Dead End | Jun-ho

10 | A Touch of Solace

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Soaking in the heated water, Aera felt her eyes slowly droop before fully closing, finally giving into to her desire. The warmth hugged every inch of her skin so gently, inhaling the relaxing aroma of bubble bath. The water rippled around her, caused by the gentle movement of her own fingertips.

She'd found a safe and relaxing place to finally escape the cruel world she was surrounded in.

Please, make yourself at home, his words repeated in her mind, as if they were echoing around her in the steamy bathroom.

After finding the letter, the tension and insomnolence soon began to take effect on her drained and fragile body. Too tired to fight anymore, she decided to listen to him and 'make herself at home'.

She'd procrastinated for about 20 minutes, staring at the piece of paper with the mysterious 'J' written on it, trying to decide whether or not to go back into the room or not.

Eventually, her feet had picked themselves up and walked back into the bedroom. She'd looked down at her hands, noticing the cuts and small bruises starting to form. Blotches of her skin was stained different shades of maroon, which led her to looking at the clothes she'd been put in, also covered in blood and streaks of dirt.

Aera hadn't showered in three days, or been able to do any sort of self care, and she felt repulsive. One look at the en-suite bathroom, and the next minute, the bath was running.

When the man had left, it sounded as if he was in a hurry and had no intention of coming back anytime soon, so she wasn't too worried about him walking in. She did feel nervous and heavily sceptical being in someone's apartment she didn't even know the name of but, at least now she could refer to him as something: J.

However much it didn't make sense, she was finally safe, and could relax for a short while before questioning the mysterious man. Aera didn't have the effort to complicate anything right now, her mind hazy from being far too absorbed in the warmth of the bath water. When he got back, she'd ask him everything she wanted to know, because she deserved an explanation.

She took a long, deep breath in, taking in the tranquil moment and trying her best not to succumb to the thought of the unknown.

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He strode down the corridor, trying to distract himself from the fact he'd finished his shift so late, tiredness nearly consuming him. The lights automatically turned on from his movement, walking until he got to his apartment door. The man put the key into the lock, walking in before closing the door behind him.

Silence engulfed the lengthy room, finally finding peace. The man momentarily closed his eyes, at last being able to relax after the stress of constantly ordering people around.
J glanced at the barely lit room, turning around and flicking the light switch on. The bright white lights didn't phase him, immediately drawing him to the note he'd left on the island.

He swiftly walked over, picking up the more. Even if it weren't for the crumpled indentations of her fingerprints, he knew she'd read it. The man let out a slight chuckle, realising how she'd probably analysed the note over and over again, trying to figure out how he knew her so well. He read over the first few lines he'd quickly scribbled down before; he wasn't stupid, he knew she'd tried to escape.

Instantly remembering the soup, he looked over at the stove. He grew curious, wondering if she'd actually eaten it. Walking over to the stove, J noticed the empty pot. The sink had traces of the auburn substance around the rim, instantaneously realising she hadn't. It had been poured down the sink, to her stupidity, she hadn't tried to cover up the evidence.

The man placed his hand on the back of his head, pulling down the vibrant hood of his jumpsuit. He placed his hands on the mask, pushing it off of his head and placing it down onto a counter. Fresh air finally filled his lungs as he breathed in without being confined by a suffocating mask. The man pushed down the black face covering, his hair sticking up in places from being tucked away all day.

He wanted to show her his true self, wanting her to see him.

But he couldn't.

Not yet.

Closing his eyes, he leaned against the counter. His worry grew more and more as he knew she wasn't taking care of herself properly. The troubled man wasn't sure when she'd last eaten, but from her fainting, he had a rough idea.

The man placed his boots by the front door before strolling towards the bedroom. J held his ear up to the door, pausing to listen carefully to her sleeping breaths.

His shift had been dragged out today, due to him 'slacking' earlier. The front man had personally requested it, knowing of his underworking. It didn't matter, as long as she was safe and close enough to him so he could look after her. It was fairly late, so he expected her to have fallen asleep by now.
Aera must've been exhausted after what had occurred today, the games had proved to be quite challenging.

J quietly opened the door, walking into his bedroom. He glanced at the barely lit figure of her sprawled across the bed. He correctly guessed, Aera was fast asleep with only half the duvet covering her body. She was wearing a black t-shirt, his t-shirt. It was dark, but that didn't stop him from noticing. He'd only just realised she hadn't anything else to wear except the numbered set she'd been given. He didn't mind at all, hoping she hadn't snooped in his drawers.

The unmasked guard walked towards the bed and pulled the covers over her small frame. He slightly caressed her forehead, pushing a few loose strands of her hair out of the way. "I'm sorry." He whispered, leaning down and gently kissing her forehead.

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