No one dared to stop the Beast.No one even had the courage to speak against him.
Joon Hyunk turned around—only to see that Tae was now sitting beside Yeo Jun, gently trying to get him to open his eyes."Yeo Jun," Tae called softly, again and again. When he finally opened his eyes, Tae asked, "Are you okay?"
But Yeo Jun's eyes weren't on Tae.They were locked on Joon Hyunk.
Tae gripped his shoulder and shook him, raising his voice this time. That snapped Yeo Jun out of it.He turned his head toward Tae.
"Yeo Jun, come on. Let's go home."
He blinked at Tae like he was trying to process the words, like his brain was still rebooting.His body felt completely drained, like he had no strength left.
But then, suddenly, he stood up.
"Yes… I need to go home… Far away from him."
Yeo Jun got up and walked away with Tae. As they passed by Joon Hyunk, Tae didn't spare him a single glance.And Yeo Jun? He wanted nothing more than to get away from that place as fast as he could.
The Beast had let him leave with Tae—But not for long.Not forever.
Kian had been watching it all unfold from a distance.
The Beast had struck hard in front of Yeo Jun.He wanted him to see it—to understand what he really was.To erase every last shred of doubt.
Back in his room, Yeo Jun sat on the cold floor, surrounded by darkness, staring blankly at a wall.
But this wall wasn't ordinary.In his mind, that wall played back everything like a horror movie on loop.
The voices echoed in his ears:"He's crazy.""Take him to a mental hospital.""People like him are dangerous!"
Years had passed since that day—Yet he was still paying for a sin he never committed.He was the victim.So why did the world always treat him like the criminal?
When the Beast attacked him a second time—His legs had trembled.The flashbacks hit hard, so hard he had to shut his eyes and turn his face away.
But then…
A memory surfaced.Tae.Tae being there. Holding him. Protecting him.
Just that thought gave him a small piece of calm.A tiny warmth in all the cold.
Still, he couldn't shake what happened earlier.He couldn't unsee Joon Hyunk's monstrous side.
He made a decision.He wasn't going to stay here anymore.
The next morning, he booked his flight.To Italy.Away from all of this.
But he needed another bag—he had too much stuff.So now, he and Tae were at the mall, shopping.
"Yeo Jun! Are you even listening to me?" Tae asked, exasperated."I've been talking forever!"
Yeo Jun stayed quiet, eyes focused on the bags.
"Please stay just a little longer… Wait until I finish my studies, then we'll go together—wherever you want. I can't be here alone without you…"
Yeo Jun turned to him with soft eyes, trying to explain gently while checking out a bag."Tae… don't say that. Your future is here. Don't risk it for me."
Tae wanted to stop him—But Yeo Jun had already chosen his bag and was heading to the counter.
Somewhere else in the same mall…
Joon Hyunk couldn't believe he had fallen for Kian's manipulation again.As always, Kian's drama came at a cost.
Still, Joon Hyunk had promised to do whatever Kian wanted.And now, after hours of shopping, he was done.
Bored out of his mind, he waited outside a store while Kian tried on more clothes.
One shop after another.And another.
Then suddenly—He felt something off.
Like someone was watching him.
Joon Hyunk's eyes narrowed.He stepped away from the shop and into the center of the mall, scanning the area.
He quietly called his guards.Told them to take Kian back.
Something wasn't right.
As Joon Hyunk glanced around, his eyes landed on a familiar figure inside a store. It was Tae.
He moved toward him, only to notice Yeo Jun standing at the counter, waiting in line to pay.
Joon Hyunk knew Yeo Jun's flight to Italy was scheduled for tomorrow—But something felt off.It wasn't just the two of them being here… something else was wrong.
He turned sharply, sensing something.Just beyond a decorative plant, he saw a man watching Yeo Jun.That man wasn't one of his bodyguards.
Joon Hyunk's instincts kicked in.He began striding toward the suspicious figure—just as their eyes met.The man turned and bolted.
But before Joon Hyunk could react, chaos exploded in the mall.
A loud boom.Screams.People running everywhere.
"Run! Save yourselves!"
He looked back—the man was gone.But Joon Hyunk had no time to waste.
Without hesitation, he ran straight toward Yeo Jun.
—
Panic swept through the mall.
People ran in every direction, screaming, shoving.Yeo Jun stood in the middle of it all, unable to make sense of what was happening.
"Tae?"He spun around."Tae, where are you?"His voice cracked as his eyes welled with tears.
There were too many people.Too much noise.He couldn't find Tae anywhere.
Afraid someone might crash into him, Yeo Jun stepped outside the shop, trying to shield himself from the stampede.
His breath caught in his throat.He was completely overwhelmed.
And then—
"Yeo Jun! This way—come here!"It was Tae's voice.
He turned—Tae was a short distance away, calling out to him.
Just then, another voice reached his ears."Yeo Jun! Come here. I'll protect you."
