Minho had to admit that Jae-Hyun's words taunted him in a way. But if there was something he wasn't about to do, it was to break his demeanour and satisfy Jae-Hyun's ego. He wouldn't.
He levelled a look at Jae-Hyun, mastering courage that he didn't have. "Yeah, sorry, not really in the mood for 'generosity' from strange men in creepy mansions. Not my thing. I don't jump hoops for twisted sadists like you who get off their rocks by degrading innocent people."
Jae-Hyun felt a surge of anger at the boy's arrogance. "You have quite the mouth on you boy. How about we correct that?"
"Could say the same about you…Mr. Park." Minho said, grinning tightly, putting sarcastic emphasis on the last word. "Is that what you elite bastards call 'generosity' these days? Holding people against their will to use them however you see fit?"
He hoisted himself and continued. "I mean, the whole auction was a foreplay for you, Park. Eyeing those poor damned souls being stripped of their dignity so you could take your pick of the litter? Get off on that, you sick f―"
Whatever vile insult that Minho was gearing up for was cut short by a slap that snapped his head to the side. He staggered backwards, tasting a copper tang as darkness overtook his vision.
"Arrogant whelp!" Jae-Hyun snarled, towering over the tiny boy. "So, what, you think your cheap insults grant you some power over me?"
The boy groaned, stepping closer to the vile man. Copper tang filled his mouth as he had bitten his cheek. He grinned with audacity that he didn't actually feel at Jae-Hyun, his lips stained with blood.
"What? I struck a nerve there, didn't I? The great powerful Jae-Hyun has to slap guests around when they hurt his feelings?"
Without warning, Jae-Hyun shot a hand out, grabbing a fistful of Minho's hair while wrenching his head backwards at an uncomfortable angle, something that ripped a startled gasp from the boy's throat. Even then, Minho refused to let the vile man see him crumble.
Jae-Hyun leaned down, closer until their faces were inches apart. "You are my property, bought and paid for, you hear me, pretty boy? Your life belongs to me, do you understand?"
"I-I'm not anyone's p... property" he rasped, his face twisting with an unapologetic rage despite Jae-Hyun pulling his hair painfully.
"See boy, I'm not those people you run your mouth to, and I'll see to that before the night's over. And when you finally break…" his lips curled into that wicked grin again. "I'll take great pleasure in putting those lips to use, to show me the respect I deserve."
Minho hated this man. He was doing a terrible job hiding it, given how his eyes burned at him.
Jae-Hyun held his grip for another few seconds before abruptly releasing him, with disgust overwriting his face.
Minho stumbled backwards gasping, as he clutched the back of his head. There was nothing that this man was going to do to him that would make him go easy on him. Even though he had no power over Jae-Hyun, it didn't matter to him much.
Minho had barely thought of his next move when Jae Hyun lashed out, grabbing his arm in an almost bruising grip and hauling him before dragging him out and into the hallway. The boy had proven unappreciative Jae- Hyun's efforts, and from how he reacted, he didn't take it lightly.
But were they efforts? At this point, he couldn't tell.
"Hey, hands off me! You're hurting me." Minho said, dragging his feet in futile attempts to challenge Jae-Hyun's overbearing strength. Not that it was working. What other choice did he have though?
Jae-Hyun maintained his step, not even breaking the stride. It was terrifying, but classic Minho wouldn't break character or do anything foolish enough to give him even the slightest impression that he was scared of him.
A few minutes later being dragged, they finally came to a door reinforced with steel bands. At that moment, he knew he was done for.
Still clutching on him, Jae-Hyun used his free hand to fish out a bunch of keys from his jacket pocket and unlocked the door with a series of clicks. "This is what happens to unappreciative foul-mouthed pups."
The heavy door banged as Jae-Hyun threw his weight against it. The door revealed a stairwell that led to God knows where. It was dimly lit.
"Oh, a touch of melodrama! Setting the mood, Jae-Hyun?" Minho joked, like running his mouth hadn't got him in enough trouble yet. Somehow, he couldn't fight his dire urge to piss off the already angry man even worse. "Don't tell me you're into brooding vampire aesthetics too, Jae-Hyun?
Minho wasnt ready for this. Whatever was on the other side of the door was the line between life and death,and Minho wasnt ready to die. Just not yet.
He acknowledged that maybe he was only alive up until that point out of spite, just to hold up a middle finger to the world. After all, it was reason enough to get out of bed each morning—so he was going to use that as a motivation.
Jae-Hyun, too enraged at this point to even respond to the boy grabbed a fistful of his hair, and hurled him aggressively through the doorway. He stumbled backwards and came crashing down on his first few steps, stifling a cry that almost escaped him. His momentum handled the rest of his way down the stairwell.
Minho landed like a bag of potatoes at the bottom, gasping for air as Jae-Hyun towered above him, blocking whatever little light that seeped in.
"After you, smart mouth." He said, gesturing to Minho to get up and to keep moving. The more floors they descended, the thicker the air seemed to grow. A musty smell of dampness overwhelmed the room. Minho could barely breathe by the time they reached the bottom. It was suffocating.
What struck the boy most was the overwhelming stench that felt something close to rust, stale decay and something else he couldn't quite decipher at this point but still turned his stomach anyway.
He felt rough hands wrench his arms behind his back before he could process what Jae-Hyun was doing.
He grunted as the man shoved hint to the floor and secured zip ties far too tightly around his wrists, eating into his flesh. Jae-Hyun then lurked in a circle around him as if to inspect his handiwork and nodded satisfactorily.
Minho had to play tough regardless. He would take his chances being held in the unknown with minimal hope of escaping before winding up on the news with his throat slit under a random bridge as a missing person. That is if anyone cared enough to look for him. His only comfort was that at least he was breathing, for God knows how long.
Minho levelled a look over his shoulders, something that only earned him a hateful sardonic amusement from the dark eyes behind him.
"Good boy, Let's see how you survive this place tonight. And if you dare do anything stupid, I'll cut you up like a chicken." Jae-Hyun snarled, as he left and shut the door behind him twisting the keys to ensure he locked him with no chance of escape.
What did Jae-Hyun want with him? He knew nothing and wanted no part in whatever this sinister man's intentions were. But it wasn't like he was in a position to bargain his freedom anyway.