"Maybe it's not about the happy ending. Maybe it's about the story."

For Wisdom

Pair: Authors Choice (Myungyeol)

Prompt: "Maybe it's not about the happy ending. Maybe it's about the story."

Myungsoo sat in his hotel room, drinking his cup of coffee. Siting cross-legged, he sorted his many pictures, arranging them in a specific way. He took out his camera and looked through the photos still not printed out yet. One picture caught his eye. In that certain picture, he spotted a tall handsome man with round chubby cheeks. His smile breathtakingly appealing to Myungsoo, who never concerned himself over petty feelings such as affection. But this man...he knew he needed to see him again.

Removing all of his scattered pictures on his bed, he set the picture of the tall, smiling man on his bed in front of him. Taking out his sketchbook, he started to draw him. After hours of seemingly drawing, he had five drawings in front of him. Myungsoo smiled to himself and headed out of his room. Going to the convenient store nearby, he spotted him.

He quickly looked at himself quick before walking toward him. But what happened next really surprised him. He saw his love walls with an older woman, hand wrapped around her waist. He followed them back into the hotel he stayed at and quickly made his way toward their room.

"Strip." He heard the woman say. He heard nothing as he pressed his ear against the wall. Opening the door for the slightest crack, he saw him. Myungsoo gasped as he saw his love take off his shirt, revealing his perfect sculpted body. The older woman her lips as she eyed him up and down. 

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. Myungsoo stumbled back, surprised to see the scene in front of him. Was his love a e? He couldn't help but look back at them.

"What are you doing? I paid for you god damn it! React! Kiss me back!" The woman screeched. Myungsoo watched in pain as he watched his love bend down on his knees.

"Please...please stop. I'm sorry. I know you paid already but I...I can't do this anymore." He cried out. 

"Sungyeol, whether you like it or not, I'm getting what I want! Stand up!" She roughly dragged him by his arm and pushed him on the bed. Sungyeol uttered a cry and avoided the woman's lips as she began to go at him. 

"Fine. If that's how you want it." The woman smirked. She started to Sungyeol's pants and touch his legs. Sungyeol couldn't do anything about it. If he rejected a customer's touch, he'd be sent to the cage. Myungsoo couldn't watch it any longer as he heard Sungyeol beg for the woman to stop. His begging soon turned into moans as he watched the horrid woman do unspeakable things to him. Myungsoo clenched his fists and punched the door open.

Eyeing Sungyeol, he pushed the woman away and grabbed Sungyeol.

"What do you think you are doing? I paid for that man!" The woman screamed. Myungsoo chuckled and took out his wallet, throwing at her a few hundred dollars.

"That should be more than enough right?" Myungsoo asked. Myungsoo dragged Sungyeol out her room and into his. Locking the door behind him, Myungsoo turned and faced Sungyeol. His face was covered in red lipstick and he was topless. His pants were undone and looked as though it would fall off anytime soon. Myungsoo gulped and tried to control himself. 

"Why did you do that?" Sungyeol muttered. His face was down so Myungsoo couldn't see his face.

"Did what?" Myungsoo asked playfully.

"Why did you save me? I...she paid for me. I had to listen to her." He replied. Myungsoo stepped forward, causing Sungyeol to flinch.

"Because you didn't want her. That's why." Myungsoo answered. Sungyeol looked at Myungsoo dumbfounded. He looked away after looking deep into Myungsoo's piercing gaze. Sungyeol awkwardly shift his weight to sit on Myungsoo's bed. While looking at him, Myungsoo noticed how exhausted the man look. 

"Here." Myungsoo said throwing him a shirt. "Wear it. If you want...you can just sleep here for tonight." 

"W-what? I can't! Once he finds out then..." 

"Who?"

"N-no one. Thank you for your help but I have to go." Sungyeol said getting up. Myungsoo grabbed Sungyeol by his arm and pulled him back. By this time, Sungyeol's fear couldn't help but show. He bursted into tears and begged Myungsoo to let him leave.

"Please! I have to go! I'm already in enough trouble as it is. I have to get back. I'm sure the old hag has already contacted my boss. I'll be in even more trouble if I don't go back now!" He cried. It pained Myungsoo to see Sungyeol like this. What happened to the bright smile he had in the picture?

