Chapter 3

Haunted
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You were carrying the cuff-links everywhere, now.  It wasn’t a conscious choice, it just…happened that way.  They felt comforting in your pocket, in your hand.  Even if you didn’t remember grabbing them, they were always somewhere on you, somewhere within close reach.  

***

Flat on your backs in a field of flowers, you both gazed up at fat, fleecy clouds floating by in an azure sky.  

You always make it so pretty.

I like to make it pretty for you.  I like to see you smile.  

I have a question.

You can ask me anything.

How is it that you can do things…out there…while you’re in here with me.

A shadow passed over his face.

Oh!  You don’t have to tell me–

No, it’s fine.  He sighed deeply.  It’s like…it’s like, there are two of me.  The me-me, here, with you, the me who is me…and…the other.

Other?

He nodded.  He’s like me, but…angry.  Hungry.  Like all of my anger, and no self-control.  

What does he want?

I don’t know.

Will he hurt me?

No.

How do you know?

He feels…protective.  I think…to him…you’ve almost taken the place of halmoni.

What about Oliver?

The more he fears, the stronger the other grows.

That’s not what I meant.

…I know.

***

One day, Oliver complained about being kept up all night by something growling at the foot of his bed. Another, he vomited up a softball sized clump of silky black curls.  One night, after a hard day of yelling at you, he ran out of the shower, raving about blood.  

When you looked, it was only water.  

Despite all of this, despite the darkening circles under his eyes, the muscle slowly wasting from his frame as he became too nervous to eat, the constant complaints of odd sounds, he grew no kinder.  

You would think that he would tend and befriend, that he would try to find solidarity with you–to bond with you, as a fellow living being, against the dark–but no, he didn’t.  If anything, his words grew even more acidic, his tongue dripping poison at every opportunity.  

You spent more and more time sleeping.  You felt safer with the dead man.

***

Leaning over, you brushed the hair out of his eyes, something that had become a habit.  As you lowered your hand from his face, he leaned into you, turning to place the softest kiss upon your palm.  You looked out over the verdant vista, the flourishing glen laid before you, as you perched on a soft patch of grass on the top of the mountain overlooking the valley.  “You always create the loveliest places.

I just think about how I feel about you, and this is what happens.  

You’re too kind.

You deserve some kindness.  I wasn’t able to save halmoni.  Please let me do these small things for you.  This is all I can do.  Please let me.

***

Oliver sat across from you as you tried to eat your juk with him glaring balefully at you.  

“Is it not to your taste? You query softly.

“You’re certainly enjoying it.  Don’t you think that you should lay off the rice?”

You set down your spoon.  

Seemingly satisfied that he had put you off of your feed, Oliver picked up his spoon, and skimmed off the top layer of his porridge.  His forehead creased, and he looked closer.  “Did you put berries in this?”

“No?”

He dug in his spoon deeper, and a small crimson eddy swirled to the top of the bowl–a shocking slash in the creamy white–as a familiar metallic scent filled the air.  “What the hell?!” he cursed, jumping up so forcefully that his chair shot backward and fell over.

You leaned over, and peered into his bowl.  “Blood,” you pronounced quietly.  

“What the hell?  What the actual hell?!” he yelled.  

You sat at the table, eyes down, sitting stock still lest he turn his ire on you.  You could see him fairly trembling with fury, out of the corner of your eye.  

“This…is…NOT…happening!” he rasped.  “Do you understand me?!”  He was yelling at the air.  “This is not happening!!”  In a flash, he had taken the bowl, and hurled it across the room, to smash against the wall.  

The silence that fell thereafter was broken only by the soft -plump- -plump- of the juk sliding down the wall to fall in clumps on the floor.  

Oliver stalked off.  “I don’t have the luxury of dealing with this.  Some of us have to work, national holiday, or no!”  After a few moments, you heard the front door slam.  

You cleaned the mess, and took a nap.

***

I need to go on a diet.

He looked at you sharply, his gaze worried as he traveled over your figure.

Why?

I’m just…too much.

Putting a hand on your back, he slowly ran it down your spine.  I…can count the knobs of your spine, he said slowly.  How could you ever think that you need to lose weight?  If anything, you need to gain it.

You shook your head.  I have all of this spare flesh.  It’s unattractive.

He eyed the gap between your thighs, the hollows under your cheekbones, the delicate, birdlike bones of your wrists.  Oliver, was all he said.  

