⚠️ Beatings ⚠️

- Hannan ♥

🌹🌹🌹

PROLOGUE

It was a long time ago but I still could remember every bit and every fragment of how it all had happened. They were not even something that I could just take away from my memory because well, it all had happened for a reason.

There was a reason as to why I needed to meet him and I needed to go through all that had happened. And if asked if I was willing to change everything and have the chance to choose of what I wanted to happen?

My answer would be really according to what he showed of me.

Walking in a smooth pink lace tied-shoulder dress that didn't even reach my knee bone wouldn't have been so hard only if the floor I was walking on wasn't exactly the same floors where the four-footer white grand piano that the man of my nightmare was playing stood for everyone to marvel at.

People were in awe, as always. People admired him, as usual. Not me though, I stood at my ground, hiding behind my mother who was happily talking with people coming our way for a greeting and a short formal banter. I nervously hid behind my mother to keep my small shaking form from the eye of the cold looking boy who was nonchalantly playing the piano.

Just like the usual, he played very well and everyone seemed to enjoy his music, he always got his way into everyone's heart through his talented fingers on the piano keys.

The vast and high dome ceiling of the wide hall could have been one of my fantasies turned reality to dance at, hoping to at least have a glance of my Prince charming just like how Cinderella had found her Prince in the middle of the busy and crowded dance floor… on the second thought, it wasn't her who had found the Prince, it was the other way around. But no, instead of seeing a Prince, all I could see was a Beast in an elegant white tuxedo, playing the piano and not giving a care to anyone who stared at him in awe.

People, man and woman stood in front of each other swaying and smiling along the soothing music, others in awe for it was played by a fifteen-year old boy.

I had always known his talent in playing the piano, I had always known how he loved it and how he poured all of his time at home just to learn it.

"I see, your unica hija is growing into a beautiful lady so fast! How old is she now?"

Forcing myself to look away from the handsome boy who was still very oblivious of my existence—luckily, and looking over to the man who now looked down at me, obvious awe in his eyes and smiling so sweetly. Pinigilan ko ang panlalaki ng mga mata ko nang makilala ang lalaki pero hindi ko napigilang mas magkubli pa sa likod ni Mommy habang mas humihigpit din ang kapit ko sa likod ng suot niyang black silky long dress.

"Oh, sweet girl, you're still very shy!" The familiar man beamed, his small eyes behind his spectacles danced in amazement, finding my action so funny.

"My Frayanne is now ten years old, Thomas, and yes, still very shy," sagot ni Mommy sa lalaking nakilala kong may-ari ng lugar na kinaroroonan namin dahil hindi naman ito ang unang pagkakataong nakatungtong ako sa lugar na ito. It wasn't the first time and I was guessing, neither the last time!

Tito Thomas was a family friend, together with his beautiful wife, Tita Bella.

Madalas kaming magtungo nina Mommy at Daddy sa lugar na ito pero ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataong na-appreciate ko ng ganoon ang kagandahan ng lugar dahil naka-ayos ang buong paligid sa okasyon ngayong gabi. The place looked classic and lively, compared to the mood it had when normal days.

The Min mansion was a beauty.

"And she was just four when we first saw her!" Tito Thomas said, tilting his head to sneak a peek of me.

I was not really afraid of the man, he was actually very funny and easy going for me but with that face and how I always saw him getting along with his youngest son so well, I couldn't help but distance myself from him. I always did, even in normal times.

I just didn't want to encounter his youngest son, not when I was just barely dragged to be here in respect to the birthday boy, Kuya Yexel, the good eldest son and the one who I got along very well. Magtatampo sa akin si Kuya Yexel kapag hindi ako nagpunta at hindi ko mapapayagan iyon. The sweet man was too soft for me, that was the only thing I could somehow repay him.

"Actually, Sergio has been moping over how his daughter's growing so fast 'cause for as long as I want her to instantly become a lady, the Daddy wants his baby pea to stay as a toddler, just how weird is that?" Halata ang inis sa tono ni Mommy na bahagyang nagpa-alala sa akin ng mga maliliit nilang bangayan sa tuwing mini-make up-an niya ako.

