#22 Misaligned Hearts (3)
1. Confession. The courageous act of conveying words hidden from the one you love. Seohyun had never once uttered those words seriously aloud. She couldn't, and she had no intention of doing so. In Korean society, which treated same-sex love almost like a sin, a woman confessing to another woman? It could brand her with a stigma she'd carry for life. For Seohyun, that word—which every adolescent ponders with a pounding heart—was nothing more than forbidden fruit she could only gaze at from afar. Still, she vowed that the first time she ever spoke it, it would be under perfect conditions. In a fancy restaurant with wine, candlelight, and roses, she'd make it an unforgettable romantic moment for them both. Unable to voice it to anyone, she'd dressed it up prettily in her mind alone.
Yuchan was toying with even that. It was the kind of cruelty that would make anyone marvel at his ruthlessness when it concerned others—but when it was her own life, it felt like an unbearable tragedy.
She dried her wet body with a towel. Seohyun pushed open the fogged-up bathroom door and stepped out. On the sofa, Nayae sat with arms crossed and legs folded, glaring at her coldly. Learned relationships were truly terrifying. No matter how Seohyun tried to deny it, the shame and humiliation Nayae had etched so deeply into her own heart were branded onto Seohyun's as well. Nayae was the same age as her, even half a head shorter—yet Seohyun felt an instinctive cowering.
"What are you doing?"
"I... I'll just put on my underwear."
"Just come here."
Nayae's cold voice stopped Seohyun as she eyed the clothes hanging on the rack. It wasn't fear of Nayae herself, but certainty that Yuchan was eavesdropping on this whole situation. Seohyun quietly set the clothes down.
"Seohyun, don't you have anything to say to me?"
Nayae's gaze pierced Seohyun, who stood naked, hesitantly covering her breasts and crotch. Nayae was fully dressed, doubling the shame. Even under her accusation, Seohyun couldn't speak. The words welled up inside her: Nayae, you're being deceived right now. That man's just playing with your heart, toying with it. I'm sacrificing my own body for your sake. Please, snap out of it.
"I'm sorry."
She couldn't say it. Yuchan was listening to everything. Nayae couldn't hear her words anyway. Even if she screamed at the top of her lungs, she'd just be labeled a crazy bitch stealing her lover. Nayae's expression didn't soften with the apology. From her perspective, Seohyun was the bad friend seducing her beloved teacher—it was only natural.
"Are you really sorry?"
"..."
Of course it wasn't sincere, so her reply came late. Or rather, she didn't want to answer. Nayae strode toward Seohyun, who had her head bowed deeply. Bracing for a slap, Seohyun squeezed her eyes shut—only for Nayae to embrace her.
"Seohyun..."
A soft warmth enveloped her entire body. Seohyun opened her eyes to find Nayae clutching her tightly to her chest. Come to think of it, that's how Nayae had hugged her the first time they met.
"Why are you being so mean to me?"
The sharp edge in her voice now trembled weakly. Nayae wasn't a strong girl. She doubted others easily, despaired at her own shortcomings, and got hurt without much effort—a perfectly ordinary twenty-year-old. Yuchan had forcibly kneaded her mind, making her show behaviors detached from common sense now and then, but that was just a manipulated facade far from her true nature.
"You know how I feel about Teacher... We said we were friends... How could you do this?"
"No... no, that's not... I..."
Seohyun tried to deny it frantically, but Nayae's tears silenced her. Exhausted beyond measure, Nayae seemed to have nothing left but ragged breaths—she was broken. Even in this moment, she was breaking further. Watching Nayae cry over Yuchan—the man who'd shattered both their bodies and souls—Seohyun wondered: Was there really salvation prepared for Nayae? No matter how hard she sacrificed herself, could Nayae ever live a truly happy life?
Seohyun clenched her teeth and gripped Nayae's shoulders firmly, speaking deliberately.
"Nayae. You're being fooled by Yuchan right now. He's not the good person you think he is. Remember. After he invited you to his place, what did he do to you?"
She knew.
"I saw that video. You confessing you were worthless. Crying, breaking down under endless torture."
She knew.
"Nayae, you're not worthless at all. You're so pretty, so charming. You're smart, good at studying—unlike me. How could someone like you be unnecessary?"
She knew Yuchan was hearing every word. She knew Nayae couldn't hear this conversation. She knew blaspheming against Yuchan—the god in Nayae's autistic, sealed world—meant nothing. Still, a sense of crisis screamed that it had to be now, or nothing could be saved. Just once, muster the courage she'd always lacked.
Seohyun pulled Nayae into a tight embrace.
"I won't apologize. No matter how much he dirties my body, protecting you from him is worth it. I'll never deny that."
Yuchan would learn of this rebellion and punish her harshly. He might even burst through the door right now. What would Nayae do? How much of this sincerity would reach her? Seohyun carefully pulled away to check Nayae's silent face. It wasn't just surprise—it was a pathological stillness.
"Nayae?"
Nayae stared into empty space like a hollow doll, eyes wide and unfocused, completely detached from reality, frozen in place.
Clap, clap, clap.
