Author note: I know its been a long time since i last updated i thanked you guys for your comments and subscriptions (i still idk exactly wat that is) so really thanks for your love~

Okay before i start. someone asked what is caning. I am no language expert but i will try to give the rough meaning. everyone, correct me if i am wrong.

caning-a punishment that uses a cane to hit the punished. A pictorial example: look at the thing he is holding. its a cane. they hit people with that thing.

credit to owner.

but prisons usually use larger and thicker canes.

*Spoiler* Most caning are given across the , but not really in this story...

Chapter 8

Year 1. Summer.

Eyoung screamed again.

No. This is not happening. Stop. Just stop.
 

Kaeun jumped up and ran to the door. She tried turning the knob, and banged on the locked door.

"STOP!" She shrieked. "I BEG YOU TO STOP!"

The Unnies could only try to pull her back.

"Stop it, Kaeun!" Stop! You will get punished too!" Jooyeon called out desperately.

"Please stop Kaeun... Please...no more..." Uee pleaded weakly.

Kaeun gave up on her banging as her tears started flowing. Her Unnies remove their weak clasps of her wrists.

For the first time, Kaeun cried for the safety of a stranger. She mourned against the door as her hands that was next to her head slided downwards.

Her Unnies couldn't help but weep together with her in sorrow.

However, even all their tears couldn't help Eyoung as she screamed once more in agony.

~

While waiting for all the nightmare to end, the room went dead silent.

Jooyeon was sitting on the chair as she hugged legs with her chained hands. She rocked herself, as she was lost deep in her thoughts.

Uee was leaning on the wall staring lifelessly at the other wall opposite her. Her face was stoic as her face really couldn't bring itself to show any expression.

Just next to her was small little Kaeun, who too had the wall for support.

Kaeun was squatting, her empty eyes showed a lot of contrast to the feelings that was locked in her heart. The tear tracks on her face were evident, evident enough to show that she didn't bother to wipe away her tears. They appeared when she had no more tears to provide for her grief.

Finally, the sound of the twisting of the door knob.

Kaeun immediately stood up. Jooyeon got out of her chair as she faced the opening door in anxiety. Uee straightened her body.

The door opened slowly as Eyoung started to walk out slowly. By her third step, her trembling legs gave way. She swayed before she fell into Uee's arms, her body drained of its energy.

"I'm tired, Unnie."

Eyoung herself have contributed in crying. Her red and puffy eyes said so. And what Kaeun could see was, behind Eyoung was that officer, wiping the cane he brandished in his hand.

The scene that was brought before Kaeun gave her a strong heavy sense of anguish. It made her swore to herself to never, never allow anything like that from happening.

She just hated it.

~

The four of them were given the previledge to bathe first because they had to disinfect Eyoung's wounds. Dambi has already provided some disinfectant and all that was left was for them to apply it on them.

As soon as they arrived at the place, Kaeun analysed the Prison's bathhouse. It really looked no different from a public bathhouse. Her Unnies started to take off their clothes noiselessly, cueing for her to do the same.

Looks like they were going to bathe together.

~

They stayed silent as the solemn atmosphere wouldn't go away.

The only noise that could be heard was the constant spewing of water from the shower head.

Even though Eyoung and Kaeun shared one cubicle, Eyoung's back faced Kaeun all the way. It gave Kaeun no chance to see her face. Her pained face.

Kaeun, however, could only stare at the wounds on Eyoung's back. They stared back at her while Eyoung stood under the running water that came out from the showerhead.

Kaeun could see fresh red of penetrated open wounds which buried the other scars patches that ruined the beautiful skin on her back.

The scars weren't obvious but they still told Kaeun that Eyoung was caned a lot before, maybe even before coming into the Prison.

Kaeun could recognise them because she too had similar scars on her legs, given to her from her heartbroken father when he first heard of Kaeun stealing test papers from her teacher's drawer.

Her own scars were a really horrible memory, so just looking at Eyoung's obvious wounds and many other scars hurt her deeply.

~

After the long silence in the shower, the two of them sat on the bench next to their Unnies in the empty bath house.

Ahhh, this was one of the things Jungah was referring to.

Now was the time to scrub each other's backs.

A cell buddy was assigned to help scrub each others backs when bathing. Similar to a Uee scrubbing Jooyeon's , Kaeun had to scrub Eyoung's back and at the same time, apply the disinfectant on to her back.

Kaeun carefully scrubbed and cleaned Eyoung as she avoided touching the fresh wounds. Taking out the disinfectant, she drips it onto the cotton wool as she gently drabbed against Eyoung's skin.

Eyoung didn't flinch despite Kaeun knowing how much it would sting.

It showed that Eyoung was most probably used to having wounds painted all over her skin. Not only on her back, but her limbs too, apparently.

After they finished cleaning themselves, they dressed themselves and left before the alarm rang.

Just in time, before the other prisoners came in.

~

Jooyeon was snoring in the other room.

Uee was sleeping with her eyes open next to Jooyeon.

But Kaeun was stll staring straight at the ceiling.

The four of us decided to turn in for an early night...but I still lie here sleepless on the sleeping mat.