"What if I buy you then?" Myungsoo asked. Sungyeol looked up at Myungsoo with hopeful eyes but shook his head.

"No, I don't want to bother you. I should just go." He said. 

"No. I won't let you." Myungsoo said before pulling him in for a hug. Sungyeol whimpered and soon started to sob after awhile. Holding tight onto him, Sungyeol cried his eyes out. 

"I'll go contact your boss right away. Even if I have to spend all of my money, I'm going to set you free." Myungsoo said. Sungyeol stared at him in shock as he made his way toward the telephone. "Give me your boss's number."

Sungyeol closed his eyes but still listened to the conversation. He prayed that maybe, just maybe he'd let himself hope.

"Yes, I understand." Myungsoo hung up the phone and had a gloomy expression on his face. Sungyeol could tell by the look on him that he had hoped for nothing.

"I knew it. I'm grateful to you no matter what." He said getting up to leave.

Myungsoo's lips cornered up and turned into a smile.

"Who said that I failed?" Myungsoo asked. Sungyeol looked at the man who saved him from the woman. He looked at the man who just bought him. He hugged Myungsoo tightly which made him blush intensely. He was still topless and Myungsoo couldn't help but notice how attractive he was. 

"I don't know how I will ever repay you. Sir..."

"Myungsoo. Call me Kim Myungsoo." He said. Sungyeol let his tears fall out one last time, but this time out of happiness.

"Thank you Mr. Kim Myungsoo. I am Lee Sungyeol. Thank you for helping me." He bent on his knees bowing over and over again. Myungsoo pulled him back up and let him drown his sorrows into his chest.

That night, they two laid next to each her looking up at the ceiling. Neither of them slept, for they were too excited. One was excited to have his love next to him, the other was happy he was finally waking up from his nightmare.

"Thank you. Sincerely. You don't know how much I prayed to meet someone like you." Sungyeol whispered. Myungsoo listened to him talk, knowing Sungyeol must've thought he was alseep.

"I remember being sold to the male service. I was there ever since I was 12. I'm 19 now. My first time was taken by a woman in her 40's. She made me do...horrible things. She even handcuffed me until my wrists were raw. I...I even tried to run away. But they just caught me again. They always did." He sniffled. Myungsoo knew by the tone of his voice that Sungyeol had shed tears again. He wondered how much pain Sungyeol had gone through over the years. After years of abuse, Sungyeol had already died. He was pretty much an empty shell.

"That woman..the one you saved me from today. She was the lady's younger sister who took my first time. Seeing her for the first time today made me go crazy, I'd normally deal with everything and not complain...but seeing her resemblance made me tremble. All the walls I build inside of me came crashing down. All of this...I'm so sick of it. You don't know how many times I tried to commit suicide."

This time it wasn't just Sungyeol crying. Unknowingly, Myungsoo let out some tears of his own hearing the crazy story. He felt as though a part of his heart was being ripped in shreds. He couldn't stand it any longer and wrapped his arms around Sungyeol and fell asleep in his embrace.

*One week later*

"This is my house." Myungsoo said, showing him his house. Sungyeol looked around, happily. Still, Myungsoo never saw the smile he had shown in the picture he had taken. He probably just isn't ready to open up to him yet.

"I...I can't believe you're letting me stay with you." Sungyeol said.

"Of course. Even though we just met, I feel like we're connected somehow." 

"I'm forever grateful to you." Sungyeol said. He grabbed onto Myungsoo's hands and backed him up until he hit the wall.

"W-what are you doing?" Myungsoo stuttered.

"Its the only way I can think you. I don't have much to offer, but I can do this much..." He said slide his hand onto Myungsoo's chest.

"Stop it!" Myungsoo shouted. He pushed Sungyeol away, but not so hard he'd get hurt. "I brought you here because I wanted to free you from your past. I don't want to do these kind of things with you because it'll just hurt you. Please. Sungyeol! You being here is enough. If you are really thankful, just stay next to me and be happy." 

