Untouched [minsung]

Chapter 28

I'd lost count of how many days I'd been here. I wasn't even sure if Jeongin was operating off of normal hours or if he just came and went as he pleased.

Sometimes the nights felt like they lasted an entire day and other times it felt like minutes. I'd barely slept and barely ate. I was sure I was thinner since he'd had to tighten the cuffs on my wrists. I felt physically weak. Even weaker than I had been in the alley.

I'd yet to convince him that I had been telling him the truth. I'd even tried telling one of the lies I'd come up with, but he'd caught on and punished me by taking away the sleeping bench.

Another day, I'd rebelled and hoisted myself up with the chains and kicked him. He'd fallen backward onto the ground. It was gratifying to see. But now, I wasn't allowed sight so I wouldn't be able to target him again. I was chained and blindfolded 24/7.

Every time he visited, he'd ask the same question. Every time I gave the same answer. And every time, I was burned. I didn't know how much skin was even left. My entire body hurt to the point of numbness.

I began to wonder if I'd ever make it out of here. I thought about my parents and how worried they'd be once they realized I was gone if they hadn't already. Surely Changbin had noticed, but maybe Felix had told him I'd run off or made up a lie to account for my absence. Lee Know would probably never know, and that was for the best.

The siren wailed and my chained arms dragged upwards. I stood and waited for the noise to stop. As usual, when it was finally silenced, Jeongin walked in.

"Ready to tell the truth today?" he began.

"You might as well just go ahead and burn me, Jeongin. I've told you the truth every day," I spat, no longer afraid. Though painful, this had become routine, and I refused to allow myself to feel anxious every single day because of the same punishment.

"Maybe I'll burn your face today, Han," he said intimidatingly. I knew he didn't mean it. He had made the same threat for the last week...at least I thought it was a week. I had no way of knowing. But he'd never come close to my face. I don't know why.

"Okay do it," I rolled my eyes under the blindfold. "Or maybe you could believe me."

"Who was it you're working for?" he started.

"Myself."

He burned my leg. He ran out of room on my torso a few days ago.

"Who?"

"Myself."

Another burn.

"Han, how long do you expect to keep this up? Is it worth it?"

I wanted to scream. Not in pain but in frustration.

"I am telling the truth. I've always told you the truth. What will you do when you realize that? Because you can't unburn me. Will you kill me? Save yourself the embarrassment of telling your parents you kidnapped someone for no reason. You might as well go ahead and do that. Save yourself the time. My answer isn't going to change."

He burned me again, but this time he dragged the rod down the entire length of my leg.

"You've got a mouth on you now," he sounded amused. "What happened to the Han that Lee Know wrote about? How had he described you? Fragile? Weak? Easily manipulated?" He was taunting me. He liked when I retaliated because he could justify causing me more pain.

The words didn't hurt me anymore, though, but I hated Lee Know for giving Jeongin more fuel. I hated that he told Mrs. Seo those things about me. I hated Lee Know for thinking those things at all.

I stayed silent, waiting for Jeongin to ask for the thousandth time who I'd been working for. Instead, he took a couple of steps towards me. His hand floated across my cheek. I shuddered and tried to pull away but he grabbed my face in his hand.

"You're really so pretty Han," he told me. For the first time in a while, I was scared of him. He'd never touched me before. The closest was when he'd cut my sweatshirt off, but even then it was just my clothes.

"Who are you working for?" He asked. His face was right next to mine, and I could feel his breath against my cheek.

"Nobody," I whispered.

He exhaled right near me, and I felt a sharp object graze against my shoulder and slice into it.

I gasped, and he held my face against his. "Are you feeling kinky, Han?"

My heart raced. I didn't know what to say or how to react. Jeongin was usually so routine but this went against everything he'd done so far.

He slapped me and pulled my hair back. I grunted and assumed I was facing him. I had the impulse to spit on his face but figured that would not go in my favor.

"Who are you working for?"

"Nobody."

"Your loyalty is admirable," he said releasing me from his grip. My head fell forward to face the ground, and I felt a cold metal object against my chin.

He lifted my face back up to meet his. I held my face forward as I felt what I assumed to be a knife travel down my neck and torso. Jeongin had taken my pants from me so that he could burn my legs, so I had on only boxers.

He pulled them down so that I was completely exposed. I felt the sharp metal tip of the knife against the base of my dick.

"If you don't tell me by tomorrow, I will cut your dick off and make you eat it."

He then stood back up. I felt more anxious right now than I had ever in my life.

"Who are you working for?" he asked.

I stayed silent. My mind raced with answers, all inadequate.

"Answer me," he growled.

"Nobody."

I felt the metal rod burn my thigh, and the door behind me swung open.

"Jeongin. What the hell do you think you're doing."