TW: (slightly mentioned SA content)
~~~
Moon was trying to make himself invisible in the campus crowd with fast strides. His mind was so loud that he only noticed the footsteps behind him when his arm was lightly grabbed by someone strong.
He quickly pulled his arm away and spun around. He was not expecting to see a breathless Sun standing there.
"What do you want, P'Sun? Wasn't what happened at the table enough?"
Sun waited a moment to catch his breath and calm down. The skeptical and harsh attitude from yesterday was gone, but he still maintained that distant stance.
"I just... was curious about that conversation at the table. Why did you look like that when First said 'He's coming too'? We both know who he meant by 'he,' don't we?"
Moon tilted his head with a bitter smile on his face.
"What difference does it make if you know? After all, for you, these are just 'scenarios' or 'cries for attention.' Go ask Earth, I am pretty sure he'll tell you his most professional lies."
"Moon, look..." Sun took a step closer, his voice lower this time.
"I didn't say I didn't believe you; I just said it didn't make any sense. If he's going to be at that event and if he poses a threat to you-"
"And if he does, what are you going to do?" Moon cut him off.
"Are you going to protect me? The man who treated me like a liar just last night is going to protect me? What I needed wasn't a bodyguard; it was just a little bit of mutual trust towards each other.
But you've already wasted that. I'm who is in the wrong though, why did I think you could actually trust me? We aren't even close so you have every right to not believe me too."
Sun couldn't answer. The broken yet resigned expression in Moon's eyes was far more real than any message he could have shown.
Moon turned around and kept walking. This time, Sun didn't follow. He just stood there, watching that slender figure walk away with slumped shoulders.
As for Moon, he was just muttering to himself:
"I swore thanks to P'First... There's no escape. I'm going to go there and sit at the same table with both my past and those who don't believe me. I just hope I don't actually grow weak enough to faint this time."
Moon knew Sun was standing there frozen, but he didn't look back. His steps dragged him to one of the most deserted corners of the library. He sat down at a table, put his head in his hands, and let out a deep breath.
Just then, another notification popped up on his phone. As soon as it was alright to continue with the threats, the nightmare picked up right where it left off.
——————
Downtoearth:
I see clearly that you're very happy with your new friends, Nong Moon. There are even some among them 'generous' enough to pay me to 'clean up your mess' after you.
Sun... what a brave hero, isn't he? He thinks he wants what's best for you, but he doesn't even realize he handed you right over to me.
Enjoy your break, Moon. Because there, it won't just be the stars watching you the way you romanticize them—I'll be there, too.
MoonBann_:
You were the one to pay that guy to follow me and take my pictures right? I'll expose you infront of everyone so that you could never go outside with that brave smile.
Downtoearth:
Oh no, is little Moon really threatening me? Please have mercy! Or,, I won't have it either.
The choice is yours. Either you come back to me with your little foot steps and give up, or I'll make things even harder for us, baby.
And, I know you miss my warm hands wrapping around your body. (Read.)
——————
Moon tossed his phone onto the table. Sun already got his help from Earth, supposedly to help him. But in reality, he had thrown the lamb to the wolf. And on top of that, it was a must for him to attend after he swore; he had to go to that holiday event.
He muttered to himself:
"I'm falling into a black hole I kicked myself in, using the hill that someone else made for me. How did I end up in this mess? I promised myself to keep distance from everybody yet I trusted someone that wasn't even my friend in the first place. Get your shit together Moon."
~~~
-Moon's POV-
A few hours had passed. The moment I told my friends, whom I had practically abandoned them to a war at that table, that I was at Tigers, they arrived at light speed.
For Ten and P'First, I'm sure any excuse to escape that suffocating table was fair game.
I was sitting at our usual spot, drinking a beer, when I saw the three "tired warriors" walk through the entrance.
They tossed their bags aside with the little energy they had left and slumped into the seats next to me.
If they had just come from a long ass lecture, the gym, or a final exam, I could have made sense of those drained faces, but I couldn't wrap my head around why just sitting at a table had left them looking so utterly defeated.
"What happened to you guys? I'm the one who walked halfway across the campus, but you look way more exhausted than I do."
Bee put her hand to her head, shooting a look at Ten. "This idiot wouldn't stop picking fights with Wee after you left. They bickered for two hours straight, and then they started a 'first one to leave the table loses' contest!"
"I'm not surprised. They're even more competitive with each other than I am with P'Sun," I said, smirking as I took a sip of my beer.