My father would get mad over that and would cause a trivial argument between them. My father thought I was still too young to get my face stain with makeup and my mother just did whatever she pleased. And well, I was too young to know what was best and what was according for me.

"Why don't you just give him another baby, Elaina?"

My head slowly turned to the new arrived voice, jaw dropping and eyes widening at the beautiful lady in her elegant black floor-length dress that hugged her perfect body so well and her burgundy hair neatly tied in a bun, some strands falling by the both sides of her beautiful face.

Tita Bella smiled as she gently hooked her arm around Tito Thomas' arm, her husband who was sweetly smiling back at her. She was really beautiful, also very nice that was why the existence of their youngest son was such a big mystery for me.

Tito Thomas and Tita Bella were very nice, same with Kuya Yexel, but him? He was out of the equation, he was a— nevermind.

"Bella!" Mabilis na lumapit si Mommy kay Tita Bella para bigyan ng halik na naging dahilan para mabitawan ko ang damit niya at maiwan akong nakatayo sa kinaroroonan ko, ang mga paa ko ay napako sa sahig.

Hindi ko napigilang ituong muli ang tingin ko sa kinaroroonan ng grand piano at halos matumba ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang makasalubong ko ang mga maliliit ngunit tamad kung tumitig na mga mata ng lalaking naka-upo roon, ang kaputian niya ay nangingibabaw dahil sa kakaibang putla ng kulay niya.

For awhile, I felt like pulling my mother's dress again and hid under so I could escape from his cold stares that pricked at my spine, raising my fear for him even more.

"Thanks for coming, Elaina! Where's you husband?" And Tita Bella's soft voice always lulled me, somehow giving me a slight comfort from the fear brought by her youngest son's cold stares.

"He's just around, probably doing business, that shameless man. I'm deeply sorry for that," Mommy apologetically said that made me look at her again. It was better than to stare at the cold guy who could always send fears to my spine. Kulang na lang ay maihi ako sa kinatatayuan ko dahil sa takot.

"It's fine, Elaina. Why don't we sit down?" untag ni Tito Thomas saka pa lang ako ulit naalala ni Mommy.

Her face instantly softened when she saw me not moving at my ground, frozen and scared, she lent her hands for me while smiling reassuringly at me. She knew I didn't like being left out so I was sad how she just set me aside earlier.

"C'mon, sweet pea. No sulking, remember?" she sweetly told me, reminding me the deal we had earlier before going here and upon making me agree to come.

"You made me u-upset," nakayuko kong sagot, nakakaramdam pa rin ng kaba.

"Oh no, I'm sorry, my Fraye! Come, let's go with your Kuya Yexel's parents and have our seat, hm." Lumapit siya sa akin at hinawakan ang kamay ko saka yumuko sa akin para patakan ng halik ang ulo ko.

I suddenly wished, my father wasn't out there talking to some people who he could probably pull to invest to our business. Kapag magkakasama kami ay hindi niya ako iniiwan, palagi niyang sinisigurong hawak niya ang kamay ko dahil iniisip niyang mawawala ako.

For him, I was still a kid, a toddler as Mommy called it.

"Elaina, Yoongi would soon finish his play, maybe the kids can play after—"

"I'm not going anywhere away from you, Mommy!" Hindi ko gustong putulin ang sinasabi ni Tita Bella sa marahas na paraan pero hindi ko rin gugustuhing makaharap ang lalaking iyon.

The last thing I wanted to happen was to encounter again the man of my nightmares.

"What my did son do again, Fraye?" Tita Bella shouldn't be asking that because that just sounded so wrong in so many levels. It couldn't just justify all the bullying I always got from Kuya Yoongi.

From the vocal insults, casual trappings and physical beatings.

About to answer her, about to tell her how evil her youngest son was, my all being turned upside-down upon feeling my feet off the ground and my waist being gripped tightly by a pair of big strong hands, I just found myself being tossed up by a familiar grinning face.

My heart felt like leaping off my chest too.

"Yexel, hold her tight!" Narinig ko ang nag-aalalang boses ni Mommy at ilang tawanan na paniguradong mula kay Tito Thomas and Tita Bella.

"I missed this little pretty munchkin!" natatawang sabi ni Kuya Yexel saka muli akong hinagis pataas ngunit imbis na matakot ay napahagikhik ako nang makita ko ang nakangiting mukha niya.

