The Price of Silence

“Huuuuck!”

Hee-woon’s eyes flew wide open as if he were choking, and he let out another ragged breath.

This time, the breath reached Kang-woo’s chin.

He could see into the stupidly gaping mouth.

He pushed his tongue into that damp, lewd hole.

“Hueup….”

As if trying to taste every nook and cranny, the flesh grew lively.

He licked the roof of his mouth, swept over his teeth with his tongue, and wrapped around the small tongue, rubbing it incessantly.

Hee-woon grabbed Kang-woo’s solid shoulders.

The motion stimulated the root of his tongue, saliva pooled, and he reflexively moved his Adam’s apple and gulped, swallowing.

Kang-woo, who had paused for a moment, slowly licked Hee-woon’s lower lip.

Then, he thrust his hips upward, shallower than before.

“Hueu….”

The hands gripping the broad shoulders tightened.

Kang-woo’s gaze briefly touched those hands before moving to Hee-woon’s gasping lips.

The slightly swollen, saliva-shiny pink lips.

Frowning, he took Hee-woon’s lips entirely into his own mouth and chewed on them.

“Eubeueu…!”

Hee-woon struggled, putting strength into the hands gripping the shoulders.

It felt like sharp teeth were about to tear his lips off.

He thrashed, but the teeth held his lips firmly, stretching his philtrum taut.

Hee-woon sniffled and grabbed Kang-woo’s shoulders.

Even unconsciously, he couldn’t bring himself to hit him, so he dug his nails in.

“Haa. I told you to stay still.”

Kang-woo let out a languid sigh, pulled his head back, and stared at the tooth marks left just above the lips.

The sight of not just the lips but the area above them all reddened was utterly lewd.

Hee-woon sniffled and groped at his own lips with his hand.

He couldn’t tell if the wetness was saliva or blood.

“I also told you not to cover your face.”

“Does what I say sound funny to you?”

“Ah, no! No. I wasn’t covering it, I was just, just touching it for a second.”

Startled, Hee-woon lowered his hand and denied it tearfully.

Kang-woo gazed down intently at Hee-woon’s face, then reached out his hand.

Bracing for the palm that would fall on his cheek again, Hee-woon gritted his teeth and closed his eyes.

But Seo Kang-woo’s hand lightly touched above his eyebrow, brushed back the hair stuck to his forehead, and moved away.

Hee-woon faltered and opened his eyes.

“Hold my shoulders.”

He commanded expressionlessly and began moving his hips again.

He stared at him as if asking what else he was supposed to do if not hold on.

Hee-woon hastily grabbed Kang-woo’s shoulders.

Grabbing wasn’t enough; he almost hugged him with both hands, pulling tightly.

Kang-woo’s posture broke momentarily, and he let out a ‘pfft’ of laughter, then lightly pressed his lips to the temple where sweat-soaked hair was tangled wildly.

“Hueu… uk, uk….”

Hee-woon made a sound that was neither a scream nor a moan and squeezed his eyes shut.

His body was shaken up and down chaotically, and a thick penis moved in and out below.

The pain gradually faded, but the suffocating pressure remained.

He kept his eyes closed, listening to the rough moans in his ear, wishing only for it to end quickly.

Seo Kang-woo would sometimes take his ear into his mouth and suckle on it or bite his cheek.

Each time, Hee-woon tightened his grip on the solid nape of the neck he was holding to keep from moving.

“Euuk, aah… haa….”

Finally, the movement stopped.

Hee-woon felt relief.

He didn’t know what would become of his life, but he felt relieved just that the large thing churning his insides was out.

But when Seo Kang-woo threw the condom on the floor and fitted his penis back into the hole, despair washed over him, turning his vision black.

Hee-woon only moved his pupils.

A blue dawn light was seeping through the small window high up near the ceiling.

Ziiip—the sound of a zipper being pulled up was heard.

“Are you sleeping?”

Seo Kang-woo, now dressed, lightly patted Hee-woon’s buttock.

The semen smeared on the skin made a sticky sound.

A brown stain came into view.

Having rolled and crawled over it, Hee-woon belatedly squirmed to avoid the stain.

“Can’t you get up?”

Kang-woo spoke as if feeling sorry for him, quirking the corner of his mouth upward.

The pale body, covered in bite marks, bruises, and red congestion, slumped down.

“You don’t seem to be sleeping, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“…Cough– Can’t get up….”

Hee-woon’s voice was hoarse, almost a whisper.

“Ah. Then, do you want to sleep a bit more before going? I have work in the morning, so I need to go now.”

Seo Kang-woo’s tone was very nonchalant.

As if everything that had happened from last night until this dawn might have been a dream.

“I’ll… go a little later.”

“Okay.”

Tap, tap. The sound of footsteps grew slightly distant.

‘It’s really over now,’ Hee-woon thought.

Just then, the fading footsteps grew louder again.

Seo Kang-woo was approaching once more.

Strength returned to Hee-woon’s hand resting on the mattress.

He’s coming to kill me now.

To make a pool of blood like the one over there, to stab my neck, he’s coming closer.

Hee-woon crawled forward to escape Kang-woo.

His whole body felt alien, so he only moved a very little.

“What are you doing?”

Kang-woo furrowed his brow and pulled the slender ankle downward.

Ssuueuk—the sound of flesh scraping against the mattress.

