TR | MW [✔]

15.

Wonwoo tapped his finger on the table and lifted his head. "Ten days ago, he got a call and it didn't sound good."

Ji nodded. "What did he say?"

"He was shocked, angry. It seemed like something had gone wrong, and he didn't know how to fix it, and since then, he's hardly said a word."

"I intervened in the sale of the farm."

"Yeah?" Wonwoo whispered.

"There's no chance he or his friend will get their hands on that land. Whatever he was planning on doing there, I've stopped him."

"What about the barrels?"

"They were confiscated, contained all sorts of chemicals. A lot of potassium nitrate. Charcoal. Looks like they were going to experiment with other substances, too."

"Why?"

Ji shrugged. "Could be bombs again, but the point is, with your help, we've stopped him before he can go back to his old ways. Wonwoo, you've done good."

He didn't feel good. For ten days Mingyu hadn't touched him, and he'd barely spoken. There had been no Vaseline nights, or hours spent together in the gym, or intense chess games. Mingyu had reverted back to the cold version of himself that Wonwoo had trouble looking at.

"Your dad would be so proud of you."

Wonwoo bit his lip. "You think so?"

Ji nodded. "I know he would be. You've done amazing, and I need you to stay in here a little longer, see what he does when he's under pressure. Can you do that, Wonwoo?"

Two months ago he was desperate to leave, but everything had changed. The thought of going had nausea swirling in his stomach. "Yeah, I can stay in longer."

Ji smiled. "Good." He turned to Lee. "Isn't he doing good?"

"Yeah..." she whispered.

She was leaning against the wall and hadn't looked towards the table once.

"Did that hurt to say?" Wonwoo asked.

Lee pushed off from the wall and left the room without a word.

"Don't worry about her."

"I'm not worrying," Wonwoo said.

Ji laughed and offered his hand over the table for Wonwoo to shake.

"You'll be out of here really soon," Ji promised.

Wonwoo had never felt so many opposing emotions at once. His dad would've been proud he'd stopped a future catastrophe, but he was also betraying someone he liked, and when he left the prison, he would leave behind Beomgyu who'd come to rely on him.

The two-minute walk back to the wing didn't help him sort through his mind. It was a mess, and for the first time in months, Wonwoo sought out Captain. He knocked tentatively on the cell door, and Captain's gruff voice asked him to come in.

"It's me..."

Captain groaned and heaved himself up. Sweat dripped down his face, and he slumped forward, clutching his stomach.

"You look awful."

"Thanks."

"What's wrong?"

Captain huffed. "Sickness, sweating, a headache so bad I'm tempted to knock my head into the wall."

"Why?"

"The whiskey tap couldn't keep up with demand."

"Oh."