The Cruel King (Namjin)
1 (Jin's Pov)
Author
Hello reader friend,
This book and main characters aren't for the faint of heart.
Author
Kim Namjoon, the main character of The Cruel King is a true psychopath, not a make-believe, nor a bad boy who’s eventually tamed.
Author
He’s a villain with very questionable actions, so if you can’t handle morally black characters, please do NOT proceed.
Author
This book contains non-con, dub-con, and suicidal thoughts. I trust you know your triggers before you proceed.
Disasters start on black nights.
Starless, soulless, sparkless nights. The type of nights that serve as ominous backgrounds in folklore tales.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I peer down on the crashing waves that war with the huge pointy rocks that form the cliff]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[My feet tremble on the edge as bloody images roll in my mind with the wrecking force of a hurricane. The replay happens in full, disturbing motion.]
The rev of the engine, the slide of the car, and eventually, the haunting scratch of metal against rocks and the splash in the deadly water.
There’s no car now, no person inside it, no soul to be dispersed into the unapologetic air.
It’s only the slam of the angry waves and the ferocity of the solid rocks.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Still, I don’t dare to blink. I didn’t blink back then either. I just stared and stared, then shrieked like a haunted mythical creature.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[He didn’t hear me, though. The boy whose body and soul are no longer with us.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[The boy who struggled both mentally and emotionally but still managed to be there for me.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[A sudden chill runs down my back, and I cross my flannel jacket over my white top and denim shorts.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[But it’s not the coldness that rattles me to the bone.]
The terror of the merciless waves.
The atmosphere is eerily similar to a few weeks ago when Weilong drove me to this cliff on Island B.
An island that’s situated an hour by ferry on the south coast of the Euphoria.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[When we first came here, I never imagined everything would spiral to a deathly end.]
No stars were present then either, and just like tonight, the moon shone brightly, like the bleeding of pure silver on a blank canvas.
The immortal rocks are unassuming witnesses of crimson blood, lost life—and an all-encompassing sense of grief.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[They all say it’ll get better with time. My parents, my grandparents, my therapist. But it’s only been getting worse.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Every night for weeks, I haven’t gotten more than two hours of hazy, nightmare-riddled sleep.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Every time I close my eyes, Weilong’s kind face comes crashing in, then he smiles as scarlet red explodes from all of his orifices.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I wake up shaking, crying, and hiding in my pillow so that no
one thinks I’ve gone whacko.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Or that I need more therapy. I was supposed to spend Easter break with my family back in Silverport, but I just couldn’t take it anymore.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[It was pure impulse when I snuck out of the house as soon as everyone fell asleep, drove for two hours, took the ferry for
another hour, and ended up here past two a.m.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Sometimes, I want to stop hiding from everyone, myself included. Oftentimes, however, it gets too hard and it’s impossible to breathe properly.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I can’t look Mum in the eye and lie. I can’t face Dad and Grandpa and pretend I’m their little ore anymore.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I think the Jeon Seokjin they raised for nineteen years perished with Weilong a few weeks ago. And I can’t face the fact
that they’ll learn that soon.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[That they’ll look at my face and see an imposter.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[ A disgrace to the Jeon name.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[It’s why I’m here—a last attempt to expel the charge building in my body. The air frizzles my honey-colored hair that’s streaked with natural blonde balayage and stuffs it in my eyes.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I flip it back and rub my palm on the side of my shorts as I stare down.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[My rubbing heightens in intensity and so does the sound of the wind and the waves in my ear.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[The pebbles crush under my tennis shoes as I take a step closer to the edge. The first one is the hardest, but then it’s like I’m floating on air.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[My arms open wide and I close my eyes. As if I’m possessed by an alternate power, I don’t recognize that I remain standing in place or how my fingers itch to spray paint on something.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I hope Mum won’t see the last painting I did. I hope he won’t remember me as the least talented of his kids.]
The disgrace who couldn’t even reach the tip of his genius. The weirdo whose artistic sense is screwed up in all the wrong ways.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
I’m so sorry...
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*whisper the words I think Weilong told him before he flew to nowhere*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Light slips past the corner of my closed lids and I startle, thinking that maybe his ghost has risen from the water and is
coming after me.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[He’ll tell me the words he snarled in every nightmare.]
Song Weilong
You’re a coward, Jin. Always were and always will be.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[That thought spurs those images from the nightmares. I spin around so fast, my right foot slips, and I shriek as I tumble back.]
A strong hand wraps around Jin's wrist and tugs with a force that steals the breath from his lungs.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*hair flies behind him in a symphony of chaos, but vision still zeroes in on the person holding him effortlessly with one hand*
He doesn’t pull him from the edge, though, and instead, keeps Jin at a dangerous angle that could get him killed in a fraction of a second.
