The Brothers Kim

Chapter 42- A Pompous Fool

Red.

That was the colour that stained the dirt ground as Jimin withstood the burly man's punches and kicks. Punch after punch, Gyuri watched in horror as the burly man planted his large fists on Jimin's abdomen, the sound of his pained grunting punctuating the rhythm of the burly man's blows. With each heavy strike, droplets of red soiled the floor.

There was red everywhere.

Chim Chim! Gyuri squirmed against the beefy man's hold, her nails digging into his flesh. She didn't care that the beefy man was tightening his grip around her throat, nor that it was hurting her. All she could focus on was how Jimin needed help. Chim Chim, hang on!

"Stop resisting or I'll snap your neck!" the beefy man sneered, his foul breath wafting to Gyuri's nose. "You'll stay still if you know what's good for you." The beefy man shifted the position of his bicep so that it was higher up Gyuri's neck. She gasped for air. "I don't want to have to strangle a little lady like you." He lifted Gyuri's chin up with his grubby fingers so that her eyes met his. "It'll be a waste of your pretty face."

Gyuri spat on him.

The beefy man's expression darkened as he wiped her saliva away with his free arm. If looks could kill, Gyuri would have been a goner. "You, little lady," he snarled, "have just asked for a death sentence." Without warning, he wrapped his other arm around her waist as if he was about to crush her in his embrace. "I don't care about what the boss says, you're gonna pay for what you did!"

But before he had the chance to secure his grip, Gyuri quickly knocked her head back with all the force she could muster. An agonised yelp escaped the beefy man's mouth as Gyuri's unexpected headbutt collided with his crooked nose.

Here's my chance!

Gyuri jostled free while her captor was still stunned. But instead of immediately bolting away, she faced her captor, who was covering his bloodied nose.

"You bitch!" he cursed as he inspected his bloodstained hands. "My nose... you broke it!"

Gyuri aimed her mighty kick straight for in between his legs causing the beefy man to howl. "Serves you right!" she shouted before sprinting to Jimin's rescue.

~*~

Jimin braced himself as one of the burly man's punches landed straight for his solar plexus. He toppled over, the air in his lungs knocked straight out of him. Saliva mixed with blood escaped his dry mouth as he crashed to the floor. Finally, the burly man's companion released his arms, allowing Jimin to curl into the foetal position with what little energy he had left. Despite the numerous blows he sustained, he could no longer feel pain. His body had gone numb along with his other senses.

Gyuri... I hope you are safe.

From the ground, Jimin could hardly tell what was happening all around him. Swollen eyes prevented him from seeing clearly while punches directed at the side of his jaw had distorted his hearing. But even though he should be worrying about himself, all he could think about was whether Gyuri was safe and how badly he wanted to see her.

Gyuri... He inclined his head as much as his body would allow. Gyuri... where are you?

"You're still moving, eh?" The burly man walked over to Jimin, his stocky profile blocking the sunlight. "You're a persistent one, dog boy." He crouched down to inspect his handiwork, allowing Jimin to see his bruised knuckles slick with blood. His blood. "How does it feel to be the one grovelling at another's feet?" he taunted.

Jimin glared at him.

"Now you know what it's like for us poor folk every day." The burly man abruptly stood up to address the crowd. "See this?" he declared, "Take this as an example of what we can achieve despite our station." He continued to shout, "Every day, we, the working class, are mistreated by the nobility. From their extravagant abodes, they look down on us, dismiss us, treat us like we are no better than the insects that crawl on the ground." He waved his arms to emphasise his disdain. "While the emperor lavishes in abundance, our kinsmen toil the land under the merciless sun. He is not kind, he is not benevolent—he is just a pompous fool."