☢ solitary confinement

@[w] park sora Time heals all wounds.

Really, Sunggyu wanted to believe it, but how was it that his wounds never seemed to heal? It's been five years, and if that wasn't enough—he doubted he would ever be 'okay' again. Though if he continued to be imprisoned in this cell, he probably wouldn't even be able to claim himself as sane anymore. A part of him had wanted to run, to go away for the first time in his life there just because of a certain person... and yet he has no place to go. It wasn't that he didn't know how their community shun people like him, anyway.

Slowly, he retracted his hand, letting the book remain there, but his gaze went to her again.

Park Sora, your positivity is commendable. Though I wonder if things really are going to be okay... it's just so hard to believe, you know? One day... will that day ever come? I would be glad if at least I can do what I used to do—it would be more than enough. But... I'm afraid of myself. I'm scared... and I'm even more scared that I actually want to believe you that much.

He sighed, directing his gaze to the porridge Sora brought him. Not that he has any appetite—somehow the confinement had reprogrammed his body to last with less food, though it wasn't really helping with his weight, certainly—but he knew he had to eat if he didn't want to die starving. Twisted thing would be that they would save him from that death. There's really no easy way out.

And so he reached for the porridge, slowly opening the container to let the smoke out before putting it on his lap (he didn't really trust the strength of his hands anymore, actually)—in which he wondered just one more thing. Are they really that similar or what that she actually brought him his favorite food when he's sick? Usually, Sunggyu didn't eat porridge unless he was sick, but he liked it nevertheless. The first spoonful he put in his mouth was already very warming, and he gave her an almost childishly shy smile.

She really reminded him of his sister.

{mobile again bb, sorry if it's shorter ;;}

@[f] kim sunggyu Sora had always been the observant type, even from when she was younger. Although she lived a well-off life in comparison to others, her only complaint was the dreams that her parents had for her. Even though she had lived a rather luxurious life, she was not blind to the differences of others. Whilst the other girls in her prep school whined about a beggar in the street, she made projects of sneaking around with her allowances to buy as much canned food and non-perishable items and delivered them herself. Even before this system had been established, she had seen with her own eyes what people who were 'different' and 'imperfect' had gone through - albeit it was when she visited the slums of the city.

She had seen it all: victims of abuse, victims of murder, of addiction, of mental illnesses.

It was the very sight that had driven her to pursue a future in enforcement. It was the very sight of how such people were treated and how such people were targeted that made her want to make /some sort of change/ in this society. It was the loss of the only one she ever truly loved in the world that had broke her past breaking point and made her decide that the last thing she would do was let another accused man walk free without serving justice.

Perhaps this was why it had struck her hard when she had seen Sunggyu. The gentle, harmless soul had reminded her of her life outside of these walls - a small representation of all those mistreated souls that lived outside in fear of being thrown in here as well.

She watched him carefully, trying to not miss even the smallest gesture, while at the same time trying to make it seem like she was not even trying at all. Gently rubbing her thumb with the thumb and pointer finger of her other hand, she leaned forward as he had held the book in front of her. Her eyes landed on his delicate finger which pointed to the bottom of the page, trailing along the black ink as she processed what he was trying to say.

'...thinking of all I had lost in the course of my life; times gone for ever, friends who had died or (in his own case) disappeared, feelings I would never know again.'

The sentence had hit her hard. The sentence had a lot behind it, showing her a troubled man who was struggling with himself and what life had directed him to. She had no idea how to answer to him. If he had wanted to communicate with someone outside of the walls, it was a possibility. Well, workers were allowed to speak to send letters out to their parents and loved ones (which she never really took part in) to serve as updates of their lives. If it was something that he wanted, she could grant it for him.

But she knew that he meant more with that sentence that she could ever comprehend, no matter how she tried.

"My nanny used to tell me when I was younger that time heals all wounds, albeit, the circumstances when she would tell me them were completely different to right now. You aren't an exception to that, Sunggyu-sshi. Everything will be alright, one day." She said, directing her gaze back to his own as she smiled small.

"Let's start the process by getting something in your stomach, your porridge will grow cold soon if you don't eat it."

A warm smile and softened eyes, trying to tell him that everything would be fine. One day.

@[w] park sora The book.

'Cold November rains drenched the earth...'

Words had always been one way for Sunggyu to visualize things, and being him, he could even recall it perfectly. The raindrops, falling on the clear glass window of his roomㅡthe peaceful sound of nature, the scent of wet earth. His own environment had been different, though; papers on the table, a keyboard on his other side, and the faint sound of keys being pressed... but he could no longer recall the sound correctly now.

Five years had been more than enough to forget.

'The melody never failed to send a shudder through me, but this time it hits me harder than ever.'

Funnily, he shared the main character's perspective here, which was why, he figured, he just rejected anything musicalㅡand to think that he used to be a promising talent in the field. Sora wouldn't know, but it was exactly why he had looked at the book with a bit of a soft, dreamy expression when she enteredㅡsad at the same time. Music was not something he could reach anymore, and with it, Kim Sunggyu was already dead.

And yet, somehow, her gaze made him felt as if, for once, nothing changed. That it all was possible, that he was not actually broken... none of his thoughts were right. She still saw him as him, untainted by the slightly fading bruisesㅡwas this even possible?

Hope, fragile as thin glass. It scared him too, though, how he had begun to miss the life he shunned himself. There was nothing there, he kept saying, it only destroyed him and nothing else... but his heart ached for it, for the things he had lost, for the abilities he would never use anymore, for all the other things.

It was hard to explain the many contradiction he felt, and he didn't really know how to, where to even startㅡbut the book actually gave him a start. His fingers were still holding the cover pages from closing, and after her question, he had then looked down to thinkㅡbut then his eyes caught the words printed just right at the bottom of that uniquely endearing first page.

And after turning the book around so it faced her, he pointed at the last paragraph there, keeping his gaze fixed on the words this time.

'...thinking of all I had lost in the course of my life; times gone for ever, friends who had died or (in his own case) disappeared, feelings I would never know again.'

And he knew that somehow, he had also regretted the last part the most.

@[f] kim sunggyu "That makes me feel relieved then, it's a good thing that you had the opportunity to eat."" She took the time to take notice of any changes, the bag beside her and hands on her lap. There hadn't been much, although the bible had been planted in the room. Other than that, nothing was out of the ordinary. Sora also noticed the book on his lap, coaxing a smile from her.

"How was the book, Sunggyu-sshi?"

He had raised his head, giving her the eye contact that she had wanted. His eyes glistened with unasked questions which she were curious about. Usually she had been good with these kinds of situations, but it was hard for her to interpret what he could have possibly wanted to ask her. There were so many questions she had assumed that he would have wanted to ask if he could find his voice again, so it was though to narrow down exactly what he wanted.

