In Chains and Shadows || Heehoon

The Breaking Point

The room was silent, save for the occasional rustling of the food Heeseung carried in. A tray, laden with various dishes—too much for just one person, but Sunghoon hadn't been eating much anyway. The scent of grilled meat and fresh vegetables filled the small, dimly lit room. Sunghoon, despite the gnawing hunger in his stomach, was too proud to show any interest. His gaze was fixed out the tiny window, the only view of the outside world he could now glimpse, and his mind drifted between anger, confusion, and the slow realization that there might not be a way out. Not yet.

Heeseung entered quietly, his footsteps light, as if trying to tread softly on the tension that hung in the air between them. He placed the tray on the table next to Sunghoon, who hadn't turned to look at him once. There was still the lingering distance—the unspoken boundary Heeseung had to cross if he wanted to fix what he had broken.

"Here," Heeseung said casually, though his voice felt heavier than usual. "You should eat something."

Sunghoon turned his head slowly, his eyes narrowed. "Eat? You think I'm going to eat this shit?" He spat, his voice rough from days of yelling and cursing, yet still carrying an undeniable edge of defiance.

"I don't care if you don't like it," Heeseung replied, his tone sharp but not as cold as usual. "You need to eat, or you'll just make it harder for both of us."

Sunghoon scoffed, eyes still fixed on the food. "Why should I eat? You think that'll make me like you? You think it'll change the fact that I'm stuck here, being treated like an animal?"

Heeseung sighed, rubbing his temple. "No, I don't think you'll like me any more because I give you food. But I can't keep you alive if you refuse to take care of yourself."

Sunghoon finally shifted in his seat, his gaze flickering toward Heeseung for a brief moment, before turning back to the food. "You're really something, huh?" he muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness. "You think just because you bring me food and pretend to care, everything will magically be okay? I'm still here, Heeseung. I'm still in this cage."

Heeseung paused, something stirring in his chest at Sunghoon's words. It wasn't guilt—well, maybe it was—but also something more. The anger Sunghoon directed toward him wasn't just because of the torture; it was because of his helplessness. Heeseung could see that now.

He sat across from Sunghoon, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward. "I know. I know you're angry. You have every right to be." His eyes softened, his voice lowering slightly. "But this... this situation, this isn't something I planned. You shouldn't even be here."

"Then why am I here, huh?" Sunghoon snapped, his fists tightening in his lap. "Why am I sitting here like this if it wasn't part of your grand plan?"

"Because my men made a mistake," Heeseung said quietly, eyes drifting to the tray of food, avoiding Sunghoon's gaze. "They thought you were someone else. They thought you were... someone important. Someone who needed to be removed."

Sunghoon tilted his head, a slow, mocking grin spreading across his face. "You mean I'm not important?" he sneered. "I thought you wanted to take me out because I was such a threat to your precious empire."

Heeseung's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond to the taunt. "You don't even know what you're talking about."

"Neither do you," Sunghoon muttered, rolling his eyes. "I don't even know why you bother. I'm just some random guy to you. You can't even remember the last time you cared about anyone other than yourself."

"That's not true," Heeseung snapped, but his voice faltered slightly. "I care about my business. I care about my empire."

Sunghoon's laugh was harsh. "Your empire? Your business? Look where that's got you. Torturing random people in the dark. You really think that's going to make you happy?"