Infernal Roses | Kim Taehyung| ✓

6: Cold

Cold. .  .

Taehyung feels so cold.

Six-year-old Taehyung hugs his knees closer to his chest.

The cell feels extremely cold today. His teeth are chattering.

Taehyung stares at the fire torch burning at one corner of the room intently, as if it could pass some heat to his frozen body.

Taehyung wills himself to sleep but finds himself unable to.

Suddenly, there is a commotion outside.

No, they wouldn't have come to release him so early. It has just been 2 days since he has been here.

Taehyung hears a loud wail. The door to the opposite cell opens.

"Papa! I am sorry! Please don't leave me here! I am afraid of darkness, Papa!"

The man locks the small boy inside. He must be around Taehyung's age, too. The torchlight casts a yellow glow on the boy's face, highlighting his chubby cheeks and tear-stricken face.

"Now, repent over your actions, Jimin. You have embarrassed me." The man says gruffly. "I will send someone to fetch you tomorrow."

"Papa please---"

The man leaves. The boy keeps on sobbing, the sound of his hiccups echoing against the walls.

"Hey," Taehyung calls after a while.

The boy jumps and frantically looks around. "Who--Who?"

"Me." Taehyung walks closer to the bars. "Stop crying."

The boy cries louder. "Rude!" He pouts, lips trembling.

"Crying will waste your energy. You need to preserve your energy." Taehyung says. "You will feel hungry too soon if you keep on crying."

And there won't be any food. . .Taehyung doesn't add the last part. The thought of food makes his stomach rumble but Taehyung quickly takes his mind off it. If he keeps on thinking he is hungry, he will be even hungrier.

The boy's cries gradually subside.

"Why are you here?" Taehyung asks.

"I-I didn't know they were angels. I promise." Jimin sobs again. "They looked so nice and I just wanted to play with them."

"Hmm. You shouldn't play with angels next time, okay? The elders get really mad when they find out."

"O-okay. What is your name?" The boy asks.

"Taehyung. Yours?"

"Jimin. But you can call me Mimi." Jimin has inched closer to the bars now. He doesn't look so terrified anymore. Good.

"Why are you here?" Jimin asks slowly.

"I failed to summon my powers," Taehyung lets out a sigh, hugging his knees closer. "And I am here again."

The power of summoning the dead souls always drains all his energy and he hates doing it. He hates how terrible it makes him feel. How utterly cold it makes his body feel as if he were dead, too. The deads suck all the soul and energy from him.