But if she had to take a guess at what unsaid question had been troubling his mind, she would have guessed that the previous days had been haunting him until this point.

"I brought chicken porridge again today, and a dinner bun." She trusted that he would tell her one day, when he was ready. Perhaps it would help to not mention it with each visit, so to not force back inside of the stone walls that he had let down recently. She wanted to take it slowly and steadily, at his pace, rather than her own. So she tried her best to not mention their incident yesterday. Although she did not act like nothing had happened yesterday, she continued to treat him as she always did- with respect and care. Those victimized to traumatizing crimes hated the humiliation that followed afterwards, and how different people treated them- as if they were defined by the crime that had been committed unto them. But to Sora, she did not see a /victim/, but rather a man who had a series of bad days (although not consecutive). Even with the purplish decors on his body, he was still the man she had seen a couple days ago.

My view of you hasn't changed at all.

She tried to portray it through acting normal, carrying on to not bring back unpleasant memories. These things needed to be handled sensitively. If he was someone worth protecting even by the establishment, then she would find herself caught in a bigger trap. But somehow, she wanted to bring him justice - this messed up society did not give her a way to do so. For now she would sit and wait, like a lioness waiting for a gazelle to prey on, slowly creeping through the grass in wait for the right opportunity to pounce.

She was never the type to force answers out either way. If she ever did make it, she hoped that she would be able to play the part of the bad cop more often otherwise she'd get walked all over in the field. It was like her nanny had said once upon a time. There is a time for everything and place for everything. This was neither the correct place or time to really hound him with questions. She would release him after he ate and they had yet to discuss exactly how they would meet up in private - though the garden that she had found a couple of days ago had seemed like an ideal spot since people rarely visited it.

"How are you feeling today, Sunggyu-sshi?"

@[w] park sora Really, with Sora's absence, he expected her to leave him this timeㅡnot that he had anything against her, but it was more of he did not want her to look at him, because... she knew. Not to mention that she could have interpreted his lack of response towards her as rejection, which was why he was surprised to hear the familiar voice again.

He had changed into the white uniform the nuns gave him; they had seen the bruises also and tried to pry it out of him, but he gave nothing away. Thankfully, the pills they had given him had also been helping a lotㅡthe day he spent in there had been generally calm in Sora's absence, since he had gone back to that peaceful state of sleep induced by the drug right after he ate.

By the moment she came in, he was huddled on the bed, the blanket still wrapped around him, a bible put on a reachable distance awayㅡand the book she gave him on his lap, open at the foremost page. The way the writer phrased his words had brought him a sense of calmness, which made him wonder if Sora actually realized it. But when she came nearer, he nodded as an answer to her question, yet didn't dare looking up, still.

He feared what he might be seeing in her eyes; would they spoke of disgust, or pity, or what?

But what he thought next scared him even more. Was it possible that she might be disappointed in his decision not to answer? Strangely, he was scared of itㅡenough to make him raise his head and look up to meet her eyes after a moment of silence.

What are you seeing me as now?

@[f] kim sunggyu The day had arrived sooner than she had anticipated, the day where she could tell the male that he would be released from confinement. Her appeal had been processed and granted in the span of two days - which seemed unbelievable to her. Considering that the government spent so much time trying to weed out more people to shove into this place and all the various other paperworks that needed to be done, an appeal such as this seemed minor in comparison. But she was satisfied and happy nonetheless, with Sunggyu free from confinement, he could be treated by the nurses and most importantly, free from /one area/. He could roam where the others were, moving through motions from one room to another doing whatever had been scheduled for them. This would allow him to be further away from watchful eyes, and with her own watchful eyes, she could possibly find out who put him in such a painful state.

She had not been assigned to patrol the halls where the detention rooms had been, but she had gone anyway. Her visit had been one that was allowed this time, since she would be going there to free the male. Much to the dismay of the other guard who had been assigned to retrieve Sunggyu from the confinement with her, Sora had brought along with her another styrofoam container of piping hot chicken porridge, along with bread. Dismissing her partner, she had gone inside the cell, her partner opening the door before she had a chance to knock. Although the act would have been weird seeing as they were guards.

"Sunggyu-sshi?" She had called out, making her way to the spot that she usually sat in whenever she visited. Her actions had displayed that she had been just a little too familiar and comfortable, but luckily for her, she had yet to meet an observant guard capable of interpreting her actions. She placed the brown bag to her right as usual, placing her hands on to her lap. Looking over at the male, she had seen the white uniform that they had given over to him. Maybe there had been a chance that they had fed him as well yesterday, considering that the styrofoam bowl had been taken away from its corner. Perhaps they had given him treatment for his bruises. Maybe the nuns had visited.

But as much as she wanted such thoughts to comfort her, they did just the opposite. In fact, the idea of people other than her visiting the male had made her a little nervous. With the arrival of the nuns had come what seemed to be a little more strict set of rules. Seeing as the workers and the confined had been equally susceptible to punishments, she assumed that the system would have been just a bit more thorough and that people would actually do their jobs. But the thought of Sunggyu being punished due to his phobias was what had made her worry just a bit.

Just how was the male doing?

"I brought something for you to eat. Did you get to eat what I brought you yesterday? It's the same thing, but I brought bread as well." She stated, waiting for his response before she would proceed with what she needed to do.

@[w] park sora Sunggyu had not hear the female's words, nor had he felt the touch that in all honesty could have triggered him, but it was for the bestㅡthough in reality, had he not been broken in such a way, he was more of the touchy person.

He slept, undisturbed by the gentle to his hair, oblivious to the promise Sora made... and yet had he heard it, he would have thanked her. Perhaps. When and if he could face her despite the shame.

It had been an unbelievably long sleep he had, and he would have slept moreㅡbut the loud screech echoing throughout the whole asylum had woken the male up. Struggling to open his still puffy eyes, he shifted just a bit... only for him to blink in undisguised surprise at the voice that came out afterwards.

"...children of our Lord and Savior."

The first thing that popped out in Sunggyu's mind was: how many years had it been since he had gone to church last? For him to actually abandon his faith just because he... well, he lost it. He had been Christian, tooㅡProtestant, though, which was why it just added to his worries the moment the female speaker addressed herself as the head nun. How would he fare with this? But when she had finished her words, he slowly sat up on the bed, almost not believing his ears.

He would be untouched. By that man, at least.

The blanket Sora gave him was still draped over his frames, and he just sat like that, wrapped by the warmth it gave him. The panic had disappeared again, but his chest still hurts a bitㅡmomentarily, he clutched at it, but otherwise did not do much. It was back, the dreadful, empty feeling as if he had nothing left. Numb. Emotionless, at least for that moment.

