his eyes bore to hers. “I spoke to the university directors about your status. You’re going there for business.” Her files were handed, defeated inside as she looks over that her designated route of her studies will be business. “You got in on your own, which is great. That’s not a problem when the school interviews you.”

She can only bow before his father sees that there were little droplets of blood trailing from her foot. Jungnam sighs heavily, knowing there was something she destroyed— whatever it was, it seemed like a frequent occurrence.

“Clean it up, whatever it is.” He was stern. “I didn’t raise you to be filthy.”

“Yes, papa.”

Weakling.

~

09

There was a hot breeze that entered the family home. Jungnam sat by his mother’s side as she drank tea.

“I read Minseo’s file from the child psychologist,” it tensed him up because he knew what was in it too. “You’re being too harsh on her. That’s not gonna be good for her in the future.”

“Mother, I’m not being harsh. I’m preparing her for this. All of it— just as much as I have been with Hyeseo.” He mentions, the scene below catches their eyes. He stands up to watch but the matriarch at the moment remains calm. “I treat them fairly just in case either one takes the company off of me.”

“That’s because you like Hyeseo,” she muses. Minseo comes into view with their family house staff in distress. Jungnam furrows his brows at what he was seeing. “You treat Minseo like a spare tire, she goes off discovering things on her own because she’s not given the same chances as Hyeseo. It doesn’t seem fair, no?”

They bring out the dead rabbit to discard, while someone tends to the young heiress’ wound. Her hand was cut from the branch. Her father watches, wondering why she isn’t crying like most children would’ve. Her grandmother stands up and turns around to leave the premises with the intent to comfort the child.