Serendipity {Vmin}

24. Theater

TRIGGER WARNING: torture, throwing up, abuse.

Hoseok started to feel like he was the prisoner of the cage since forever. Every inch of him was aching from the fact that he had to stuff himself into so little space; not to mention that his head was throbbing lightly because Jaebum struck it to the iron previously. Yet, he still couldn't focus on himself. His gaze was constantly on the younger boy crouching in his own cage.

Jungkook looked terrible.

Hoseok obviously had seen the boy beaten up a few times before, in fact, he too had beaten up the other in a teaching manner, yet he had never been in this bad of a state. The fourteen-year-old's face lost from its color minute by minute, until it stopped at an ill, greyish shade. Hoseok felt as if every minute would've mattered, but he could do nothing as long as he could only watch the boy from behind the bars. He tried to kick out the door of the cage, but it was surprisingly hard, and he was unable to gain enough momentum in the small space to use his full strength.

"Hyung, stop being noisy" mumbled Jungkook, as he watched the other.

"We have to get out somehow. By the way, why are we even here? Do they want to kill us?"

The younger shook his head.

"They want to blackmail Jimin, from what I understood. But they don't know that he will not be shaken by this" he pointed at his other shoulder.

"So, they will kill us" concluded Hoseok.

"Probably. But they will use us before that. Or else they wouldn't have taken the bullet out of my back."

"They took the bullet out?!" shouted the boy. That could only mean good, right? Then Jungkook might not be in the edge of life. "What else did they do?"

"They only... Took it out. They said, "He won't rot from that." Then they put me here next to you. And walked out."

Hoseok nodded. So, they made sure that the boy wouldn't die. At least not now, if he thought about it more. If they would've wanted to keep him alive longer, then they would've disinfected and bandaged the wound, but like that they only thought about how they could use them for now. So, they boy could be right, they were only needed so they could blackmail Jimin with something.

"And how is your shoulder?"

"I... I think the bleeding mainly stopped" the younger hesitated. "But I can't move my arm properly. It's like it hurts crazily and I don't even feel it at the same time. Honestly? I've had worse."

"Kid..." Hoseok shook his head. Even though they were still in the torture room locked in cages, at least the younger's life wasn't in immediate danger. If only that bullet would have gone a little bit further, if he didn't jerk Jaebum's arm away... He didn't regret that he tried to save the teen from the gangster's grasp, but... Suddenly too many possible injuries passed his mind, and this still seemed the luckiest. He didn't know what could get ruined in someone's shoulder, but he could still guess on fewer things than if the other had got the bullet in his stomach. Like this they might get away with it somehow, and maybe even escape... Even if it was too daring to think about that while locked in one of the cages in the torture room, it was a must to hope. After all, this made Hoseok himself.

The iron door opened with loud creaks. The leader of the kids jerked his head towards the noise with quickening heartbeat. Jaebum returned in the company of an older man, who he only knew from sight, but didn't really know who he was. Too many people went around in this toxic place.

The stranger walked in with a malicious grin on his lips, as if he were already enjoying what was going to happen. He started to watch the two in the cages with his soggy eyes, and bending down, he flashed his toothless smile. Jungkook, who raised his head up at the scene, now pushed his head between his knees.