He had spotted the food from there, but he was just too weak to even move, sadly; so he had settled with just staying his position. Maybe he could expect one of the sisters to actually come there to have a look later on.

At least they were nuns, he thought. At least.

@[f] kim sunggyu It did not come to Sora's surprise that it had remained silent as she sat there, beside her had been the brown bag with the supplies that she had promised and the book. Seeing as he hadn't moved for a while, and with his current state, she had assumed that food had been well away from his mind and that he would not eat if she were to ask. So she had opted to place it in the blind spot that her friend had shared with her once before, in hopes that he would eat once he was in a better state. Rising quietly from her seat, she had made her way to the said spot with equally quiet footsteps, afraid to startle him with the shuffling of her feet, she made it quick. Taking the Styrofoam container from inside the bag, she placed it on the padded floor and atop the book she had chosen for him, the spoon atop of that as well. Then, she had placed bottle beside the pile to finish her tribute to the quiet male.

Quickly retracting her steps back to her seat beside Sunggyu, she glanced over at him. She took note of the even breaths that had slowed down in comparison before, and curiously, she moved closer to make sure. With hands holding tightly on to the sides of the bed, she had leaned forward not daring to breathe as she peeked past the blanket.

He had fallen asleep.

Releasing a soft sigh of relief, she sat back on top of her knees, her hands still holding tightly to the edge of the bed. He had fallen asleep, the tiredness from the stress and tears overtaking him. Perhaps she should leave, but it was hard to knowing what had happened in the very confinement that had been to isolate him from outside contact in the first place. What if the person-in-question had seen her entering on those nights that she had tried to be careful? What if her visits had actually brought opportunity to others?

Stop, Sora. She scolded herself, eyes not leaving his sleeping face. Somehow, she felt drawn to the serene expression, as if he hadn't just experienced something so traumatic earlier on. The darkening bruises on his face told otherwise, reminded her exactly of why she had flown into a rage herself. Hesitantly, her hand had moved from the edge of the bed, travelling to his hair (although it took her a long time before she actually permitted her hand from touching his soft tresses). Carefully and lightly, she threaded her fingers through the locks on the crown of his head and looked up at the ceiling as she released a deeper sigh this time around. He didn't deserve this. No one deserved something like this.

'I'll find out who did this to you.' She had wanted to say, her thirst for justice stronger than ever. Although she did not know what she would do if she had found whoever had done this to him. So instead, as her gaze softened upon glancing back at the sleeping figure, she had said something else.

"I'll try my best to protect you, Sunggyu-sshi."

With that, she rose from her spot and made her way out of the confinement to continue on with her shifts, the male not once slipping past her thoughts as she had left him alone for the rest of the day.

Hopefully whoever had done this would not make another visit while she was away.

She really needed to get him out from there.

@[w] park sora Had Sunggyu known that Sora was feeling guilty of what had happened to him, though, he would just tell her straight not to. It was not under anyone's control. No one was at fault for the lack of security since it all could have very well been planned beforehand.

He knew that the mastermind could do it.

And if he tell... should there be a next one, that man would not stop until he breaks. The thought had made him shudder again, and he pulled the blanket to cover even the lower half of his faceㅡas little as much left to be seen, for that had been all he wanted to do.

Hide.

But the warmth in itself had somehow provided the comfort he needed, even if not to the fullest extent; with the wave of tiredness washing over him once more, he only closed his eyes, his tense posture slacking by the second. He was aware that Sora was watching him, and he couldn't deny that part that felt halfashamed and half fearing what she would do to him, but there was the other part that felt as if he was safe with her watching him like that... for that time, at least.

And he had let himself go with the darkness, not knowing if things would get better or worse by the next time he wakeㅡbut it seemed that even his subconscious had registered her presence as safety, for he slept like a child then. It was a much needed break from the uneasiness, from the fear, and from the exposure.

At least, it was one thing that showed her of the trust he had involuntarily began to place, and with that comes the fact that she would be another person he let in his wallsㅡanother person who could break him as well.

Sunggyu had not realized it himself, but somehow... he had opened himself more.

@[f] kim sunggyu She could have guessed what had happened. The bruises narrowed the conclusion to assault, but there was so much more that had been left to the imagination that it made Sora sick as all the possibilities suddenly ran through her head. So she stopped herself from thinking of that completely. Instead, she had paced herself, taking deep breaths to calm down. Nothing would be done if all she did was lose her mind every time something like this would happen. She certainly could not fulfil her own dreams if this was how she had reacted to every situation. So she calmed down, as hard as it was to and sat beside his bed, the worried expression peeking through her features. Just because she had to watch her actions hadn't meant that she could not display care for the other.

He had been hurt under her care after all.

It was a stab from behind. He had been hurt from right under her nose when she had promised him that nothing would happen. It had been the fourth day as well and she had said that she would try to get him out today, but she had yet to receive their decision. She could not help but feel like she had failed him in some way, perhaps that was what had bothered her most- that she had in some way failed him and he had gotten hurt because of that.

He shook his head in refusal to answer her question of who exactly had put him in such a state. That could only mean that he had known who had done this to him, which meant that this person and Sunggyu had a past.

This had happened before.

So why had he been trying to protect the person? Was he someone powerful? Was he afraid that she would get hurt in the process? Sora had read once before that victims protected their abusers with humiliation being one of the top explanations to the phenomenon. Perhaps stating that she could help would not work at the moment. In all honesty, if the said person was in the facility and was a powerful person, she would need sound evidence to condemn him. But where else would he be condemned to if not the facility itself? If that were to happen, then his power would reign still if he had loyal enough followers. Nothing would change, but if she /knew/ she could try to help in some way, in any way that she could. She could try to look at the security tapes, but if he had connections, such tapes would not exist.

So she stayed silent and waited patiently, like a mother beside her sick child, she had waited for Sunggyu to calm down. The only thing that mattered at the moment was him and his well being. Maybe when he was better, she could slowly introduce the idea of bringing him to the nurse. But for now, she would wait until the tears would stop. They probably hadn't fed them much either.

He needed /someone/ to care for him and she was more than willing to if he would let her.

@[w] park sora No.

Don't come. Don't look at me.

More tears had rolled down Sunggyu's eyesㅡof frustration, this time, more than anything else. He could have let her seen the better side of him, but no, not like this. Not when all he wanted to do was to disappear forever from the face of earth.

And yet he couldn't.

Feeling the presence near him had made him curl up even more, and in his attempt to at least hide his face, it was the bruises that got exposed clearlyㅡbut maybe he didn't really care anymore, for even the exertion of breathing had tire him out to the core given the suppressing painful feeling in his chest that doesn't seem to go away.