The applause from the dark bedroom made Seohyun jump. Nayae had been the only one in the room when she came out. Yet she instantly knew who it was. No one else had such vile tastes.
"Bravo! Bravo!"
From the pitch-black shadows, Yuchan emerged. With each step, he clapped once, grinning broadly from the darkness. It was the first time Seohyun had seen him smile.
2. Humans feel unease at dissonance. Yuchan smiling was ominous, nothing else—like staring at a teddy bear with fangs bared. Like a wind-up toy, his precise claps ended, and his face reverted to its usual relaxed calm. He approached the rigid Nayae and groped her breasts. She accepted it like a mannequin. The bizarre scene unfolding before her eyes sent chills down Seohyun's spine. Was she dreaming? Normally, Nayae would have rushed into his arms joyfully upon seeing him.
"Fascinating, isn't it?"
"What did you do to Nayae this time..."
He circled her playfully, like friends pranking a sleeping buddy—sticking fingers in her mouth to force a smile, pinching her cheeks. No flicker of emotion crossed her face; she was like a toy with dead batteries.
"Broken bones heal, but shattered hearts don't. Even if you painstakingly glue them back, there will always be flaws."
"What happened to Nayae?"
"It was touching, risking destruction to tell your friend the truth. Like watching a dramatic play. But your investigation of me was a bit lacking."
From behind, Yuchan slowly stripped Nayae, licking her nape. With familiar motions, her top and bra came off, her ample breasts jiggling in the air.
"Did you think I'd leave you two alone without precautions?"
Yuchan had installed a temporary failsafe: brainwashing. Afterward, he'd meticulously checked her state—the depth of the conditioning, how thoroughly her thoughts of him had been rewritten. In probing countless variables, he'd discovered something amusing.
"When Nayae detects words or actions denying her brainwashing, she shuts her mind's door like this. Cute, right? She's a coward. Having her perceived truth denied terrifies her more than being raped by a stranger. In this state, she'll stay doll-like, consciousness gone, for at least an hour." He snapped his fingers before her eyes like a magician. Nayae still stared blankly ahead.
His thoroughness outmatched her hard-won courage. In this moment, helplessness overshadowed fear. No matter how she struggled, she couldn't beat Yuchan—that certainty eroded her instincts and reason alike. Seohyun felt like she might collapse any second. Even her desperate defiance was just entertaining drama to him. Pathetic.
"I always keep my promises. You've been good, so I haven't laid a finger on Nayae. You can tell from her reaction, right?"
She'd broken her promise to Yuchan. Instead of confessing to Nayae as ordered, she'd tried to reveal the truth. Now it was time to pay.
"Regrettable—that's a hard word for me. Dictionary-wise, it's 'a feeling of disappointment or dissatisfaction lingering in the heart.' But I can't grasp what that truly means. Words too emotional or multifaceted are difficult for me."
By now, Yuchan had stripped Nayae's pants and panties too, licking every inch of her body. The friend's body she'd fought so hard to protect now lay in the demon's hands again, thanks to her clumsy mistake.
"Since I can't understand it, I say it like a habit. Maybe if I repeat it, I'll get your feelings."
Seohyun dropped to her knees. No time for pride. Even if she took all the punishment alone, she had to stop him.
"But today, I think I get it a little. It's truly regrettable—that suits you right now."
"I... I'm sorry..."
"Your clumsy courage means Nayae gets defiled in the worst way. Truly, truly regrettable."
Seohyun crawled on her knees, clutching Yuchan's pant leg. He'd keep his casually uttered words. The worst way. He'd unleash his sadism with creativity she couldn't imagine. Yuchan, who hadn't even glanced at her, looked down. Something tickled his instep—Seohyun, on her knees, lapping at it desperately. A woman who'd never looked at a man her whole life, now naked and groveling, licking her enemy's foot. What humiliation must she endure? How many blades of scorn pierced her heart? Thinking of it stirred something human in Yuchan. Humans craved domination and abuse, after all.
"Lick... lick... Please... forgive... Seohyun's... like this... repenting... spare Nayae..."
"What are you doing, you filthy thing."
Yuchan yanked his foot away and planted it on her head, pressing down heavily. Seohyun bowed motionless beneath it.
"Seeing you so desperate softens me a bit? I'm no devil. I'll give you a chance."
"Th-thank you..."
With such an entertaining setup, ending in mere despair would be wasteful. Squatting down, Yuchan shoved two pre-prepared vibrators into Seohyun's front and back holes.
"Hngh!"
The invading fullness and slow vibrations shook her body with loud buzzing. His "chance" wouldn't be favorable—laced with vicious shame and insult. But for Nayae, she'd endure.
"There's a sports bag in the car. Bring it. You remember where, right?"
"Y-yes... eek!"
"Do well, and I'll keep my promise not to touch Nayae. This time, I'll mercifully overlook your folly."
As she staggered up, the intense vibrations hit harder. Bigger than the rotors from today, the buzz was ferocious. As she hurriedly grabbed her coat to leave, Yuchan said:
"Go out just like that."
Seohyun understood. To Yuchan, all her past humiliations were mere warm-ups.