Sungyeol looked at Myungsoo with such admiration, Myungsoo could feel it. He tried so hard not to lose himself, he tried hard not to give in to his desires. After the intense close up with Sungyeol, he needed some air.

"Excuse me." Myungsoo coughed. Sungyeol watched Myungsoo leave and slumped back into the floor.

"But...I wanted you to help me forget them...I wanted you to help me forget everything..." He mumbled. He buried his face in his hands and wept silently before getting up and going into the kitchen.

Myungsoo came back and found Sungyeol setting his table with food.

"What's this?" He asked surprised.

"Oh, my apology for you. And a gift." He said. Myungsoo happily sat down and watched. Sungyeol stood in front of Myungsoo watching him eat.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Myungsoo asked.

"No. I'm fine. I'm not hungry yet. I'll eat later." He answered. Myungsoo just shrugged and continued to eat.

After the meal, Myungsoo and Sungyeol spent hours talking to each other. Even though they hadn't met too long ago, they were quite close now. Sungyeol would cook meals for Myungsoo after his work and sometimes he would help him sort out his pictures. But one day he noticed a specific picture...of him.

Sungyeol picked up the picture of him smiling. He looked at Myungsoo soundly asleep and also noticed some drawings of him. Looking at the date, it was the one when Myungsoo had saved him. It was that day that...he was finally freed examining the pictures, he managed a small smile. But it was a smile that Myungsoo had waken up to see first thing. 

"You smiled! You finally smiled!" Myungsoo said. Sungyeol jumped from he place and set the picture and drawings down.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to look through your things..."

"No it's fine., you smiled! That's all that matters!" Myungsoo said, smiling. He pulled Sungyeol for a hug and held him for along time.

"I was afraid I'd never get to see you smile at all." Myungsoo whispered. Without warning, Sungyeol pulled back and kissed him on his lips. Myungsoo stood in awe as he let Sungyeol press his lips against his. Fireworks exploded in his head and made him feel dizzy. Sungyeol let go of Myungsoo and saw his dazed expression. He worriedly waved his hands in front of his face.

"Mr.Kim Myungsoo!" Sungyeol shouted. Myungsoo caught Sungyeol's hand and kissed him back.

"You don't know how long I've been wanting to do that." Myungsoo said breathlessly. Sungyeol blushed and held onto Myungsoo the rest of the night.

**The next morning**

Myungsoo woke up sensing the empty place next to him. He frowned, missing the warmth he'd usually wake up to find next to him gone. Seeing the note on the table next to the bed, he read it.

I'm going shopping for some groceries. I'll see you later!
-Sungyeol

Myungsoo smiled and took a hot shower. When he stepped out, he got dressed and went to the kitchen. Seeing Sungyeol wasn't there yet, Myungsoo sat near his window which could view his whole front yard. Waiting for an hour, Myungsoo soon got worried. He put on his shoes and quickly went outside to the nearest market.

On his way there, he saw police cars surrounding the small market. People were surrounding something and Myungsoo had to know what. He pushed his way through the crowd and saw a dead body lying lifelessly on the ground. Myungsoo cried out in shock as he recognized the face.

"SUNGYEOL!" He screamed. Sungyeol was covered from head to toe, not one place was undamaged. What really got to him was the bitter smile left on his face. The smile he remembered he was forced to wear when he was still a part of the male service.

"What happened?!" Myungsoo asked the police.

"It seems...this young man was then murdered." 

Myungsoo had to drag himself off the area of the market. He didn't know when but his tears were streaming down his face, tear after tear. He sat on the porch of his house and sobbed. 

"It's not about the happy ending. Maybe it's about the story."

AN: I hope that you enjoy this, I had so much fun writing it!

StarlightSpirit: Why do people feel intent on killing my bias off? x.x Author, I hate you. (Not really, I love you, this was so well written and beautiful and wonderful and I adore this. Thank you <3)

Comment from prompt giver:

Plot twist.O_O I did not see Sungyeol's death coming!

I like how you just start in the middle of an action; it draws me in, making me want to read more~
My prompt was well-defined in it, and I am glad what came out of it~
Thank you for your effort!:D