Really, he wished he could just stop breathing. Then it will be over, it will all be over...

It wasn't that he didn't hear her question, but even if he could voice the answer, he wouldn't. How could he even explain that he had beenㅡ

She saw, he knew; it was impossible that the bruises doesn't show, and this time he felt even more exposed than ever. No one except him and the perpetrator had seen the extent of what had been done to him before, and yet now... she knew, he realized as she ran out of the door.

She knew, how /dirty/ he was, how /tainted/ he was, how /used/ he was... and really, in front of her, he didn't even feel human anymore. He didn't know if he could even look at her anymore without feeling the sickening mortifying feeling that no doubt would be gripping him for days to come.

That is, if he still even had the will to continue living.

But he had thought she probably left for good, at least that day; she might be horrified, she might be just giving him space, which he would be thankful for if it was the case, or it might be... whatever.

Never did it cross his mind that she would come back, and for a moment he thought that it might not be herㅡit could have been someone else who was asked to bring him somewhere, maybe for examinations. Sunggyu had only shut his eyes tight in anticipation of what they might be doing to him, but then he realized it was her the moment she draped the blanket over him and he took a peek at her... which had brought another bout of tears to his eyes.

Just kill me instead. Please.

Her fingers brushed against his shirt, once or twice while draping the cover, and he trembled almost violently at itㅡbut it wasn't panic this time, it was tears. It was anger, it was frustration, it was... shame. He might have been able to pretend that he was actually fine so far, but when she could even see the marks on him... how would he ever be able to anymore?

Ironically, a part of him had been thankful for the cover, and even longed for more, for the comfort she broughtㅡfor a moment, he imagined what would it feel like if he crawled into her arms, just as how he did as a child to her mother. He could almostㅡalmostㅡfeel it, based on his vague memory of his childhood alone, but at the same time, he also knew that if he were to do it, it would just remind him of what just happened again.

Sora had wanted answers, he knew, and he had little doubt she really did want to help him; but Sunggyu realized he couldn't give it to her. The name has power and authority in the place, and even if she would /maybe/ believe him, no one else would.

She couldn't help him, not even if she knew, and her knowing would only bring danger to herㅡso he decided to stay silent, only shaking his head.

I wouldn't have that man breaking you, too. Not because of me.

I'm enough.

@[f] kim sunggyu Her eyebrows furrowed together slightly upon the sight of him curl up in his bed. She was confused because just one day ago, he had been (dare she say) happy that she had visited. She could only assume that something had happened during the day she hadn't visited, the thought upsetting her.

Why couldn't he seem to catch a break?

It broke her heart to hear the heavy, shaky breaths that he had let out. Taking long strides, she wasted no time in rushing to his side, seating herself a little closer to the bed than she had yesterday.

Would he mind?

"Sunggyu-sshi, what happened?" She had asked, the words flowing from in a fast, rushed manner. But her tone had been far from demanding, instead sounding like a cry of worry for his well-being. She could only wonder if he had been crying the whole time. It was when she had sent the things that she had brought for aside, it was then when she had looked at him, really looked at him, that most of her questions had been answered. There were bruises that had been given to him recently (obviously), probably last night seeing as there were some that still had that grotesque red colour to it. The sight had horrified her, causing her to get up from her position on the ground and out of the door.

She had lost every inch of her composure as she hurriedly made her way to the nurse's station, grabbing a blanket from an empty bed before she hurriedly made her way back to the cell. It wasn't much, but it was something for him to cover himself up with. He was left in the cell, exposed for everyone to see like a prize of some sort.

She would have nothing of that sort.

Carefully making her way back inside, she had cracked the door open just the slightest before moving back to the male. This was the only way that she knew how she could provide some sort of comfort without actually touching him, to provide him warmth after someone had treated him in such a way.

"Who?" She asked softly, trying to coax it as she gently placed the blanket over his body, trying to not touch him as she let the fabric drape over his shoulders down to his feet.

That was the only important question to her, anyway. But she doubted that he would tell her, even if he had known who it was.

@[w] park sora Day four, which would be very fitting for 'death' because the words reads the same in Chinese.

Sunggyu had no sense of time. Every part of his body still burned, result of the touches that had invaded him; his hair was a mess and his face, probably even more. Though he his hid face behind his hands. Under the dim light, it probably wouldn't show that clearly, but there was no mistaking the red marks on his wrists, the bruises that weren't there originally, slowly turning purple as time passed. His short-sleeved shirt didn't hide much of what had happened.

Tainted. Tainted. Tainted.

The man had not done much to him this time, but what had happened five years before that had surfaced in his mind, fresh as if it just happened yesterday, and the more his mind dwelled on it, the more he couldn't breathe. He's going to get him again, that much he knew, and he couldn't escape this place.

And when the door opened, he curled up even more. His chest hurts so much and really, if that man would come again, he knew he would probably lose himself this time.

Once was already more than enough to break his fragile mind.

It was her, though, he realized as he heard her voice, but he didn't move, not even a bit, though his frames shook with his struggle to take in air. In the silent room, only his heavy, shaky breaths could be heard aside of her footsteps, and he tried hard not to break down againㅡthough he had already done so many times over.

Don't look at me.

But a part of him was already wishing that he could actually beg her to kill him instead.

@[f] kim sunggyu Day 3.

She rose exceptionally early the next day to type up an appeal for Sunggyu's case. The idea that they had denied the punished food and water had horrified her, making her sick as she heard about others who had experienced the same thing from a friend who had worked here for longer than she had and therefore had been exposed to such horrors longer. She had written about how Sunggyu should be released as soon as possible on account of good behaviour, although she had no such visible proofs to support her case.

There was always a way when justice was concerned. With the approval of the head guard, she had reviewed over the tapes in the cafeteria from the day of the fight. Perhaps she should have been an analyst, she thought with the amount of attention she had been paying to both her charge and the charge's case, she might as well have been one. Although she was certain that if she had such a job, she probably would have end up detesting herself. Analysts were to analyze both situations and people, and in collaboration with doctors and psychologists, they could pass off diagnosis of whether a person was flawed or not. She had wondered why she hadn't thought about this before, mentally scolding herself. But it was probably because she had been too confident with trying to get him out and in the moment of desperation and loss, she had managed to come up with something and she was pleased with her findings.

It was exactly as Sunggyu had said. He was in the prison on account of his fear physical contact, and therefore acted accordingly to that fear. His reasoning for being sent to solitary confinement had been on the charge of him actually participating, but in reality, it was a bodily mechanism in accordance to his fears. She had known that all along, but now she had actual and factual proof that she was sure even the higher in command could not deny. There was hope. With everything that she had needed prepared and ready, she had sent the appeal (along with a copy of the fight). All that they needed to do now was wait.

