Chapter 2.1

Her safety. That was the reason ‘he’ claimed. ‘He’ wanted to keep her away from all threats. ‘He’ always wanted her to be within his view, within his reach, within his range of influence.

At first, she believed all the sweet words that ‘he’ had said.

“It’s all for you.”

“Tell me when you feel better. Rest now.”

“If you go out in this state, I’m anxious.”

When days of isolation stretched into half a year, Hae-gang suddenly realized. 

Oh, he has no intention of getting me out of here. 

She didn’t have that thought in the first place. Half a year was the time it took for her body to recuperate after the accident, and it was also when the affection ‘he’ gave to her was becoming corrupted.

Whatever it was, it was a very late realization. She was awakened by the shock as if she had been hit on the head with a hammer, and the remaining days of the year felt like hell. She wanted to leave; she could no longer stand it. 

“Why are you doing this? You want me to see you go crazy?”

“Please let me go. Please!”

She repeatedly cried and prayed. She protested against him by inflicting pain on herself. She threatened to kill him and even threatened to die. But he didn’t bat an eye. When she cried, he comforted her; when she hit him, he accepted it; when she starved and collapsed, he called a doctor and gave her nutritional supplements.

In the end, he always brought her back to his place and said calmly, without any change in expression, “I knew it was useless, so let’s just stop.”

It was at that moment she realized that all her attempts to escape the hellhole were futile and foolish. She trembled, feeling fear and betrayal. 

How can he do this to me? How can I look back at the good days we spent together with these memories? 

She didn’t understand him and she didn’t even want to. Still, there were times when she was curious. So she asked him, “How long do I have to live like this?”

She received no answer. She asked again, “Tell me. How long do I have to be here for you to be satisfied?” She felt like her stomach was going to explode at any moment. “Please give me an answer,” she begged.

She needed to hear the answer. She needed to know when was the end of her suffering so she could live. If he gave her an answer, it would be enough to sustain her until her last breath. 

She insisted, “The day when you won’t be anxious about me? The day my safety was ensured in any way?” Her voice quivered as she barely held back her tears. 

“The day I don’t love you.”

For the two years she has been imprisoned, today was the first time she received a response from him. Hae-gang’s pupils widened, and her lips trembled. 

She believed she would be able to see the sky at least once before she passed. Not the sky made of cement, not the sky through the window, but the real, vast sky.

But with those words, ‘he’ shattered her hopes in mere seconds. 

“Give up. That day will never come.”

Hae-gang tightened her grip on the sofa and scratched the leather. In anguish, she started throwing everything she could grab with her hand, starting with the coat he had taken off next to her. She screamed, “Why do I have to live like this? Why!”

The remote control flew off and smashed the TV. The faces of the laughing celebrities were contorted by the broken screen, but none of them cared.

‘He’ looked at Hae-gang with fierce eyes. Suddenly, her skinny body shook precariously, unable to contain her anger. She stretched out her hand to support her body as she staggered. ‘He’ approached her. 

“Do not touch me!” yelled Hae-gang.

“Hae-gang.”

“Don’t come near me and don’t touch me. If you don’t get me out of here, you shouldn’t even stand in front of me!” Hae-gang screamed and grabbed a plastic cup on the table and threw it at him, her weak limbs swaying aimlessly.

‘He’, who had witnessed all of her emotions, embraced her regardless of her violent rejection. His touch gave her goosebumps and she wanted to break free from him immediately, but she couldn’t. She struggled with everything left in her—hitting, punched, and kicking him—but it was only in vain.

“Stop.”

Hae-gang’s shoulders stiffened at the word that signaled the end. 

One of her repulsive realizations as a prisoner was that she had to stop when ‘he’ told her to stop. Hae-gang didn’t want to go through any more fainting during int*rcourse. Fearful, she ceased her protest. 

‘He’ stroked her back with much gentleness as if to pacify her, but she couldn’t be more disgusted. Even more sickening than such a gesture was himself. 

She felt helpless and she resented herself; she now thought she was like a well-trained dog.