2
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*his legs shake, slipping against the tiny rocks and sharpening the angle he is standing at—and the possibility of a fall*
The person’s eyes—a man, judging by his muscular frame—are covered by a camera that’s slung around his neck.
Once again, blinding light flashes directly on Jin's face.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 So that’s the reason behind the startling flash a moment ago. He’s been photographing me.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[It’s only then I realize that moisture has gathered in my eyes, my hair is a tragic mess of the wind’s making, and the dark circles beneath my eyes could probably be seen from outer space.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I’m about to tell him to pull me, because my position is literally on the edge and I’m scared that if I try to do it myself, I’ll just fall.]
But then something happens.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*the man slides the camera from his eyes, and his words get caught at the back of his throat*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*since it’s night and only the moon offers any type of light, he shouldn’t be able to see the man so clearly*
But Jin can. It’s like he is seated at the premiere of a film.
People’s eyes usually brighten with emotions, any type. Even grief makes them shine with tears, unsaid words, and irrevocable regrets.
This man's eyes..., however, are as dim as the night and just as dark. And the weirdest part is that they’re still indistinguishable from their surroundings.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[If I wasn’t staring straight at him, I’d think he was a creature of the wilderness.]
His face is sharp, angular—the type that demands undivided attention, as if he were created for the purpose of luring people into a carefully-crafted trap.
There’s a masculine quality to his physique that can’t be hidden by his black trousers and a short-sleeved T-shirt.
In the middle of this freezing spring night.
His arm muscles bulge from the material with no hint of goosebumps or discomfort, as if he were born with cold blood.
The hand he’s currently holding my wrist hostage with—and effectively stopping my fall to death—is taut, but there’s no sign of exertion whatsoever.
That’s the word to be used for him.
His whole demeanor drips with utter ease.
It’s too cool…too blank, so that he appears a bit bored, even.
A bit…absent, despite being right here in the flesh. His full, symmetrical lips are set in a line as an unlit cigarette hangs from between them.
Instead of looking at Jin, he stares at his camera, and for the first time since Jin noticed him, a spark of light simmers behind his irises.
It’s fast, fleeting, and almost imperceptible.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[But I caught it.]
The single moment in time where his bored façade shimmers, darkens, rears from the background before eventually disappearing.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*swallow the unease creeping up his throat, and it has little to do with the word he said and more to do with how he said it*
His deep voice sounds laced with honey but is actually fogged with black smoke.
It has to do with how the word vibrated from his vocal cords before rippling in the space between us with the lethality of poison.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 Also, did he just speak in an Emrald City accent?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[My doubts are confirmed when his eyes slide to me with deadly confidence that locks my shaking muscles. ]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[For some reason, it feels as if I shouldn’t breathe the wrong way or else I’ll meet my downfall sooner rather than later.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[The resemblance of light has long since disappeared from his eyes and I’m face to face with that shadowy version from earlier— muted, dull, and absolutely lifeless.]
???
Not you. The photograph.
That sounded Emrald City Accent.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 But what would he be doing in such a desolate place that even the locals don’t tread near?
???
*hand loosens from around Jin's wrist and when his feet slip back, several rocks fall and meet their demise*
A haunted shriek echoes in the air.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*don’t even think about it as he grab hold of his forearm with both hands*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
What the… What the hell are you doing?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*panted through his choked breaths, heart stammering*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*a sense of terror rips through his rib cage, and haven’t felt anything like it in weeks*
???
What does it look like I’m doing?
???
*still speaks with utter ease, as if he’s discussing breakfast options with friends*
???
I’m finishing the job you started, so when you fall to your death, I can commemorate the moment.
???
I have a feeling you’ll be a good addition to my collection, but if you’re not…
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*his mouth hangs open as an influx of thoughts invade his mind*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 Did he just say he’ll add a picture of me falling to my death to his collection?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*had too many questions, but the most important of all is, what type of collection does this lunatic keep*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 No, scratch that—the ultimate question is, who the hell is this guy?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[He looks about my age, would be considered handsome by societal standards, and he’s an outsider.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Oh, and he gives off a criminal vibe, but not the petty, ordinary kind. He’s in a league of his own.]
A dangerous criminal vibe.
The mastermind controlling countless thugs, who usually lurks behind the scenes.
And somehow, Jin happened to appear in his path. Having lived his life surrounded by men who eat the world for breakfast, he can recognize danger.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*can also recognize people he should stay away from*
And this Emraldian stranger is the epitome of those two options.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 I need to get out of here.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*despite the nerves attacking my already fragile mental state, force himself to speak in my no-nonsense tone*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
I wasn’t planning to die.
???
*raises an eyebrow and the cigarette in his mouth twitches with a slight movement of his lips*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
Yeah. So can you…pull me up?
