Seoha's POV
Looking at the old guitar bag takes me years backwards to my mother's clean Kitchen.
Her Kitchen always smelled so sweet, mom was always making something, always smiling about something she cooked or baked.
'Baby, let me play this for you, it's my new song' her sweet voice says and I rush over to sit next to her.
'I called this one, Blue' she says, smiling so hard at me that her eyes almost disappear and I mirror the smile.
She counts to three and begins to pick at the guitar strings, soft and beautiful, I lean forward to watch the way her fingers dance over the strings.
It always fascinated me how easily she could play the guitar, for her it was always as easy as breathing in and breathing out.
'Fading blue~' she starts to sing and a smile blooms on my face.
Hot tears spring up in my eyes as I take unsteady steps to pick up the guitar bag, it's the only thing I have left of my mom's…everything else was gone with the house, everything else was gone the moment I chose Daeshin over my parents.
Finding it again means the world to me.
Some pieces of the leather falls apart like dust as I run my fingers over it gently, the bag as old as ever, but still more precious than it had been four days ago
I unzip the bag slowly, with my hands shaking as I carefully try not to damage the bag further.
The light brown guitar with rusty strings is still in it and in good condition except for the place that has a small crack…it has to be from when I left it outside at the hotel after stealing, or from Taesan's men. Either which way, the crack is my fault and somehow the guitar is more held together than my entire life.
Taesan might have me at his mercy for now, but having this guitar back in my hands feels like taking control of my life again. It feels like the life that has been so out of my control is finally mine again, maybe this is a sign? I will be out of this mess soon wouldn't I?
I sniffle and hug the wooden musical instrument to myself with reverence. The pain I have somehow shoved down all along are coming to the surface in overwhelming waves.
"Mom…I miss you" I say as exhaustion finally gets to me as I start to sob, my tears drop on the taut strings and wooden body.
"Mom, save me…I'm so scared" I sob and stay like that for a few minutes, legs tucked under me and my left hand to the floor to support my weight, it's the same posture I was in when I finally chose to let Daeshin go.
The room door opens without warning or a knock, and I don't have to look up to know who it is, his presence is loud enough to announce him. All he has to breathe and the whole world is at alert and aware of him.
Kang Taesan, the one I'm indebted to.
"Thank you" I says quietly and look up at him with tears streaming down my face and hands holding to the guitar tightly like my life depends on it.
"Thank you for keeping it for me, it's my mom's…" I say and the alpha's scent spikes, anger?.
"Shin Seoha…what do you think this is?" he asks, looking down at me with a glass sitting on the bridge of his nose.
Unsure of what to say and how to respond, my eyes roam his clothes and poster, his hands are in his pockets and these are not the clothes he wore at the office earlier.
These ones are ironed and free of crease and folds that comes from busy days…when did he change? Why is he wearing the exact same ones? Where did he go to?
"I-" I stutter, blinking as tears cling to my lashes.
"Hmm? What do you think this going to be?" he asks quietly.
"Thank you?" he asks and lets out a short and cold laughter as his runs his hand through his hair, "I just wanted to…" my voice trails off and he tilts his head, eyes as dark as a bottomlesspit, no remorse, no pity and no light.
"I will tell you once, so listen" he says with hooded eyes and clenched jaws before he slides his hand back into his pockets, terrified even at the absence of a physical threat, I wipe at my face to dry my tears.
"In my world, there are no thank you and no you're welcome, there are actions and consequences" he says and tilts his head, "there is nothing wrong with thank yous" I say quietly, still shaken from crying and the alpha's face relax.
Like a calm before the storm, Taesan doesn't respond at first, he eyes me careful, letting his eyes roam my body as always, deliberately analyzing me with those sharp eyes and then he lets out a low growl, like a disapproval.
"Little thief, I gave you back the guitar and I expect a response, my repayment. Do you understand?" he asks and I bow my head again.
"Use your fucking mouth" he commands and my breath catches before I say a small 'yes' in response, wanting this conversation to end as soon as possible, needing him to leave me alone so that I can breathe.
Give and take, give to take, the mind of a dangerous man…mind of a mountain.
He makes his way to the door and I look up at his retreating back, daring to ask; "how long…how long will it take before you let me go?"
"Survive the week and I tell you. You don't? then your payment will be your life" he says without looking back before leaving.
How do I survive the week when I'm not even sure I can survive the night?