episode_0011

“Did you have fun?”

As soon as I entered Building C, the first thing I saw was Creep’s palm.

She held out her hand as if urging me to grab it,

and I, unable to say anything, simply placed my hand on top of hers.

I felt dizzy. The sensation of being in a dream persisted.

The reunion with Justice only made me feel more miserable and disoriented.

I had believed without a doubt that meeting her would change everything, that she would surely understand my frustrating situation.

However, we merely collided with each other’s misplaced trust and emotions,

“Well, let’s go in.”

Now it was time to return to my reality.

Squeak—

Following Creep’s graceful gesture, the door to the double room slowly opened,

and I quietly stepped inside.

————————————–

Unexpectedly,

Contrary to expectations,

the reunion with Creep was rather quiet and natural.

“Who was it? Justice? Or was it that little kid who followed you around?”

She slowly and repeatedly stirred the coffee mix into the lukewarm water.

My eyes were drawn to her, but I didn’t respond.

I don’t know why. I just didn’t feel like answering.

It wasn’t because of some grand reason like a hero shouldn’t surrender to a villain,

but at that moment,

I didn’t want to open my mouth more than I wanted to die.

“So it was Justice. Yeah, only she could have done this to you. Did the conversation not go well?”

To match my mood,

Creep kept talking in a gentle and friendly tone, as if consoling me.

“It didn’t go well. What did Justice say? Does she not want to see you anymore?”

The lukewarm brown coffee was placed on my lap, in a paper cup. Despite the ambiguous temperature, the coffee was surprisingly smooth and calm, with no lumps remaining.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? You gave those bitches a taste of their own medicine. Why would you want to talk to that girl again?”

I knew.

Creep was deliberately provoking me to get a response.

But even knowing this, I was so distressed that I had to answer.

“…I didn’t do it.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“I didn’t do it.”

“Ah, I see. Okay.”

It was strange. I was filled with animosity towards Creep, yet I couldn’t bring myself to confront her.

I should have wanted to knock her down right then and there, even if it meant getting beaten up by a group.

Instead, I took the coffee she offered without refusing.

“Then you should drink it. You’ve been framed, and to prove your innocence, you have to stay alive and get out of here. You can’t starve to death in a place like this, right?”

She was right.

Sadly, Creep had never been wrong, not once.

“…Wait a minute. Ah! Is that what it is? I’ve been wondering why you’ve been so gloomy.”

She sometimes acted like a child,

but she was by no means stupid.

“You thought Justice would save you, but she doesn’t even know you’ve been framed, and she doesn’t believe you, right?”

Her conclusion, drawn from a few pieces of information, was precise and sharp.

“It’s sad. I feel like crying. Come on, drink some coffee. Quickly. There you go…”

The sweet mix coffee filled my mouth. My head and lips, which followed her hand, couldn’t maintain the rebellious attitude I had shown before, and moved as she wanted.

“Yes. You’re wondering what to do now because the situation is hopeless. Outside, they’ve already branded you as the culprit, and inside, the villains you put away are sharpening their knives, right? Ugh, it’s hopeless. Yeah, drink some more. Go on.”

I drank, one sip, two sips,

until I saw the bottom of the paper cup.

After finishing, I looked at Creep, feeling the lingering bitter sweetness in my mouth.

“Tasty, right?”

She was still honest.

So honest that she couldn’t hide her joy,

smiling with it.

She tried to show concern, but she was so excited that she couldn’t control herself. Her mouth corners went down, then up, trembling at that ambiguous middle point, as if cheering with joy.

“So, what should you do now? You look very confused, so I’ll give you some advice. Is that okay?”

It wasn’t okay. But she spoke without hesitation, even as I glared at her.

“There’s only one answer. You have to accept the reality that you’ll be here for a long, long time.”

A disgusting reality.

An undeniable truth.

“Will Justice get you out? No, she probably still suspects you. If she changes her mind later and wants to help you, it’ll be too late, my dear. At least a year. No, you’ll have to rot here for at least two years.”

In the two-person cell, she recited my future.

“So, how will you survive during that long time? Can you keep growling and barking at everyone you meet for two years? Every single day? Can you endure being beaten up every day, falling asleep bruised, and having your food taken away in a place like this where you can’t open your heart to anyone?”

In truth, all these words were just taunts to make my nerves stand on end.

Yet, the reason I couldn’t refute her and just stared at her was…

“…You might be able to endure it, but is it worth it? Even if you don’t compromise with the villains here, will anyone appreciate it? Will Justice understand your heart? Or will she even remember you then? Will that woman, who lives for justice, sincerely help a criminal like you?”

Disgustingly,

my thoughts were the same as Creep’s.

“I don’t know if you two were really dating or just had a business relationship. But, darling, in my opinion, Justice will never come to save you. She doesn’t have the ability to do so. Our darling here has always been the one using his brain and doing the dirty work, while Justice just has brute strength and shoots public service ads. Do you really think she can clear your name?”

On both of my shoulders,

Creep’s hands rested.

Her whispers, spoken directly into my ear, became daggers that pierced my brain.

“It’s impossible. If you were outside and Justice was here, the situation might be a little different. But in this state of isolation, there’s nothing you can do.”

I closed my eyes. Bearing the weight of my face with my hands and arms, I searched for a way to break free from this terrible reality.

“Right?”

“I get it, so please…”

Even in the midst of all this, she kept chattering next to me,

and I wanted to pour out my surging anger.

“…”

However,

the reason I couldn’t say [Shut up] right behind my lips was

“Hmm? I get it, so please, what? What’s next?”

because I didn’t want to admit it, but I had a clear grasp of the reality.

If I had to spend more time here.

If I couldn’t even estimate when I could get out.

I had to accept life here.

And the biggest part of that life was

none other than Creep.

“…”

“Speak up. Why did you suddenly stop?”

Creep is also very aware of this.

We had to live together in C block for a very long time.

Whether we liked it or not,

we couldn’t escape each other.

So, like a nervous child on the first day of school,

we became more careful and tense in front of the person we had to live with for the next few years.

“…”

Nevertheless, there should be no compromise with evil.

That was my iron rule and justice.

“Shut your mouth…”

So, in the end, I spoke my foolish belief,

but the result of my words was clear.

This place is not society,

nor the city where I had been active.

In the closed and brutal prison, the rules and morals of the outside world did not exist.

A place where freedom was suppressed,

and one had to be mindful of others.

A place where violence and power determined life,

and where the rulers and the ruled were clearly separated.

“Guys, beat him up until he’s almost dead.”

The individual never beats the group,

and the group is devoured by a stronger group.

To survive, everyone clings to power.

Otherwise, they can’t endure the remaining time.

At least five years, or maybe a lifetime.

Those who live imprisoned must adapt to a new life.

“It’ll heal quickly anyway. Think of it as having a new punching bag. Hmm… Let’s see. Will two hours be enough? Or do you need more? No?”

Inside the prison, one should never stand out.

One must be mindful, maintain normalcy, and always belong to a group.

“It’s true. It’s fine. Do what you want. I won’t interfere. I won’t interfere for two hours, I promise.”

Then I,

“… But no doing it inside or getting someone pregnant. Got it? I’ll dig it out with my own hands.”

being unable to do any of these properly,

what should I do?