Red Mansion

The air felt lighter, perhaps because the heat had subsided. Maybe today, he would suggest taking a bath together when he returned. Every time Chungrim came back, Sung-kyung was in the bathroom, complaining about bugs on his skin and needing to wash with hot water. He always greeted Chungrim with a wet face and body.If Sung-kyung was in the bathroom again today, Chungrim decided he would just close his eyes and join him. Chungrim quickened his pace, feeling a new reason to hurry back home.“Hey, aren’t you going to come out?”After Chungrim left, Sung-kyung immediately headed to Mero’s room. The cat was lounging on the window hammock, basking in the sunlight. It looked at the intruder yawning lazily. Sung-kyung clicked his tongue, annoyed at the indifferent cat, and rummaged through the toy box.When a bell attached to a toy rod jingled, Mero perked up, but Sung-kyung didn’t notice. Instead, he plopped down on the floor with a notebook.He realized that he hadn’t worn proper underwear since staying at Chungrim’s house. Lately, he was either in a robe or completely naked. Was he naked when he first came here? Where were the underwear he wore then? His thoughts wandered, but he quickly refocused.“Not many pages left.”He needed a new notebook. He hadn’t asked for one, fearing Chungrim would question its use. Maybe he should just say it’s for a diary. Chungrim seemed to dislike secrets. Could he say that? Sung-kyung pulled his slightly grown bangs down over his eyes and began writing comfortably.“Chungrim returns at 3 PM. Yesterday, we used condoms and gel because I was too swollen. But when I came out of the shower, they were gone. Chungrim said he took them because he thought I might hide them like a pervert. I probably would have kept them. It’s a shame. But not using them feels better. I can feel his skin more, and when he’s inside me, the throbbing sensation is clearer. Is it because his heart beats faster? It felt like mine was trembling too….”He paused, feeling an itch below. Kneeling, he raised his hips. There should have been some semen dripping, but there was none, likely because of the condom used yesterday. His abdomen tingled whenever his butt brushed his heels. Even a slight pressure brought pleasure now. Anyone else might think he was obsessed with sex. But he didn’t mind since Chungrim didn’t dislike it.“He likes to bite my chest. At first, it bruised, but now it’s bearable. I had bruises on my chest the first time we had sex. It hurt even when clothes touched it….”The pen stopped abruptly. Who was his first? Ah, that thug living downstairs. He didn’t use condoms because he had no money, unlike Chungrim.The thug treated the twenty-year-old Sung-kyung almost like a receptacle for his semen, occasionally giving him a few bills as pocket money. Back then, Sung-kyung thought it was genuinely pocket money. Looking back, it seemed more like he had sold his body.That man didn’t seem to like him, even from his faint memories. Sung-kyung didn’t like him either. He couldn’t remember any conversations or feelings shared with the man.“A broke thug.”At some point, the thug even borrowed money from Sung-kyung, who was much younger. Sung-kyung’s parents both worked, and he worked at a laundry shop, so he had some money. Back then, he lent the money willingly because the man stayed by his side. He never got a single penny back, and that thug died.“Did I pay this month’s rent?”Sung-kyung flipped through the notebook. It was full of notes about Chungrim, with nothing about rent or interest. He pulled out some bills tucked between the pages, but it wasn’t enough.There was money at home. There was a lot hidden at the bottom of a kimchi container. He could quickly pay several months’ rent if he fetched it. If he didn’t pay, he’d surely be evicted. Even the twins paid rent regularly, and so did Chungrim.Fear struck him. Sung-kyung hurriedly stood up and ran to the window where Mero was lying. The floor was soft, so his steps were silent.“…”Without rain, finding the Red Mansion was easy. It was really close by. It would probably take less than an hour on foot, even quicker by car. He had to get the money before Chungrim returned.Room 422, our home. Chungrim said he’d sell the building if the rent wasn’t paid. Sung-kyung, pale, frantically ran his hands through his hair. He hastily shoved the notebook back into the box and dashed out of the room.