— CONTROL —
"Are you sure you're up to the task?"
Yukhei nods his head, "Yes."
His face shows nothing but confidence. The other man seems sceptical, "You're aware of what he can do, right?"
"I read all the files on him." he says, tilting his head to the side and frowning, "Don't you believe me?"
"I do." he replies quickly. "I'm just surprised. I've never had anyone as eager as you."
"I know him, sir. I think I can help him."
He raises an eyebrow, "Huh? How'd you come to know him?"
Yukhei smiles sadly and looks down at his feet, "We grew up together."
Of course, there's a lot more to the story than Yukhei wants to let on. Giving too much detail on their past is something he wants to avoid.
"Maybe you'll have a better shot then." the corner of his mouth quirks up. "Follow me. I'll take you to him."
He trails after him in silence. The idea of seeing him again hasn't really set in until now. His nerves are rising by the minute, bubbling up from his stomach to his throat. Yukhei tries his best to focus on the echoes of their shoes on the polished floor in an attempt to calm himself. However, his mind will not stop running in circles.
"Mr Wong?" his boss's voice snaps him back to reality. "We're here."
"Ah." is all he can think to say which causes the other to sigh and continue, "I want you to get to know each other for today...it'll be interesting to see how well he gets on with you."
He nods his head and plays with the hem of his shirt anxiously. The older man signals to the guard standing beside an enormous iron door, who unhooks a set of keys from his belt and proceeds to turn it in a giant lock. A harsh grating sound can be heard from the door as the key is turned; Yukhei cringes and grates his teeth. He can't stand that sound.
The guard takes hold of the handle and tugs it with a great amount of force, opening a gap just big enough to allow Yukhei through.
They rush to put him inside of the cell, giving him little time to even think about it. Once he's in they waste no time in shutting the door and relocking it.
The room is completely trashed; incinerated within an inch of its life. The walls that would've once shone brightly underneath the lights have been transformed into the colour of coal and ashes lay scattered all over the room like litter.
"Are you the new nurse?" a small, fragile figure asks from the corner of the room, his back turned to him.
Yukhei can't believe what he's seeing. The boy is merely a ghost of his former self. His hair is stuck in clumps, he's covered in ashes, and he's lost a considerable proportion of weight since Yukhei last saw him.
"Yes I am." he finally gets the courage to speak up, terrified of the other's reaction upon hearing his voice.
The frail boy's head snaps around with wild eyes. Yukhei's voice is unmistakable, "W-What are you doing here?"
"I got offered the job here so I took it," he smiles sheepishly, staring down at the burnt floor. "And I wanted to see how you are. It's been a while, Sicheng."
He chuckles bitterly, turning his attention back to the small pile of ashes in front of him, "It has, hasn't it?"
He hums in agreement, not sure what else to say to him. The awkward tension between them is suffocating.
