The van drove through the city streets. Taejin sat stiffly the cold cuffs biting into his wrists with every jolt of the vehicle .Through the barred windowed neon lights flickered illuminating the busy streets outside-packed restaurants, late night crowds the city was alive.
Taejin kept his head down, his black hair shadowing his eyes. The image of mother Minjoo's disappointed face flickered in his mind
The scent of cold metal filled the cramped space mixed in with the low hum of chatter from the officers up front.
The van screeched to a halt. Its tires grinding against the asphalt as it stopped abruptly. The back doors swung open and chilly air rushed in. Taejin was grabbed by two officers, one on each side. He was yanked to his feet and dragged inside the police station.
He walked under the fluorescent lights in what seemed like an endless hallway. It was narrow and had the faint stench of bleach and stale air. The walls echoed the sound of his heartbeat which was pounding against his ribcage.
They reached a small ,sterile room. The officer stood at the door, gesturing for him to step in.
Taejin entered the room and stood against a wall marked with height lines. The camera flash blinded him twice-front and side.
His reflection stared at him from the monitor, wild black hair and empty eyes.
Next were his fingerprints, an officer grabbed a fingerprint card from the stack of paperwork, he then pressed Taejin's hands down on the ink with force that was more than necessary. Taejin watched as the ink stained his skin. His inky fingerprint marked the paper.
The officers than escorted him through the long, narrow hallway again this time the hallway didn't seem so endless.
Clink
Clink
Clink
His handcuffs rattled with every step he took. A constant reminder of how powerless he is. Every time the cuff scraped against his skin was a stark image of a man...no a boy who has nowhere to go in this wretched world.
They passed several metal doors, each one more imposing the last. Until finally they reached a holding cell at the end of the hall.
"In" A guard barked, pushing Taejin to the cell.
Clang!
The heavy metal door slammed shut behind him. The sound reverberated through his very bones sealing his fate.
"You'll be in here awaiting your trial" The guard said with a grin that reached his ears.
Taejin responded with a weak nod devoid of emotion.
"Mother Minjoo" he thought "My brothers and sisters"
His mind rushed with thoughts "I'm all here alone"
He curled up into a ball on the cold, hard floor.
"This is real, I'm really here"
The walls seemed to cave in enhancing the claustrophobic feeling Taejin felt.Suffocating him in the cold silence.
The guard entered the room once again.
He laughed hysterically "Broken already? You'll be in here for a while boy."
He leaned closer his face mere centimetres away from the bars "I wouldn't want to be you when the others find out what happened. The inmates have a way of dealing with people who step out of line"
The guard wrapped his knuckles around the bars "you should know your place, scum like you shouldn't be walking free outside "
He turned around to leave "Remember me kid. I'm the nicest you will meet. The rest? they don't give warnings.
Taejin didn't feel rage or deep sadness by his words, instead he felt nothing. Completely empty.
The cell was a tomb- as if he was being slowly buried in this empty metal box.
"Was it worth it?" his mind spun in circles, trying to grasp for a reason to what he had done. "He won against Leo but at what cost" sitting in the cold cell didnt feel like the victory he Imagined. It felt hollow.
He lay in the cold. Every second felt like a millennia. Every breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Every blink feeling forced. His body was forgetting how to move. How to be free
[The D'Amore mansion]
Leo lay in the comfort of his king sized bed. Silk sheets tangled around his legs
his phone was buzzing on the nightstand as he received a call.
He snatched his phone.
"It is done "The voice on the end muttered before hanging up.
The bed creaked as Leo jumped out of bed with excitement "That bastard finally found out why no one messes with king Leo"
He jumped up with pure joy after hearing the news.
Thud!
he landed on his floor.
"The true king is back "He hissed under his breath
"The whole of Geumryong will pay for siding with that orphan, I bet he's crying regretting what he did to me. The one and only Leo D'Amore, son of Francesco D'Amore and the king of Geumryong High." Leo couldn't grasp this feeling of victory.
"Taejin may have won the battle" he sneered "but I won the war."
"Sure the victory was cheap but that bastard attacked me with a rock." He said while trying to mask his excitement and compose himself.
"He'll get fucked up in juvie" Leo exhaled, forcing himself to slow down his breathing.The victory was good, too good.
[Holding Cell]
Taejin sat on the uncomfortable mattress of his bed. He was broken but alive.
He then laid down staring at the blank ceiling of his cell.
"Was it worth it?" the question gnawed at him but another voice was heard. He forced himself to sit up straight "I'm still breathing 'I'm still alive"
"If Leo wants me to go Juvie, then I will" he spoke with a newfound determination
He raised his arm up looking at his skinny forearm "I'll take this chance to toughen up my body and be born anew.
"Its been 3 days since I was trapped in this hellhole, I'm sure juvie will be worse but I'll meet interesting people" The confidence in himself spiked up. It was like he wasn't overwhelmed by this whole ordeal.
The door rattled as a new guard entered the room "Jae Taejin. Court Day"