“What time is he coming back today?”In three hours? Ah, right, that seemed correct. Sung-kyung rifled through the wardrobe with a frightened expression. No matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find his clothes or underwear. Even an idiot would know not to go out like this. He threw off his robe and hurriedly put on the first shirt and pants he found.Then he rushed to the shoe rack as if being chased. Familiar slippers were there. He sighed in relief. At least his mother’s gift slippers were still there.Hearing his mother’s voice again, Sung-kyung covered one ear and opened the front door. Maybe because he had opened it before, he didn’t fumble this time.The air outside wasn’t as stifling as in the Red Mansion. Sung-kyung shuffled down the hallway in his slippers. The elevator didn’t light up when pressed. With no one around, he wasn’t sure how to get downstairs. Chungrim said he’d be back in three hours. He had to get the money, pay the interest, and sign the papers by then.But where was Chungrim? At the Red Mansion? Did he leave alone? Sung-kyung fretted and hurried towards the emergency exit. He was more familiar with the stairs.“Excuse me.”“…Yes?”“How do I get to the Red Mansion from here?”Two girls around Sung-kyung’s age stepped back cautiously. Sung-kyung looked around and asked again.“It seemed close from above, but I can’t see it. I don’t know the way.”“…The Red Mansion?”Why is he looking for that place? Sometimes people wander around out of curiosity about the notorious building. Is he one of those? The girl with short hair looked Sung-kyung up and down. Loose clothes, pale face, desperate expression. She pointed tentatively.Sung-kyung followed her hand with his eyes. It was towards a large park. Ah, he remembered now. He had seen the park several times on the way to Chungrim’s house from the Red Mansion. That direction seemed right.“Thank you.”Sung-kyung immediately turned and ran. He almost tripped several times in his slippers. His toes and the tops of his feet reddened without socks. But he couldn’t stop. He thought he saw a gray building in the distance.He kept asking for directions and wandering around. He ran without catching his breath, occasionally pausing to wonder why he was doing this, only to remember he was looking for Chungrim and resume running. Chungrim, who left him at home and didn’t return from the Red Mansion. If he missed Chungrim now, he might never find him again.“Huff, huff….”As he felt a sharp pain in his side, the gray building came into view. Nearing the vicinity, a familiar smell wafted through the air. The musty, damp scent of poverty. As the murky air filled his lungs, the pain seemed to fade slightly.Instead of the usual back entrance, he passed through the main entrance of the Red Mansion. Crossing the communal area, which was never fully lit by the sun, he wiped the sweat from his chin.“Ugh.”His chin got scratched by the watch strap. Grasping his stinging chin, he quickly headed inside the building. Passing through familiar hallways and turning a corner, he quickened his steps as he approached the store. He wasn’t even sure when it happened, but he was now only wearing one slipper. It didn’t matter. He was almost there. Ignoring the stinging pain on his soles, he sprinted down the hallway, his footsteps echoing.“……”Suddenly, Sung-kyung’s bare feet felt like they were glued to the ground. His body, unable to overcome the inertia, leaned forward before returning to its original position. Sweat dripped down his back as he gasped for breath. His eyes, heated by the sweltering weather, scanned the floor of the store until they landed on an expensive pair of shoes. Above them were crisply ironed pants…“You left your phone behind, didn’t you?”Chungrim was sitting in the middle of the store corridor, legs crossed, tapping his toe. He glanced at his watch, his lips curled in a perpetual smirk.“57 seconds, 58 seconds, 59 seconds. Ding.”“……”“It’s 3 o’clock.”Sung-kyung stood there, blinking, trying to catch his breath. Three o’clock? What time had he left the house? How long did it take to get here? His heat-dazed mind was busy making these calculations.“What happens at three o’clock again?”Three o’clock, an appointment. Sung-kyung’s mind was filled with floating words. His lips opened a second too late as he stammered out a response.“…time to make a call.”“Haha.”Chungrim threw his head back, laughing. His laughter echoed down the hallway, causing his Adam’s apple to bob. Chungrim’s shoulders shook with laughter, while Sung-kyung just stood there, clueless. Chungrim spoke in a deceptively kind tone.“Right. So why didn’t you bring your phone?”