Neun

“How long are you going to lock me up in here?”

The doors to the prison they call ‘room’ opened as Jongin walked in, a plastic bag with takeaway food inside held loosely in his hand, and he gave me a long stare before closing the door behind him.

I was sitting on the bed, my knees hunched up to my chest and my expression probably quite sour as Jongin ignored my question and instead took out the food contained in a takeaway box from the plastic bag and placed it on the bedside table.

“Eat.” Was all Jongin said as he sat down on the edge of the bed and kept his gaze on me as I turned my face away from both him and the food.

It had been three days since he locked me in here, and he hasn’t let me out once. The only time he would ever open the doors was to bring food for me three times per day, watch me eat, then leave me locked in here again.

“Isn’t this kidnapping?” I continued to speak fearlessly when silence engulfed the two of us, “I can sue you for this, you know?”

“Oh?” For once, Jongin seemed interested in whatever I had to say, “And how would you sue me?”

“I…I’ll…” I trailed off helplessly. Jongin had took my phone away from me and left me basically with no source of communication at all. There isn’t even a window in this enclosed pink space, I’m basically a trapped bird in a cage.

“Exactly,” Jongin smirked when he saw that I had nothing to refute him with, “Just be a good girl and stay here. You’ll be let go after our deal is off.”

“Aren’t you scared that I’m going to sue you after the 100 days are over?”

Straight after these words left my mouth, I regretted them so badly that I wished I could swallow them back inside. What am I doing? Trying to convince him to never let me go?

“I’m not scared of that,” Jongin didn’t look amused nor disturbed by my declaration, “Who do you think has more power? Me, or your measly market snack-selling parents? Do you even have a private lawyer?”

My face flushed red when I realised that what he said was true, and I bit my lips as I suddenly felt a sense of hollow desperation. It’s no secret that this is a prejudiced and corrupted world; the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.

“Then…why are you locking me up like this?” I spoke again, this time quieter and softer, “What good does it have to have me locked up here? Aren’t I supposed to me the housekeeper and clean the house?”

Jongin shot me a seemingly annoyed look before he stood up and headed towards the door, yet before he left the room, he paused right at the entrance and gave me a backwards glance.

“Eat up,” Was all Jongin said, “I’ll come back for the empty box in an hour’s time.”

Then, he exited the room, closed the door behind him, and the mechanic sound of the lock clicking could be heard before I was left isolated in the room again.

All by myself, surrounded by those frightfully flushed walls that was starting to really get on my nerves every time I was alone.

Glancing sideways at the box of takeaway food beside me, I suddenly lost all appetite as I let out a huge sigh and laid down on the bed. Turning to my side, I closed my eyes shut and willed myself to fall asleep.

At least I don’t have to face the reality when I’m asleep.

Jongin sighed to himself as he threw the untouched food in the bin and sat down on the couch as he loosened his tie, his eyebrows furrowing in worry.

It had been the second consecutive day where Nari refused to eat, and every time he went inside the room, she was always asleep or dazing off. Even when he tried talking to her, she would just give him an absent nod, or completely ignore his existence.

Honestly, Jongin didn’t want to lock Nari up in her room either. Of course it would be best if she was able to smile every day and spend time with him, but when she escaped that day