He turned again—Joon Hyunk.Beast.
"Come to me, Yeo Jun. Now."
But Tae yelled louder."Yeo Jun! Over here!"
Yeo Jun hesitated.Then he moved toward Tae—
But Beast shouted once more, his voice thunderous:"YEO JUN! I SAID COME TO ME!"
He began forcing his way through the crowd.
Yeo Jun froze for a heartbeat—And then, like instinct, he ran straight toward Tae.
He didn't care who was watching.
He didn't stop until he reached him."Without touching him, Tae moved in front—making a path for him to follow."
But just before they disappeared, Yeo Jun looked back—
And smiled.Right at Beast.
It wasn't a smile of fear.It was a message.He belongs to someone else now.
As they left, Haad—watching it all—growled through clenched teeth."That's enough."
"I'm coming to get you, Yeo Jun," he muttered darkly."So be ready. Because in this world, there is nothing that can keep you away from me."
—
Tae's heart was pounding.Yeo Jun had chosen him.He ran to him.He had picked him.
As soon as Tae parked outside Yeo Jun's apartment, Yeo Jun got out, ready to go inside.
But Tae quickly called out.
"Yeo Jun—wait!"
Yeo Jun stopped and turned around.
"I… I want to tell you something," Tae said, stepping closer.
"Go on. I'm listening," Yeo Jun replied gently.
Tae's throat tightened.He took a deep breath.
"Please… think again about your decision to leave. I don't want you to go away from me."
Yeo Jun looked at him with those soft, expressive eyes.
"Because… I like you, Yeo Jun. I really like you."
He had finally said it.
He had confessed.
And Yeo Jun just stood there, stunned, eyes wide.
Tae took a step closer.
"I know this is sudden, but… I want to be with you. Every moment. Every day."
A nervous laugh escaped him as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"When we finish school, let's move in together. I'll take care of you. I'll always be there."
Yeo Jun just stared at him—silently.
"Say something… Please. Is there anything in your heart for me? Do you feel anything too?"
But that silence didn't feel like a 'yes'.
"T-This… what… what are you saying?" Yeo Jun whispered, barely able to process the moment.
But Tae stepped even closer—refusing to let this go.
"Yeo Jun, I love you! Why don't you understand?" He moved closer to him, but Yeo Jun started to move away."We... are... just... friends..." Yeo Jun's hesitation hurt Tae deeply.
Today, Tae felt like he was a stranger to Yeo Jun too, because Yeo Jun only hesitated while talking to strangers. Talking to him was never a problem for Yeo Jun.
"Yeo Jun, I know you're saying all this because of your illness, but I promise I will make everything okay. Maybe your mind is playing tricks on you because of what people say, but you don't need to think about their words. Neither is your face ugly, nor are you crazy. Those panic attacks you sometimes have — maybe it's a disease. We will face it together. We will talk to a good psychiatrist, and everything will get better."
Tae kept talking without thinking, without realizing that whatever was coming out of his mouth was just pouring out uncontrollably.
Today, hearing all this from his friend's mouth hurt Yeo Jun a lot. He couldn't understand what kind of love this was that called him sick.
"Tae, please... just... go... from here."He told him to leave and turned away himself.
Then Tae quickly walked forward and stood right in front of him.
"Yeo Jun, why don't you understand? I can't live without you!"He was begging him now.
Yeo Jun stood there with his eyes lowered, which made tae think maybe Yeo Jun would change his mind now and confess his feelings too.
But Tae was shocked by what he heard next.
"Monster..."
That's what you called me.
Yeo Jun still remembered months after his accident when he went back to college.
It was his first day after the accident, and he was so scared that day.
He looked at everything with such fear, as if death itself was standing in front of him.
Only he knew how much courage it took to even come that far.
He remembered that when he entered the classroom, silence fell everywhere.
Then a voice broke that silence:
"Monster!"
And hearing that, the whole class started laughing at him.
Only he knew how he controlled himself at that moment.
With that word, all his dreams of starting a new life shattered.
After that, he was called by many different names.
"He is a monster. Look how ugly his face is."
All of this happened because of the drugs he took.
Students bullied him in every possible way.
His endless suffering began.
At that moment, Yeo Jun understood that his parents were right — wherever he went, no one would accept him with that face.
Holding back the tears falling from his eyes, he looked at the person standing in front of him.
Tae felt like he didn't know that the one who called him "monster" was none other than himself.
And now, knowing that Yeo Jun knew everything, Tae was extremely ashamed.
He didn't even have the courage to look into Yeo Jun's eyes.
"Forgive me, Yeo Jun. I am really very sorry. I am very ashamed." Tae said, and Yeo Jun smiled in response.
Yeo Jun said to Tae,
"Look Tae, I was never angry with you. But what you're thinking now is impossible. I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow. And... now... I never want to see you again."
Saying that, he ran towards the gate and locked it from the inside.