Hyunjin
On my way to the bar, I notice that Taesung isn't sitting alone. Has he made a friend already? The guy gets up to leave the moment he sees me, disappearing into the crowd.
„That was quick. How did it go?" Taesung asks me as soon as he realises I'm standing next to him.
„Just as I expected," I reply, and he doesn't ask any further questions. He takes a sip from the glass he has barely touched so far. I sit down next to him — we have to wait for Taeju and Beomgyu to clean up the mess I made in the office. At least Taesung has time to finish that overly sweet, disgusting drink.
After about five minutes of sitting in silence, Taesung starts acting strangely.
„That's s... strange," he mutters.
„What's strange?" I notice that his expression has changed. His eyes suddenly seem less sharp and his pupils are dilated. He raises his glass.
„This isn't alcohol, so why do I..., why do I feel like I've had ten..., ten shots of something strong?" Suddenly, he starts laughing uncontrollably.
He looks up at me, his eyes cloudy. I know that feeling well. I've got high before. Taesung sways strangely in his chair. I take the glass from his hand and look at the bottom — the powder hasn't even had time to dissolve yet. That's why he disappeared so quickly — that fucking guy.
I take my eyes off him for just a moment and he's already snorting my stuff. Shibal, I curse silently.
I take Taesung by the hand and lead him towards the restroom. „I'm so happy!" he shouts, throwing his arms up in the air. Goodness!
The drug hasn't had time to take full effect yet, but its effects are already beginning to show. As we pass the office door, Taeju emerges from it with a bloody towel in his hand. He glances at us and immediately realises that something is wrong.
„What's wrong with him?" He nods towards Taesung, who is acting strangely. Taesung immediately starts grabbing at Taeju and whispering something in his ear.
„Cyanex," I hiss through clenched teeth, pulling Taesung away and pushing open the bathroom door with my shoulder.
„Fuck," I hear Taeju curse before the door closes behind us.
On the way to the toilet, I stop at the sink. I wet two fingers, then guide Taesung to the toilet bowl and push him to his knees. I have to act fast. I lean him over the bowl, grab his hair with my other hand to stop him vomiting on it and stick my wet fingers deep into his throat. All the way to the back.
It's not gentle, but the aim is to remove the substance from his body as quickly as possible. As he vomits, screams and spits, the colour drains from his face. His body shakes as the Cyanex comes out in jerky bursts. I hold him by the shoulders until there is nothing left inside him. Then he collapses into a heap, exhausted and dazed.
„Good, you've got it out," I whisper to him.
I sit down next to him on the floor and watch his breathing slowly return to normal, as if he has come home after a night of heavy drinking.
I wipe his chin with toilet paper and he opens his eyes. I am relieved to see that they are no longer as cloudy as before. He is breathing heavily and his eyes are darting across the tiles. Then he rests his gaze on me.
„Everything is moving. Even you look..., different."
„Taesung, look at me." I grab his chin, but his gaze suddenly blurs and slides down my face and neck, stopping at my lips.
„I don't understand..., why do I always listen to you?" he exhales. I blink in surprise, some of the crap inside him has already dissolved. „I envy you for not being afraid and having everything under control."
„You're wrong." I smile bitterly.
„No, I'm not. I...," He shakes his head as Cyanex pulls him deeper into a place, where he has no inhibitions. „I..., I like you. Do you understand?" He barely breathes out the last word. He laughs again, that empty, tremulous laugh that hurts to hear. „You're not even listening to me, are you?" he adds, his voice breaking. I kneel beside him in silence. I'm in a trance. I can't say anything to him. It's just the effects of the drug.
He slides down the cold wall, presses his hands to his chest and whispers something, but I can't understand the words.
I hear shouting from behind the bar door, which I put down to a drunk causing a disturbance. Then I hear glass shattering.
„What happened?" Taesung whispers hoarsely. He looks exhausted and I get the impression that he doesn't remember what has just happened.
„How are you feeling?" I ignore his question and ask him mine instead. I need to know how he's feeling.
„It's like I fell off a skyscraper and got hit by a train." He speaks clearly, his breathing is normal and his eyes are no longer cloudy.
„That's to be expected."
„What happened?" he asks again. I exhale, preparing to answer, but Taeju rushes through the door, and the situation in the bar demands my full attention.
... ༺༻ ...
BLOOD DEBT (피의 빚)