Part : 40 Truth

                                    

                                          
Eun-woo sat alone in his chamber, numb from the inside out. The coldness of the stone floor seeped into his skin, chilling him, but he welcomed the discomfort, feeling he deserved every ounce of pain it brought. His thoughts spiraled, circling around the horror of his actions, each memory of the previous night sharper than the last. How could he have done something so unforgivable, something so irreversible? No punishment felt harsh enough. His mind whispered that he deserved the worst, but even that seemed insufficient.
Eun-woo barely noticed the daylight drifting through his chamber’s narrow window, casting shadows across the floor. He was locked within himself, gripped by an unrelenting dread that coiled tighter with each passing minute. He had crossed a line that could never be mended, and the shame of it crushed him. How could he ever face In-yeop again? Or even look himself in the mirror? Worse yet, how could he face Taehyung? 
The soft creak of the door broke through the fog in his mind. Eun-woo’s gaze barely shifted, but he caught sight of Taehyung stepping into the room, worry etched into every line of his face. Taehyung's gentle footsteps approached, his concerned eyes scanning Eun-woo's disheveled form as he knelt beside him.
“Eun-woo,” Taehyung’s voice was soft, soothing, like the calm before a storm, yet laced with worry. “Are you alright now? Your rut should have subsided.”
Eun-woo didn’t respond, his throat tight with shame, his lips pressing together as he struggled to keep his emotions from spilling over. The words he wanted to say, the confession that burned within him, sat heavy on his tongue, but he couldn’t force it out. He could barely bring himself to breathe. 
“Why are you sitting here like this, on the cold floor?” Taehyung asked, his tone puzzled as he extended a hand toward Eun-woo, gently urging him to stand. His touch was warm, grounding, a lifeline that Eun-woo didn’t deserve.
But Eun-woo couldn’t bring himself to move. He stayed rooted to the spot, his gaze lowered, unwilling to meet his brother’s eyes. He felt tainted, unworthy of Taehyung’s kindness. The mere thought of looking into Taehyung’s face and seeing the inevitable disappointment---the disgust---was unbearable.
Taehyung noticed his unusual behavior, his brows drawing together as he studied Eun-woo. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with growing concern. “Are you unwell?”
For a long, agonizing moment, silence settled between them. Eun-woo felt the tears prick at his eyes, threatening to spill over. He clenched his fists, his entire body tense, his mind screaming that he needed to tell Taehyung the truth, that he owed it to his brother to be honest, no matter the outcome.
Slowly, painfully, he began to speak, each word laced with self-loathing. “Hyung… I… something happened.” His voice trembled, and he took a shaky breath, his gaze still fixed on the floor. “… during the rut… I…”
Eun-woo forced himself to continue, the shame overwhelming him, but he knew he couldn’t stop now. “I… I lost control, hyung. I didn’t… I couldn’t stop myself. I hurt him. I hurt him in ways I can never take back.” His voice broke, the tears finally slipping down his cheeks as he choked on the words. “I don’t expect forgiveness, and I know you’ll never want to see me again. I... ”
The silence that followed was suffocating, pressing down on Eun-woo until he thought he might collapse under the weight of it. He dared not lift his gaze, too afraid of the revulsion, the anger he might find in Taehyung’s eyes.
Taehyung’s gaze softened, his brows knitting together with confusion and deep concern. He reached out instinctively to cup Eun-woo’s face, his fingers gentle, hoping to offer comfort. “What are you even talking about, Eun-woo?” he asked softly, searching his younger brother’s face for answers. “Did something happen?”