“Oh, that…”Sung-kyung’s face turned pale. Where did he leave his phone? He ran a hand through his sweaty hair, dampening his palm. Chungrim had given him the phone. Did he lose it? No, he had it earlier. His lips moved silently.“What happens if you don’t make the call?”“……”“Don’t remember? Want me to remind you?”Chungrim’s shoe scraped against the cement. A long shadow stretched across the store corridor.“Follow me.”Chungrim rose and started walking. Sung-kyung quickly followed.Chungrim opened the store door with ease. Sung-kyung inhaled sharply. Had he left it unlocked? He bit his lower lip as he stepped into the cramped store. His eyes darted around quickly, but thankfully, nothing seemed stolen. Just as he turned to breathe a sigh of relief, a large hand swung through the air, slapping his cheek. Light exploded before his eyes. He staggered, trying to steady himself, only to get slapped on the other cheek.“Ugh.”He steadied himself by grabbing the counter. Meanwhile, Chungrim removed his watch and tossed it onto the counter. Before Sung-kyung could focus on the faint scar on Chungrim’s wrist, he was shoved roughly, sending him sprawling backward. Cigarettes he’d carefully stacked tumbled down.“Thought you were just a fool, but you know how to pull tricks too, huh?”A barrage of kicks and slaps ensued. His body, already marked by signs of past intimacy, began to bleed anew.“Fucking hell, what kind of asshole just runs away like that?”Chungrim’s shoe connected with his lower abdomen, sending a jolt through him. Sung-kyung didn’t mind the sensation and slowly rubbed his thighs together.“Good thing there were cameras.”Chungrim raked a hand through his disheveled hair. His fingers trembled with anger.He had watched Sung-kyung in Mero’s room, writing in his notebook. Fifteen minutes of business talk later, he returned his gaze to the screen, only to find the dressing room in disarray, the gown on the floor, and an empty screen. There were no camera blind spots.He barely remembered how he ended the meeting. He rushed home, fuming when he saw the cheap slippers were gone from the shoe rack.“Running off, lying to me. What were you planning to do? Who were you meeting?”An hour and a half of Sung-kyung being out of his sight. He could have had sex multiple times in that span. Chungrim, seething, grabbed at the baggy shorts and yanked them down, exposing Sung-kyung’s bare lower body.“Fucking hell.”His vision blurred with rage. Chungrim roughly spread his thighs and thrust his fingers between them.“Ah, uh―”As if he felt something from that touch, Sung-kyung twisted his waist and let out a moan. His eyes were half-open, and his pale face was flushed. It felt like the lights in his head were bursting one after another. A sharp pain pierced his brain as if shards of glass were digging in.Everything felt fucked up. Acting like he only cared about himself, and then crawling back here just because I took my eyes off him for a moment? Acting crazy to make me lower my guard, and then pulling this shit? The fact that someone who should be obediently in my grasp had slipped away made me seethe with rage.“Hey, Kim Sung-kyung.”Sung-kyung’s skinny chest heaved as he struggled to breathe. Chungrim pressed his lower body, checking if it was wet. Moans kept escaping through the cracked, bleeding lips. The response of his own body to this was almost laughable.It seemed like nothing had filled the place that had been used all night. As he slowly withdrew his fingers, Sung-kyung’s body shuddered.“Fuck, why am I…?”Chungrim’s brow furrowed in agony.Why have I ended up like this? Why am I acting like a jealous fool, relieved that his lower body isn’t wet like some paranoid maniac? Fuck, why should I care how this slut uses his body?He gritted his teeth. As he exhaled with his eyes closed, he suddenly remembered something and lifted his head sharply. He gripped Sung-kyung’s dry, bloodstained cheek hard. Ragged breaths escaped through his clenched teeth.“You. You took money from Kwon Gyurim, didn’t you?”“…”“Fuck, isn’t that right? Tell me.”No one had visited while he was watching. But what were the chances that Sung-kyung met his brother during that hour and a half he was avoiding the cameras? It wasn’t impossible. His brothers might have pretended to go to Cheongju and stayed nearby instead.A vein bulged on Chungrim’s forehead, hidden under his disheveled hair. He had a headache. Did he take the money and plan to leave? The idea made him furious. His bloodshot eyes glared at Sung-kyung.“You took it, didn’t you? What did you say? That you were going to leave?”“….”