She would be so happy to tell Sunggyu of the news once she could see him, scheduling another visit with her friend. After all, it had been a full day since she had last saw him and she felt anxious enough as it was. When he had been left for the next after her first visit, he had been in a dangerous condition the next day. What more if more than twenty-four hours had passed without her to take care of him? Wasting no time, she slipped on her uniform and headed to the cafeteria, packing up a styrofoam bowl with a lid that contained a chicken porridge. She assumed that after a day of not eating proper solids, he would need a softer food to gain his strength. Rice porridge had seemed like a nice idea. Packing it in a brown bag carefully, she had included a small bun (something that wouldn't necessarily leave much crumbs behind). She had also included a spoon, and a bottle of water as usual. On her way, she had picked up a book, one that she had heard many great things about though she hadn't necessarily read the premise yet. 'Norwegian Wood', it had been called; and with the signal of her friend, she had made her way to his cell, knocking at the door gently with her hand that carried the book before she stepped inside.

And as she had assumed before, she was right (although she hadn't seen the sight completely as of yet, there had been an air about the room that made her know instinctively that something was off). "Sunggyu-sshi, I brought something for you to eat." She had gently called out to him, saying what she had usually said whenever she had visited the male.

@[w] park sora Sunggyu had looked at the female guard softly; he was assured, and it helped a lot. At the least, he wouldn't spend his time wondering if she got caught. But maybe he would know, tooㅡwould they not be blaming it on him if she got caught? They would think he probably threatened her or something, and well... he wouldn't be surprised.

But if anything, he would have wished for them to put the blame on him instead. Sora might have been helping the others, tooㅡwho knows how many people like him would've been dead without her. Though, Sunggyu couldn't help letting a faint, wry smile upon her request again, even if he had bowed back as politely upon her leave. It wasn't hard to stay safe in what was practically a padded, locked prison cell; but if something was to happen, he also would not be able to defend himself.

Just like what did happen the next day.

He had drank a quarter of the bottle at night, then drained the juice in the late afternoon; he felt better in terms of physical wellness, but really, he did not expect the uninvited visitor coming late at night. And honestly, when the dawn breaks, counting two dawns after Sora's latest visit, he thought he had never felt worse.

He didn't move at all that day.

Even worse, he only curled up there on the bed, occasionally trembling. His breaths were shaky, and no matter how many times he actually fell asleep (more like fainted, actually), he'd wake up struggling for breath.

What was did to him had not even match what happened in his past, but... Sunggyu really had no idea if he would even be able to retain his sanity. Solitary confinement had been a perfect haven to one such as him, but it proves his hell, too. They were alone, and he couldn't scream for help even if he had wanted to.

After years of successfully pushing his nightmares away, it came back in full force. Silent tears had rolled down the male's cheek onto the thin pillow, but he made no effort to wipe those away.

And every drop speaks of his desperate wish for someone to come and end it all for him.

Really, he would be thankful.

@[f] kim sunggyu (leaves it up to you to time skip this time ; uu ; <3 )

"I hope that you don't mind and I'll be quick about it.' She had said, reaching forward to the container he had set aside and showing it into the brown bag that had been discarded away. Placing it beside her, she placed her hands on her lap once more and glanced curiously, wondering what he had wanted to request from her, she would know soon enough. At the moment, it felt like there was nothing that he could ask which would be too hard for her. Sunggyu seemed like a simple man who did not want to impose on others, therefore she had a feeling that anything he would request would have been reasonable and practical.

'Be safe.'

And she was right. The words had reminded her once more of why she had been doing all of this. Her heart had sunk just a little at the thought of him worrying about her. It had been a while since she had connected with someone this way, with her closest friends and loved ones far away from her reach, it had been a while since she actually engaged in friendly conversation - cared for someone in this manner.

It was only a matter of time before she would try to reach out to others as well.

"I'll try. Thank you." She said, bowing politely before she rose to her feet. "Please stay safe until we meet again, as well." Like last time, she had pressed the brown bag to her stomach and turned her back away from him once more. The thought of not being able to converse with him like this tomorrow had somehow dampened her mood slightly, but it did not last long since she knew that they would meet again. She had duties as a friend to not let her own friend enter into trouble, which was why she had promised to stay away, even if it was only just for a day. A lot of other things could have been done and arranged, like the arrangement of his release.

It was only when she had exited that Sora had pulled her pocket watch from the pocket of her uniform. It turned out that she hadn't spent as much time as she thought that she did. It had just been a little past an hour, which was more than enough time (although it had felt a little too short of time in her opinion) to carry out the things that she promised to do.

She would need a new book to give him. She had thought, letting her hands rest at her sides, she turned the opposite way, walking to the break room to store away the brown bag before she would begin her rounds. The smile that appeared whilst her interaction with the male had disappeared the moment she exited, replaced by a rather blank, and calm expression. As much as she had wanted to keep on smiling, she had opted for the safer route.

She knew that if someone had seen her, that every inch of respect (that arose from fear of the uniform) would disappear and that she would be looked down upon even more. Sometimes it was hard working as a female guard with a physique like her own. But that only made her want to work harder.

And so, her shift that evening had officially began.

@[w] park sora Her smile was... warm.

Sunggyu could find no other words to explain; warmth had welled up inside him, and for someone who had been figuratively cold for years, it was a lot to take in. He had no idea he could still feel that way after his life was practically ruined... no, he had never once thought he still had the ability to feel such a positive emotion. So far, his efforts had been to keep himself at the edge of the darkness that had always threatened to swallow him whole. Not only once, he had fallen, even.

So how could this practical stranger whom he had only met twice make him feel as if for once, he was actually worth something?

It scared him too, the possibilities; he knew he should never be too attached, but he couldn't help himself. She was a lot of firsts in his life here, the first that actually really cared for him to the point that she risks breaking rules and the punishments coming with it to help him survive. And that in itself had earned his respect, if she wishes for itㅡeven more, gratitude.

Maybe the fact that he lowered his boundaries for her hinted of something more.

His gaze softened at the notion that Sora had to leave, and if he was to be very truthful in this, he wanted the stay to last longer. But of course, Sunggyu knew he could not be that selfish. She has her own duties, and with the stash of food and drinks she had brought him, he figured he had to at least try and drain his supplies properly. One needs energy to do things, and if he was supposed to teach her when she comes later on, he wouldn't want to be found in a worse condition.

Upon the question, though, he pondered for a moment. Did he really need anything else? What she gave him had been more than just enough. He could possibly last for another two days. But there /was/ something else, he thought, and after putting his sandwich aside momentarily, he reached for the notepad. Quickly opening a blank page, he bit his lower lip and started scribbling the short requestㅡconsisting of only two words. He handed it to her afterwards.

