Chapter 65: Masking

Sometimes, the most dangerous people are not those who strike with fists, but those who dure in silce, hiding their true selves behind a mask. Laughter is the armor, but inside, a storm brews—waiting for the momt it can no longer be contained.

"Stop! You're hurting him! Stop!" The little girl's voice was raw, trembling as she watched the boy with black hair being pelted with stones.

The small rocks hit Ha Joon on the head, blood dripping over his eyes.

"Please stop it!' the girl tried to interfere, but she was pinned to the g by another young boy.

"Hah! Stop what?!" one of the kids sneered, tossing another rock. "Look at him—he's loving it! Come on, hit him harder!"

Laughter bubbled up from the small crowd as more stones flew. Ha Joon Kim sat in the dirt, shielding his face but never moving to defd himself. His body tsed with each hit, but he didn't flinch.

He smiled. "Hahaha! You're really stoning a defseless boy? That's rich. No shame, huh?"

'Leave me alone.'

His voice sneered internally, oh to rip them apart, limb by limb.

"Come on! Throw harder, I can barely feel it!" His voice was taunting, but inside, his thoughts boiled.

The rocks hit violtly against his body, but yet he smiled, embracing the pain.

'I hate you. I hate all of you. I wish you'd just disappear.' The rage simmered just beath the surface, hidd behind his laughter.

The small childr noticed this and were immediately freaked out by it.

"He's smiling again! What a freak." One of the boys snorted. "Let's go. It's no fun wh he acts like this."

The kids dropped the remaining stones and shuffled away, muttering. The laughter faded, leaving only the silce and the quiet rustling of leaves in the wind.

As soon as they were out of sight, the little girl rushed to Ha Joon's side, her small hands shaking as she kneeled beside him. "Are you okay? Please... let me take you to my mom. She can help."

Ha Joon turned to her, grinning despite the blood trickling down his forehead. "What, worried about me? You must love me already." His words were light, teasing, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I...I will, I can't take this anymore, keep looking at me like that...and I..I'll..."

Sinex looked to the sky, her thighs clamped together as she screamed, feeling her lower lips filling up with her nectar.

"Just like I thought, Disgusting." Ha Joon released his hold on her, leaving her to lie on her knees, breathing heavily with an obsessed smile on her face.

He watched her for a good second, voices echoing inside his head, pleading for him to not cross over, telling him how comfortable he was getting, telling him -

"Ha Joon?".

His eyes snapped.

"..."

"Pfft- hahaha!" Ha Joon laughed, sitting on the table, his voice echoing throughout the tire area.

At that point, Merlin was simply confused, she didn't know what to make of the momt. One momt he seemed like he would kill anyone who looked at him the wrong way, and the next he was laughing like the cute boy she remembered.

Was that really Ha Joon?

Glancing over his shoulder, he smiled at her, a soothing look on his face, he asked-

"You look confused. Why? Did I scare you?".

Merlin felt a chill run through her body, her eyes locked with his.

It couldn't be, she was probably overthinking the whole thing.

She picked her broom and suddly slammed it on his head.

"Ouwww!" Ha Joon placed his hand over his head.

"Stop joking like that! You scared me for a second there." Merlin sighed as she closed her eyes.

"Sorry sorry, I couldn't help it, you should have se your face!" Ha Joon laughed ev louder.