Part 22
Today was washing day, the scheduled time for the prisoners to clean themselves. As usual they were lined up in the corridor, waiting their turn for access to the showers and washrooms
Felix hadn't seen Jae-bum since early this morning and a knot of anxiety tightened in his stomach. He glanced around slightly, scanning the crowd
"Where is Jae-bum Hyung, Si Hun?" Felix whispered softly near his ear, his voice laced with concern
"He left a little while ago. Apparently he had a visitor" Si Hun said quietly
Felix blinked, a genuine shock crossing his face "A visitor? After all this time?" In all the months Felix and Jae-bum had been cellmates, no one had ever come for Jae-bum
"Felix?" Si Hun called softly, his voice full of reluctance and worry
"Yes?" Felix replied, sensing Si Hun was holding back
"Is... is that monster not hurting you? I'm genuinely terrified for you, especially now that he's in your cell" Si Hun pressed, his gaze earnest and fearful
"No, I'm fine, Si Hun so please don't worry about me" Felix lied smoothly, forcing a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his exhausted eyes
"I feel like this is all my fault" Si Hun insisted, his eyes brimming with sadness "It's because you protected me, he's just looking for revenge against you now"
"No, you've got it completely wrong" Felix said gently, placing a hand on Si Hun's arm "He was like this long before you came here, doing these things to assert power, Don't burden yourself with his cruelty"
Their conversation ended as their turn came, and they were escorted away to the washing area
Due to the heavy rain lashing outside, all the prisoners were directed to stay within the large indoor yard section after washing. Felix and Si Hun were sitting on metal chairs near the perimeter when Felix spotted Jae-bum returning from the visitation area
"Jae-bum Hyung!" Felix smiled brightly and raised a hand in greeting, relief flooding his voice
Jae-bum seemed profoundly downcast, his shoulders slumped and his steps were slow and heavy as he approached them. The weight of his mood was visible
"Are you alright, Jae-bum?" Si Hun asked immediately, noticing his friend's unusual pallor
Jae-bum nodded slightly, his response lackluster "I'm fine"
"Who came to see you? You never have visitors!" Felix pressed, his earlier concern now replaced by a sharp suspicion
"It was an old friend of mine" Jae-bum said hesitantly, avoiding Felix's gaze by looking at the floor "He said... he just missed me, so he came" The explanation felt thin and his body language screamed distress
Felix kept his eyes locked intensely on Jae-bum's face, watching every minute flicker of emotion. The casual dismissal of the visit did nothing to reassure him. Subconsciously, he clenched his fists and continuously tapped his foot on the cold concrete floor a rising sign of his internal tension. He was absolutely certain that something bad, something secretive, had transpired during that visit, but Jae-bum was clearly intent on saying nothing
The rain was falling more lightly and softly now, leaving the air fresh and cool. Felix told Jae-bum and Si Hun that he needed to step outside for a while
The sky remained slightly overcast due to the lingering clouds. Felix found a wooden chair situated beneath a large tree, a spot that offered more dryness than the open ground
His long blonde hair was slightly damp as he gazed into the distance. A memory surfaced, the time when Hyunjin had lifted his head, seeming to close his eyes to the sky, absorbing the moment. Following that recollection, Felix also raised his head slightly and closed his eyes
He took a deep breath. the mingled scent of rain, grass and rich soil was sharp and distinct
Then something large and warm settled over his shoulders and Felix's eyes snapped open
"You'll catch a cold" Hyunjin said softly, sitting down on the chair to Felix's right
Felix looked at the heavy garment and realized it was Hyunjin's coat "I don't want it" He lifted the coat slightly, attempting to return it
"Yaaa!! I don't care about you but if you get sick, I'll catch it too because we share a cell. You know that, right?" Hyunjin immediately shot back, his tone impatient and decisively resettled the thick coat over Felix
Felix went silent, his gaze fixed straight ahead. The coat was extremely warm and soft and its scent ... a very distinct fragrance made Felix involuntarily want to lean into it and inhale deeply
"Sometimes I wonder why people like us turn into monsters like this" Hyunjin suddenly mused, his voice quiet, looking out at the yard
Felix was pulled back from his thoughts. "So you acknowledge you're a monster?"
