PITYING THE PRISONER | p.jm

n i n e - c o r a

They've been beating Jimin for two days. Two whole days, and I've been oblivious to it; completely unaware of the physical suffering of the boy I care so much for.

I promise him I'll get him out, and in record time— no less than seven days. That's not a lot of time, but it will have to do. I need a plan, that much I know. As I walk back to my quarters from Cell #607, I begin to form one, and finish mapping it out in my mind shortly after I get there. It'll be risky, it'll be close, and there's a huge chance that we'll both get killed, but a promise is a promise, and I'm not going back on my word again.

I will get Jimin home to Bangtan.

* * *

Day comes. I practice my morning routine, same as I always do. Get up, change, spar with Subin, beat her, jog for a while. Today, we go to the shooting range, where I lose to Subin by only the smallest amount. I'm almost there, she says. I'll be able to pass the field agent's weapons exam. Of course, that's not what I'm practicing my shooting for.

I bring breakfast to Jimin, who is looking a bit better. He's still quite bruised and battered, but his posture is more upright and he has the fiercest, most determined look in his eyes. He is ready to get out of here, and he's going to do whatever it takes to make it. Park Jimin is ready for war.

I go to get breakfast of my own, and this is when my plan begins to be put into motion. As I sit down across from Subin as I always do, I begin thinking about how I'll be able to subtly slip in the right words, so I'll get the information I want.

"How's work?" I ask, on cue.

"Work. You know how it is."

"Well, I do ask you every day."

"True."

"What makes it so bad, though? Guarding, I mean. I can see it being boring, but what is it that makes you hate it so much?"

"You hit the nail on the head, Lee Cora. It's boring. All night, little-to-no sleep, standing by a Cell Block door waiting for a prisoner to escape, because that's a pretty common occurrence."

"Calm down, Subin, I might choke on all that sarcasm."

"It's hell."

"Clearly. What Cell Block do you work in?"

"It changes a lot. We get schedules that tell us where we're supposed to be and at what time, but even the schedules change sometimes. I'm in Residence Block H now, but I'm getting moved to Cell Block A next week."

"Sounds like a lot of fun."

"It's a blast, if you call standing in silence for eight ungodly hours in the morning a blast, which I don't."

"Well, I do."

"It's cause you're lame, Lee Cora," Subin says, picking up her tray as she speaks. "What about you, how's 402?"

"Eh, he is what he is. Easy to break. My strategy worked pretty well. I've got to work with him for awhile longer, though, there's still a little fight left in him."

"Have fun."

"I'll certainly do my best," I say as I dispose of my trash. "I'll see you later, Subin."

"Yeah, see you!" She calls as she exits the cafeteria. I wait awhile, loitering about until I deem it safe to make a return to my quarters. When I get there, I'm surprised to see that it's far from empty.

"Good morning, Cora," Taewoo says to me. He's standing in front of my bed like he's been waiting there for some time.

"Good morning, sir," I reply, quickly saluting.