smile!! [yugbam]

exhibit 18

complete darkness filled the entire room. all that was standing was a jail visiting booth with a ringing phone and a ripped polaroid. the phone repeats the same five words over and over again.

there was no journal entry to be found.

-

"are you bambam?"

bambam snapped back to reality, looking up at the policeman standing in front of him. it's felt like he was sitting in the waiting room for an enternity. he immediately stood up from his chair anxiously. "yes. can i visit him now?" he nodded frantically.

the policeman let out a loud scoff. "right this way." he gestured for bambam to follow.

bambam played around with his bracelet nervously, getting jittery from the gloomy, frightening environment around him. dust and cobwebs filled the area. bambam couldn't imagine staying here for a long time. i'm going to get you out of here. he clenched his fists tightly.

he was brought into a large room with many booths of windows and wired phones, some prisoners already sitting across from their loved ones, talking to each other. bambam winced at the thought that he was going to be behind the glass, not being able to feel his touch.

at the very end of the booths, was a helpless weak figure sitting in a chair, wearing bright orange. bambam eyes grew large at the sight he was seeing.

"don't take too long." the policeman sat him down in the chair, walking away for their privacy right afterwards.

bambam tried to grab the phone, but he was panicking so much to hold it properly without shaking. bambam tried really hard not to cry, but he already couldn't help it. he looks so sad.

he put the phone up to his ear. "hello?" he cried.

"hi." yugyeom spoke with no emotions. so much of his soul was drained out of him. he looked so lifeless. "god. why do you have so much bandages on you?" he hated the sight of bambam having white bandages wrapped around his head and arms.

"don't... don't worry about me. i'm- i'm fine." his voice cracked up.

"i can't. you look like your in such pain." yugyeom closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "i'm... i'm so sorry. for all of this happening. i didn't think... fuck." he didn't know where to start.

just to hear yugyeom's voice again made bambam's heart want him back in his arms. he couldn't bear him being on the other side of the window. "it's ok! i'm going to get you out of here if it means i have to use all our money. don't worry i got it." bambam pressed his a hand up against the glass as he rummaged for something in his pocket. "i don't know much about the details of why this is happening, but i don't need to know. i just want you back."

"bam..." he croaked, looking like he was about to cry too. "that... that won't be happening."

bambam's heart dropped, feeling a knife stab slowly through him. "w-what? no i- i can bail y-"

"bambam listen closely." he cut him off. "my parents are high powered people. and their goal after i left them was to ruin my life. they manipulated people to think i'm this despicable human being and that anyone that becomes close to me is the one being manipulated by me. that i tricked you or capture you and you have to follow my commands. because that's how 'fucked up and mental' i am. the media has already covered the story. it's out for the whole world to see. nothing i or you can say will fix my image. they've been following me around just for this moment to happen. and i let it happen. they set me up with those guards coming to attack you. but everyone sees what happened to us as i beat you and the guards up, that i've brainwashed you to be my minion. and that my parents finally caught me. it's over. no amount of money will be able to let me out. they have the power to keep me in here forever. i'm fucked." he slumped in his chair defeated. "they knew my one weakness. that if they mess with you, my true colors will show. and everyone sees it now. including you. i am a monster. like you said."