Befriending the Gangster // S.W.H (#21)

Fifty-four

Wonho

I left the hospital and I immediately flagged for a taxi, I don't usually take the taxi because it is not worth it and it can be a little pricey but I need to take it this time no matter what. I am going to somewhere a little outside of Seoul and it will take me forever if I take the bus instead, and it would be nearly evening when I reached.

I got into the cab and I told the driver where I want to go and his facial expression changed completely. "You are going there?" I nodded my head. "To the prison? Who are you even visiting?"

"Just my family member, you don't need to know too much about my life," I told him, there is no need for a stranger to know so much about my life and it is not like we are going to see each other anytime soon.

"Is he close to you?" The taxi driver ignored my words completely, he still wants to talk about my life, a stranger's life and he is turning it into a conversation. "I am just asking this because I have also got a family member who is currently serving time behind bars, it is my daughter if you are wondering and she is in here because she helped her friend get out of the crime and she received the punishment instead."

I nodded my head. "Aren't you going to tell me who exactly you are visiting?" He asked me. "I mean I told you about my life and now you have to tell me one thing about your life as well, don't you know how to continue a conversation?"

"My stepbrother is the one who is in jail, he opened a nightclub to do illegal things and he kidnapped me, two of my friends rescued me and one of them is currently resting in the hospital," I told him. "Happy, now?"

And we began to talk more as the taxi ride went on and I was even laughing at some point, I have never imagined that I could have a conversation with someone that I have only met for a few hours but it is proven that it is possible and I have experienced it today and it is enjoyable for me.

I got out of the cab thanking the driver for driving to the destination safely and I stood there, looking at the prison building in front of me and letting that settle in my mind for a few seconds before I realize what I am getting myself into. I am visiting my stepbrother in prison and he is not going to be very happy to see me visit him, he doesn't like me from the start and he wouldn't like me now but I don't have a choice, to be honest, my future stepfather told me to go visit him on behalf of him and I am supposed to gather some information about his living conditions and then report back to him.

My mother is not available as well, she is busy with her work as usual and she has been preparing for her second wedding at the same time, Son Hyunwoo didn't manage to make our parents call off the wedding but instead, we are going to postpone the wedding until he gets out of prison. I am very sure that he is not going to hear about that but he has to, it is our parent's wedding and he is a part of it as well.

After giving my identification card to the prison officer and exchanging it for a prison pass, I was escorted by one of the prison officers and I just followed him behind closely, I kept my eyes in front all the time and dared not to look around. The prison is not a friendly place and it was true that I heard a lot of shouting and yelling as I walked down the corridor, it could be the prisoners or the visitors themselves but I will never know about it until I am in that room.

I arrived at one random visitation room and there was another officer inside, he told me to wait for a while for them to get Son Hyunwoo out and it felt like ages when I know that it has been barely a few minutes since they went to get Son Hyunwoo from his cell. Son Hyunwoo arrived at the room looking different in the last 4 days since he got arrested, he is now dressed in the prison uniform and he looked more roughed up than usual, he must have not slept well in the past few days that he had dark eye circles under his eyes and he had grown a little stubble.

"You will only have 30 minutes to talk to each other and the prisoner will have to return to his cell after that, no time extensions or any excuses at all." I nodded at the prison officer's words and he stood at the position, making me feel uncomfortable already.

"Why did you come to visit me? Are you here to mock me or something?" He asked, already making the atmosphere tense as soon as he spoke.

"Your father wanted to come to see you but he got me as his replacement, and he is going to see you sometime soon." He laughed.

"I thought that he disowned me already and you are now his son, did your dream come true for you now that you have a father who will care for you?" He said to me. "And what are you going to say to me? Are you going to tell me that they are going to carry on with the wedding?"

I nodded my head. "They are doing it after you have gotten out of prison, it is a second wedding ceremony and it will be just for you. And they are not going to disown you, you are still going to be their son and I am still going to be your stepbrother no matter how much you are against it but it wouldn't change the fact that we are family."

"Don't make me laugh, how would you still want me back in the family if I am in prison? I am a disgrace to the family for going to jail and you guys should be ashamed of me instead, why do you even want me back?" He said.

"Because we are family and we are destined to be brothers, whether we like it or not and I would want you as a brother who doesn't do anything bad and be fun and cool to hang out with. Can you be that kind of a brother when you get released in a few years?" I asked him and he liked at me stunned, not knowing what to do.