This was not a normal request. But he hoped she would comply.

'Be safe.'

@[f] kim sunggyu She found herself thinking about other things a s she waited for his answer. Mainly time. She had let the time slip past her without realizing and she did not know how long it was she had been here for. She usually was going with intuition, at guessing how long she had been at a place, but such thoughts were long forgotten the moment she had entered the room (the air completely different from yesterday). She did not care to carry a wrist watch either, although she kept track of time through the pocket watch that was located inside the pocket of her uniform. She did not care to check at the moment, not visibly showing any signs of her uncertainty as to not ruin the mood.

He had smiled, after all.

It felt like she had just accomplished something, broken through a wall. He was letting her in, letting her help him and she appreciated that. Her smile only grew as he had answered her question moments later, once he had jumped over the mental hurdle of his thoughts. She supposed that it would have been difficult to request such things, keeping their positions in mind. He was still prisoner to this place, and she was still bound to the place by contract. It would be tricky, but she knew that somehow, /somehow/, this could work.

"That's a comfort to hear." She said, baring her pearly whites at him as she smiled widely in delight that he had decided to help her. There was no one that she knew to ask as of yet and so any help that she could get would have been gladly received. The smile slowly disappeared to a smaller one and she looked at him with a gentle look in her eyes as she spoke, as if being careful with her next line. "I have to go for now, but I'll be back. I won't get to visit tomorrow, but I'll give you a sandwich inside the brown bag without a container so you don't need to worry about that, and another book and a bottle of water. We can start lessons whenever you'd feel comfortable starting them." Pausing for a moment, she bit gently on her bottom lip, rolling the soft flesh between teeth as she thought.

"Is there anything else that you need?" She asked, keeping in mind that things were different now. There had been a way for them to communicate now.

Somehow a part of her felt slightly disappointed that they wouldn't be able to converse all too much tomorrow. But she needed to lay low and things would look suspicious if she had been visiting when it wasn't her shift tomorrow night.

@[w] park sora About how tiring using the sign language compared to writing was, though, it actually dependsㅡwriting a lot could be very tiring for Sunggyu in some cases, but generally, if it was for conversation, signing was much more convenient, though it does tire the hands, too.

He had retained the question, only to return the smile shyly, with a hint of hopeㅡthat was rare, really. He didn't hope, he accepted. It had always been the case... until Sora entered his life, if it could be called a life at all, in this place.

It would be practical, yes; a few counselors had the knowledge, and it helped a lot. But if Sunggyu was to be honest, he did not expect her toㅡ

Was she implying that she wanted him to /actually/ teach her by that statement?

For a moment, he swallowed his food and looked at her almost disbelievingly. She did? Really, she did?

He almost couldn't believe it, but with the way Sora speaks from her eyes the way he did, Sunggyu knew he could not doubt her. Not even a bit. She wanted to learn.

Would he help with it, though? It brought him into thinking, but he found he had no reason to denyㅡthough he was concerned about it. If she had to break the rules everytime for this, would she be fine? Yet he didn't know how she managed to slip into his cell for two straight nights without getting caught.

He figured it would be better if they could actually really communicate for once. For now, the paper would do, but yes, he would be willing to if she asked it of him.

And so he nodded once more.

@[f] kim sunggyu To Sora, the past did not matter. Everyone had their own pasts that they wished to hide away and everyone had parts of their past that they allowed to be displayed as they carried those parts with them. To Sora, a person's past was their own affair and if they wanted her to know about anything regarding so was their decision. She was not the type to force.

She folded her hands neatly on her lap as she glanced down at it before back at his direction once her question had been asked. It was a silly question, since she had seen that this disability had not been all too recent. Therefore he would have had to establish contact somehow, and a pen and paper could get tiring really fast (for both parties involved). Her interest in the unspoken language had always been there, she supposed. But the desire to actually learn had grown during her first week at the establishment. Sure it had been Sunggyu who had ignited that desire, but he did more than that, actually.

He had opened her eyes.

She had begun to notice the others around, her interaction with Sunggyu had coaxed her out from an invisible bubble. There were so many people at the establishment who were unable to voice out their own thoughts. She was certain that there were not that many staff who had known how to sign, if there were any at all. At least this way, if there were people with the inability to hear introduced into this place, a line of communication could open up and their hardships could lessen (if only just a little).

"It's would be practical to know, don't you think?" She had asked him, smiling rather sheepishly. She had felt silly that she did not think ahead. But it was not everyday that one would graduate from university and apply for a position as a guard at a place that most avoided.

"It'd be better much faster than you having to worry about writing all the time. It could also help with the other people here who have the inability to speak."

Will you help me?

It was her turn to speak to him with her own eyes as she boldly made contact with his eyes.

@[w] park sora Sunggyu had been used to having people around him; at one point, he had experienced the thing called popularity, even if just one bit of it. But ever since he became a mute, he just... refused everyone, at least the people he had known. He feared they might ask him what had happened, and he wouldn't be able to explain. Not to mention that he might freak out insteadㅡno, he would rather hide. His parents were two of the few he let inside his boundaries, but he could see the disappointment in their eyes, the pity in his mother's gaze everytime she looked at him... and everytime, he felt worse.

His older sister had been the one who understood him mostㅡand this was why Sora reminded him of her. She never forced him, she had been similarly extra careful with him though it really wasn't necessary because he knew he could handle her touches to some extent, and the thing was... the book.

At home, his room had been filled with books his sister gave him; he didn't really do anything much except to read, because it was the most silent thing he could do and it kept his thoughts directed.

Strangely, Sora made him felt like he was home, in a lot of ways.

Her question had made Sunggyu looked up at her, again with the hint of surprise and wonder. One was not expected to show compassion for the flawed there, for a lot of people thinks that if circumstances forced them, they would break out of their comfort zonesㅡwas she actually implying that she wanted to get /inside/ that comfort zone of his?

But of course, he nodded; it had been his sister who had taught him the universal sign language, after they made up a lot of signs only they understood (it was simple that way, but eventually she felt he should learn the universal one anyway). And perhaps the question in his eyes was clear enough.

Why do you ask?

@[f] kim sunggyu She found herself thinking that he needed not speak to voice out some of the things that he had been thinking. She had seen his eyes widen just the slightest as soon as she had taken the notebook out, filled with what she could only label as surprise and maybe even slight wonder. Did he think that she went a little overboard this time around? She found herself thinking that nothing was too much if it was spent on someone like him. She had not known him for more than 48 hours (probably less to be honest if one were to count the amount of time that they had spent actually /interacting/ with each other), but felt just a little bit overprotective of him now that she was responsible of him. But she supposed that if any other of the accused had been like he was, she would show the same compassion for all of them.