Hindi ako natatakot na baka mabitawan niya ako dahil alam kong hindi iyon mangyayari, hindi niya iyon gagawin, at kahit na magkahawig sila ni Kuya Yoongi ay alam kong magka-iba sila ng ugali.

"I missed you, Kuya!" I said in between loud giggles, instantly forgetting about Kuya Yoongi who was just out there and probably plotting again another bad things to do or say to me.

Ibinaba ako ni Kuya Yexel pagkatapos niyang halikan ang magkabilang pisngi ko, inalalayan pa akong maupo sa mesa kung nasaan ang mga magulang namin saka siya nakihalubilo na rin. The man was always too sweet to me.

Masaya kaming kumain sa mesa namin, minsan ay may mga lumalapit sa amin para personal na batiin si Kuya Yexel, minsan naman ay pinipilit siya nina Tito Thomas at Tita Bella na maglibot para makasalamuha ang ibang bisita. Daddy came after a while that made me comfortable.

"Mom, my favourite visitor's here…" And Kuya Yexel stared at me, smiling sweetly.

"You're babying my daughter again, hijo," ani Mommy saka pabirong sinamaan ng tingin si Kuya Yexel na kanina pa kinukurot ang isang pisngi ko dahil siya ang katabi ko sa kanan samantalang si Daddy naman sa kaliwa.

Kuya Yexel would tickle me and I would giggle that would cause a laughter in our table, he would pinch my cheek and would prick at my forehead when I pouted.

"'Cause she's still a baby, El." Daddy held Mommy's hand on top of the table to stop her from speaking.

"Right, Tito Serge's right! Can I just adopt her, Tita El?"

I knew Kuya Yexel was just kidding but I still nodded to show them that I agreed and I was willing to get adopted. Noon pa lang talaga ay binibiro na namin ang mga magulang ko na magpapa-ampon na lang ako kay Kuya Yexel tutal ay madalas naman ako sa kanila, si Kuya Yexel ang nagiging babysitter ko sa tuwing lumalabas ng bansa ang mga magulang ko at ipinagbibilin ako sa Min's family.

I could even remember Kuya Yexel playing with me before, before when he still wasn't in college. Ngayon kasing nasa college na siya ay madalas na siyang wala sa bahay kaya si Kuya Yoongi na ang palaging nagbabantay sa akin—much to my despair.

"But you can't bring her to the house."

We all stopped laughing when a familiar cold and raspy voice clouded the atmosphere in our table. It overpowered our voices. The hand that was pinching my cheeks froze before falling off my cheeks. We didn't even hear the music from the piano stop and get substituted with a mellow instrumental music coming from the orchestra at some corner of the hall.

I didn't even have the chance to stare at the newcomer because the familiar voice itself was enough to make me sulk deeper in my seat and to hide myself as I nervously pinched each of my fingers under the table.

"You, bad kid! Look what you did to Fraye?! You're scaring the little girl!" His mother's natural soft voice shrieked at him, but I didn't dare look up to see for his reaction. Knowing him, he didn't often react to anything or anyone around him, well, not if it involved me. I guessed, he really hated me to pits.

"Yah, Yoongi, stop scaring my baby girl!" Kasunod ang boses ni Kuya Yexel na marahang hinahaplos na ang likod ko.

"It's fine, Fraye. Everyone's afraid of your Kuya Yoongi, hm," ani Daddy kaya nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya saka nagsumiksik sa dibdib niya.

Everytime I got afraid, I always felt protection and safety in my father's arms. Kasi siguro masyado niya akong bini-baby hindi katulad ni Mommy na palagi akong hinahayaang mag-isa dahil tingin niya, malaki na ako at kaya ko na ang sarili ko.

Everyone in our table agreed with my father as their laughter clouded the air, my father gently caressing my hair. They just didn't know what that cold hearted boy had been doing to me behind their eyes!

"Tss, she needs to come with me."

It was like a big hammer that strongly hit my chest.

Hindi ko man siya nakikita ay nai-imagine ko na ang suplado niyang mukha na ayaw na ayaw kong makita, nai-imagine ko na ang mga tamad niyang mga mata at pinid na pinid na mga labi na para bang gusto na lang niyang matulog.