3
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I could use his forearm to do that myself, but any sudden movement will probably have the exact opposite effect and he could release me to meet my maker.]
???
*still grabbing Jin's wrist with a nonchalant hand, retrieves a lighter with his free one and lights the cigarette*
The tip burns like rich orange dusk and he takes his time before he throws the lighter back into his pocket and blows out a cloud of smoke in Jin's face.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I usually gag on the smell of cigarettes, but that’s the least of my problems now.]
???
And what do I get in return for helping you?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
My thanks?
???
I have no use for that.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*lips purse and force himself to remain calm*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
Then why did you grab hold of me in the first place?
???
*taps the edge of his camera, then caresses it with the sensuality of a man touching a woman or an ore he can’t stay away from*
For some reason that causes Jin's temperature to rise.
???
*looks like the type who does that a lot often*
And with the same intensity he exudes.
???
To take a picture. So how about you finish what you started and give me the masterpiece I came here for?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
Are you seriously saying that your masterpiece is my death?
???
Not your death, no. It’d look too bloody and displeasingly gory when your skull is smashed against the rocks below.
???
Not to mention that the current lighting won’t be able to capture a good picture.
???
It’s your fall that I’m interested in. Your pale skin will have a wonderful contrast against the water.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
You’re…sick.
???
*lifts a shoulder and blows more toxic fog*
Even the way he slides his fingers against the cigarette and smokes appears effortless, when it’s shackled with tension.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
Of course it’s a no, you psycho. You think I’d die just so you can take a picture?
???
A masterpiece, not a picture. And you don’t really have a choice. If I decide you’ll die…
???
*his upper body leans forward and he loosens his fingers from around my wrist, his voice lowering to a frightening whisper*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*screamed when his foot nearly gives way and hid nails dig into his arm with a ferocious need for life bubbling in his veins with the desperation of a caged animal*
A prisoner that’s been in solitary confinement for bloody years.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I’m pretty sure I scratched him, but if he’s hurt, he shows no signs of discomfort.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
This isn’t funny.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*panted as his voice choked*
???
Do you see me laughing?
???
*long fingers wrap around the cigarette and he takes a drag before pulling it away from his mouth*
???
You have until my smoke ends to give me something.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
Something?
???
Whatever you’re willing to do in exchange for my 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 act of saving a damsel in distress.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I didn’t miss the way he stresses the word chivalrous, or the provocative way he uses words in general. As if they’re weapons in his arsenal.]
The battalion at his command.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 He’s enjoying this, isn’t he? This whole situation that started with my attempts to forget has landed me with a nightmare.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*gaze strays to the half-smoked cigarette and just when thinking about prolonging time, he inhales what remains in a few seconds and throws the butt away*
???
Your time is up. Goodbye.
???
*starts to release himself from Jin's hold, but he dig his nails in farther*
No change occurs in his features even as the air tousles his hair back.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Even as I’m sure he feels me shaking with the desperation of a leaf struggling to survive.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Nothing seems to have any effect on him. And it scares the shit out of me.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 How can someone be this…this cold?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 This detached?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 This lifeless?
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*voice trembles even as he attempts to sound in control of himself*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
Pull me up and I’ll do whatever you want.
???
Sure you want to word it that way Whatever I want might include a number of things that are frowned upon by the general public.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
I don’t care.
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
💭 The moment I’m on safe ground, I’m out of this crazy wanker’s orbit.
???
*fingers wrap around Jin's wrist in a merciless grip and he tugs him from the edge with baffling ease*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[It’s as if I wasn’t hanging toward death by a thread just now. As if the water below wasn’t opening its fangs to chew me in between them.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Maybe, just maybe, that’s not a good thing, considering the devil I’m facing.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*his harsh breaths sound animalistic in the silence of the night*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*attempt to regulate them, but it’s of no use*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[I was brought up to have a steel will and an imposing presence. I was raised with a last name that’s larger than life, and with family and friends who attract attention wherever we go.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[And yet, everything I knew seems to vanish at this moment. It’s like I’m dissociating from who I’m supposed to be and morphing into a version even I can’t seem to fathom.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[And it’s all because of the man standing in front of me. His features are vacant, his eyes still dull and lifeless, and every bleak color in the palette.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[If I had to put a color on him, it’d most definitely be black— deadpan, cold, and a boundless hue.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
*tried to free his wrist from his hand, but the man tightens his hold until he is sure he’ll break the bones just to peek inside them*
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[It’s been only a minute since I met him, but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he did break my wrist.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[After all, he wanted to take a picture of me falling to my death. And while that’s odd, it’s downright terrifying, too.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
[Because I know, I just know that this Emraldian stranger would be able to do it in a blink and not think about the consequences.]
Jeon Seokjin (Ore)
Let me go!
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