They were here because they were not considered perfect. Like defected pieces of technology, they were sent for repairing, their lives as a warranty. They would be kept for as long as they were seen to be imperfect and unfit to live back in 'society.'

The thought made her irritated, in all honesty.

To think that she had chosen this job on the basis that it would have been considered similar to working as a police officer (although this was possibly more dangerous than most cases an officer would have to face, considering the people inside and the surroundings). She had only been here a couple of days, but she could see why workers would quit or avoid the job position like the plague.

It was mentally draining for someone who had a strong sense of justice to see the amount of injustice that had been going on. But she had been careful about who she would voice such thoughts to, she did not want to end up inside (not because of the label that came along with it) because she knew that the only way she could help was by acting under the table.

She watched carefully as Sunggyu had taken the sandwich from inside and as he took his first bite before she cast her gaze to her lap, spotting the hesitation in his eyes as they met her own.

A lady was not supposed to stare. She found herself thinking, suppressing a scoff as she had remembered her parents. She wondered if they had heard of her thoughts, would they have been proud of her? Probably not, they would have scorned such 'vile' ideas. Not like she had cared in particular, even with the little affections she had for them, she did not let their poisoned minds poison her own. And she definitely could not afford to let this job cloud over any of her own judgements.

"Do you know sign language, Sunggyu-sshi?"

@[w] park sora [ Woah o.o ]

To tell the truth, if he was to be handled by a nurse (or anyone, in fact) without being triggered, he has to be unconscious, or at least just half. Sunggyu was very well aware of the fact, and well, for him, if he has not actually had a faint spell yet, then there would be no need to.

As for the book, thoughㅡsome three hundred pages were not many, for him that is. He rarely backread unless he find he did not understand things properly, and so he probably was faster, though his understanding on the book probably could not match Sora's. As a kid, he started reading from a very young age, and aside of being a fast reader, he has his way with words; if anything, he actually wrote lyrics himself.

Sadly, he could never even listen to anything musical anymore.

A nod had been Sunggyu's reply before his eyes widen slightly at the sight of the notebook; actually, he found it hard to believe his very eyes. She didn't just not forget, she even brought /a book/ with herㅡ

It would give him a different impression had it been a few sheets of paper, actually. With the book shown to him then... was he to expect their conversations filling it? Was he to expect they actually had the time to do such kind of bonding?

And the biggest question of all: were they even allowed?

Because for all he knew from this twisted system the government has, he didn't think they were.

He would have taken the notebook had she not reminded him to eat by the bag, really, and so he reached towards the bag and took the sandwich inside, carefully opening the container. It reminded him of the previous night when he took a bite out of the sandwich and looked at her with hesitation in his gazeㅡonly that he was becoming more used to her watching him eat, but that doesn't mean he was nonchalant about it. Shyly, he turned his gaze down after a few moments, though.

Just why did he suddenly feel like a little kid again in front of her...?

@[f] kim sunggyu ( Its actually quite delicious tbh-- /has had a Filipino version of it)

She could not help but feel a little more worried as he had smiled weakly in her direction. She could only watch helplessly as he had pushed himself to sit up, and tried to reassure her. In a situation like this, it would have been best to call for a nurse. But would he let her knowing that it was in a nurse's job description to physically handle patients?

Sora's eyes trailed to the book pushed towards her direction, shocked that he had been able to finish it so fast. It had taken her days to read it, mostly because she liked to look back and re-read certain parts that she thought connected with past text. She assumed that he had finished it, although she could always ask. Perhaps he was a faster reader than most and she had underestimated him. After all, it was obvious that there was nothing else he could have done aside from reading to occupy his mind.

"Did you like the book?" She asked, carefully reaching forward to quickly pull the book away from the bed. As she looked from the cover of the book, to the male she had remembered that she had promised to bring him something to write in so that they could establish a line of communication. "Oh before I forget.." Her voice trailed off as she stood up once more, pulling out a small, flat pocket notebook and a small pen to match. It had been something she brought over in her luggage, the book being one that she used to write quotes of inspiration in every now and then. Although special to her, she could easily part with no problems. Maybe it could help bring peace of mind to him while she was away. It's size alone served practical in a situation like this, it would have been useless if she left it idle in her room when it could serve its purpose. A book was meant to be shared with others after all.

After showing it to him, she had carefully placed the items on his bed, a safer distance away so that her hand would not brush any part of him, but hopefully within an arm's reach. But before she could retract back, she quickly placed the brown bag on top of the stationary items.

"But before we get to all of that, why don't you have a bite to eat first. We'll have more time to talk about it later."

@[w] park sora [ Hahahaha I think I know what you're talking about-- my friend talked about it once, Kris' liking to makchang or whatever it was-- ]

Well, if it's for a month, Sunggyu probably had overextended his own endurance—though it was more because he ate only a little amount of food everyday even when he wasn't confined. It just got worse now that he ate nearly nothing. He wasn't all bones, but the sickly pallor never really went away. The dim light had hidden the color, luckily, but no doubt Sora had figured it out.

It was the reason why he always slept more, though.

But the male struggled to push himself awake, and despite the dizziness, he sat up on the bed, turning his gaze from the paper bag to her features. Somehow, she still kept her distance, one thing he was quite thankful for. The others wouldn't be so mindful.

He had given her a weak smile afterwards, letting her know that he understood—really, he didn't want Sora to worry more, even though he knew he would probably be having a fever soon, or maybe he was already slightly feverish by then. It's hard to tell when one was almost always on the borderline of wellness. He would've signed the simple 'thank you' though, if only she could understand him. It would be so much easier.

The book was left on the bed as he sat up, and realizing it, he pushed it towards her, a bit hesitant. One day doing nothing but reading had enabled him to finish the whole book... but he feared she might misunderstood him for not actually reading it. Really, this was one of those frustrating moments where Sunggyu actually wished he could speak again.

But as far as he remembered, she told him she would bring the paper...

@[f] kim sunggyu ( they're so cute tbh-- they eat so much xD )

It did not take long for Sora to see him, although he hadn't the ability to speak as of yet, she felt like something was off by the lack of response. The dreadful feeling made her stomach flip the moment she entered, and saw him unresponsive on the bed. Thinking about what could have made him act in such a way, she reached two conclusions, the first being that someone had entered and unleashed their aggression on him and the second being that they hadn't fed him the whole day. The second option seemed more likely, it was also the most simple one. Sora wondered if they had always neglected the people like this, or if it was just for pleasure that they did these things. The human body was said be able to withstand hunger for around a month or more (well at least in survival guides), but perished without water after a mere three to four days. These people were not sent here to be experimented on, but helped. Sora could not see how locking them away without food or water would help them, it could only break them, really.