He was a lazy boy, to be honest.

"Daddy, n-no, I don't want to come with him!" sigaw ko sa dibdib ni Daddy pero nang maramdaman ko ang panginginig ng dibdib niya dahil sa pagtawa niya ay alam ko na ang sasabihin niya. Dinagdagan pa iyon ng tawanan muli ng mga taong nasa table namin na tila ba hindi nila ako siniseryoso.

They thought I was a joke! Takot talaga ako kay Kuya Yoongi! Ang mapag-isa kasama siya ay kasama sa listahan ng mga bangungot ko!

"Sweet pea, isn't it nice for the two of you to get along with each other? Yoongi sweetie, where are you taking my daughter?" Narinig kong tanong ni Mommy kay Kuya Yoongi na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin nililingon.

I knew what he was doing! Lahat ng mga sinasabi niya ay palaging nasusunod, kahit pa na tungkol sa buhay ko ang pinag-uusapan.

My parents would always leave me to Min's family everytime they would have something to do out of the country and I would always get left at Kuya Yoongi's care since his parents also had works to do. Kuya Yexel would be at school always since he was a college student already. I didn't know what he did or what he learned there but my parents said, he was learning about how to manage their business.

At hindi maganda ang nangyayari palagi sa tuwing naiiwan ako kay Kuya Yoongi. Inaaway niya ako, pinapalo rin kapag hindi niya nagugustuhan ang mga ginagawa ko. He said I was not so innocent and kind like what my parents and his parents saw me at.

I could still remember the last time he did to me, he tied my hands on his bed's headboard and spank my bottom many times. Pinagbilang niya pa ako kung ilang beses niya akong papaluin.

He was a bad boy! He thought he was my father to be spanking me!

"My friends want to see her, the ones I introduced to her the last time." His voice sent creeps within me again, raising the rampant pace of my heartbeat even more.

"The Kim heirs?" Tito Thomas asked in behalf of me.

"Yeah, they've been asking her from me."

"Did you hear him, Fraye? It's your new friends. Go and say hi to them." Tinapik ni Daddy ang likod ko bago ko maramdamang marahang hinalikan niya ang ulo ko.

I remembered Kuya Taehyung from the three good guys Kuya Yoongi had brought to their house the last time I had been there. Lahat naman sila ay mababait, hindi katulad ni Kuya Yoongi, lahat sila ay nakakatuwang kasama pero si Kuya Taehyung ang pinakagusto ko sa kanila dahil mahilig siyang magpatawa at nilalaro niya ako. Both Kuya Jin and Kuya Namjoon had a more mature space so I couldn't cope up, they even had their own space with Kuya Yoongi.

At some part of my memory, though faintly, I could remember them mentioning girls and stuff that were too complicated for my young mind to understand.

"Come with us, Daddy." Hinila ko ang suot na suit ni Daddy nang tiningala ko siya ngunit agad ding naagaw ang atensiyon ko nang muling magsalita si Kuya Yoongi.

"Oh, don't make me introduce Tito Serge to my friends. It's not fun, so quickly get up and follow me." Hindi na niya hinintay pang makasagot ako o si Daddy dahil nakapamulsa na siyang tumalikod at naglakad palayo.

"Go, Fraye. Have fun with your new friends."

I was four, still very young and unaware when I had first met the man of my nightmare. Noon pa lang ay hindi na talaga siya palangiti kaya natanto na ng murang isipan ko na hinding-hindi ko siya makakasundo.

I was a soft person, I hated sternness, firmness and seriousness. They scared me. They creeped me out. So Kuya Yoongi was an impossible for me but growing up, I knew, I also had to deal with him because our families were closest of friends, even our companies. At paulit-ulit ko mang itanggi o kamuhian, parte na si Kuya Yoongi ng buhay ko at ganoon din ako sa buhay niya, ang mas nakaka-inis pa, alam kong hindi magtatagal ay tuluyan na siyang magkakaroon ng kontrol sa buhay ko, seeing how my parents trusted him so much with me though they knew the cold man wasn't good and nice to me.

What did they even see in him for trusting him so much? He always spanked me! Ni hindi nga ako pinapalo ni Daddy at Mommy!