As Ten was almost falling asleep, First suddenly grabbed Ten's ear and started pulling him like a stubborn monkey.
"Lucky for us you called, otherwise we'd never have had an excuse to drag him away! Even as we were leaving, he was still sticking his tongue out and flipping Wee off!"
"Hey! Who was the one getting into a shouting match with Bank while trying to keep me away from Wee?!" Ten shouted, swatting First's hand away.
Bee linked her arm with mine, leaning in with a playful, dramatic sigh.
"Thank goodness you have a normal friend like me, Moon. What would you ever do if you were stuck with just these two?"
I didn't answer, but I stared at the ceiling, trying my best not to lock eyes with either of them. That was the biggest proof that I silently agreed with her.
After fifteen minutes, they finally caught their breath, ordered their drinks, and started coming back to life.
Without saying a word, I pulled out my phone, opened my messages with that piece of trash Earth, and placed it right in the middle of the table.
They all fell silent, focusing intensely on the nonsense scrolling across the screen. After reading those bullshit threats, they were stunned.
Well, P'First looked less stunned and more like he was about to explode with rage.
Bee swallowed hard, finally breaking the silence. "To be honest, Moon... this is actually terrifying. But you're so strong. If I were in your shoes, I would have fallen apart."
"I agree with Bee," Ten added,
"but one thing is stuck in my mind. You've been through so much, and there were times it went even further. Why didn't you go to the police? You weren't even of legal age back then; this is clearly a crime..."
I didn't know what to say to Ten's question. The truth was, I had wanted to go to the police so many times, but even for that, a nightmare was waiting for me.
"Every time I thought about it, he'd corner me again, saying he'd drag my family into the mess too," I said with a heavy sigh.
"If I hadn't caught him crying in his room that day when he thought he was home alone, I, as his older brother and best friend, might have never found out. That's how badly he'd been scared into silence," P'First added, finishing my sentence.
"He's a first-class scumbag! The moment I see him, I'm going to make him pay! Mark my words!" Ten yelled, heating up.
Bee threw her arm over Ten's shoulder and added, "You're not alone. We're going to give him a proper thrashing, Ten!"
While they spent a few moments dreaming up over the top scenarios of how they'd take Earth down, I slowly stood up.
"I'm going to the restroom, you guys can carry on."
They nodded, and I headed toward the back.
The restroom was empty. Finally, I was alone. I had found a brief moment to just breathe and think of what happened.
After using the facilities, I was washing my hands with my head down when…
I felt a horrifying shadow wrap its arms around my waist and nuzzle into my neck.
"Please, don't talk so badly about me. You might ruin our relationship before it even starts."
My heart started racing faster than a sprinter's. I slowly lifted my head and met Earth's eyes in the mirror—he was watching me like a predatorthat was about to devour its prey.
I couldn't find any words to speak up for myself. I always told myself I'd be brave, but the second I felt him in my space, I was trapped in a tiny, suffocating circle.
My body began to shake, and my eyes grew red, filling with tears. As Earth held me with his disgusting hands around my waist, he inhaled my scent like something worse than a stalker.
He closed his eyes, savoring the moment, but with a sudden surge of courage from God knows where, I dug my elbow into his ribs and started sprinting to the door.
When I finally reached the exit, I found only a locked door. As I heard a low chuckle from the man behind me, I screamed as if I were fighting for my very life.
"Is anyone there?! Help me!"
I pounded on the door with my fists. But no one could hear me over the sudden blast of loud music.
Earth approached me again, pinning me harshly between his body and the door. He braced one hand against the wood and gripped my chin hard with the other.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Scream all you want. Judging by how loud the DJ turned up the music, someone must have paid a pretty penny for some 'fun.' How nice... isn't it?"
Tears began to pour down my face, and I started sobbing uncontrollably. I whispered a plea to him.
"Please, I beg you, let me go. I never did anything to you. Please... just let me leave."
Earth let out a laugh, then brought his index finger to my lips, pressing down hard to silence me.
"Shhh. I'm not going to hurt you. Why would anyone hurt the person they love? We're just having a little fun today, I'm saving the romantic moments for later. Everything has its time, you know?"
I felt like this was the end. I kept crying, squeezing my eyes shut. I was praying so hard in my head that anyone looking at me would have seen the sheer desperation.
The moment Earth realized I had stopped fighting, he began to trail his lips along my neck like it was nothing.
Every second his skin touched mine, I felt more and more poisoned. Just as my vision started to blur and my body felt like it was going numb…
Someone pounded loudly on the door.
