Crippled Hearts ~ Namjin

Unrest

Jin's POV

I sat cowered in the corner of the ostentatious and dimly lit room shuddering at every sound of footsteps that I heard outside the locked door. My head was throbbing with pain and tears refused to stop as I sat wondering how my life had come to this, just a few months ago I was a carefree and independent young man living a comfortable and most importantly blissful life with my appa and now I was here in this horrendous place with lust-filled eyes and greed driven people all around me and I have no way to escape this black hole.

I cannot believe that my own Samchon did this to me, he sold me to a brothel owner his own nephew I can understand he has his own family and it would be difficult for him to care for me but he could have simply said that to me and I could have found a way to fend for myself, I had not come here all the way from Busan to implore myself on him. I came here because he said he is my family and he would never want me to live alone or feel like an orphan since I still have him and I remember tearing up at his words , silently thanking god for giving me a Samchon like him who loved me like his own but now when I look back at that conversation I realise it was all a mere farce, a trap to lure me into this place and when I told him I don't want to be a burden on him he further bribed me on the pretext of having found a decent and respectable job for me so that I can earn for myself and not feel that way.

Appa's words ring in my ears when he would admonish me for being to innocent for this world , for believing people easily ,for looking for the good in every individual that I come across , he would always reprimand me saying Jin you are far too naive, stop looking for the good in every human being that walks upon earth, get out of your poetic fantasies and see the real world. We live in a cruel and selfish world my child, nobody cares about kindness and generosity here, you have to be a strong enough to fight the hungry wolves that live out there under the facade of a human being, they are worse than wolves, worse than any wild animal you could think about. I worry for you not everyone is like you and the faster you comprehend my words the easier and safer life will be for you, he would say.

Appa I understand your point, I know we live in a harsh and cruel world but if all of us start thinking the way you do the then flickering flame of kindness and love that still exists will forever be diminished from our world and I do not want that and I am sure there are a few like me who think the same , maybe we are lesser in numbers but if we keep this belief and walk this path I am sure one day things will get better, I would always reply but now that I am locked in here reminiscing my appa's words I feel I should have listened to him.

He was right about this world, he was right about the people, they are all sinister wolves wearing the cloak of a human and wreaking havoc in the lives of the innocents for the fulfillment of their own greed and lust.

As I sat preoccupied with my thoughts the door to the room opened and I wrapped my arms around myself recoiling further into the wall my back took support of, fearing that it would be Harisu or one of her men but I was taken aback when a young boy walked in wearing an expensive blue silk dress shirt that reached a little above his knees, he looked surprised as he took in my disheveled appearance and I could see a hint of pain flicker in his eyes as he slowly walked towards me, while I continued to shiver.

P-please d-don't h-hurt me, P-please I don't want to do this, P-please let m-me go, I stuttered sobbing.

Hey I am not here to hurt you, trust me, I am stuck here too just like you, he gave me a sad smile as he sat on the floor opposite me gently placing his hands on my knees and rubbing them soothingly.

R-really? Y-you are stuck here too? I asked trying to wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.

Y-yes just like you, hi I am Taehyung, what's your name? he spoke while offering me his hand to shake.