Part 28
Early the next morning, Felix woke up before anyone else. He headed straight to the bathroom to wash away the lingering coldness of the night. For a long time, he simply stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. He traced the lines of his face, noticing how much thinner he had become, how much the prison and the trauma had aged his young features
He let out a heavy sigh, his fingers running through his long, blonde hair the last physical connection to the person he used to be
Downstairs, Jae-bum and Dong-seok were busy setting the table for breakfast. They sat down for a moment, talking quietly about the risks ahead, until they heard the rhythmic creak of footsteps on the stairs
The piece of bread Jae-bum was about to eat stayed frozen in mid-air as he looked up. His jaw nearly dropped. Felix stood there, looking completely unrecognizable
Jae-bum stared in total shock. Dong-seok was equally surprised, though he kept his composure better than Jae-bum
"You... you've truly changed!" Jae-bum managed to say, his voice thick with disbelief
Felix had cut his long blonde hair. Now, it reached only to his ears in the back and his bangs were trimmed just enough to frame his eyes. He was wearing the new clothes they had bought, a sharp black sweater and wide-legged black trousers that made him look elegant yet somber
"Why are you so shocked? Have I really changed that much?" Felix asked, biting his lip nervously as he approached the table
"No! It's just... it's the first time I've seen you like this. You look like a different person" Jae-bum explained, still trying to process the sight
"Cutting your hair means starting a new life" Dong-seok said warmly, breaking the tension "I hope you don't lose your strength. Keep moving forward, Felix"
Felix managed a small, genuine smile "Thank you, Hyung"
Hyunjin was in his prison cell, lying on his bunk, buried in a book. He had retreated deep into the pages, using the words as a shield to forget the suffocating walls and the cold reality of his confinement
As his eyes scanned the lines, he stopped at a specific passage. The book spoke of how love breaks a human being, making them weak and fragile or perhaps, transforming them into a terrifying monster. Hyunjin felt a chill crawl up his spine. The book continued to dissect the nature of love, dragging him deeper into a psychological abyss
When the image of Felix flashed in his mind, his heart rate spiked. His chest tightened and his breathing became shallow and erratic. Agitated, Hyunjin pressed his hand firmly against his heart, trying to steady the frantic rhythm. His gaze drifted across the small cell to Felix's empty bunk, the sight of it was a hollow ache
He dropped the book and stood up, moving toward Felix's bunk with slow, deliberate steps. He sat down on the edge of the mattress and picked up the pillow. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, burying his face in the fabric as if he could manifest Felix's presence right there in the dark
"This is so mindless..." Hyunjin whispered, his eyes snapping open. A dark, unstable glint flickered in his pupils "Is this what they call love?"
Suddenly, the silence of the cell block was shattered "SHIBAAAAL!!" he roared, the curse tearing through his throat with raw fury
Immediately after the outburst, he collapsed back into a fit of manic laughter. It was a jagged, haunting sound that lacked any joy "I've truly gone insane! What the hell am I even thinking?"
He slammed the pillow back onto the bunk and lay down exactly where Felix used to rest, staring up at the bottom of the top bunk with a wide, glazed look in his eyes
"Felix... Felix... I've lost my mind" he murmured, a twisted smile curling his lips as he embraced the madness
In a different part of Seoul, the grand gates of the Lee estate opened to admit a sleek black limousine. Lee Jun-Ho stepped out of the car, adjusting his suit jacket as he walked into the foyer. He moved with the confidence of a man who had successfully buried his past and inherited a fortune
He walked into the primary living room and sank into the large, velvet sofa, letting out a satisfied sigh. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes to soak in the quiet luxury of the mansion
The silence was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps. His lead security man entered the room, his face pale and his hands clasped nervously in front of him
"Sir," the man whispered "There is an urgent update from the prison"
Jun-ho didn't open his eyes. He stayed draped across the sofa, his voice calm and bored "What happened?"
The guard swallowed hard "Felix has escaped, sir"
Jun-Ho's eyes snapped open. He sat bolt upright, the relaxation vanishing instantly. For a moment, he sat in stunned silence, his face pale with shock
"Escaped?" Jun-ho repeated, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low hiss "That little rat? Howww?"
