SUDDEN MARRIAGE

Three

"Shit..." I growl.

I held the railings but as soon as I did, the gate was pushed open. Fuck. It's open! I almost exclaimed in happiness, but then I remembered I'm supposed to be silent.

"Fuck! I am so dumb!" I whisper to myself as I go out, and hide in the bushes near.

I heard a clasping of the hands and a few sighs. Right in front of the bushes where I'm hiding is a bulky figure. He's throwing the trash.

My assumptions, that he's one of the helpers inside the house, were confirmed when he entered the gate. The rock was finally lifted off my chest.

Shit, for the second time this day, I almost got caught!

With the best that I can, I ran and ran, even if I don't know where I am already. I paced around the empty road and felt small trails of raindrops. I shivered when it gradually got stronger and it's already hitting my face hard.

No matter how hard I tried to run away, far from where Mark is, I still couldn't find the main road where I'm supposed to call a taxi or even ride the bus. This town is practically empty! It's nothing! Not even a single light!

Shit. I can't give up now.

I walked towards the opposite road and looked around if there's somewhere that I can spend the night in. I'm afraid that thunder might come because I'm literally afraid of them.

Fuck, this is such a wrong timing!

I've been out in the rain for almost twenty minutes already and I still can't find anything. Damn it! Why is Mark's house located in this remote area anyway? Of all the beautiful places that he can buy, why did it have to be here?

"You are so dumb!" I huff as I collapsed on the ground with weak limbs. I even found out my flip flops were broken because of how I overused them.

I'm out here, I fucking escaped. But I'm wet due to rain, I'm alone without somewhere to spend the night in. I'm far from Mark and yet I still feel unsafe. I'm out here, not in there.

Given the circumstances, I don't know if I should still thank the heavens that I got out of that house or curse because of where I'm stuck in and about my current state. Shit!

A few meters away, I saw a bright light in the middle of darkness. My eyes squinted on its own as I tried to peek if it's a cab or something.

I stood up and ran, only to trip and scrape my knees. Now I have to deal with a stupid bruise on my way.

"Shit..." I hissed loudly, but then I didn't waste time to gather myself and wave my hands before the car could even pass my way.

"Seo Donghyuck!"

My waving hands shudder as I feel regrets about why I attracted it. Shit... Mark found me!

The car's light blinked and it shut. My legs wobble as I feel Mark's presence coming close. He's mad. So mad.

"Shit! Where the fuck were you?!"

Along with his shouts, are thunders that loudly snapped. I shut my eyes in fear from both Mark's madness and the thunder's roar. He held my shoulders and crouched just a bit to meet my face.

"Damn it, Donghyuck! I almost went crazy finding you!" He grits madly. "Fuck! I thought you got kidnapped or something! Why the hell did you fucking escape?!"

I sob and push his hands away from me. "P-Please..."

"Let's talk at home."

"That is not my home!" I argue with clenched fists.

"Then what do you want?!" He hisses. "To go back to your abusive home? To your mother?! To them?! You know, Donghyuck, I tried my very best to keep you with me so you wouldn't be abused anymore! I fucking tried everything—"

"I just w-want to be free..." I cried. "Mark... I don't want an abusive home and a marriage. I don't... I can't live like this. I want to be free—"

"If that freedom hurts you, I don't think I will allow you to have it." He says, and the moment I open my eyes, my stomach twists as he throws me into shoulders.

I want to fight back but I'm tired. I want to fall out of his grip but I'm starting to think that this is where I'm really meant to be. My mom sold me, and this man bought me.

Mark put me on the passenger's seat and locked my seatbelt. He turns on his heels and soon enough, he's already beside me.

I heard his muffled sneeze which led me to the idea that he's already been out in the rain for a long time. He coughed and covered it with his elbow.

"Shit..." He sneezes.

"Go inside." He adds up the moment that we reached his house. I put both my heels on the ground and with weak limbs, I walk forward the area he calls home.

Damn it... It hasn't even been a day since I got out here and now I came back! My body felt so heavy because of the suffocatingly wide house. I ran towards my room and waited on the corner.

I hug my knees as I hear a footstep going closer and closer. Mark stepped into my room and I anticipated scoldings.

When he saw me on the corner, he sighed and sat down on the floor to meet me. I saw his wide eyes convey softness and I felt his hands on my knees.

"Donghyuck..." His other hand dried my tears. "I'm sorry for shouting at you. I didn't mean to do that. I was just so worried about you."

His tears fell from his eyes and it made me soft. His sadness reeked off him as his eyes bawled out. I also felt his hands shake on top of my skin and his hot breath on my face.

"Are you scared of me?" He asks with sad wide eyes.

I tightened my hold on my knees and shook my head honestly. "I'm not."

Mark is reliable and trustworthy. When he was still courting me, my father would always allow him to date me or take me to their home because he trusts Mark so much. I just don't know if that Mark changed.

He sneezed to the side before taking a look at me again. "Please don't do that again."

My head dropped as I fiddled with fingers on top of his hands. I don't know how I got so soft like this for Mark. I just know that I finally felt the Mark that I loved way back.

He's here again. And I missed him.

"Let's get you ready for bed."

Suddenly, I'm becoming obedient to him again. So I nodded and welcomed his hands that were ready for me to take.

He led me to the bathroom and left me there. I huff as I remove everything. I'm now naked as I turn the shower on.

I start to think of another escape plan but I do think I have to talk with Mark about it. It won't be a secret escape plan but it'll be a sort of a bet. I would try to make a plan for the both of us on how to make it work.

The moment I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw Mark changing my sheets into cleaner sheets. The plain white sheets were finally changed into a printed maroon colored sheet. It looks cuter now.

When he saw me, he grabbed something out of the cabinet and threw it to me. "Go change inside the bathroom."

He never changed. The same old walking green flag. Damn it!