Just as Hee-woon was about to scream, a low, cracked voice came from behind.

“Sunbae.”

“Yes.”

Hee-woon answered immediately, even while trembling.

If his answer was delayed or his posture wasn’t right, punishment came immediately.

That’s why Hee-woon’s thighs and buttocks were covered in bruises.

Looking at Hee-woon trembling finely while lying face down, Kang-woo twisted his lips.

The hand holding the ankle, so light in his grasp, traveled up the calf and reached the bruised thigh.

Kang-woo grabbed the area right below the buttock tightly.

“Aayuk….”

Even as Hee-woon trembled in pain, Kang-woo kneaded the inside of his thigh firmly.

Hee-woon bit his lip and stifled a scream.

A languid voice was heard.

“I’m talking here, so why are you looking over there?”

“Euut… Sorry.”

Hee-woon rustled, trying to turn around.

But the wrist propped on the mattress only trembled weakly, unable to exert proper strength.

“Sunbae.”

Seo Kang-woo called as if urging him, patting the bruised buttock.

“Ahuk… I, I can’t put any strength….”

“Ah. Is that what it was? You should have said so sooner. I thought you were ignoring me and felt hurt.”

The voice feigning innocence while knowing everything was horrifying.

As Hee-woon breathed shakily, Kang-woo grabbed his arm and sat him up.

“Euheot….”

A moan escaped as his bruised buttocks were pressed and the area between them ached.

“Does it hurt?”

“Yes.”

Kang-woo, who had bent his waist, lifted Hee-woon’s chin.

“Hmm, there’s a bruise here too.”

Kang-woo stroked the cheek tinged with purple.

He trembled, holding back fear.

“Ah, Sunbae, you must be cold.”

Kang-woo muttered and caressed Hee-woon’s nape.

It felt exactly like gauging the spot to plunge a knife.

“I-I’m fi….”

As he spoke, his chin trembled so much that Hee-woon bit his tongue.

“Huh?” Kang-woo tilted his head as if he hadn’t heard.

Hee-woon bit his lip hard and shook his head.

“I forgot to say something, so I came back.”

Hee-woon nodded.

If he opened his mouth, a scream might jump out.

Then the large hand stroking his cheek and neck might immediately draw a knife.

“About yesterday….”

Seo Kang-woo stabbing the kneeling man’s neck, blood spurting into the air, crushed fingers, the pool of blood.

‘Yesterday’s events’ surfaced as horrifying images.

Looking into Hee-woon’s eyes dying black with fear, Kang-woo whispered.

“It’s a secret.”

Hee-woon held his breath.

The murderer before him grinned.

“If you don’t keep the secret, I’ll spread the rumor everywhere that you were stalking me.”

“……”

“Ahaha. Just kidding.”

He burst out laughing.

Hee-woon held his breath with an expression that could neither laugh nor cry.

With a lingering smile, Kang-woo fiddled with Hee-woon’s cheek.

“If you flap your mouth carelessly and bother a lot of people, hmm… who should I kill first?”

“Yeah, your brother sounds good.”

“You’re not very close with your brother, are you?”

What if… what if I report it?

The police would protect my mother and me.

My brother is in the Philippines, so Seo Kang-woo probably couldn’t find him.

But… would the police really protect us properly?

They ignored my text so thoroughly yesterday.

“But don’t suspect me even if your brother dies soon.”

“I heard he’s poking around everywhere for his business.”

“Seems he’s made quite a few enemies.”

“…Huh?”

Hee-woon asked blankly.

“Filipino people can be really scary if you mess with them.”

“H-how did you know?”

“Know what?”

Kang-woo tilted his head.

‘Your eyes got big.’

He muttered softly, continuously fiddling with Hee-woon’s face.

“That my brother is in the Philippines.”

“Ah. You’re surprised by that now? Sunbae, you’re really cute.”

“Of course I should know what kind of bastard is following me around.”

Hee-woon stared blankly at Kang-woo, who was tousling his hair.

He hadn’t expected him to know his brother was in the Philippines.

Moreover, he seemed to know news about his brother that even he didn’t know.

How much else did he know?

“After your brother, it’s your mother.”

“Don’t worry, Sunbae, you’re the very last.”

Seo Kang-woo smiled affectionately while staring at Hee-woon’s pale, terrified face.

It wasn’t an empty threat.

The image of his mother and himself collapsing, blood spurting from their necks like a fountain, appeared vividly.

“I’ve been the only one making noise since a while ago.”

At Kang-woo’s subtle remark, Hee-woon spoke, trembling.

“…I-I won’t say anything. I swear.”

“Really, rea-really. I won’t tell anyone.”

Moisture shimmered again in Hee-woon’s eyes as he added several phrases.

“Okay. You’re going to cry again.”

Kang-woo, who had been ruffling Hee-woon’s hair as if tousling it, straightened his back and stood up.

“Then, I’ll see you at school on Monday, Sunbae.”

Seo Kang-woo, wearing the face of a polite junior, turned and left.

The steady sound of footsteps echoed through the empty factory.

Hee-woon held his breath, listening to the sound, his eyes following the receding footsteps.

“Ah, right.”

The footsteps stopped abruptly.

It was near the reddish-brown stain, clearly visible even from a distance.

“But you can tell people we fucked.”

Standing on the spot where he had killed someone, Seo Kang-woo grinned mischievously.