RB 50

“Let go, let me go. Please.”

Eunho pushed Yeorok. It was nothing more than a weak struggle. Against the larger man, he could not hope to push him away.

Yeorok studied his face up close. Cheeks burning red, eyelids blinking heavily, lashes clumped, and behind them glimpses of confusion and the will to escape.

Sim Eunho’s emotions were tangled beyond definition. If he could, Yeorok would have split his skull open to look inside. Instead, he let his fingers crawl slowly up his waist.

As his hand slid over smooth skin along the line of his waist, Eunho let out a breath that sounded like a groan. His tightly shut lips trembled pitifully. The outburst of emotion had not faded; his flat chest still rose and fell in short, uneven bursts. His breathing almost sounded like he was aroused.

The more Yeorok touched him, the more convinced he became. Up close, Eunho’s reactions showed a clear difference. Too subtle for others to notice, but to Yeorok, it stood out.

“Am I the only one who doesn’t understand this? Why is it only my hand that you react to?”

“……”

“Do you have feelings for me?”

Eunho’s back stiffened. He tried to hide it, but his nervousness and fear were plain. His face drained of color, and his brown eyes shook enough to be an answer.

“No, hhuhhh, no, no. Absolutely, hng, no!”

Eunho shook his head frantically, denying it, then pushed Yeorok with more strength than before.

The space between them widened a little, filled only by Eunho’s trembling breath. His exhalations came through both his mouth and nose, damp and hot. The air grew heavy with his heat.

“Of course not. It can’t be. You and me, does that make sense?”

Yeorok’s lips curved smoothly. The fine arc of his mouth mismatched with the fury in his eyes. Eunho couldn’t not bear to look at him.

“Really… mmph, no.”

“Let’s leave it at that. If it were true, it would be a problem.”

His words battered Eunho’s head. Already dizzy and pained, Yeorok’s words hit him mercilessly. His knees buckled, unable to keep him standing.

Unaware, Eunho collapsed and stared at the floor. Black suit trousers hovered in his sight. He wanted to grab hold of him and beg, but he did not have the strength to lift a finger.

Yeorok looked down at the round crown of his head.

Normally, an obstacle was only something to discard. But somehow, with Sim Eunho, he could not cast him off so coldly.

Because he was that important. Without Sim Eunho, he could do nothing. That was why he gave him chances, tolerated him, and why his anger cooled so suddenly.

“Don’t waste another chance. I’m letting this go only because it’s you, Sim Eunho.”

“……”

“You said you’d make yourself useful to me. You should keep your promise.”

Yeorok bent down to meet his eyes. He lowered himself, but Eunho refused to look up.

He watched as Eunho’s tears dropped straight to the floor, not even catching on his cheek. What could be so pitiful and sad? Yeorok could not understand.

“Stop crying.”

He reached out and wiped Eunho’s damp cheek. A body could not lose this much fluid without consequence. Not knowing how to comfort a crying man, he could only brush lightly around his eyes.

“…Isn’t there another way?”

After a long silence, Eunho spoke. His voice sank low, caught in his throat.

“Is this really the only way?”

“Yes. There isn’t another.”

“I don’t know if I can hold out without going insane.”

…This place is hell too. Eunho muttered weakly.

His body sagged with exhaustion, heavy and limp. If left alone, he might sink to the bottom like in a swamp. Yeorok held his chin and slowly lifted it. Only then did their eyes meet.

“Endure it, for me.”

“……”

“Then I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Eunho blinked. His tears still fell without pause.

“I promise.”

Yeorok repeated it, rubbing slowly at the corner of his eyes.

He didn’t believe he could feel guilt. Yet staring into those dead eyes made him want to give something. He thought maybe this was sympathy.

***

The next day, the same room was set up the same way.

At 11 p.m., the same people gathered as yesterday.

It had been twenty minutes since Sim Eunho entered the room. Would he do better today? They had even turned off the CCTV, thinking surveillance was no different from voyeurism.

The partner was chosen to be the man who had spent the longest time with him the night before. The job paid a fortune, and the man was eager. He said Eunho was his type and that he was determined to succeed.

Yeorok cared nothing for his determination. He only wanted Sim Eunho to move up step by step. No matter how much it cost, no matter how much time or attention it drained from him, he did not care.

While they waited in silence, a loud crash came from inside. The noise was violent enough to set everyone on edge.

Bang bang bang!

Bang bang!

Urgent pounding rattled the door.

Inside, Eunho shouted at the top of his lungs, begging to be let out.

I can’t do this. Chairman! Please save me. Please!

His cries for help tore at everyone’s chest. Ahn Jaehwan covered his face and bowed his head, Seo Taehwa turned his back, and Hong Namyeong only tilted his head and stared at Yeorok.

Only Choi Yeorok glared at the shaking wooden door. His jaw jutted from how hard he clenched his teeth. His stiff jaw muscles twitched.

“You’re going to leave him like that?”

Seo Taehwa finally spoke, unable to bear it. Everyone seemed to want to say the same thing. All their eyes turned to Yeorok.

“……”

Yeorok stared at the door, then tilted his head up to the ceiling. Ha, fuck, he muttered under his breath. It was rare for him to use such crude words.

He stepped forward and unlocked the door. Even from his back, anger radiated so strongly that no one dared follow him inside. Though it was indoors, it felt like a cold wind had blown in.

“……”

Inside, Yeorok silently scanned the scene. The wrecked room. The man clutching his forehead. And Sim Eunho.

The instant he looked at Eunho, his head cooled. It was more accurate to say his anger had gone beyond anger, leaving nothing.

He went first to the man. He was pressing a wad of tissues to his forehead, one eye squeezed shut from dizziness. Bits of glass clung to his hair. Blood seeped into the tissues.

“Go out and get treatment.”

Yeorok didn’t ask what happened. He only gave a short order. The man bowed and carefully left the room.

When the door shut, silence froze the room. Yeorok shifted his gaze. Eunho, who was pressed against the wall, flinched. Then he sank to his knees on his own. Yeorok let out a hollow laugh.

He stepped closer until he stood before him. With one hand on the wall, Yeorok leaned down. He locked eyes with Eunho like it was a contest.

Seo Taehwa had dressed him neatly, so today Sim Eunho looked more polished than usual. But it was wasted effort. His shirt hung in tatters, his hair was wild, his lips were swollen, and his neck was covered in marks from biting and sucking.

So he hadn’t just sat there. Yeorok could see the traces of his struggle to endure. But the result was disappointing. Not knowing how else to release the feeling, Yeorok only curled his lips.

“Is smashing heads your hobby?”

“……”

“Does a man have to risk his life to sleep with you?”

His mocking laugh carried blame in every word. Eunho stayed silent, absorbing the abuse with his whole body.

“Don’t cry. Crying won’t fix anything.”

Even tears falling in silence annoyed him. Yeorok hated people crying in front of him.

Emotional appeals too. If you made a mistake, you bore the consequences. Better not to create the cause for apology at all. Especially if you were someone under him.

Sim Eunho crushed that standard. Too many tears, too much fear, every action clumsy. His only virtue was diligence, and yet at the one time he needed it most, he had failed his duty.

“What should I do with you?”

“……”

“I can’t throw you away. Shouting won’t make you obey either. Hm? Sim Eunho. What am I supposed to do? What will make you listen to me?”

He asked like he truly wanted to know. Going in circles without progress drove him mad.

Eunho’s wet eyes blurred, then cleared again as he opened them.

“Chairman… you do it.”

“What?”

“I want to do it with you. I can’t with anyone else.”