Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Th-that... thing going in...?
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About three days had passed since that incident.
Ian and Seorin were busy bickering with each other every day.
But it wasn't a bad sight to behold.
How should I put it? It felt like close friends playfully squabbling.
Since it didn't seem like they were fighting emotionally, I had no urge to step in and stop them.
My days were becoming even more satisfying.
When it was just Seorin, the days dragged on in boring repetition, but now things were lively and fun to watch.
Still, what nagged at me was...
'What happened to that promise to show Seorin down there? Did she forget?'
I'd figured she'd demand I uphold it right after things settled down, but she hadn't said a word, leaving me puzzled.
'Should I bring it up first?'
With these peaceful days dragging on, I felt like teasing her a bit.
'Am I addicted to dopamine too? I keep wanting to pull pranks like this.'
Either way, since it was on my mind, I approached her.
And slowly called out to her.
"Seorin... Seorin..."
"What!"
Her snappy attitude nearly made me shrink back for a moment.
"Why are you so irritable?"
"Why do you think? Being stuck with that noisy bitch is driving me insane!"
"What did I do!"
In truth, Ian was usually the one starting their squabbles.
Ian would pick a fight first, and Seorin would react half-heartedly.
So I could somewhat understand her attitude.
"Don't be like that... Seorin, can I whisper in your ear for a sec..."
I leaned in close, thinking that if Ian found out about our promise, it might make Seorin uncomfortable.
I spoke softly to her in a slightly playful tone, curious about her reaction.
"Don't you wanna see mine?"
Target locked.
"Khk..."
Without a word, she wrapped her chains around my neck.
'Did I go too far with the joke? She asked to see it first—do I really deserve this?'
By now, it was less fear and more sheer bewilderment.
Her reaction didn't make sense.
"Seo-rin... ssi... if there's... a problem... just tell me..."
"I saw..."
"Pardon?"
She mumbled softly to me.
"I already saw it, so shut up!"
"Ah..."
Apparently, when Ian had pounced on me, my pants were down, and she'd caught a glimpse.
Chains withdrawn.
"Don't talk to me. I'm going to sleep."
Without so much as an apology, she crawled back into bed.
She pulled the covers up over her head, hiding even her face.
"What was that, a lovers' spat?"
Target: Ian's head.
"Ow!"
At Ian's words, Seorin whipped her chains at her head.
"You could've just said it... God, you really have the personality of a total bitch."
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Seorin fell asleep, and quiet returned once more.
Without her sparring partner, Ian quieted down too, leaving the entire corridor silent.
'Back to silence again. With only two of them, it gets quiet whenever one sleeps.'
I didn't like the quiet, and Ian looked bored, so I decided to ask a few things I'd been wondering about.
I stepped out of my room and slowly approached Ian.
"What, got something to say?"
"Can I ask you a few things?"
"Huh? Sure, go ahead. Perfect timing—I've been bored out of my mind."
She seemed bored too, her response surprisingly upbeat.
"Why did you want to become a Model Prisoner, Ian?"
This had crossed my mind even when I first saw Seorin.
Solitary confinement didn't seem to offer any real perks, so I couldn't grasp the appeal.
"Huh? 'Cause your sentence gets reduced, duh... Are you dumb?"
"Ah..."
I'd overthought something so obvious.
I'd assumed there was some special twist in this world.
"Plus... it's suffocating otherwise."
"Suffocating?"
"Remember how I looked when they transferred me here?"
She'd been fully bound, with a blindfold and gag when she arrived.
"Yeah, I remember. You were completely restrained."
"Non-Model Prisoners on the 4th floor have to stay like that all the time."
"Ah..."
Her words made the perks of Model Prisoner status seem huge.
'Living fully bound every day... That sounds rough.'
"So, what's the requirement to become one?"
"Just stay put for a year."
"Pardon?"
"No funny business, just behave for a year."
"That sounds insanely hard, but you're talking about it like it's nothing?"
