Chapter 8.1

Chapter 8.1

There was no income all throughout the day.

After finishing the watery soup with bean rice and bean sprouts for lunch, I leaned against the wall of the exercise yard to catch some hazy sunlight. Even though the sunlight made my eyes sting, I stubbornly endured. Right now was the time to muster all my strength and think of a solution.

I could see Deputy Ki sitting in the guard post overlooking the exercise yard. The view was too far to make out exactly what he was doing, but anyway, Deputy Ki was there.

I quickly averted my eyes before I got caught staring for no reason and ended up getting cursed out all morning. It seemed like it was time to change shifts since Chief Park was dragging his plump body across the exercise yard from the guard quarters on the other side.

How could the same person be so different? It was completely unlike the sight of Deputy Ki crossing the exercise yard not long ago.

The atmosphere in the exercise yard was indifferent, like looking at a mad dog in the neighborhood that you shouldn’t mess with, and the women were deliberately busying themselves to avoid trouble.

Only the woman from Cell 3, with her permed hair stylishly pinned up, looked at Chief Park with a l3.wd gaze. When their eyes met, she slyly winked, and from this distance, I could see Chief Park’s prominent cheekbones subtly rise.

“…What a strong stomach.”

I narrowed my eyes, as if searching and slowly scanned Chief Park.

His stubby height, with the bulging front of his jacket not due to the clothes but a solidly packed belly. His face, at its base, had a rat-like lower jaw that sucked in, giving an impression that could seem somewhat sly, but maybe because he was chubby, his double chin made him look like a rat living in a rich household’s rice bin.

Watching Chief Park walk while constantly fidgeting with his cr*!tch because his pants were too tight, I quietly thought.

If I became a cell leader in exchange for going down on Chief Park… would I be able to go through it?

Just imagining it was disgusting. I’d rather just die than do that. Even as I thought that, I mocked myself for not being desperate enough yet.

I couldn’t tear my gaze away from Chief Park until he had fully crossed the exercise yard, lost in thought. It wasn’t at all about debating whether to suck Chief Park’s or not; rather, it was the thought of rushing at him right now and getting beaten to a pulp.

Might as well vent my anger by charging at him, yanking his hair a bit, and getting beaten to near death. Then I’d be carried to the hospital, and from there, maybe I could make a phone call to the company. Or find some skilled shaman.

Or ambush Chief Park from behind. Threaten to kill him if he doesn’t bring three packs of cigarettes.

I kept chasing Chief Park with my gaze, immersed in those gloomy thoughts the whole time. Conversely, it never occurred to me that someone might be watching me instead.

—

“You’re not begging for cigarettes today?”

After roll call, as we were getting ready for bed, Yera made a snide remark. Her face, shiny with whatever oil she’d smeared on it, was off-putting.

In the past, I would’ve ignored her, but I was utterly exhausted. Consumed by helplessness and emptiness, I wanted to pick a fight with everything.

“Mind your own business. I don’t beg from a penniless mutt who can’t even spare a single cigarette.”

“That b*tch, but-”

Bang bang! A guard pounded on the barred door outside.

“Don’t start fighting and acting crazy again. Just lie down and sleep already, alright?”

Yera muttered curses under her breath as she spread out her own bedding. I was lucky that my sleeping spot was near the slop bucket. If it wasn’t far from Yera’s spot, I might’ve woken up with her hands around my neck.

I laid down the thinly quilted mat and covered myself with the coarse navy-blue blanket. The pillow was pathetically small, barely enough to cradle one head. I was fiddling with it this way and that, trying to somehow make it a little higher.

“……”

I felt something foreign inside the pillow. Something angular and hard, yet if pressed or squeezed tightly with the hand, it would lose shape. Something like….

I gasped, and covered my mouth.

The moment I saw the square pack on my palm, I nearly let out a cheer like someone who’d found a treasure island. The very 88 Light pack I’d longed for was quietly resting on my hand.

Who was it? Who could’ve slipped this inside my pillow?

I hurriedly shoved the cigarettes back under the pillow and turned my head to scan the faces of the people lying behind me.

Maybe Eyes? But then she would’ve said something to me.

Sole? That seemed unlikely. That middle-aged woman hadn’t exchanged a single word with anyone, including me. She probably wouldn’t even bat an eye if a bomb went off in the cell.

Yera? Wangnyeo? It could be possible if either had gone crazy for a moment.

Anyway, I had a pack of cigarettes now. Hope like bubbling foam began to rise in my chest, which had been flat like stale soda.

With this, maybe I could at least try talking once. The saying that there’s no law saying you have to die seemed meant for times like this.

A gentle warmth filled one corner of my heart, which had been dreary all day. It felt like my body, sleeping in the cold corner, had found a subtle warm spot under the ondol floor. Even my blocked airways seemed to open a little.

Just one pack of cigarettes did that to me. Just one pack of cigarettes had given me hope.

Instead of pillowing my head, I carefully hugged the pillow to my chest and lay down. I vowed to find whoever it was and repay their kindness. If I came back to my original body, I’d invite them to a concert, give them a signed CD, and even invite them to my waiting room to express my gratitude.

For the first time since waking up in Ham Yeohee’s body, I let out a steady breath.

—

My waist felt ticklish.

As a large hand subtly rubbed under my lifted top, I twisted my body once. But the hand tenaciously clung on. I know this large hand.

It’s morning already….

I whispered the same sweet line I always did, and a low, mellow chuckle answered me. That always pleasant laugh softly spread through my ears. It tickles like a teasing caress.

Stop, stop it. You have to go to work, darling.

Once again, I tried to soothe the hand that was up to its usual mischief. I knew full well that words alone would never make it stop. Still, the hand kept kneading, undeterred. And slowly, heat began to rise in my lower belly.

Stooop…. It tickles….

As I whined, a response came right back.

It’s not enough. I’m lacking.

I couldn’t help but blush a little.

The man was insatiable. He acted like something terrible would happen if he went even a single night without it.