You Call Me Monster

Chen sat on the hard bench, resting his elbows on his knees as he glanced around for the hundredth time. His cell was small, maybe five by ten feet, and everything was a dingy white, including the steel bars in front of him. He didn’t know how long he’d been there, but the lightening sky outside his tiny window hinted at several hours. A guard walked past every few minutes but didn’t pay much attention to him.

Across the hall Chanyeol sat in another cell, sprawled out on the floor. His red hair seemed garishly bright in the colorless cell and Chen found himself fixating on it repeatedly. Chanyeol had been dozing fitfully for some time, his head bent forward into his chest. Chen had often wondered at his ability to sleep anywhere, but this took the cake.

After the guard passed by again Chen stood and walked over to the bars. He leaned against them, wrapping his hands around the cold metal. He looked up and down the hallway, straining to get any clue as to what was happening. After their arrival everything had been loud and disjointed, but now it was alarmingly calm.

Nari had been taken into another part of the station despite their protests, earning both Chen and Chanyeol a crack over the head with a nightstick. Chen didn’t remember much after that, other than a vague memory of being dragged down the little hallway and thrown into a cell before passing out.

They must think we’re just party guests, he thought to himself, resting his head against the bars. We’d be in prison if they knew who we really were.

The guard banged his nightstick on Chen’s cell, causing him to jump back. The guard smirked as he continued on his rounds, his thumbs hung comfortably in his belt.

Maybe if we just play the part they’ll let us go, he thought, returning to his bench. His shirt was wrinkled and unbuttoned, and his jaw was already beginning to feel scratchy with new stubble. That’s a start, he thought approvingly. He undid one of his cuffs and tousled his hair a little more, thankful his sleep deprivation would add to his deception.

After a moment of thought, inspiration struck him. He went over to the tiny silver toilet in the corner and began making horrific gagging noises, slightly hunching over the bowl. After several moments he sat up and flushed it, collapsing onto the floor beside it. He looked up through hooded lids to see Chanyeol staring at him, horrified. Chen gave him a slow wink and understanding dawned on his face.


* * * * * *

Chanyeol watched the guard pass by again. The guard peered into Chen’s cell, presumably investigating the gagging sounds. Chen pretended not to notice him, his eyes half closed as he stared at the floor. The guard soon lost interest and kept walking.

Chen’s trying to seem drunk from the party, Chanyeol realized. If we can convince them we’re just guests, they’ll let us go.

Chanyeol rested his head on his knees, feigning a migraine. He stared at the floor between his legs, his mind churning rapidly.

Even if they let us go, we still don’t know where Nari is. What if they keep her?

Chanyeol groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. He heard a key rattle in his door and he looked up cautiously. The door swung out and two guards stood there, handcuffs in hand. “Looks like someone had too much fun last night,” one of them commented snidely. “Get up. You’re wanted by the lieutenant.”

Chanyeol stood stiffly, still squinting as the second guard cuffed him. He made eye contact with Chen for a brief moment before they led him out of his cell and down the hallway.

He tried to scan each cell as they passed by, but didn’t recognize any of the occupants. Maybe the others made it out, he thought hopefully. He was taken to a small room with a table and chairs. There was a mirror on one side, and the guards made him sit in the chair facing it. They left him there, locking the door behind them. Chanyeol knew he was being watched from behind the mirror and hung his head, as if holding it upright took too much energy.

The door opened again and someone sat down across from him. Chanyeol cracked an eye open to see his interrogator. It was a woman, with short black hair streaked with white and sagging cheeks. Her eyes seemed sunken in her face, peering out from their sockets like two black orbs.

“What is your name?” she began flatly, laying a file on the table.

“Um...Kwon. Kwon Woojin.”

The woman thumbed through the file. “Why were you at the industrial factory last night?”

“I...was invited to a party there.”

“And what caused the explosion?”

“I don’t know. I was watching one of the events when the building shook. Everyone went into a panic and someone hit me. I was very drunk and I hit him back, so we fought until the police came and arrested us.”

“Who is the girl?”

“My sister. I brought her with me to the party.”

The woman consulted her file. “Are you aware that the building is owned by Park Inc., a company rumored to be a front for illegal activities?”

Only rumored? “N-no, I wasn’t aware. I was just invited to the party.”

“Hm.” The woman closed the file and stood up. “I have no further questions. You will be returned to your cell.”

The woman gave a little bow and left the room. Chanyeol allowed himself a tiny sigh of relief as the door closed behind her.

That wasn’t so hard. They must not have anything on me.