You opened your mouth to make a denial, but nothing emerged.

He wants you smaller, so that you’re easier to control.  You know that, right?

You were silent for a long time, as your eyes traveled over the waving golden grass of the plain.  I know it, but I also believe him.  That’s crazy, right?  I’m crazy.

That’s abuse.  That’s what it does to you. It messes with your head.  Makes you start to see whatever they tell you, even when you know that it’s false.  There’s nothing wrong with you.  There’s only something wrong with him.  He’s broken, and he’s using you to try to put himself back together.

I just…I just wanted to be loved…  What did I do so wrong?

He sighed, looking at you, sadness dulling his gaze.  I know…

You looked at him.  You do.  You do know.  You understand.

He nodded.

Tentatively, you shuffled closer to him.  Is this okay?

I trust you.

Slowly, eyes steadily on his, you drew even closer.  Slowly, giving him ample time to stop you, you climbed into his lap, curling yourself up against his warm, broad chest.  I’m sorry…I just need–

His arms wrapped around you, and he pulled you closer, running his fingers through your hair, and nuzzling your head against his neck.  If only I could do more.  I wish I could do more…I wish–

***

The slamming of the front door awoke you with a jolt.  Your heart pounded so hard that you could feel each expansion and contraction, feel the blood rushing through your veins.  There was no longer any light coming through the windows.  You had slept away the entire day.  

You saw his shadow before you saw him. Slowly it grew, spreading like oil, an all-encompassing black, until you saw his feet at the door.  You sat up, but kept your head down.  “Oliver.”

“Have you really been sleeping all day?  Have you done nothing productive?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t put food on the table, does it?”

“I’ll make you dinner now.”

“‘I’ll make you di’–unbelievable!  I work all day, and come back to discover that you’ve just been lounging about.  You can’t even be bothered to cook, even though you’ve obviously been doing nothing!  You can’t possibly be that exhausted!  You don’t do anything but teach brats English a few hours a day!”

“I’m sorry.”

“’I’m sorry; I’m sorry!’  You certainly are!  Useless trash!  Do you have any idea how lucky you are to have me–because, guess what, honey–no one else could stand to put up with your sorry behaviour!”

You were silent.  Nothing that you could say would cool his temper when he was like this.  

“What, no witty comeback?  No clever excuse? Or are you too stupid to even defend yourself?  Do you even have any idea how easy you have it?  How many women out there would give their eyeteeth for a guy like me?  And yet, here I am, stuck with you, because I’m just too loyal.”  He snorted.  “Jokes on me, I guess.  Worthless–”  

He lifted his hand to push his hair back from his face but, misunderstanding, you flinched.  Unfortunately, that only seemed to spur him.

“Oh, so you’re flinching now?  Like I’m some sort of abuser?  Poor little girl, poor little victim!  Yeah, you love to

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Comments

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Wiiinka
#1
Chapter 5: Omg Chanyeol and horror is The bests things for me
And with a such amazing writing skills of yours this let me speechless
I'm mesmerized with your talent with words
Perfect, amazing, I love each paragraph <3
Chrlcmpny
#2
Chapter 1: This is also one of my favorites. I like the way you write, author-nim!
Chrlcmpny
#3
Chapter 1: Reading this again huhu. This is one of the most amazing fic of Chanyeol I've ever read. Thank you for writing!
Xoxoyeolmae
#4
Chapter 5: Wow, the ending, I'm in tears I thought it's going to be sad...
I have never read anything like this...
You had written it incredibly with all the details ..
You're really amazing... Thank you for this.... ❤❤❤
Xoxoyeolmae
#5
Chapter 1: Woah it's getting interesting ;)
SkyeButterfly
#6
I got recommended to read some of your stuff, so here I am!! I'm so busy ajdfhasdlj I don't know when I'll actually get to read this, but i'm looking forward to it! The concept sounds interesting (i saw "horror" and "ghost" in tags and literally went "aight this is gonna be my "), and I'm hooked by the little excerpt in the beginning!!
xiuminbaek
#7
Chapter 5: Love the ending soooo much
Mushi98
#8
Chapter 5: My goodness this story is amazing! I don't think I've ever been so on the edge of my seat while reading a story (not to mention in the middle of my class squealing out of the blue when everyone's quiet). This was by far the greatest horror romance I've read.