Spending the night in the midst of a gigantic aristocracy and yet waking up on the rugged floor of a stingy dungeon, indeed an experience to cherish. The pain swaying through my lower back seemed to mark its territory with piercing discomfort while the arm that I supposedly extinguished my want of a mattress with, now had an intricate tattoo made of depths and crevices engraved on it. However, the soft addition under my head plunged me into a cottony curiosity.

Who bothered enough to come down here and place a pillow under my head, and that too so smoothly that I didn't even feel it?

And moreover.......why?

I didn't know and I didn't need to care.

Two nights under the shadows of a sickening criminal gang was already tousling my sanity into a fried fury, and I didn't want any other unnecessary thoughts to pile up in the already heaped mess. So I pushed the thoughts away and collected my vigor to focus on another escapade, a successful one this time.

Bright rays peeping through one of the open windows declared the break of a fresh day, the spark of a fresh start. Soothing breeze made its way to my parched skin, as if caressing it with a melancholy condolence while the rhythmic chorus of the cooing birds rippled against the thick silence. And the gentle morning against my raging turmoil kept flashing me with a wave of contrasting irony.

I didn't expect the door to my freedom to be kept loose so I knocked on it a couple of times until a metallic click was heard from the other side. A man wrapped in black formals and ornamented with loaded ammunition opened the door to face me with his dark eyes glaring me up and down.

"Can I use the washroom?" I asked, my vision boring into his. I didn't let a single ounce of uncertainty stain my voice and the authority that drizzled down my confident question didn't fail to make me proud. Guess the audacious nerve that seemed to have haphazardly left me the day I was taken decided to finally show up, even if in bits and pieces. However, the human blackboard standing in front of me didn't look a tad bit bothered.

"Your room upstairs is open. Go there and you can do whatever you want..."

Whatever I want?

Huh

Dry ridicule...

I skipped the steps to my royal suite and though I had this raging urge to pee, I couldn't refrain myself from plopping on the captivating foam mattress sheathed by a layer of snow white comforter.

And I wondered, how does it feel to lead a life wrapped with the succor of unfaithful abundance? Even after having the softest pillows and the comfiest bed sheets, can these people drift into a peaceful slumber knowing that all they are sleeping on is the blood of innocent souls?

How can someone live knowing that they are the reason for someone else's unforeseen death?

The people I was surrounded by were nothing but cold-hearted criminals that carried a gloom of dark and unnatural disasters along with them and I ought to do my duty as a federal officer and penalize them for their sins, even if it ends up seizing my own existence...

The door opened with a feeble creak and a young looking girl entered the premises. Her typical black and white frock claimed her status in this huge estate and the tray of food resting on the flats of her palms declared the reason of her intervention.

"Can I come in?" her tiny voice echoed against the large walls and a small uncertain stretch danced on her tinted lips.

"Sure....please" I sat up with a slight bounce as the girl walked in and placed the breakfast on the empty desk, by the side of the bed.

"Please have your meal" leaving the plate of isosceles sandwiches on the table, the girl turned around to leave. Her eyes kept looming against the fur carpet on the floor, never rising to meet mine and her fingers fiddled in some foreign beat.

The small distance covered by each of her steps clearly stated her hesitation regarding something, not to ignore the growing tension in her lowered gaze. So I decided to dim down her misery and I asked,

"Do you wanna say something Mis-"

"Why are you here?" the question was thrown directly towards me as the said girl was now facing my direction, doe eyes looking into mine with timid concern.

"Umm....I don't know.....maybe beca-"

"They never had prisoners before......are you bad?"

The recurring interruption didn't bother me but what made my face twist in a caustic scorn was her choice of words.

Bad?.....me?

Clearly this girl was too naïve to be working under the tenacious network of the leading underground gang of Seoul

Wait,

this girl was too naïve to be working under the Kim Mafia....

Which means that I can easily delude her into assisting me get my freaking ass out of this hell hole.

Daebak!

"I am not bad, I am Jungkook. What's your name?" I uttered while flashing the most innocent smile I had up my sleeve. Dragging my physique down the sheets I walked up to the girl, the saccharin grin still consistent on my stretched lips. The girl looked like a small doll against the shadow of my hovering frame, making it easier for me to intimidate her.

"Umm....I....I'm Stella"

"Your name is beautiful, almost as beautiful as you..." gliding a wet tongue past my bottom lip I eyed the girl as a faint shade of pink took over her otherwise pale skin. I was affecting her.

"T-thanks" she kept stuttering, clearly wavered by the new sensations she was feeling. I bet she never had a warm company in this sanctuary of bitter cold darkness.

"Would you like to be my friend Stel-"

"Flirting with my employees won't get you out of here, Officer Jeon..."

_________________________

To be continued