Untouched [minsung]

Chapter 32

Mrs. Seo was my mom. Who fucking cares. I'd lost my capacity to give a fuck about anything except food, survival, and finding a way out.

A couple of days ago when Jeongin was confronted by his father, he'd left the room silently with his head down. He's been scolded like a child. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't enjoyed the show.

About an hour later, the cuffs on my wrists had opened for the first time since I had arrived.

I was still locked in the room, but at least I could move about freely. The cold air contrasted my burns and kept me feeling freezing, though, and this was only made worse by the fact that I hadn't been given back my clothes. All I had was a pair of boxers. On the plus side, Jeongin had returned the bench and kept it out all day, so at least I didn't have to sit or sleep on the floor.

It had been two days (I assumed) since the argument and Jeongin hadn't returned. I was grateful because I hadn't come up with a good enough lie to save my dick and nothing happening here was better than something.

The only time anything happened now was when the light turned on and off or my meals were dropped off via a small flap near the door on the floor. Another thing that had changed since the argument, was that the meals were much more substantial. The first meal post-fight had actual meat, potatoes, soda, and even a dessert. I wondered if it was my last hoorah or if he was genuinely trying to make me healthier before sending me on my way. I didn't know what Mr. Hwang had meant by "fix it", but the only two options had always been that I either made it out of here or I didn't.

I'd bet it wouldn't go over well if Mrs. Seo found out I was her son and that they'd killed me. I became a bit grateful for the fact since it seemed to have been the main driving force in getting me better treatment.

I honestly didn't mind being here when it was like this. Sure, I wish my parents or friends would've found me and gotten me out, but I could survive in here with the way it was now. The burns would heal eventually. Maybe I'd get some clothes back. Maybe I'd have more than a hole in the corner for a toilet. But it could be worse. I've dealt with worse.

A siren wailed just outside of my room. I put my ear against the door. This one sounded different than the other that I'd heard dozens of times before. I walked over to my bench and sat with my feet up in case something flooded the floor like the rats had my first day here.

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Lee Know POV

I'd gotten into the building. There were a lot more guards than I had expected there to be, though. Hyunjin had texted me that he'd watched most of them leave while monitoring the live feeds, but I'd already taken out ten or so just on my way down the stairs.

A siren had begun to go off, too, and I worried that the plan was going to fail. I thought about it for just a second but had to push it aside. I couldn't fail for Han's sake. It wasn't an option.

I cracked the door out of the stairway open and shot at the guards that I could see in the hallway.

Hyunjin had texted me that Han would be in the third door on the left. I creaked the door of the stairway open a little more. I could see the door that was holding Han. In just a few minutes he'd be back in my arms and safe.

I cracked the door even more and looked to the right down the side hallway. There were a couple of men at the end. I stuck my head out and saw a few more to the left. Blindly, I stuck my hand out and shot down to the left, giving myself better odds with more targets. I heard at least one fall, and I looked to the right where I could more easily see and shot as they ran towards the door. Once they were both down I threw open my door just in time to smack the last guy from the left who had been running towards me. He fell and I shot him, too. I didn't have time to feel bad about the carnage I was leaving behind.

I ran up to Han's door and tried the door knob. This was it. Han would be safe with me again. I pushed and pushed but it was locked. I tried to bust it with the butt of the gun but it wasn't budging. I ran back towards the other hall and saw an axe by a fire alarm. I ran over the men I'd killed and smashed the glass before grabbing the axe.

I was about halfway down the side hallway when I heard heavy steps on the stairs and ran back to hide behind a column. I snuck a glance and counted four men...four more people to get through for Han. Once the last one closed the door and I was sure no others were following, I shot towards them.

They had better aim than the ones that I'd already taken out. I managed to knock down two of them but ran out of bullets before I got the others. I tried not to panic as I looked around for the gun of the closest fallen guard. I spotted it near his head but it was a bit out of reach.

I could reach his shoe though. I managed to yank it off of him quickly. I heard the men's steps and shots nearing me, and I quickly took the axe I'd just gotten and threw it, lodging it into the face of one of the men. The other shot at me repeatedly, and I peeked out from behind the column a couple of times before throwing the shoe at him. It hit his gun, causing him to drop it, which gave me enough time to grab the fallen guard's weapon and shoot him.

I sighed in relief. It was quiet, well, except for the annoying siren. I stood with the gun and walked towards where I'd thrown the axe. I had to step on the man's chest to hold him down, so I could pull it out.

Finally, I walked back to the third door and used the bloody axe to smash away at the door handle. When it finally broke off, I pushed the door open as quickly as possible. I rushed in expecting Han to be nearby, but the room was quiet and dark. The siren that had been going off outside wasn't sounding off in here so I should've been able to hear him.

"Han?" I whispered. "Han, where are you?"

I stepped in further and pulled out my phone to use my flashlight. I scanned each corner and across every inch of the wall but it was empty.

I ran across the hall. Maybe he had meant to tell me the third on the right.

I used the axe once again to break in, but this room was empty, too.

Maybe he'd meant the third door on the left in the first hallway. I ran back, smashing the doorknob even more quickly than before.

My heart pounded as I swung the door open.

"Han? Are you here?" I shouted. My heart pounded in anticipation. I needed to find him and get him out of here.

"Lee Know?" I heard, unsure of the direction the voice came from. But it was Han. This was it. After weeks of searching, I'd found him.

But then everything went dark.