𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 / 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑔

S2 ch 50

Jiwon hadn't eaten for days. He refused every meal Rafayel sent, shoving away trays untouched, his stubbornness unwavering. Hunger gnawed at his insides, but he would rather suffer than give in. It was his only way to fight back. His only way to reclaim some control over his situation.

Rafayel, however, was growing increasingly frustrated. Every time he entered the room, Jiwon either ignored him completely or attempted yet another daring escape—each one ending the same way, caught in Rafayel’s arms, fighting, kicking, cursing. And every time Rafayel forced Jiwon to look at him, the younger either started throwing punches, spat in his face, or called him every vile name he could think of.

Rafayel's patience was wearing dangerously thin. He never wanted to hurt Jiwon—he couldn't. Even if he had the chance, he wouldn’t lay a hand on him in violence. Deep down, beneath the frustration and anger, Rafayel loved Jiwon. He always had.

But Jiwon's stubborn defiance was pushing him to his limits.

Tonight was no different. When Rafayel entered, carrying another tray of food himself this time, he found Jiwon curled up on the bed, his body visibly weaker but his eyes still burning with defiance. The untouched trays from before were still sitting on the table, the meals long gone cold.

“Eat.” Rafayel’s voice was firmer than before, his patience barely holding on.

Jiwon scoffed and turned his face away. “Fuck you.”

Rafayel inhaled deeply through his nose, his jaw clenching. He set the tray down forcefully, the silverware rattling against the plate. “You need to eat, Jiwon.”

“I need to get the hell out of here,” Jiwon shot back, his voice hoarse from lack of food and water. “Let me go.”

Rafayel moved swiftly, grabbing Jiwon’s wrist and pulling him to sit up. Jiwon fought him immediately, trying to wrench his hand away, but Rafayel’s grip was unyielding. He wasn’t rough, but he wasn’t letting go either.

“You’re being childish,” Rafayel muttered.

Jiwon snarled. “And you’re being a fucking psycho.”

Rafayel exhaled sharply, his frustration slipping through the cracks. He grabbed the bowl of soup from the tray and dipped the spoon into it. “If you won’t eat by yourself, I’ll feed you.”

Jiwon’s eyes widened, and before Rafayel could react, Jiwon knocked the bowl out of his hand, sending it crashing to the floor. The hot liquid splattered across the expensive rug, but neither of them cared.

Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.

Rafayel’s fingers twitched at his sides. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, taking a slow, steady breath before meeting Jiwon’s glare again.

“Fine,” he said lowly, voice dangerously calm. “You don’t want to eat? You don’t have to.”

Jiwon smirked, believing he had won. But the look in Rafayel’s eyes told him otherwise.

Rafayel turned on his heel and strode to the door. “Let’s see how long your pride lasts.” He glanced back once more before stepping out, locking the door behind him.

Jiwon’s smirk faltered as he was left alone in the deafening silence, his stomach twisting painfully. For the first time since waking up in this place, doubt flickered through his mind.

Had he just made a mistake?

-------

Jiwon hadn’t eaten in a week. His stomach twisted in agonizing hunger, his limbs weak, his head light from starvation. He felt like he was losing his mind, his thoughts becoming sluggish, his body trembling every time he moved. But no matter how desperate he felt, he refused to beg Rafayel for food. He couldn’t. The very idea of lowering himself to ask the man who had imprisoned him made his pride burn.