The guards returned and led Chanyeol back to his cell as the woman had promised. The door clanged shut and Chanyeol sat on the little metal bench that served as his bed. Across the hallway Chen gave him a questioning look and Chanyeol nodded. Chen closed his eyes in relief and nodded back.


* * * * * *

Kai dozed fitfully, resting his head on his arms. He had been in this little room for hours and still no one had come to interrogate him. He had seen no one, talked to no one since being arrested. He had no idea if the plan succeeded, or if any of the others had been arrested.

It can’t be good if they’re waiting this long, he thought to himself. Maybe this is a torture tactic.

He gave up on sleep and sat up, folding his arms tightly. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, wondering if someone was staring back on the other side. He grinned a lopsided grin at himself, then jumped as the door opened.

“Take him,” the officer said, letting two more policemen into the room. Kai leapt out of his chair, knocking it to the floor. “What are you doing?!” he demanded. “I haven’t done anything. Get your hands off me!”

The officers ignored him, pinning his arms behind his back. Kai tried to wrench free and they slammed him into the table, making him dizzy. He heard the click of handcuffs before they hauled him up and dragged him out of the room.

“Where are you taking me?” Kai shouted, still struggling in the guards’ grip. “I demand to see the lieutenant. You can’t keep me here without evidence!”

They took Kai up a flight of stairs and down a dingy white hallway. There were cells lining each side and the occupants perked up at the commotion Kai was causing. He caught sight of Chen and his stomach dropped. A flash of red hair on the other side and Chanyeol was there, fear evident in his eyes.

Chanyeol too? Did they catch all of us? Kai thought miserably. The hallway ended and Kai was taken to a nicer part of the precinct. He stopped struggling as he realized where he was.

This is where the judges meet to decide what happens to criminals, he thought, alarm running through him. What happens to me?

He was led through a set of double doors into a small courtroom. There were hardly any people there, just some police officers and a stenographer. Kai was forced to stand on a small white X in the middle of the room. A camera was set up in one corner, pointing directly at him. It’s red recording light blinked slowly, taunting him.

The judge entered and Kai quickly hung his head, trying to look innocent. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding. If I seem penitent, they won’t give me a harsh sentence.

The judge took his seat and began looking through a file on his desk. He took his time, carefully scanning each page before going to the next. After a few minutes, he closed the file and leaned into the microphone.

“Kim Jongin, this morning at 1:17 a.m. you were arrested for fleeing the scene of a suspicious explosion. If this were all, you would soon have been cleared and released. However, an informant revealed that you are a member of the notorious gang EXO, and that you had a part not only in the explosion, but in countless other illegal acts. Do you deny this?”

Kai’s mind raced frantically. If I lie, my sentence will get worse with every word I say. If I tell the truth, I’ll be in jail for the rest of my life.

Kai licked his lips before speaking. “Pansa-nim, I have lived an imperfect life, but I had no part in the explosion.”

The judge leaned forward. “And what of the other accusations leveled against you? Are you guilty of being in this...dishonorable gang?”

Kai thought about Sehun and his cautious leadership. He thought about Baekhyun’s drunkenness and Suho’s dark sense of humor. He thought about Xiumin’s face as he shoved him into the river, praying he survived the fall. Kai looked the judge in the eye for the first time.

“Pansa-nim, I would give my life for my brothers, and they would die for me. I find no dishonor in that. If being a part of such a sacred brotherhood is a crime...then I am guilty.”

The judge stood up, outraged. “Reprobate!” he yelled. “You bring shame on your family and your country by your criminal acts. Take him away!”

Hands grabbed Kai and dragged him away, but he didn’t care. His body was electrified with adrenaline, giving him a sense of hyper-awareness. They took him back down the hallway and Chanyeol was waiting for him. With only seconds to spare, Kai raised his eyebrows, asking a desperate question. Chanyeol shook his head, his face paling as he took in the cuffs on Kai’s wrists. Kai felt like a dagger had been plunged into his stomach and his senses dulled, darkening as quickly as they had erupted.

He was taken down to a dark cell with only one flickering light bulb hanging from the ceiling. The cell had only a cot and a small toilet bolted into the wall. The guards shoved him into the cell and slammed the door behind him. He faintly heard a bolt click and he was locked in.

“Filth,” one of the guards spat as they turned to leave. After they were gone Kai sank down onto the cot, his mind spinning.

Nari didn’t get away, he thought repeatedly. The phrase throbbed in his brain, like someone was driving a spike into it. His relationship with Nari was complicated, mainly because she disapproved of his attitude. But seeing the look of uncertainty on Chanyeol’s face was enough to tear his heart into pieces.

We failed.

Notes