TW: Mention of abuse.
Ezra's body was covered in purplish-blue bruises and red handprints. Leon's hand that was gripping the shower curtain trembled.
"Who did this to you?" he asked Ezra with a quiet voice.
Ezra didn't seem to hear him as he chose to turn off the shower and say, "Huh?"
"What are all these bruises? Who the fuck has been beating you?" Leon let go of the curtain and grabbed a towel to wrap around Ezra's body.
Some of the bruises looked like they were healing while others looked fresh. They were all nasty-looking still.
"Just some alpha who gives me money," Ezra responded nonchalantly, wiping his body dry with the towel.
Leon's expression turned grim. "He hits you for money?"
"Hahahaha. Nooo. He hits me after he gives me money and I go to ask other people for money." Ezra spoke with an amused tone, then walked out of the bathroom.
Leon was still rooted to the spot he was standing, trying to understand what the hell was wrong with his brother.
How could he let someone hit him? So badly?
Leon couldn't understand even after thinking for ten seconds. He walked out of the bathroom and saw Ezra applying products to his skin.
"Does he know you're an idol?" Leon asked Ezra, walking towards him.
"Of course, he does. Why wouldn't he?" Ezra looked at Leon like he just asked a dumb question.
"Then why does he hit you? Have you reported him? Are you just gonna let him hit you?" Leon was trying to wrap his head around the matter as he asked all of these questions.
Ezra placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "He gives me money. How can I report him? Stop acting like it's some big deal. It's just a few punches. I can handle it, don't you know?"
Leon's fists clenched.
'Just a few punches? You can handle it? You who hates pain more than anything else? You're willing to bear it?' Leon looked at his brother who didn't seem to find anything wrong with the words he was saying.
"Is that why you came here? To run away from him?" Leon asked with a sigh, going over to settle down on the bed.
"Nah. I have an audition for a new drama soon." Ezra said, returning his attention to his skin.
"What does that have to do with you coming here? Why'd you tell Max that you were scammed out of all your money?" Leon asked.
"I was. All my accounts are blocked by that alpha. So I currently don't have any money. That's why I'm here to audition for a new drama. Gosh, you've made me talk so much. Now my mouth hurts." Ezra whined with a soft voice when he got to the ending of his explanation.
Leon didn't pay mind to Ezra's useless complaint and continued to question him. "Why does he have access to your accounts?"
"Cause he's my manager. Duh…" Ezra rolled his eyes.
Now, Leon was even more confused. What kind of manager beat up their own idol? What was the entire situation about??
Ezra could read the confusion on Leon's face and decided to help him out a little.
"Manager Kim has been trying to change my image so he's been making me play silly and innocent roles. I don't like them. Whenever I try to explain to him, he gets upset. So…" Ezra trailed off, leaving Leon to piece in the remaining details for himself.
Leon still found this entire situation outrageous. Why the fuck would a mere manager try to control Ezra's life? Was he obsessed with him or something??
"Don't think too much about it. When I get a new role of my choosing, I'll drop him and get a new manager. Though he gives me lots of money, I'll find someone else who can give me more money." Ezra said to Leon with a reassuring tone.
Leon pressed his palm against his forehead.
A hundred words sat on his tongue, but none made it out. His brother was talking about pain like it cost nothing. Like bruises were the price of doing business, and all he could do was sit there—angry and fucking helpless.
"Anyway, enough about me. How are you?" Ezra changed the tone of his voice as he grabbed a different pair of silky robe and wore it on his body.
"I'm fine," Leon answered after much thought. The image of James AM suddenly flashed in his mind.
"Are you sure? Your frown lines and wrinkles seemed to have increased since the last time I saw you. You're looking so old now. I'm worried about you. What alpha's gonna want a grumpy and old omega?" Ezra said with a pitiful tone, reaching to comfort Leon.
Leon slapped his hand away and said, "Who told you that I'm looking for an alpha?"
Ezra laughed hard before collapsing on the bed next to Leon.
"You seriously want to end this life alone, brother? You are too miserable. I feel so bad for you. Imagine never getting to experience what it's like to be pressed down under a strong alpha who would thrust–"
"I met James today." Leon abruptly cut off Ezra's nonsense words.
"James? What James?" Ezra quickly sat up when he processed Leon's words in his head.
"James AM," Leon said, and Ezra's beautiful face immediately twisted with bitterness.
The hatefulness his expression carried could be seen from miles away. Leon wasn't sure if there was anyone who hated James as much as Ezra hated him. Ezra considered James as the biggest stumbling block in his life and his greatest rival.
Though it was one-sided.
The two of them had debuted at the same time in the same movie when they were both 15. They had even played opposing roles then with James as the angel protagonist and Ezra as the demon antagonist.
For over ten years, the two had been at odds. While James was incredibly successful enough to gain the hearts of fans, get married to a fellow film emperor, and start a family, Ezra was prosperous enough to gain enemies wherever he went.
Both in the film world and in real life. His bad luck was as active as James' good luck. Though he was as popular as James because of his beauty and acting skills, Ezra was not well liked.
He was always grouped among celebrities who had no future and were only relevant enough to be hated on. Just because he had played rival roles with James when they were younger, everyone viewed him as a green tea scum who was jealous of James' good life and success.
And yet, the James in question didn't even have any bad feelings towards Ezra.