Narrator POV

Eight pieces of disposable chopsticks = four pairs = four meal = 1.33 days.

And very soon, another pair of chopsticks will be added to the pile.

Another pair = another meal = another third of a day.

Just how long will he have to stay here?

He didn’t know.

With a swift drag of his foot, the neatly lined up chopsticks dispersed and Shownu went back to staring at the blank wall counting the seconds until he’d be released from this temporary cell.

…Or transferred to his permanent one.

He didn’t know what was worse. At least in legit jails, there were leisure time, visiting hours, and peers to converse with… even if they were all criminals. Here, there was nothing and no matter how hard he tried to bribe the guards, they wouldn’t even let him out for a second to get a breather.

The loud sound of the creaky door made Shownu look up.

“Our stocks are low,” an overweight officer huffed, “Until we get paid, here’s the best you’ll get.”

Instead of disposable chopsticks and rice this time, it was a single bungeoppang.

Before Shownu could even open his mouth to ask about the patient, the door was once again closed.

Flipping over the small package in his hands a faint smile worked its way up his lips.

Bungeoppang… the only reason why it took him so long to get caught.

~Flashback~

“If you’re dumb enough to commit a crime then at least be smart enough to get away with it.” 

*Crack*

Seventeen, the boy quietly counted his new scars.

“We don’t need idiots.”

*Crack Crack Crack*

Eighteen, nineteen, twenty.

He heard the whip drop.

“Get lost.”

Those words made his eyes dilate; those words made him plead out loud, “No please!” He had endured the pain. He didn’t cry, scream, or even release an uneven breath of air, but ordering him to leave, it was one thing he couldn’t accept. “Y-You can’t kick me out,” he tried to sound tough.

“And why is that?” the ring leader blew out a puff of smoke from the end of his cigar.

“Because we’re a family,” the naïve boy responded without hesitation.

The room stilled for a moment before barking laughter exploded.

“F-Family,” the leader wheezed out black snot, “H-He thinks we are family.”

His little minions laughed with him leaving only the little boy in his confused state. For as long as the boy could recall, he had lived here since birth. He grew up with these people around him. Sure at the age of more than six he should be starting school but he was given other missions by his family so he thought they would send him to school after his missions were done.

“Listen kid, we found you on the streets when you were a baby. We fed you and raised you so we could use you to reel in money but clearly you have proved yourself more of a pain than a gain so there is no point in letting you stay and eat off us like a parasite.”

Although the young lad had no idea what parasites were, he understood enough to know that these people were no longer his family.

The leader came down from his seat still grinning.

“Usually I don’t let people waste my time like that, but since you gave me a good laugh I’ll let you go easy.” he patted the boy on the head.

The young one thought that he should return the affection so he drew his right foot back and swung it as hard as he could, aiming perfectly between the old smoker’s legs.

“YAH!” an erupt cry of anger exploded as the man doubled down in pain.

Eyes quivering, the boy skillfully slid through all the pairs of hands trying to grab him and fled. His small size and agility, as well as a detailed knowledge of this place’s floor plan set him at an advantage. Knowing that there was a hole near the second back wall, he quickly ran there and slid out, successfully escaping his “home”.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter