pretty flower | 강새벽

009

"Hey! Open the doors you jerks! I need to take a piss!" a voice screamed, banging onto a door, waking us all up "Don't you jerks ever take a leak? Let me use the restroom!"

"I just need to use the restroom for a second. Is that so hard? This room is packed with men. You expect me to piss on the floor?" she continued. "Damn it, you scumbags! At least treat us human beings if you brought us here!" 

I roll over, covering my head with my hands. 

Who needs to sleep?

I sit up, getting out of bed before walking over to the door with the lady yelling. 

"Just let her go, you don't have to be such assholes. I can guarantee that you guys can use the restroom whenever you please. Do you think we can control our bladders?" I hit the glass, causing the triangle man to step backwards. 

"Hey triangle, I don't need you. Let me talk to your supervisor! Get square over here, you asshole!" 212 yells again. Seconds after she finished speaking, another masked man revealed himself. This time it was square. 

"You may not leave the premises after the permitted time." he closes a small door, causing our view of the masked men to be gone. 

"You assholes! You don't think I'll do it right now?" She walks away from the door, squatting on the floor "Man, it's a pretty crazy waterfall here!" 

The door opens and the triangle man reveals himself "follow me" 

"Damn people never listen until you scream in their ears." She nudges me before walking towards the door. 

"I have to go as well" I step up next to the lady, hearing another pair of footprints behind us. 

"Me too." I turn around to see Sae-Byeok standing there, her face blank and cold as ever. 

"What are you doing? I work my ass off to wipe the toilet and you two just sit on top?" 212 spat in Sae-Byeok's face angrily.

"First of all, you didn't do it all on your own. And second of all, you were trying to prove your point to Mr.Triangle over here that they don't have the right to control when we need to use the restroom." I say, getting 212's attention back towards me.

"You are the annoying types." She pokes my temple with a single finger, causing Sae-Byeok to grab my arm and push past 212. 

"That rude brat!" she called out from behind us, rushing through the door, following us. 

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"What are you doing?" I whisper harshly to Sae-Byeok as she pushes the door to the bathroom stall in which 212 was in. 

"You startled me!" 212 jumped, the cigarette in her hand shaking as she attempts to hide it. "Why are you in here?" 

Sae-Byeok pulls out a pocket knife, the sound of the blade popping up causing us all to tense up. "Stay there and keep smoking." she walks towards 212, climbing onto the toilet, unscrewing the vent above her head. 

"Are you... going up there?" 212 asked, staring up at Sae-Byeok. 

"I want to look around. Buy me some time, I'll tell you if I find anything. And Sun-Hi, stay there, okay?" Sae-Byeok looks at me as she ties her hair up, waiting for my response before climbing up inside the vent. 

I nod my head slowly, picking at my sleeve again as I watch her climb up into the vent. 

"She'll be fine. You don't have to worry about your girlfriend." 212 says as she takes another puff of her cigarette. 

"She's not my girlfriend. That's not what's going on." I tell her nervously.

"Oh, so does that mean she's single? Cuz I heard a few nice guys talking about her earlier." 

"She's... unavailable. You should tell them that, wouldn't want any confusion." 

"So if she's not your girlfriend, but she's unavailable, what does that make you? Like what is your relationship with her? And why are you so worried?" 

I look at the ground. That's what I've been asking myself. She's not mine, so why do I care so much? She's helped me get through this hellhole of a game, there's nothing more to it. 

"She's helped me a few times. That's it. I just want to make sure that she doesn't die for no reason." I tell 212 "Isn't it a bit quiet in here though? The guard is going to get suspicious." 

"Oh right." 212 says, walking towards the stall door, beginning to yell "My constipation is killing me! I'd rather give birth to a baby!  I'm dying here!"

I look back up at the vent, still not seeing Sae-Byeok.

Where are you going?  And what's taking so long? 

"I'm dying! Why won't it come out?" 212 continues, looking back at me with a pitiful look. 

A knock came from the bathroom door, the triangle man speaking up "It's time to head back." 

I look towards 212, scared that Sae-Byeok wouldn't get back in time. 

"Just give me a moment! It's almost out! Come on, hurry up and get out!" 212 yells into the vent, looking for Sae-Byeok "Hurry up and come out. I've got to hurry!" 

"Come out now. If you don't, I'm coming in." Triangle man spoke again.  

"Wait! No! There isn't any toilet paper here! Damn it!" 212 runs towards the sink, turning it on hastily, looking back at me with fear in her own eyes. "I'm washing myself with water. Don't you come in! Stay right there! I'm washing myself! I'm half-naked!" 

"Come out now." Triangle man speaks again "If you don't, I'm dragging you out." 

"I have to wipe myself! Hey, isn't it rule number one to check each stall for toilet paper?" 212 runs back into the stall, the water still running.  

I dig my nails into my hands, waiting for Sae-Byeok to hurry back. I look back up at the vent to see Sae-Byeok starting to climb down. I rush over to the toilet, helping her down as quickly as possible. I hear the door open to the bathroom and footsteps stomping towards us.

"Get that square guy here! I want to file a complaint!" 212 yells, sitting back onto the toilet with the door closed and all three of us in the same stall. 

212 quickly pulls down her pants, Sae-Beyok holding toilet paper and covering her nose. I covered my nose as well, placing a hand on 212's shoulder, attempting to make it look like nothing suspicious was going on. 

Triangle man opened the door, starting at the scene we had created. 

"What the hell are you looking at, bastard?" 212 yells, causing the guard to close the door quickly.

"I can't believe this." 212 exclaims as she pulls up her pants, pushing towards the door "You fucking asshole." 

Sae-Byeok puts the toilet paper down and grabs onto my hand, pulling me behind her. 

"Didn't I tell you not to come in? This is sexual harassment! Hey, once I get out of here, I'm going to sue you!" 212 gets into the triangle man's face before nudging him and walking away.  Sae-Byeok followed 212, pulling me behind her and keeping me close. 

"I'm sorry," I whisper to Sae-Byeok. 

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault he's impatient." She responds, pulling me a little closer towards her. 

I nod my head and we walk in silence until we make it back to the room, heading our separate ways and going back to bed. 

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Word Count: 1254