He stood up, his fingers digging into the expensive fabric of the sofa. He was shaken to his core, though he still had no idea that Felix had already recovered the video evidence from the servants' quarters. To Jun-Ho, Felix was a ghost that was supposed to stay buried not a threat that was now roaming the streets of Seoul
"He has nowhere to go" Jun-Ho muttered, trying to convince himself He turned to his man, his eyes flashing with malice "Find him. I want him found before the police get to him"
Jae-bum returned to his apartment, made a pot of coffee and sat in the dark. He didn't have to wait long. At 3:00 AM, the hallway erupted with the sound of heavy boots and the sharp, metallic clatter of weapons
"POLICE! OPEN THE DOOR!"
Jae-bum didn't rush. He walked calmly to the door and pulled it open. He found himself staring down the barrels of several service pistols. A lead detective pushed past the officers, shoving a badge into Jae-bum's face
"Where is Lee Felix?" the detective barked, his eyes darting around the room
Jae-bum didn't flinch. He leaned against the doorframe, his voice steady and devoid of emotion "I know he escaped" Jae-bum said, meeting the detective's gaze directly "I saw the news alerts. But he didn't come here"
The detective narrowed his eyes, leaning in close "You were the last person to show him any kindness in that hellhole. We have reports that you two were close"
"Kindness doesn't mean I'm going to throw my life away for a convicted killer" Jae-bum lied smoothly
"Search every inch!" the detective ordered
The police swarmed the small apartment. They were aggressive ripping clothes out of the wardrobe, throwing books off the shelves and even checking the crawlspace above the bathroom. They searched the kitchen, looking for extra plates or food waste that would suggest a guest
Jae-bum watched them with a look of bored annoyance
"Sir, the place is empty" an officer called out from the bedroom
The detective turned back to Jae-bum, his face red with frustration "If I find out you're lying, you're done"
"Then start looking for someone else to blame for your security failure" Jae-bum replied "And close the door on your way out"
Once they left, the silence of the apartment felt heavy. Jae-bum waited, sitting by the window. He knew they would leave a tail a car parked down the street to watch him. He couldn't go back to Felix yet, He gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles white
The atmosphere in the visiting room was suffocating. The air was thick with the smell of old iron and industrial cleaner. Taejin sat on one side of the table .
"I've traced Felix's history and why he was originally sent here" Taejin said, his voice coming through the intercom with a jagged edge "I found out that Kim Jae-bum is his best friend, the only person he has left. I've been monitoring Jae-bum's apartment for hours but I can't find Felix. Neither of them is making a move. They aren't meeting, and there isn't even a hint of a location"
Hyunjin's eyes were dark, his fingers twitching rhythmically on the metal table "No... like I told you, I am certain Felix is with that man!" he hissed, his voice trembling with a mix of rage and desperate longing
"I know they are together" Taejin explained, trying to maintain professional distance "I'm just saying Felix is hiding in a separate location. Jae-bum is just acting as the shield"
"Then find him!" Hyunjin roared, the sound echoing off the sterile walls of the room
Taejin's jaw tightened. He had been working without sleep for days "I am trying! Why are you so volatile? It takes time to sweep a city this size"
Hyunjin suddenly collapsed inward. He covered his face with his hands, leaning back heavily into the cold chair "Find him... I'm going crazy" he whispered. His voice wasn't threatening anymore, it was weak, hollow and filled with a terrifying level of misery
Taejin stared at him, genuinely unsettled. He had seen Hyunjin do many things, but seeing him this broken shaking over the absence of a boy he used to control sent a chill down Taejin's spine
"I'll find him" Taejin said, his voice dropping "Just give me a bit more time"
Hyunjin's hands dropped from his face. his eyes wide and vacant "Go to my father. Tell him I'm ready to confess to everything. I'm going to get out of this prison"
Hyunjin knew that the longer he stayed inside, the further Felix would run. This was the only way to chase him down himself
Taejin felt his heart skip a beat "What?! Are you serious?!"
Hyunjin just nodded slowly, a ghost of a smile appearing on his lips "Let the trial begin immediately"
As Hyunjin stood up and signaled the guards to take him back, Taejin remained frozen
"I can't believe it" Taejin muttered to himself, his head spinning "Three years of silence... and he gives it all up just because of one boy. Ah... fuck"
Taejin turned and hurried out of the visiting room, knowing that the confession would set off a political explosion and that Felix was no longer just running from the police but from a freed Hyunjin