Mind Games - Night has come

21

A gentle knock on the door prompted Kyun-jun to lift his head from the pillow, his arm propped behind it as he lay on one of the beds in the compact room.

"Who is it?" he inquired.

The door swung open, and Min-ji entered, holding a first aid kit in one hand and the other firmly gripping the handle. "The Grim Reaper," she responded, her expression serious, before closing the door behind her.

Kyung-jun, clearly unamused by her attempt at humor, rolled his eyes and reclined his head against the pillow.

"How does it feel to get locked up without your phone?" Min-ji asked as she approached the bed, coming to a stop right before it. "Pretty shitty, right?" she added.

Kyung-jun, visibly angered, retorted, "Did you come to pick a damn fight?" without even glancing in her direction.

"Not really," she shrugged, holding up the first aid kit for him to see. "I was sent to tend to your wounds," she added, emphasizing that she wasn't there of her own will.

"Come on, get up. I don't have all night," Min-ji urged, proceeding to sit on the ground and placing the first aid kit on the small table.

Kyung-jun released a weighty exhale, shifting slightly but refusing to rise. He closed his eyes, seemingly indifferent to Min-ji's presence. Despite the evident heavy bruises and wounds adorning his face, his countenance remained undisturbed. "I'm fine," he uttered calmly, pausing before adding, "Leave."

"I'm not going anywhere. Just get up," Min-ji retorted, annoyance noticeable in her tone. Opening the first aid kit, she sighed upon seeing Kyung-jun motionless. "Hurry up," she added, adopting a more impatient and irritable tone as she readied the healing supplies for his wounds.

Kyung-jun initially remained immobile, merely opening his eyes and contemplating. Realizing Min-ji wouldn't depart anytime soon, he emitted a frustrated groan, pushing himself off the bed and settling on the ground beside her. His body language unmistakably conveyed a preference for forced cooperation over voluntary participation.

Min-ji grasped a cotton pad, and with Kyung-jun now seated beside her, she addressed the most substantial injury on his face – a deep cut on his right cheek, just below his eye. The wound had assumed a dark shade of red. Her other hand delicately moved aside some stray hairs to afford a clearer view, continuing to cleanse the wound.

Kyung-jun maintained a cold demeanor, fixing his gaze ahead with a serious expression. He allowed her to proceed without a word, refraining from glancing her way.

"By the way," Min-ji began, shattering the hushed stillness enveloping them, "Why did you and Jin-ha kill Yu-jun?" Her curiosity laced her inquiry.

Kyung-jun lapsed into a momentary silence, fixating his gaze straight ahead. "Jin-ha got rid of him because Yu-jun discovered he was a Mafia. I just happened to be there," he disclosed in a subdued tone.

"Don't lie," Min-ji swiftly countered, seeing right through his facade.

"I'm not lying. I'm really not a Mafia," he retorted defensively, turning to face her. "Unlike that bastard Jin-ha."

Min-ji regarded him with a disapproving expression, withdrawing her hand from his face. Placing the cotton pad on the table, she reached for the antiseptic cream. Applying it to her finger, she then resumed attending to his wound, delicately pressing down. "Constantly framing Jin-ha for your actions will only lead everyone to vote for you," she calmly stated, her tone more composed than his.

"Will you vote for me?" he inquired, a hint of anger and genuine curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

Min-ji averted her gaze, retracting her head. "How should I know if you're really a Citizen or not?" she muttered in a subdued tone.