"You're not a Princess walking in a magenta carpet, so walk fast!" Huminto siya sa paglalakad sa gitna ng mga taong may sari-sariling mundo para pansinin pa kami at marahas akong nilingon.

"Y-You don't have to shout!" And well, I couldn't stop myself from barking back at him. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit ayaw na ayaw niya sa akin. He said I was a bad girl, I was stubborn and I was not innocent, just because I didn't often follow his orders and demand.

Masyado siyang mapagmanipula!

Agad akong nag-iwas ng tingin dahil sa talim ng titig niya sa akin ay parang gusto kong bawiin ang sinabi ko at mag-sorry dahil sa pagsigaw ko. Nakakahiya kung makaka-agaw kami ng atensyon. Iyon ang pinakahuling gusto kong mangyari ngayong magkasama kami. Ipapahiya niya lang ako sa mga tao.

"Tss, lumalaban ka talaga, ah. Gusto mo bang dalhin kita sa banyo? Let's get your bad ass spank hard," banta niya sa akin sa matalim pa ring tingin. Ang mga maliliit na mga mata ay mas nanliit dahil sa pagsasalubong ng mga itim na itim niyang kilay at pinid na pinid ang maninipis at mapupulang mga labi saka marahas na itinuro sa kung saan ang daliri niya, sa direksyon ng banyo.

His pale white skin stood out in the middle of the hall with people in black suits since he was wearing a white tuxedo, his ebony messy hair just highlighted the color of his skin.

Napasinghap ako sa sinabi niya at pakiramdam ko, gusto ko na lang na pumihit patalikod para tumakbo pabalik sa mesa ng mga magulang namin. Papaluin na naman niya ako!

"Isusumbong kita kay Daddy!" sigaw ko, naluluha na.

"Come here, the rest room's this way. Show me your bad ass and scream for your Daddy!" Hindi nga siya nagbibiro dahil mabilis siyang nakalapit sa akin at marahas na hinawakan ang pulupulsuhan ko. Ang bango niyang hindi ko naamoy mula sa kaniya kanina dahil sa layo namin sa isa't isa ay nanuot sa ilong ko.

He always smelled like strawberry, that was because Tita Bella's favourite flavor was strawberry.

Halos manlambot ang mga tuhod ko nang walang kahirap-hirap na hilahin niya ako patungo sa direksyong itinuro niya kanina at tuluyan nang nalaglag ang mga luhang namumuo sa mga mata ko kanina nang makarating kami sa isang common comfort room na nasa hallway.

He effortlessly dragged me inside a cubicle after making sure he locked the main door and the cubicle's door.

"No!" umiiyak kong sigaw nang mabilis niya akong inikot at ipinaharap sa dingding.

"You should learn not to fight back, you bad little girl!" he angrily barked at me, instantly pulling my dress up and my panty down to have an access on my bottoms.

"Daddy!" I screamed in the middle of my loud sobs, calling for the man I had used to scream every time he would spank me.

With a strong and painful force, his hard palm hit my bare bottom as I cried for help.

That wasn't new, he would always do this to me. He would always spank me like how a father would do to their child if being bad but the case here was, he wasn't my Daddy! Ni hindi ako pinapalo ng Daddy ko!

Three painful and strong hits met my skin as I became a crying mess.

Itinaas niyang muli ang panty ko at ibinaba ang dress ko matapos niya akong paluin, mahapdi ang pang-upo ko dahil sa ginawa niya.

"Next time, you'll be screaming for my name, Julie. You're still not learning, tsk, tsk," he whispered by my ear as he slowly pushed my little shivering body on the hard wall, his body following suit, crashing me.

My cries were still clouding the air and I felt his hot breath hitting the skin of my nape. It was useless, I didn't know if I still could escape his dominant and impulsive personality, seeing that he dominated my young self and could do to me what he pleased to do.

"You're b-bad…" iyak ko.

"Yeah, so bad for you. Only for you. We're still too young and your parents would probably kill me if I do you so let's wait, let's wait till you grow a little more and learn."

I knew, there was no escape, I knew back then that I couldn't get away from him.

I might not understand what he was saying, I felt like he wouldn't ever stop messing with me because forever in my life, he just declared and proved that he dominates.