"Is anyone in there? I've been standing here for half an hour knocking like crazy! You must not have heard over the music."
'My God, did you actually hear my prayers?' I thought to myself.
Earth froze. I slowly opened my eyes and met a pair of eyes that looked like they were filled with fire. He first rolled his eyes out of frustration. Before pulling away, the man who had been smirking like a cold-blooded killer whispered his final words:
"It looks like our fun ends here for today. Tell your friends that as much as they're dying to meet me, I'm just as eager to deal with them."
"Stay away from my friends. We'll handle this between us as I always said."
"Take care of yourself, we will see eachother at universities event again, baby. Don't miss me as much as I will miss you."
With his final words, the knocking on the door grew louder. Earth quickly moved and unlocked the door. He put on a fake smile and an expression of worry, launching into his usual lies.
"I'm so sorry! My friend drank way too much and got puked in the middle of the floor. We wanted to clean it up before anyone else saw, right?"
Earth slowly turned his head toward me, looking at me with that psychopathic grin.
I had no choice but to nod silently. He then winked at me like nothing happened and vanished like a flash of light from here.
A few seconds later, I stepped toward the exit, straightened my clothes, and wiped away my tears. I exhaled deeply before heading out.
Just as I was about to leave, the lady who had been waiting for her turn caught my arm and looked at me.
"Are you okay? You look like you've been crying."
I sniffled and put on a fake smile to hide what had happened.
"Yes, my eyes just got watery from gagging so much. Sorry again, go ahead." I bowed politely and hurried away.
I couldn't tell anyone about this. It would only hurt my friends even more. And I knew that if I said a word, Earth would find out instantly and make his next move.
~~~
I got back to the crowded area, acting as if nothing happened.
When I returned to the table, my heart was still pounding against my ribs, but I had forced my robotic, soulless mask back into place.
My steps were shaky; I felt as if the floor under me could sway away at any second.
As I reached the table; Ten, Bee, and First had stopped with their demonic planning and were staring directly at me with worried eyes.
"Where have you been, Moon? You've been gone for half an hour; we were almost about to come check you." First said, unable to hide the protective toning in his voice.
Bee chimed in, her eyes scanning my face all the way up and down.
"Yeah Moon, we thought about coming to check on you, but Ten stopped us, saying, 'Maybe he just needs a moment alone.' Is something wrong?"
I slumped into my chair and gripped the cold glass of beer on the table; it was the only way to hide how much my hands were shaking nonstop.
"I just felt a bit nauseous back there," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady.
"There was a line in front of the restroom, and then I spent some time washing my face to try to get better. The cramped space and the heavy smell of perfume just caught my breath for a moment, that's all."
First narrowed his eyes, looking at me for a long moment. I was certain he felt that something was wrong (that what I was telling him was only the tip of the iceberg) but he didn't push further, likely wanting to keep the fragile peace at the table.
Ten tried to lighten the mood by pointing at my glass to refill it.
"Come on, take a deep breath. There are more important things than that scumbag; after all, we'll be together during the break."
We hung out and talked a bit more then got on our own ways.
After that terrible night, when we got back to the dorm room, I quickly took a shower to clean every area of my body that he had touched and then I lay on my bed without even finding the courage to turn on the lights.
Staring at the dark ceiling, I could still feel the presence of that disgusting, warm breath on my neck. I embraced myself with my arms.
Every time I closed my eyes, Earth's laugh from behind that locked door echoed in my ears. The last thing I whispered to myself was a desperate realization:
"He's everywhere... He could be behind me at any moment. He's no longer just in my nightmares, his shadow is in every breath I take, and no matter what I do, that door is always going to stay locked."
I am really desperate in this exact moment.
~~~
The sunlight filtered through the curtains, filling the room as I woke up from a night full of nightmares to the sound of First's voice.
He was sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting for me with two mugs of coffee. That cold looking seriousness in his gaze made me feel like I was in an interrogation room, even at this hour of the morning.
"Drink your coffee, Moon. And tell me about last night again." First said, handing me the mug. His voice was calm yet authoritative.
I sat up in bed, seeking an exit in the warmth of the mug. "I already told you, P'First. I just felt a bit nauseous, that's all. I am fine now."
"Don't lie to me Moon." he cut me off.
"Your stomach couldn't have just been bad for half an hour. Your eyes were swollen, and your hands were shaking.
Something happened in that restroom, didn't it? That scumbag was there, wasn't he? Did he something to you?"