“Hey. Aren’t you going to answer?”He yelled, demanding an answer. His grip was so tight his nails turned white. Blood and the faint smell of iron filled the gap between Sung-kyung’s parted lips. After a few more slaps, he finally got a response.“No, I didn’t… I didn’t take it.”“Then why.”He didn’t take money from his brother, nor did he sleep with someone else. So why did he leave the house and crawl back here without a word? If he was going to lose his mind, he should have done it in front of me. Why did he come to the mansion without permission and piss me off? Chungrim’s fierce gaze stabbed at Sung-kyung.“If you had just stayed put, you wouldn’t be getting beaten, you fuck.”He yanked Sung-kyung’s chin closer, narrowing the distance between them. Chungrim looked down at him with an unreadable expression before pressing his sweaty forehead against Sung-kyung’s. Their eyes were so close they couldn’t take each other in fully, but their labored breaths revealed their feelings.“Room 422, there’s money there.”“…”“The deposit and interest, I need to pay them… so they won’t kick me out.”Had someone pressured him into paying it? Sung-kyung’s constant talk about money had been bothering him lately. It seemed like an excuse to come to the Red Mansion. Who was it? The guy who slept with him before was already dead. Was there another one?All Sung-kyung had written in his notebook was that. Was there someone else he had secretly gotten involved with? The thought made him feel futile, like sand slipping through his fingers despite his tight grip. He felt he had everything, but when he opened his hand, only a few grains of sand remained. It pissed him off.“Fucking bullshit.”While Chungrim’s mind was in turmoil, Sung-kyung’s eyes shone brightly. There was no hint of deceit in those dark pupils. Chungrim, irritated, pushed Sung-kyung’s chin away and stood up. He paced around the store, hands on his hips, occasionally tilting his head back to exhale deeply, but it didn’t help.“Because of the debt. I can’t sell my body.”As if he’d lost his mind, Sung-kyung babbled nonsense, grinning foolishly. Chungrim looked down at the mess of a face before him.As Sung-kyung leaned back, blood trickled down his cheek, dripping onto the cement floor. His white, limp soles were smeared with dirt and blood. Chungrim’s sharp gaze swept over Sung-kyung from head to toe.“Right. Kim Sung-kyung shouldn’t sell his body.”Chungrim licked his lower lip slowly. His fierce, monolid eyes narrowed, giving a chilling impression.“But. It’s not like anyone would buy anyway.”His shoe nervously tapped Sung-kyung’s shin. Each tap made his white toes twitch weakly.“No one but me.”Was he even listening? Sung-kyung just kept smiling, revealing bloodstained teeth. His long bangs fell over his eyes, returning him to the creepy, shadowed figure that Chungrim was used to watching him with.The difference now was that Chungrim, too, was watching Sung-kyung intently.“You’re acting out because I let you loose, huh? Wandering around without permission, doing whatever you want. It’s a hassle.”Chungrim muttered as he scanned the store with bloodshot eyes. He grabbed an apron lying on the bench. Moving slowly, he wiped the blood from Sung-kyung’s mouth before shoving the apron into it.“Mmph—”The apron stuffed into his mouth caused his lips to burst open, blood trickling down. Sung-kyung, staring at the moldy ceiling, slowly turned his gaze to Chungrim standing in the middle of the store.Chungrim had been staring at one spot for a while. He belatedly realized it was his own bare feet. Chungrim glanced up, making eye contact and smirking.“If you can’t walk, then I’ll finally be able to pick you up properly.”Before he could understand what that meant, he saw Chungrim biting his lower lip hard. Then, an intense pain surged below his knee. There was a snapping sound, followed by immense pain around his shin. It felt like his bones were being twisted. He screamed, but the sound was muffled by the ragged apron stuffed in his mouth.“Mmhp!”Sung-kyung writhed in agony. He grabbed Chungrim’s shirt, who was crouched by his leg, pulling at it desperately. It hurt. It hurt so much. Tears streamed down his temples and pooled in his ears. His sideburns were damp with tears. Despite Sung-kyung scratching at his thighs in pain, Chungrim only pulled up the pants he had removed.“Put your pants on properly.”“Mmgh.”Only after making sure the loose pants were properly on did Chungrim stand up. Then, he grabbed the back of Sung-kyung’s neck and yanked him up roughly. The thin, injured body was dragged along the ground.When the door to the store burst open, the people outside jumped back in shock. They glanced at Sung-kyung with horrified expressions. Chungrim smirked crookedly.