"And... never mind. What's the point of explaining more."
She started to say something else but clammed up.
"Now you've got me more curious. You're a guy—why take on something this tough?"
I had a set answer for her question.
"Can't go into details, but I have to."
She scowled.
Not a satisfying response, apparently.
"What kinda answer is that? Lame..."
"Sorry for being boring..."
"Still, I like you, though?"
"Huh?"
"All you guys are so full of yourselves, sky-high egos and annoying as hell, but you're different."
I wanted to say it was because I came from another world.
"That's why I love knocking cocky bitches down a peg and watching their faces. But you? No fun there."
"Ah..."
She dropped that bombshell so casually.
'Definitely a criminal.'
"Oh, right... about that mark..."
"Yeah!"
Perfect timing—she'd brought up exactly what I wanted to ask about.
"Haaa... slept well. What were you talking about?"
"That bitch was definitely awake."
Ian, about to speak, dodged the question as Seorin woke up.
Not the vibe to press further, so I stood to leave.
Underground 4th Floor
Suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the air.
No doubt from underground 4th floor.
The regular prisoners and Model Prisoners were on the same floor but quite a distance apart.
Yet the sound reached here, filling me with intense unease.
'Phone... where's my phone...'
I needed to check it ASAP.
On my way back to my room.
"Hold up..."
This time, Seorin called me back.
"Come here..."
She beckoned me over and whispered in my ear.
"Th-that size... can it really fit?"
"Pardon?"
"N-never mind, go..."
Her face flushed red again.
At this point, I truly couldn't read her mind.
Prisoner escape as of XX:XX on XX/XX.
Escaped: Yuseol (4-1881) + 3 underground 3rd floor prisoners.
All guards: Arm up and assemble at 1st floor.
*Guard Yoo Seohyun: Remain on underground 4th floor until situation stabilizes.
Leaving her embarrassment behind, I hurried to my room.
"What now?"
I grabbed my phone and stared in shock at the message.
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'Wait here? They want me to stay put here?'
Full Lockdown
Wheeeeeen! Wheeeeeen! Wheeeeeen!
Ear-piercing sirens blared through the corridor.
Bang. Clank.
Corridors sealed.
Bang. Clank.
Walls dropped between corridor sections, locking into place.
'This forces me to stay on underground 4th floor...'
I wanted to check outside, but with walls blocking both sides, powerless as I was, I could do nothing.
In my panic, I thought of them.
Come to think of it, that explosion was loud enough for me to hear clearly, but they hadn't reacted at all—which bothered me.
Stepping out, Ian's cell was walled off, out of sight.
Only Seorin, right across from my room, was visible.
"What's going on?"
"What else? Another escape."
"Huh?"
Her deadpan attitude baffled me.
"You're not fazed?"
"Have you spent so much time with me you've forgotten? I'm a criminal too. Why should I care if some others bust out?"
I had no retort to that.
'Right... I'm the guard, not her...'
I had no clue what to do in this situation.
My past guard experience was useless here.
What could a weakling like me do in a place crawling with monsters?
Being trapped here with Seorin was somewhat reassuring, but anxiety gnawed at me too.
Would she stay on my side forever if danger came?
"Seorin, do you know Yuseol? One of the escapees."
"Huh?"
Even Seorin looked mildly surprised.
"She escaped? That's unexpected. I figured she'd make Model Prisoner someday for sure."
"Huh?"
"She's the quiet, serious type—didn't peg her for an escape artist. Guess a criminal's a criminal. My bad for assuming."
Wrong on all counts.
Not helpful at all.
"S-so... what should I do now?"
I felt frustrated at my own helplessness.
Gentle pat on head.
Her chain settled gently on my head.
Stroke, stroke.
"Relax. What are you gonna do, get yourself killed? I'll take care of you, so chill out."
It was definitely cold chain stroking my head.
Yet somehow, my heart felt a little at ease.