I swallowed hard. I wasn't ready to talk about Earth's disgusting actions behind that locked door, or that disgusting warmth I felt on my neck. Matter of fact, I would probably never open this as a conversation.
If I told him everything, First would go back to that nasty spot calledTigers and tear the place apart; that would only make things worse.
"I just... ran into him for a second," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on my coffee mug.
"He was inside that restroom. He also saw me and said a few unfiltered things, but I didn't answer at all.
I just walked past him before he even realized what was happening. The reason I was gone so long was because I was trying to calm down outside. That's all, P'First, really."
First stayed silent for a while, his eyes never leaving my face. I knew that look all too well, it screamed that he knew I was lying, that I was leaving something out. He let out a long breath and took a large sip of his coffee.
"I'm pretending to believe this for now, Moon," he said, not bothering to hide the suspicion in his voice.
"I'm assuming you ran away quickly and he didn't dare to do anything to you. But know that I haven't closed this case entirely.
I just don't want to push you and let your trust down any further right now. But next time, don't you dare move alone, do you understand me?"
I gave a slow nod. The fact that he accepted this much for now was a huge thing for me.
But that fearful whisper inside me wouldn't stop:
"He thinks that I ran away successfully... But with that door locked, there was nowhere for me to run."
~~~
We got ready, put on our usual school uniforms and headed to the faculty in silence.
First's eyes were still on me, checking my every step, every breath.
When we entered the faculty building, the familiar crowd of the campus started to make me feel somewhat normal again.
Yet, I was remained on high alert because of that shadow that could pop up around from any corner in any second.
When we headed down to the canteen, Bee and Ten had already found a table to hang out on, talking more about the upcoming holiday event rather than the lecture notes in front of them loudly.
When they saw us, Bee waved and cleared some space.
"Finally! Moon, you look a bit better today, you've got some color back," Bee said, making me sit next to her cheerfully.
Just as Ten was about to open his mouth to say something positive, his eyes suddenly focused on the door, and his smile vanished instantly. "No way... This soon?"
We all turned in the direction Ten was looking. Sun and his group were standing at the canteen entrance.
Sun started walking straight toward our table; his steps were determined, and his face was much harsher than the usual expression we were used to.
As they approached the table, Sun sat down directly across from me without saying a word.
The cold expression in his eyes was like a flash of the storm that was about to explode.
"I ran into Earth last night."
Sun said, his voice cutting through all the joy at the table like a knife.
"I heard the parts that you were triggered to tell me -the parts you covered up- directly from him, Moon."
First frowned.
"What did you talk to Earth about, Sun? You shouldn't have believed a single word that came out of that stupid guy's mouth."
Sun ignored First and continued to look directly at me.
"Earth seemed quite upset, Moon. He told me about the past that you kept like a secret...
How obsessed you were with him, how you made up excuses to not let him end the relationship, and how you invented stories to make him look bad to those around you.
He even said that you guys saw each other in the restroom last night, he said you begged him for another chance. And when he refused, you took on this victim role to hide your real face.
I… shouldn't have believed your fake crocodile tears that night when you got lost."
I felt as if boiling water had been poured over my head. In just one night, Earth had not only pulled Sun to his side but had also painted me as the villain of my own story. How funny.
"You... you believed him?" I whispered. The trembling in my voice wasn't from fear; it was from the weight of the injustice I was facing in front of everybody.
"Documents and messages don't lie, Moon,"
Sun said, hardening his tone even further.
"In the old messages he showed me, you're the one saying how attached you were to him, how you couldn't live without him.
Earth just wants peace, but you harass him at every opportunity and then play people like a fiddle by saying 'I'm scared.'
Now it's clear why you stayed behind that door for so long last night."
"You…" before I could finish my sentence, he again interrupted me.
"Yeah, I was at Tigers too. You had a breakdown inside because he rejected you, didn't you?"
Just as Ten was about to stand up, Sun stopped him with his hand.
"I don't want to hear any excuses from anyone. Moon, you have no right to steal all these people's time and energy with your fictional stories that you made up because of boredom."
My eyes filled with tears, but I didn't sob this time. I just looked at everyone at the table, especially at Sun, who was looking at me like he was betrayed by me.
Earth had cornered me not just physically, but now socially too, and Sun had given him the ultimate weapon, trust. I was no longer just a victim; in Sun's eyes, I was literally the devil.
End of Chapter 7.
~~~
Very complicated things are about to happen on the upcoming chapters, get ready!
Sincerely, teddytimid.