Note: Reader’s discretion is highly recommended. Some details might not be suitable for young readers. 

Ecstasy & Apathy

Chapter 5

The table hit the wall with a resounding thump. 

“Ah!”

“Ugh―” 

“Ngh―”

Thrusted. 

Pounded.

Gasped.

Ravished.

The cries of pain and pleasure resonated in the VVIP room of the Dark Club in the broad afternoon of autumn. Tae-sung and his five addicted friends were taking their turns, like a clock. They forced the three omegas to be in heat by injecting them with heat enhancers. 

The omegas were blindfolded, with one with a ball gag in his mouth. The female one was on the sofa, spreading her legs wide with two alphas with her. 

The second was on the carpeted floor with three alphas. Shoving their thing into his mouth, hole, and the other into his right hand. Moaned in rapture.

The third one was resting his back on a round sturdy table with Tae-sung. The table rocked back and forth with every movement.

The sound of the hole flapping was tight and euphoric. Their dewy sweats were slipping on their alluring, toned bodies, and the burning desire of lust was like a wildfire. The omegas were loud as they whimpered. It made Tae-sung and his friends go manic. Their eyes rolled up to the ecstasy of pheromones spreading like fumes in the room.  

Da-won, who was guarding outside, kept twitching his brow as his thing bulged. He crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and his heart palpitated. 

His groin tingled and tickled from the omega's scream of pleasure. These suckers. He gritted his teeth. I'm going crazy. I need to relieve myself later. He touched his against his pants. “Tsk.” He was controlling his thirst to pound someone. 

Then, Secretary Choi came to see him. He looked unfazed as always. 

Ugh! Why is he here now? Da-won looked irritated. 

“Until when was he going to be like that?” Secretary Choi asked. 

“Why are you asking me?” Da-won said in an irate tone as he narrowed his brow. He added, “You should have known that." He paused. "Talking about his half-brother and father out of nowhere felt like a nightmare to him." His brow flinched with the loud bang on the wall. "Boss, we’ll go insane and rip those omegas' holes until they pass out.” 

Secretary Choi cleared his throat. 

“Then, close the Dark Club for now,” said Secretary Choi, adding, “Since it would take longer than I expected.” 

Da-won looked at him without a word to say. 

Secretary Choi walked away, glanced back and said, “When his finished, send him back to the villa.” He added, “I’ll have to reschedule his appointment with Dr. Shin.” 

Da-won bobbed his right hand out of annoyance and said, “Yeah, yeah,” and then he gazed at the door. 

The sound of moaning was getting wild and louder. Da-won moved away from the wall and scratched the back of his head. 

Fuck! I'd better go for a smoke. 

These junkies will not stop until they lose all their sanity. 

Meanwhile, a neo-medieval house blended with modern interior designs looked peaceful. It has an architectural garden in the front of the house and a manicured garden in the massive backyard. It was well-maintained by the gardener. 

It's another villa not far from Tae-sung's house. 

It has a medium-sized greenhouse made of frosty glass for leisure. Thirty steps away from the garden was a 10-foot metal gate. And a 15-minute walk to the stream river with a small run-down gazebo for sightseeing and meditation. 

The vibrant afternoon shone onto the open windows of the first floor, and the creaking sound of the kitchen door. The sliding windows welcomed the wind to bring relief to the few maids who looked after the house. 

And―faint footsteps of leather shoes were heading his way to the backyard garden. 

The breeze of serenity embraced Lee Joon-Ho, Tae-sung's half-brother. The wind was blowing to the east. It felt meditative. But not for Lee Joon-Ho. His hair was no longer neat compared to how it used to be with Han Na-ri. His omega fiancée. It grew longer. A face that was a head turner by Omegas was now a man full of sorrow. Eyes that looked weary and sleepless. Nightmares that woke him up…out of despair. 

After the car accident and the death of his partner, Lee Joon-Ho's lower leg became paralyzed.  The causes of a pheromone imbalance made him out of control. And a permanent mark from his omega had put him through a lot of phantom pain.

That was the last time he visited Dr. Shin, their family doctor. He decided not to do the therapy or follow the suggestion that Dr. Shin had given him. 

Six months had passed, and Lee Joon-Ho had never recovered from the dreadful loss. His eyes have always been so hollow. Looking far ahead. To nothingness. Hopeless. But his father was keeping him alive. To keep his son’s life sane―at least. 

Tap, tap, tap―a sound of footsteps was walking by. 

“Song told me I could find you here,” Park Beom said. He was carrying a brown folder with him. 

Lee Joon-Ho wore a black cotton long-sleeved shirt tucked into his black linen pants. His arms and elbows were resting against the armrests with messy hair. 

“Did my father send you here?” Joon-Ho said in a soft tone and looked lifeless. “What was it that he wanted this time?” He sounded moody as he tightened his right fist. “He should have abandoned me and let Tae-sung take the role.” He wasn’t looking at Park Beom. 

Park Beom gulped and said, “I didn’t come here because of your father, Sir,” he continued with a concerned tone. “I came here because we found something about what happened to Han Na-ri.” 

