My stomach rumbled for the thirty-second time today, and my mouth had never been so parched in my entire life. My tongue was beginning to feel dry, and my head hurt like hell. I was running out of energy, and I felt completely drained of everything I had.
This was my third day in isolation.
It was V's punishment, I supposed. He'd stopped coming down to deliver meals, and the electricity had been shut off. I couldn't drink from the faucet, and I was alone in the pitch darkness. It was only a matter of time before I went insane.
Screaming didn't help. It was like V wasn't even there. I didn't hear footsteps, running water, nor the usage of appliances upstairs. He had made sure to make it seem like I would rot in the damn basement, and knowing him, he might've planned to actually do that.
I laid in complete darkness, conserving what little energy I had left. I'd tried sleeping the time away, but after a while, I couldn't fall asleep anymore. It was a good thing that I wasn't scared of the dark. The lack of light enveloped me like a black hole. Time slipped by without my knowledge, but it didn't pass quickly enough.
I turned in my bed, the sheets brushing against my skin. Without electricity, it was getting awfully cold. The heater was off, and heat rose, as in it was getting away from me. I was in the basement, where it was the coldest. Bunching up the blankets around my weak form, I curled up to conserve warmth.
Creak, creak.
I yanked the blankets from my face to listen closer.
Creak, creak.
Those were definitely footsteps. Someone was walking inside the house. Whether it be V or someone else, I had to get his/her attention. If it was V, I had to find a way to beg for forgiveness, and if it was a stranger, just being noticed would help, for they'd probably let me out.
With some difficulty, I peeled myself off the bed and staggered to the basement door. My fists were still bruised from three days ago, so I kicked at the door.
"Help!" I croaked, pressing my face against the cold, solid door, searching for any recognizable noise.
Creak, creak.
Without a doubt, those were V's footsteps. I'd become accustomed to his particular gait, which was light like a fox's. With renewed hope, I summoned my remaining energy into getting his attention.
"V!" I shouted against the door. "Please, help me! I'm sorry!"
The footsteps were gone. Seconds ticked by, but there was nothing. Pure silence settled over the mansion once again.
With a shriek of frustration, I slid to the ground, my back against the door. It had been three days, and I finally had an opportunity, which had been wasted. Inexplicable desperation bubbled in my chest, and I felt so upset, an avalanche of hopelessness. Where was Hoseok when you needed him?
Tears began their journey down my cheeks, and my body shook with silent sobs.
"V, if you're listening, I'm so sorry," I wept. "I didn't mean it."
Pulling my knees to my chest, I buried my face in the valley between my torso and legs to cry. Every last molecule of hope I had was crushed between V's teeth. I was never going to get out, and I would die here, in this goddamn basement.
In a desperate attempt to drag myself out of the depression I had pushed myself into, I searched my mind for lyrics. Music had always calmed me down, so this was my last lifeline. My lips parted to murmur music. I didn't care if it made my dehydration worse--as long as I kept my sanity. If I had to choose between dying happy and surviving with insanity, I would choose death any day.
"I was born and I met you,
And I have loved you to death.
My cold heart that has been dyed blue.
Even with my eyes closed, I can't feel you.
"The winter had passed,
And the spring has come.
We have withered,
And our hearts are bruised from longing."
I leaned my head against the door and stared at the ceiling, though there wasn't anything to stare at, since it was in complete darkness. As I moved onto the chorus, I heard another voice from behind the door sing in unison with mine. V's.
"I'm singing my blues,
Used to the blue tears, blue sorrow.
I'm singing my blues,
The love that I have sent away with the Floating clouds, oh oh."
It was deep and heavy, weighted down with soul. It was slightly breathy, like mine, but it had a rich, bass register that resonated in my chest, even through the solid door between us. I couldn't help but stop and admire as he continued the song.
"Yah, why'd you stop singing?" he asked from the other side.
"I... I didn't know that you had such a nice voice," I admitted weakly. "I really like it, V."
"Are you sitting against the door? Move aside, I'm coming in."
I dragged myself a short distance away from the door, and it was opened, light entering the long-dark basement. I squinted against it and held up my hand. V stood in the doorway, the light illuminating him like an otherworldly being.
"You like BigBang too?" he demanded, slight urgency in his voice. "I do. They're the only humans worth listening to."
I nodded, somewhat excited. Who knew my favorite group would pull me out of such a dire situation? If I ever got out, the first thing I would do would be to thank them.
"C-Can you... please sing with me again?" I dared to ask. "Your voice is... it's beautiful, V. I honestly didn't know that you could sing like that."
"So you like my extraterrestrial voice, huh?" he crossed his arms with contempt. "Fine. The last part."
I nodded eagerly and inhaled to prepare to sing.
"Again tonight, underneath that blue moonlight,
I will probably fall asleep alone.
Even in my dreams, I look for you
And wander around while singing this song."
There it was again. His voice. It was so warm and lovely, and I felt like I could listen to it forever. He could serenade me to death, and I wouldn't mind at all.
"Is that enough?" V asked.
I nodded again. "I love your voice," I said shyly, looking up at him from the floor. It was the truth. I wasn't even so captivated by anyone in Bangtan's voice. V had a unique emotion in addition to his heavy tone. His voice seemed to be the only human part of him, for it contained everything that I had ever felt. It was like because he couldn't act human normally, his voice made up for all the normal emotions he couldn't feel.
"But do you love me?" V asked, cocking his head to the side.
I sighed and clenched my fists.
"I think I do," I admitted. "I think I love you."
"Good." With that, he turned and stalked out of the basement.
