had cuts grazing his face. he looked suho in the eye. they were covered in bruises, painting in purple and blue hues. how long had suho endured this?

"hey suho." jin piped, "want to hear a joke."

suho didn't reply. jin assumed he wanted to.

"what kind of shoes do ninja's wear?" jin stifled a laugh.

"sneak-ers."

jin's laugh echoed within the cell. suho let out a light chuckled at jin's humor.

"how do you do it?"

"do what?" jin titled his head.

"how are you still cracking jokes?"

jin pursed his lips into a fine line, "i wasn't always like this."

suho furrowed his brows. he hadn't ever met someone like jin. jin had the same sense of humor suho had. he was able to crack jokes while being beaten. he admired the confidence jin had.

"what do you mean?"

suho and jin had grown close despite the little time they had spent with each other. suho had a right to know about jin's past.

"my past wasn't all sunshines and rainbows." jin smiled a warm smile.

his father crouched down beside the little child,

"what do you want to be when you grow up, jin."

jin clutched the stethoscope in his hands closer to his chest. his favorite toy set.

"a doctor." jin peeped, "i want to save people."

for years jin's only dream was to become a doctor. throughout his years of middle and high school jin studied as hard as he could to make his dreams become a reality.

he took entrance exam after exam in hopes of possibly getting into a good university.

jin walked to the mailbox, he held his breath as he opened the mailbox.

his hands grasped around the letter inside.

all his years of studying came to this one moment. he had hoped for the best and worked as hard as he could.

jin's heart raced as he stepped inside the living room.

"oppa did you get in?" his sister jumped.

jin ruffled her hair, "i haven't opened it yet junmi."

junmi sat in the seat next to jin while he opened the letter. her eyes were perched on the letter in jin's hand.

jin's finger trembled as he stumbled to open the letter. his heart wanted to jump out of his chest.

jin's eyes scanned over the letter.

"i got it junmi." he whispered, "i got in."

jin was in a state of shock. he couldn't believe it. his heart raced faster. did he misread it? his eyes glanced over the paper again.

he did it. he got in.

"eomma! appa!" junmi screamed.

jin couldn't believe it. he read over the letter again and again. it was true.

"we're proud of you jin."

his father and mother swallowed him into a hug. all of his efforts had paid off.

they had a night full of celebrations. as jin got into his bed he heard muffled noises from the room next door.

he rustled out of his bed covers. he put his ear onto the door.

"how are we going to pay his college fees." his mother sighed, "we barely have enough money to get by the month."

his father hugged his mother, "we'll figure something out. i know jin has worked really hard for this. it'll crush him if he can't go."

jin's heart broke as he heard his parents. he needed to get the money without his parents help. he couldn't burden them any further.

jin ate his breakfast with his family in silence.

jin broke the silence, "i got a job."

his father stopped eating.

"jin!" his father yelled, "why would you get a job! you need to focus on your studies!"

"i'll help pay my university costs." jin spoke as he poked his food, "i'm an adult."

the atmosphere was tense. rage crossed his father's face.

"then you will pay all of it."

his mother tapped his father's hand, "don't you think that is a bit much."

his father rose from his seat, "he is an adult. he needs to start taking care of himself."

jin continued to poke at his food. what was so wrong about him getting a job?

jin stepped into mingles. he wore his waitress outfit. he served from table to table, clutching plates and glasses.

he worked late into the night until closing time. he cleaned the kitchens.

"jin." his manager came inside, "here's your paycheck for this month."

jin grabbed the paycheck from his manager before stuffing it into his pocket.

"thank you." he sighed as he finished washing the dishes.

jin dried his hands on the towel. he walked out of the door onto the quiet streets of seoul. he took out the envelope from his pocket. he read over the check.

jin sat down on the curb, "it's not enough."

he grabbed at the ends of his hair. how was he going to pay for his tuition? a man watched him from the corner.

he watched as jin stared at the paycheck.

he smirked as he sat by jin, "i can help you out with the costs."

"who are you?" jin scooted away from the man in all black.

"don't worry about who i am. i can get you a job if you would like and pay off all your costs."

jin hesitated. he didn't know if he could trust the man in front of him, but he needed the money. he didn't have enough to pay the tuition.

"come on." his voice had a sickening sweetness to it.

"i'll do it." jin had made up his mind.

he would do anything to prevent his parents from overworking anymore than they already are. he could take care of himself. he was an adult.

the man took jin to a warehouse. jin shivered as he followed the man.

"i'll pay off all your costs." he started.

jin knew this was too good to be true. there was a catch. the man entered a room inside the warehouse, he gestured for jin to come inside.

"you only have to do one thing."

jin furrowed his eyebrows.

the main pointed to the stacks of bags, "you have to sell a certain amount of these every week."

jin's heart froze. he stopped in his steps. he couldn't do this. those were drugs. he was a doctor, he was supposed to save lives, not take them.

"i can't-"

a gun was pressed to jin's forehead.

"it's too late now." he chuckled, "i'll pay all your costs."

he walked into the darkness, "it's better for you if you sell the exact amount i ask every week."

jin held the package in his hand while walking through the underground alleys of seoul.

"how much did you bring?" the man asked.

jin hung his head low, "20 kilograms."

the man pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket. he held it in front of jin. jin grabbed the cash from the man's hand. he counted through it.

"you're short."

the man pulled out a few extra bills from his pocket, "i'm not giving you anymore."

jin counted the extra bills, "you're still short."

the man sent a punch flying to jin's face, "i don't fucking care. you are giving me the fucking drugs."

jin's hand grazed his face. it hurt. a bruise was forming on his cheek. he couldn't deal with it any longer.

jin held the package out in front of him, "just take it."

the man grabbed the package and left as soon as he came. tears raced down jin's cheek. what had he done with his life?

jin stared into the mirror. he sighed in disgust at himself. in the sunlight he was saving lives, in the dusk he was taking them. all to pay his tuition.

jin had far too much work to complete. it was almost the weekend and he had to return home. he didn't sell anything this week. he wouldn't sell anything anymore. his mind had been made up. jin rushed through hours of work until the sun rose.

he packed his backpack for the weekend. a couple pairs of clothes would be enough. he smiled as he paid for his train ticket. he missed his family. it had been a few months since he had seen his sister. his face lit up at the thought of her cute smile when he surprised her.

he rang the doorbell of his home.

no one answered.

maybe they were resting. he scavenged through his bag for the set of keys he had. he turned the key into the keyhole.

he grasped his hands around the doorknob entering the home.

"junmi!" he called.

he didn't hear a reply. junmi was supposed to be home by now. maybe she was at her friends home. he went to his room. he was going to take a long nap before someone came home.

he opened his room.

jin's heart stopped. he was frozen, rooted to place.

"junmi!" he shrieked.