"Hey, I know who I am. I never claimed to be an angel. I know I'm rotten" Hyunjin said with a touch of annoyance at the obvious query
"Then why not change?" Felix asked, his voice steady
"I think being a monster is preferable to being a coward" Hyunjin countered, his expression darkening
"When you told me about parts of your past, I realized you didn't choose that life initially. You couldn't change it then," Felix continued, maintaining his calm "But the person you became afterward, that was your choice. You could change now if you wanted to"
Felix's words were delivered with a quiet sincerity that was powerful enough to silence Hyunjin. He didn't want to concede that Felix was right so he stood up abruptly
"I'm leaving" Hyunjin announced, slipping his hands into his pockets
When he had walked a short distance away, Felix called out loudly "Your coat?"
Hyunjin turned around "Bring it with you when you come back to the cell" Then he walked away, leaving Felix alone
Felix stared into the distance, wrapping himself tighter in the coat like a cocoon. He couldn't stop breathing in its unique scent for reasons he couldn't explain, it offered him a surprising, momentary feeling of peace
After a while, Felix returned to the cell and stopped abruptly in the middle when he saw Hyunjin sleeping on his bunk
Hyunjin had one large, muscular arm tucked under his head and the other was resting lightly on his stomach. Felix couldn't take his eyes off him. in repose, Hyunjin looked like an expensive, classical painting so devastatingly captivating. His hair was slightly messy, falling over his forehead and his long, elegant neck was fully visible. Felix noticed the pronounced Adam's apple in his throat and involuntarily registered how profoundly and dangerously attractive it was on a man
"How long are you going to stare at me like that?" Hyunjin suddenly drawled, his voice low and smooth
Felix's eyes widened in profound shock, and he immediately stumbled backward a step, his breath catching in his throat
"You... I thought you were asleep!" Felix stammered out, his voice thin with residual fright
"Even if I were asleep, is it polite to stare at people while they sleep?" Hyunjin countered, his voice dripping with playful, predatory amusement
A flare of anger cut through Felix's embarrassment. He yanked the large coat off his shoulder and threw it hard into Hyunjin's face
"I just wanted to give it back to you!" Felix insisted, his cheeks flushing hotly. He quickly retreated to the meager safety of his own bunk
Hyunjin slowly removed the coat from his face, a deliberate, challenging grin spreading across his lips "You're very rude. You should learn to respect your elders"
"You're also very rude, so you're the last person to talk about respect" Felix snapped sarcastically, immediately burying his attention in a book, desperate for a thin shield of distraction
Hyunjin sighed dramatically, stood up from his bunk, approached Felix and pulled the book down with one swift, dismissive motion
"You're a bit wet. Didn't I tell you I'd get sick later because of you, hmm?" Hyunjin said, his face moving in close, violating proximity to Felix's. His breath was warm against Felix's skin
Felix swallowed hard, his eyes wide and dilated with fear, like a startled cat's
"I'll... dry myself now—" He tried to stand up but Hyunjin's hands came up like strong, inescapable barriers, boxing Felix in even closer
Felix jerked his head sharply to the side, desperately trying to avoid Hyunjin's intense, burning gaze
"If you don't want... to get sick... let me... dry myself..." Felix stuttered, trying to reason but the words were useless. Hyunjin paid him no mind
Hyunjin pulled the damp collar of Felix's shirt down slightly and began licking Felix's neck "Hmm"
Hyunjin lowered his head further, then slowly moved upward, kissing his neck and tracing the vulnerable line beneath his chin
"S-stop" Felix whispered, placing his hands against Hyunjin's broad shoulders, his protest pitifully weak against the immense pressure
"I told you to be careful, little one. Since you haven't dried yourself, let me do it for you" Hyunjin murmured in a low, intoxicating voice that sent shivers of both revulsion and terror down Felix's spine
"I'll dry myself! Please stop" Felix pleaded, tears once again welling up in his eyes
Hyunjin raised his head slightly and looked directly into Felix's eyes, which were brimming with despair
"I want to kiss you" Hyunjin declared, placing one possessive finger gently on Felix's lower lip
Felix pulled back violently, recoiling from the touch "But I don't want to"
In a sudden, desperate surge of strength fueled by disgust and sheer survival panic, Felix pushed Hyunjin hard on the chest. The shove was forceful enough to break the predatory intimacy and send Hyunjin stumbling back a step
Hyunjin's eyes narrowed, flashing with cold, surprised anger at the unexpected physical rejection. He stared at Felix for a long, cold, tense moment, the air crackling between them. Then Felix, unable to endure the close proximity and the silent threat any longer, scrambled up and ran out of the cell without a backward glance, the sound of his frantic footsteps fading down the corridor, leaving Hyunjin standing alone in the suddenly empty cell