painkiller | kang sae-byeok

² 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹

chapter ii.

    "Ms. Mi-Kyong?" A van slowed to a stop and rolled down the window. With a bright pink jumpsuit and a black gas mask, the driver's identity was concealed. This made Mi-Kyong more jittery than she already was.

Nodding her head and stuffing her hands into her back pockets while rocking from heel to toe, she waited for the driver to unlock to door, but he needed the last bit of confirmation.

"Password?"

Eyebrows knitting together, she had felt the wind nip at the skin, making goosebumps appear. "Red light, Green Light, right?"

Without a word, the doors were unlocked, welcoming her into a van full of slumped passengers. "Long day?"

A white gas was omitted from overhead, making her look around skeptically as the gas invaded her senses—eyelids becoming heavy in the process.

She tried hard to fight the tiredness that seemed to crash into her body and she soon stiffed up and fell slump against the seat, just like the others around her.

• • •

Waking up to a blinding bright light, Mi-Kyong raised a hand to her eyes to try to block out some of the light. "What the actual heck?" Sweeping her brown doe eyes over the tall bunk beds, she saw everyone dressed in a green tracksuit with an assigned number written on the breast of each.

A loud ruckus could be heard from the room's floor as the players crowded around. Mi-Kyong suddenly jolted as a weak groan made everyone wince. "Look at those eyes. You still have that same temper huh?"

    Hopping off of the bed and climbing to the floor, Mi-Kyong's view was blocked due to two tall men snickering as they watched. "You took more from me than whatever I might owe," A girl's tired voice pushed out, the metallic taste of blood seeping into her mouth.

"If that's all true, how come you ran away?" A guy with a snake tattoo running up the side of his face waited for an answer, rolling his tongue on the inside of his cheek.

"Well, I didn't. I went independent," she said nonchalantly. Her hands were inside the pockets of her assigned green jacket.

The man let out a chuckle, "independent?" His lackeys laughed from the crowd, seeing their boss get riled up, knowing that something was going to happen.

    Raising his hand back to throw a punch at the girl in front of him, everyone in the room gasped as she dodged the hit by a hair. Mi-Kyong pushed her way to the front, bringing her hand up to her face. She debated on whether or bat she would interfere, seeing the girl in the middle get pushed to the ground by her throat.

    As the girl tried to get up, the man grabbed at the back of her jacket and flung her once again. Kicking at her ribs he showed no remorse, pulling at a chunk of her hair to present her face to him.

    "Independent, huh? What're you, some kind of activist?" He hissed in her face, inching closer to get the message across. "Oh, that's right. You're from North Korea, then wave theirs."

    Not having the heart to let this man push around some who looked so vulnerable in the situation, Mi-Kyong walked up and laced her fingers through his hair. "How about you go back to your little group, yeah?" She tugged a bit harder a pressed a knee into his back.