SADISM

8.3

His heart leaps a little at the thought of going outside. Were they trying to; Hanseok’s eyes widen, were they trying to prove Ji Eun wrong? Were they going to take him out in public and show the world he isn’t missing?
Hanseok swallows in hope. It’s been so long that he’s been outside, and the joy of it pumps his heart into frenzy. He goes to the bathroom to change. Hands trembling in shock and excitement. Maybe he shouldn’t
be so excited, it is probably too good to be true. He pulls up his black suit pants, looking sharp and fitting well. The white shirt is clean cut, and he buttons it up to the top. The jacket he pulls is off fine print, and Hanseok stands wondering how he looks. There is no mirror for him to check, and he goes back to his bedroom to see if the windows would reflect his looks. It’s too bright, and he can’t see. What he can see is life outside! Hanseok hopes, hopes he can join them soon.
He combs his hair and parts them in the middle. He takes a deep breath and purses his lips with anxiety. Hanseok knows he isn’t going outside; it is just wishful thinking. His chest tightens at the thought, and his eyes burn in hopelessness. How long were they going to keep him? He wonders. Will they keep him until he breaks like his brother did, or will they still have him imprisoned?
Hanseok puts on his socks but doesn’t know if he should put on shoes. He swallows away at the
thought, and just walks out of his bedroom. Back in the living room, when Hanseok peers in, his eyes fall on the huge green cloth hung on a wall, and a camera facing it. They were going to record him. He doesn’t know what he was expecting; Hanseok’s disappointment isn’t that great. He knew he wasn’t going outside; it is just a thought that had crossed his mind. He wasn’t expecting a recording either. What did they want to record? Proof of life? The article Hanseok read isn’t even that bad. Unless there is something else going on. Hanseok watches as Vincenzo sets up the camera and fixes the lamp light. The mafia boss looks him over and doesn’t say anything. Cha Young goes towards the duffle bag and starts rummaging through it. She pulls out a box; there’s a brand-new tie and she picks it up and lines it across Hanseok’s shirt lapel. It’s an expensive black tie with white strip dots. She purses her lips and goes back to the bag.
“That looked fine,” Vincenzo says, as he pulls back from the camera and looks over the set up.
“What?” Cha Young pulls out another box with another tie – black silky rose patterns. She lines it against Hanseok, again, and this time she nods in satisfaction. “The tie.” Vincenzo says, looking between the tie and Hanseok’s suit. Hanseok stays still while the two decide which tie to wrap around his neck.
“I like this one,” Cha Young weighs the black rose pattern tie. Vincenzo shrugs at her, and nods. “Alright.” The mafia boss backs away, and Cha Young hands the tie to Hanseok. “Put it on, let me see.” She orders. While Hanseok puts the tie around his collar; Vincenzo pulls out papers from the duffle bag and reads through it. “Okay.” Cha Young backs away, and Hanseok’s stares at the papers Vincenzo is reading. He chews on the thought, is that what he is supposed to say in the recording. What is it? Vincenzo looks up from the papers and walks towards Hanseok. His eyes are strict, and his lips tight when he hands Hanseok the papers.
Hanseok’s hands trembles as he reads the first paper; It’s about an affair he supposedly had with Ji Eun, only he never did such a thing. The entire statement is false, and it’s basically an apology to her, and it being the reason why he stepped down from Babel Group as well.
Hanseok swallows as he reads it again. An apology to Babel Group for revealing insider information to her because they were together. A tear falls down his cheek and he looks at Vincenzo, and then at Cha Young. It’s such a disheartening moment, he doesn’t know what to say. Now, they were going to destroy his reputation as a businessman as well. The second paper is an apology to the shareholders. Hanseok sobs silently as he reads it, overwhelmed at the lies he is going to tell them.

The End