Four | BTS ✓

22

Jungkook plops Kennedy down onto the bed in the isolation room, pulling the tranquilizer dart from her shoulder. He winces slightly seeing the bruise already forming from shooting her at such close range, but Jungkook holds back the sympathy when he remembers why he shot her in the first place.

Without a second glance, Jungkook leaves the isolation room, making sure it's securely locked before collapsing onto the bench in the small room just outside of the isolation cell, holding his head in his hands as the earlier events replay in his head like a horror movie.

He can't help but feel like this could have been prevented somehow. He feels at fault for not being able to control the person he is being paid to watch over. Because of the prisoner he is in charge of, Yoongi is now knocked out in his cell and Hoseok is in surgery. There is no telling what repercussions the staff will face now that the people who funded this entire project have been pissed off.

"Hey, Jungkook right?" a voice sounds from next to him and he glances up to see the man who is always seen around the isolation cell.

He smiles politely, nodding in acknowledgement.

The man sits down next to him and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm Wooyoung."

Jungkook nods again, not able to bring himself to make idle conversation with his guilt and worry at an all-time high.

"I work in this area," Wooyoung continues, sensing Jungkook doesn't want to respond. "It's my job to watch over whoever is in isolation when their main guard is working back in the cell block. I guess I'm kind of in charge of isolation in a way since I'm usually the only one here aside from when the prisoner's guard checks on them or when night shift takes over."

Jungkook hums, not wanting to be rude by completely ignoring the talkative man.

"Strictly speaking, I'm not supposed to interact with whoever is in isolation except when they need something or when I need to get in to restrain them for whatever reason, but I like to sit here and just let them vent to me. It's interesting to hear what they have to say when they get going."

Jungkook lets out a small laugh, his gaze moving to look at the man seated next to him. "You're telling me, your superior, that you break the rules of your job."

Wooyoung laughs as well, leaning back and resting his head against the wall behind him. "I'm good at reading people, and I can tell you won't rat on me. It's harmless, really. I just let them tell me their stories or whatever else they want to share, and I just listen to them. Gives me something to do and gives them something to focus on."

Jungkook shrugs. "No need to explain. I won't tell anyone. Doesn't seem to be doing any harm."

Wooyoung smiles at Jungkook, his face lighting up. "I honestly would be sad if I was ever transferred to a different section of the prison. I like it here. It's isolated enough to where I don't have to interact too much with people, but it's engaging enough that it keeps me relatively busy. Those four are always in and out of this place."

Jungkook nods. "I can definitely see why."

"You know," Wooyoung says, leaning his elbows back on his knees as he glances at the door of the isolation cell. "They really aren't as bad as they want themselves to seem. At least sometimes."

"What do you mean?" Jungkook asks, frowning slightly as he watches Wooyoung smile fondly.

"Did you know that Taehyung loves dogs?" he asks, raising an eyebrow slightly and Jungkook shakes his head.

"He told me that he would've liked to have a dog as a pet," Wooyoung continues. "He said he knows that's not possible since he'll be in here for the rest of his life, but he still likes to think of what his life would be like with a dog. He has a fucked up past and he doesn't really talk about his family much, but he could talk about dogs all day long if he's in a good mood."

"Huh," Jungkook says, frowning again as he imagines a happy, carefree Taehyung running around with a happy, fluffy dog bouncing around his feet. "That's a sight to imagine."

Wooyoung hums. "I know it's hard to see them as people because of what they've done, but if you have just one full conversation with them, you'd be surprised at what you learn about them that changes your perspective."

Jungkook's curiosity gets the better of him and he looks over at Wooyoung again. "What have the others told you?"

"Jimin used to love dancing," Wooyoung says. "He said when he wasn't hurting himself to control his rage, he used to sneak out of his house and go to free dance lessons that were being held at this old studio in his town. His dad found out and beat him bloody for it, and he hasn't danced a day since."

"Wow," Jungkook says quietly.

"Yoongi wanted to be a producer," Wooyoung continues. "He talks about music all the time and how much he misses it. I keep trying to convince Hoseok to let him have a radio in his room, but he said he can't be trusted not to use it to hurt himself or someone else somehow because of the voices."

Jungkook thinks of the three men who he has seen lash out on separate occasions, whether that be Jimin's desperation to get out of his room, Yoongi's attack on his parents or Taehyung's anger towards Jungkook's existence in general. From the moment he walked into this place, he has only seen this job as his opportunity to survive. For as long as he's been here, he has been unable - or maybe unwilling - to see these prisoners as human beings, just like him.

Maybe he feels like it is easier to just see them as part of his job. His entire life, he was told by everyone - parents, teachers, friends and other figures - that prisoners are bad people and should be locked away.

Being in the same environment as people who have committed terrible crimes has definitely been a wake up call for Jungkook; as much as he was told how depraved these criminals are, he is beginning to see them more than a part of his job.

They are still people who still have an entire life to live ahead of them, confined in this place until the day they die.

Even though they've killed and hurt people and Jungkook feels strongly that all four deserve to be here, he never really tried to see them as more than what they've done.

"What about Kennedy?" Jungkook asks, and Wooyoung smiles as he glances at the door again.

"She misses her parents," he says quietly. "The last time she was here, though, she didn't talk about them. She only talked about someone else and honestly wouldn't shut up about them."

Wooyoung smiles as he recalls the memory.

"Who?" Jungkook asks, cocking his head to the side as he stares at Wooyoung with a questioning stare.

"You."