It wasn't because I couldn't sleep, but was because I really had a lot things to think about from my first day here. I had so many things going in my head, so much so that I really don't know what to feel at that moment. However, if I were to pick out how I am really feeling right now...

I would say I am feeling sorry yet thankful at the same time.

~

She felt really apologetic for putting her new Unnies through so many problems even though they just met hours ago. She felt even more sorry for Eyoung Unnie compared to the others too. Not only for giving her a realy hard time from the very first moment they met but actually misunderstanding her original intentions sometimes.

One occasion of a misunerstanding was when they first met. When Eyoung referred to 'packing up the room', it wasn't because Eyoung didn't really want to talk to her, but actually intended to prepare a space for Kaeun to sleep.

And Kaeun felt quite bad for that.

~

Kaeun was also grateful for the so many other things that happened.

She really wanted to thank the Unnies who accepted her into their clique even when she didn't even request for it. She was glad for that because she knew that if they didn't took her under their wing by their own account, her own pride wouldn't even allow her to ask for that to happen in the first place.

And that thought made her think that if Eyoung didn't actually find her in time just now, who knows...

She may actually become wringed to death by a fellow inmate on her very first day in Prison.

~

So with all these reasons weighing in her heart, Kaeun really wanted to express how much she believed she was indebted to the people here.

Especially to that lying figure on the sleeping mat next to hers.

On a side note, Kaeun found it quite amusing how she had to sleep with her front facing upwards but Eyoung had to sleep with her back facing upward instead. Quite a funny sight it seemed.

~

"Unnie..."

"Hmmm...?"

I don't know why, but I suddeny talked to Eyoung Unnie.

I didn't even care whether she was asleep. Or whether how many hours have passed since the day ended.

I just felt that I wanted to talk to her.

"Unnie... you not asleep?"

Kaeun cursed herself mentally for asking such a stupid question.

Most obviously Eyoung's back disallowed her too.

Eyoung laughed a little at that question.

"I can't fall asleep that easily, Kaeun." She confessed. "How about you? You still awake?"

"I-I don't know, Unnie. I just can't sleep."

Eyoung knew she lied a little. Obviously she knew why she wasn't asleep. She had a rough day.

"Ah...Try counting sheep. It helps."

Kaeun smiled a little at her joke, even though Eyoung wasn't looking.

But her smile dropped a little as she attempted to say what she thinks she really wanted to say.

"Unnie."

"Hmmm?"

"I...I'm sorry, Unnie."

Eyoung stayed silent for a while.

And after that she responded.

"Its okay, Kaeun-ah. You don't have to be sorry."

"No but Unnie, I feel sorry for everything. Not only to you, but to Jooyeon and Uee Unnie too."

"But Unnie...doesn't blame you. And I'm sure Jooyeon and Uee unnie doesn't too. You don't to be sorry at all."

Right at that moment Kaeun was really overwhelmed with emotions.

How could she not blame her? Kaeun caused a lot of problems for them on her very first day here.

It made Kaeun feel even worse about how she first thought of Eyoung.

Ugh.

"But-but may I thank you then Unnie? At least let me get that off my mind."

Eyoung laughed.

"Sure. But truthfully Kaeun, I guess it was worth it. Everything I've done was worth it."

"Then...Thank you, Unnie. For everything."

"You're welcome. Now, go sleep. You need energy for tomorrow."

"Ne, Unnie. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

If only Kaeun could look at Eyoung's heart, she did know why it was worth it.

If only Kaeun could see Eyoung's face, she did see that rare smile that Eyoung never showed for years.

~

Her conversation with Eyoung was a turning point. It just got her thinking.

And after thinking for an hour or two, (and taking a good look at the new people who just came into her life). Kaeun finally came up with a small little decision.

She decided that for the next five years, she would learn how to be good again. To quit delinquency.

The events that happened to her got Kaeun thinking again and again why she was here for. And apparently she just found out.

How surprising she thought. That she would actually have her entire mindset of being in jail in just one day.

That she should and would start repenting after her first day here.

~

On the other side of things, Eyoung herself wasn't really asleep too until hours later.

Other than the fact that her back was killing her, she was still quite surprised how their entire conversation just now didn't make them sound awkward and distant with each other. She admits that she was a little introvert, (and proved herself time and time again to consist of conversational problems with others) but this time just with Kaeun, she don't know why but she was mysteriously comfortable with Kaeun.

However, even though she couldn't give an answer to why she felt like that, she was actually sure of one thing.

She kinda liked it.

~

So Kaeun relaxed her body for the last time as she prepared herself to really fall asleep.

She wanted to sleep soon so that a new day would arrive quickly. She wanted to wake up soon.

Because she knew, she just knew, that once she wakes up again, she would change entirely into another person.

A better person.

///

AN: Okay cheesy, a little incoherent and confusing. but to those who still dun understand, to sum up everything, here is a little summary.

Kaeun experiences a long first day, met new people and changes her mind completely about how she wanted to live life. so this entire story opens up here.

yaaay once again and again thanks for enduring with my inablilty to write emotions your support you guys~