Guts (EXO)

Sky Blue

Hyerin woke up to a dry mouth and a massive headache, every muscle in her body aching badly as if she ran a marathon. She groaned and reached out to touch her face, only to feel something wrapped around her head and obstructing her sight. She yanked it away from her eyes and was met by an empty spacious office.

She was lying on the cold ground, then at once she realized she was inside a cage – a compact little thing that trapped her inside thick metal bars with a space capacity so small her legs couldn’t stretch out properly.

At once she jolted up from the floor, her wild eyes roaming around the room in a panic. She clutched her head in between her hands and tried to recall the last thing she did before ending up in this unknown place. Kyungsoo came to mind.

The double-doors opened and TOP came marching into the room. Outside, Hyerin could see two Xinths standing guard in front of the office. TOP gestured for them to close the door and they compliantly did.

TOP turned on his heels and stared her directly in the eye. He took his fedora hat off his head and sauntered toward her so slowly it was as if he was making fun of her. Her teeth gritted impatiently at this, and if she weren’t trapped like she was at that moment she would have strangled him to death.

Or better yet, stole his powers. In fact, she could do that right now. She stared at him back and forced herself inside his brain, but instead of the warm sensations and stinging eyes, she had a mental block. She couldn’t get a hold of him.

“Your efforts are valiant but useless,” he said in that resonant voice of his.

Hyerin ignored him and tried again. This time, she glared at him so hard the veins in her temples started to bulge out, but yet again it was no use. Her shoulders slumped tiredly as she released a sharp breath.

“Utterly useless,” he said. “Your powers won’t work as long as you’re in that cage.”

“Shut up,” she hissed. “I don’t want to hear you talk. I don’t want to see your face. I don’t want to see your everything. Get out, you’re an eyesore.”

TOP didn’t budge. “I see you’ve finally accepted your unfavorable predicament, Kim Hyerin.”

She said nothing in return and slumped against the metal railing. “Finally, right? Aren’t you just glad?”

“Ecstatic.”

“Well good for you.”

The door opened once again, making both of them turn their heads to look. In came a man no more than his 60’s, wrinkled and greying from old age and having to use a cane to keep his posture upright. If Hyerin didn’t look closely she wouldn’t even recognize him.

Her eyes widened in rage and surprise. “You-”

“Wonderful to see you, child,” Jiyong said, grinning. “Long time no see.”

“What the hell happened to you?” she questioned, her back pressed defensively against the railings.

“That’s no way to greet an old friend,” he said in a playful scolding manner.

“I don’t fucking care.”

“Language, now,” he chuckled, walking towards her cage. “You have no idea how satisfying it is to have you in my company, Ms. Hyerin. We’ve been searching for you for quite a while now.”

Hyerin said nothing as the mayor lowered himself to face her.

“Our game of hide and seek has finally come to an end, along with your days of freedom. From now on, progress is to be done.”