"I brought something to drink and eat." She said softly, moving to his side but keeping a fair distance as she took a seat on her knees. It felt kind of like a sickbed, like a mother or family member sitting besides a younger child or brother in wait for their recovery. She placed the paper bag beside her, glancing at the male in front of her worriedly. She wanted to reach forward, place her hand on his head to see if he was alright, but she couldn't risk it. So she continued to speak.

"It's a sandwich with deli meat inside of it and I brought a juice pack in case you felt like drinking something other than water."

The poor man was probably exhausted without any food to replenish his energy. And the sight only made her want to get him out of here more.

Suddenly she found herself wondering if there were others involved in the fight who had been in the same situation as Sunggyu, who had been wrongly accused and put away. Did they have someone by their sides as well to aid them when they needed it? She could only hope so, but with the way things were now, she doubted it.

@[w] park sora [ Ahahaha xD I don't watch EXO tbh xD I just listen to them-- ]

The water had served well for the male; after breaking the apple core into pieces as small as he could, he took them to the toilet and flushed it down, then he drank the rest of the water Sora gave him the moment he got in. There was still the newer container; Sunggyu purposely did not touch it yet because it might just be what was going to last him for how many days that were going to come.

He had slept before Sora's visit, but it wasn't hard for him to find sleep back later that night. He knew it preserved more energy and waste less, and after lying down for how many minutes pondering over the day's happenings, he fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.

It seemed like they were really testing it on him, thoughㅡhe spent the whole time during the morning until evening reading the book quietly, taking very light sips of water when he couldn't stand the thirst because they gave him neither drink nor food. It was only the second day, and even if he was surviving, there was no denying how light-headed he had became.

By the evening, he had resorted to sleep once more with the book in his embrace; when Sora came that night, the knocks didn't wake him up.

Her voice did.

Stirring lightly, Sunggyu had opened his eyes when she entered, but he didn't move. It struck him that if this continues he would die sooner or later, but so far death had never scared him. His mind scared him more, to be honest.

Somehow, his body just wanted to shut down again for it to survive longer, but he struggled not toㅡand that had taken him a few moments where he didn't move even a bit save for a few blinks, still laying down on the so-called 'bed' in the padded room as he looked at herㅡshe came again, it seemed.

And honestly, he thought he was just imagining things.

@[f] kim sunggyu ( ugh so I was watching exo's showtime and im cry cuz feels tbh--- OTL )

She had retired to her bedroom for much needed sleep as her shift had ended. One of the things that she found herself doing every night before she would sleep was self-reflect on her day. First she would think about everything that she felt saddened about-including the fight earlier and Sunggyu. Then, she proceeded to think about things that she was thankful for.

Her small moment with the male had been the first to cross her mind.

She could still visualize being in that padded-room with the male as she closed her eyes. His array of expressions running through those brown eyes in a flash, revealing his inner feelings. And when he had bowed, she had been reminded of her goal once more: to become a criminal profiler. She had been reminded of the innocent that she had wanted to protect from the all the "wolves in sheep's clothing" in the "outside world" that had yet to be caught. She then thought about the friend who had agreed to help her with the cameras in his room, so that the two would not get into trouble of any sorts.

It was a dangerous game, really. But she did not play without thinking things through, and she tried to be careful in whatever aspect she could. She had fallen asleep with such thoughts in mind, her heart feeling a little bit lighter like she had offered everything up in a small prayer.

The morning had come sooner than she had hoped. She woke up before her alarm this time, the sun rising earlier that morning as if to coax her from sleep.

And then the mundane activities had began once more, but instead of patrolling, she had spent the latter of her morning resting in and the afternoon writing appeal to send up the chain of command with regards to Sunggyu's situation (although she felt like she had needed to give it one more day and include observations from their interview session).

Needless to say, her morning had come and gone as past as it had begun and her night shift had come around. Grabbing a brown bag, she made her way to the cafeteria and quickly packed up a sandwich this time. She thought it would be easier for the male to eat and packed a packet of juice for him as well, for a palette refresher in case he got tired of his water.

She would not have to worry about the cameras because she knew her friend would take of it. And so with extra precautions, she made her way to his room and slipped inside before anyone would see her, but after she had knocked twice.

"Sunggyu-sshi?"

@[w] park sora [ Hahaha just a flash of thought bby ouo xD gah I thought of timeskipping myself but-- shall let you do it I guess? xD ]

Sunggyu was never good with strangers; it was only in this place that he was practically forced to interact with them, and so far he had never actually initiate any sort of close distance with anyone for fear of triggering himselfㅡbut for some reasons, Sora made him want to... break out of his own shell.

It scared him that he didn't know why. It might be because she was the first to show the acts of sincerity towards him, it might be because he had been practically unable to defend himself should she want to do anything to him in the questioning session but she had been too careful not to scare him off, it might be that tenderness he felt that reminded him of the sister he hadㅡwho was practically a protector to him... but no matter what the reason was, somehow, he began to trust.

That in itself made him wonder if he should at all

His brown orbs returned her gaze, though, a silent determination in his own. He might be testing both himself and Sora with the act, but with the way she silently just took the bag from him without even touching him for onceㅡ

They both passed the test, it seemed.

A small smile crossed his features involuntarily at her returning the bow, and he stood there watching her until the door closed and she locked it from outside.

If this is how a solitary confinement felt like, he'd be willing to go in anytime.

Smiling wryly at his own thought, he gathered the things she brought him and put them on his side before taking another bite of the apple, slowly finishing it. Silence had surrounded him again, but this time it felt different.

He wasn't as lonely.

@[f] kim sunggyu ( I didn't even think about that euuuuue you smart babeh~ )

She was surprised by the sudden action of him holding the paper bag out for her. She stared at him for a moment, looking into his brown eyes before she reached forward and accepted the paper bag from him, holding on to the bottom with her hands so that their hands were not in close proximity with each other.

He was allowing her to cross over a special boundary of some sort.

Soon after rising from the ground, she pressed the paper bag to her stomach, both of her hands folded over and palms smoothing over the crinkled paper. Her eyes softened upon seeing him bow, the sight humbling the female in a sense. He needed not say anything to her, the message had been received. Leaning forward, she bowed politely and no necessary words were needed.

You're welcome.

"Try and get some sleep, good night, Sunggyu-sshi." Sora's tone was gentle, and welcoming as she spoke to him and she flashed him a final smile before she turned her back to him and began to walk to the door. To others, it would have been a stupid thing to do but she knew she had nothing to fear with Sunggyu.

Exiting carefully, she took extra precautions on shutting the door, hoping that no one had noticed her and that her friend had everything covered for her.

Perhaps her shift this night wouldn't be so bad.