“Enjoying the show?”People quickly averted their gazes, turning their heads away. Chungrim scanned them with a cold look. Then he called over a man nearby and had him lock the store door. The key, still in the lock, was turned and then handed back to Chungrim.After shoving the key into his shirt pocket, Chungrim yanked Sung-kyung with force. The apron string in his mouth trailed on the ground, and his suppressed moans continued. Chungrim paid no attention as he roughly dragged Sung-kyung, who was crawling on his exposed knees across the concrete floor.A trail of blood, tears, and saliva marked the path Sung-kyung was dragged along. The apron had long since fallen behind. Even so, Sung-kyung kept laughing through his tears. His face was a mess of wounds.Chungrim dragged Sung-kyung all the way to the car parked at the back entrance and shoved him into the passenger seat. Every movement sent pain shooting through Sung-kyung’s legs, making him wince. But he couldn’t make a sound. The rules he had written down in his notebook about dealing with Chungrim came to mind at this unfortunate moment.Don’t make a soundHe took shallow breaths to endure the pain. He was used to violence. The pain would pass. No matter how much it hurt, it wouldn’t kill him. Sung-kyung reminded himself of the thoughts that had kept him going at the Red Mansion. He could endure this. He could endure it.“Crying?”A low, rough voice suddenly came from the driver’s seat. Chungrim grabbed Sung-kyung’s tear-streaked face and turned it towards him, smiling coldly.“I must’ve been really good to you, huh? Crying over something like this.”This was far worse than the slaps he had endured before. Sung-kyung could clearly see now how much Chungrim had been holding back with him.This was who Kwon Chungrim truly was. He realized now that Chungrim had indeed been treating him specially all this time. The conclusion made him laugh. A laugh mixed with sobs. That sound didn’t stop until they reached home.His mind alternated between slipping away and being jolted back by the intense pain. It would have been better if he could just let go. It would be better if he had drugs right now.“Drugs? Out of your mind and looking for drugs again?”A sharp voice pierced his ear. It was Chungrim’s voice. Sung-kyung forced his swollen eyes open. After blinking his heavy, tear-sticky eyelashes a few times, he saw Chungrim’s fierce, contorted face.“I should’ve done this sooner. Right?”There was a strap around his wrist. With a wristwatch still on, it tightened more awkwardly. When he tried to move his arm, it was lifted and stopped abruptly, causing pain to shoot through his lower leg.“Ugh―”He stopped moving and just focused on breathing to endure the pain. Biting his lower lip made blood seep into his mouth. The metallic taste lingered, making Sung-kyung frown.“See? You get quiet right away.”Chungrim slowly rubbed Sung-kyung’s lower lip with his thumb. Sung-kyung followed the warmth, sticking out his tongue. His tongue finally touched the tip of Chungrim’s finger.“Getting hard again, huh?”The pain all over his body oddly turned into arousal. He thought it was just his imagination, but it seemed he was really getting hard, judging by Chungrim’s scoffing remark. When he pressed his thighs together, he felt a tingle below. The pain in his knee wasn’t just pain anymore.“Right. You like pain, don’t you?”Chungrim let out a bitter laugh and pulled down Sung-kyung’s shorts. His rough handling dragged his body down, but his wrist was tied and stopped at a certain point.“I’ll let you enjoy it all you want. Damn it.”His thigh was pushed up, and his shin was lifted into the air. Sung-kyung took a sharp breath as his bones throbbed. As he held his breath, Chungrim pushed his penis in without any lubrication. It felt just as difficult as the first time they’d had sex.“Ah! Uh, mmph.”Chungrim’s groin hit Sung-kyung’s thin thigh as he pushed in deep. Despite the blood starting to show from the rough penetration, he didn’t stop.“You’re really crazy. Getting off on this too?”Sung-kyung bit his sleeve and chuckled. Tears streamed down his cheeks. His flat stomach twitched, and precum dripped from the tip of his penis. It was a lewd sight.Chungrim gritted his teeth and thrust his cock deep into Sung-kyung’s inner walls. He twisted his hips, pressing his glans into the deepest part. Looking down at Sung-kyung’s trembling thigh, he turned and kissed the scraped knee. Chungrim breathed over the raw wound several times.