Joon-Ho gritted his teeth. “I don’t want to hear…anything about it anymore. So drop it.” 

“But,” Park Beom felt sorry for him.

Joon-Ho glared and seethed. “I SAID I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT,” looking at Park Beom in such a heart-wrenching state. “ARE YOU DEAF?” He looked devastated. “NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY TO ME AND SHOW ME, MY HAN NA-RI WILL NEVER COME BACK.” 

"SHE WILL NEVER COME BACK." He looked so broken. “SO LEAVE ME ALONE.” He wailed in anger. And his stare pierced like a spear―that his soul collapsed in misery.  

Park Beom was tongue-tied for a moment. 

“Just... leave,” said Joon-Ho as he calmed down and looked far ahead again. 

Park Beom sighed and said, “All right, I’ll leave.” He added, “But I will leave this document in your office. You can read them when you’re ready.” 

Joon-Ho didn’t say a word. 

Until Park Beom left the house. 

His distressing emotions crumbled him further. He broke down in tears. 

Why?

Just... fucking why?!

He held his head. He bit his lips. That his teeth almost pricked his chapped lips. He punched his worthless legs. Several times to ease the agony that he would forever remember. His life was a burning hell. 

He wanted to end everything. 

The pain.

The loss. 

The fleeting memories. 

He just... wanted them gone―forever. 

But his selfish and egocentric father would not let him die. 

And in the twilight night, Do-yoon waited for Tae-sung in his room. He sat on his bed like a submissive person waiting for his master's arrival. To feed his empty feelings of seeking genuine attention. 

He pouted and mumbled, “I guess he isn’t coming back tonight,” he added, “He must be a busy person.” 

While at the Dark Club, Tae-sung and his friends looked so wasted and left the omegas lying on the cold floor, creampied. 

“Fuck! That was so…good,” said Taegun as he stood to get dressed. 

The rest also got dressed as they scoffed at the omegas. 

“Fuck, yeah! We dried them out so well… that they kept begging for more,” Jinhwan said as he cackled. 

“Hey, Tae-sung, invite us again,” Ha-jun said. 

As they left Tae-sung behind. Naked, intoxicated, and sweaty. 

Da-won came in. It was a load of mess. Scattered condoms. Stained blood on the syringes that they injected into the omegas. Bottles of empty wines and brushed-off drugs on the table glass. And―an overwhelming smell of both alphas' and omegas' pheromones.

Da-won scratched his head. Fuck! This is a lot of cleaning up to do. He said, “Hey, boss, we gotta leave.” But he noticed that Tae-sung was looking above the ceiling. Giggling. Stoned. 

What the fuck―Da-won’s eyes were in disbelief. 

“Hey, Da-won,” Tae-sung sounded exhausted. 

Da-won swallowed through his throat. Shit! What now?! Hasn’t he done enough?

Out of the blue, Tae-sung asked, in a regretful tone, “Do you think they'll forgive me?” 

Da-won looked baffled yet felt bothered by it. He scratched his head and replied. “Agh… whatever your screwed mind was thinking right now, I bet they'll never forgive such a sinner like you.” It was a word that he only meant to joke. 

Yet, Tae-sung took it seriously, and said, “Right,” he looked at the dim wall. He covered half of his face and chortled in repulsion. Then he held his forehead facing upward, and said, “Fuck.” His suppressed guilt was eating him alive―His conscience. 

Da-won somehow felt pity for him. Tae-sung was like a toy made of porcelain. Once broken, it could never be the same again. No matter how much you fix it. It’s inevitable. 

“Come on, boss. Let’s get you home,” said Da-won and helped him to get up. 

Midnight had passed, and Do-yoon couldn’t sleep. The window was clearing from the sky as he gazed at the moon that was giving him the light of redemption. He tightened his cuddles on the pillows. 

I guess he isn’t coming today. 

Then he heard the door creak. His eyes widened. When he was about to turn his head―

“Don’t look back,” Tae-sung's voice sounded tired. 

Tae-sung? Do-yoon felt a chilling sensation behind his back. “Tae-sung,” he murmured. 

“Stay right there,” Tae-sung said. He stepped forward. His face looked unfazed. The shadows covered his eyes with emptiness. 

He slid into Do-yoon’s blanket. Then, he pulled Do-yoon’s stomach closer to his body. He was naked. And Do-yoon’s eyes stretched in surprise. He clasped the pillows between his arms. His cheeks turned red. His heart stuttered. He tried to move. 

“Stay still,” said Tae-sung in his soft tone. His warm breath brushed off Do-yoon’s strands of hair. 

“Let’s sleep together from now on, Do-yoon ssi.” It was a slip of the tongue that meant nothing to him. But his troubled heart was somehow mended by Do-yoon’s pure innocence and soft touch. 

And Do-yoon, who seemed to have fallen for Tae-sung, curled a sweet smile. 

They both closed their eyes to sleep. 

But the next day, Do-yoon woke up without Tae-sung by his side.