[Act two: Of comfort]

Curled into a fetal position, arms wrapping around herself, Jimin trembled as her breath escapes unevenly, eyes darting around the room, an irrational fear of everything overwhelming her mind. 

Minjeong could only watch behind the glass wall, eyes furrowed in worry, biting the nail of her thumb in anxious frustration at not being able to do anything for the older girl.

Turning to her right, she sees a soldier stood at the door leading into the isolation cell Jimin was being kept in.

" Let me in, I need to stabilize her condition." Walking towards the door, Minjeong grabs the key off the wall before the soldier stops her.

"The general gave orders for complete isolation until we are sure she's no longer a threat." The man's eyes would remain stern, although the little twitch in his brow would give away his emotions.

" It doesn't matter to me." Before she could take another step forward, the man puts his hand on Minjeong's shoulder, pushing her back slightly.

"It's for your own safety, Dr Kim." Glancing back to the older girl, now kneeling on the floor and crying while wailing non sensibly, Minjeong scrunches her face, heart sinking in her chest, eyes watering as her lungs start freezing in pain.

"Please. I made her like this, if she were to be the one to take my life it would only be revenge. It's my responsibility to oversee her recovery, not my fathers." Shutting her eyes and looking to the floor, pleading with the soldier, Minjeong hears the way Jimin's voice cracks from the speakers in the room.

She hadn't spent a single full hour outside this room for the past two weeks, only going out to bathe and change, even her food was brought to her by the soldiers.

She'd barely slept 4 hours a day, preferring to spend all her time watching over the older girl, Monitoring the way the girl's burns healed to perfection, the way the girl's giant claws shrunk over time.

A few days ago, Jimin finally looked human again. A few days ago, Jimin's eyes finally stopped glowing.

" I'll need to ask the general."

"I'll explain it to my dad. Let me in, that's an order." The man takes a deep breath, sighing.

"You aren't in the military Dr Kim." Stepping aside, the soldier slides his pistol over to the doctor before bowing to her.

"Don't hesitate. It's her life or yours." Holding the pistol in her hands, Minjeong places the gun onto the desk leaned on the glass.

" If it comes down to it, it's her I'll choose." With that, Minjeong finally unlocks the door and heads in before shutting the door behind her.

The girl looks at the Jimin, still in the corner, still crying.

"Unnie..." Hesitant steps are taken, the subconscious fear of what the older woman once was drowning the doctor.

" Jimin unnie." Minjeong decides to crouch down onto the floor, slowly waddling towards the woman that continues curling into herself, head on the floor as if praying.

Jimin flinches at the sound, eyes darting around the floor, unable to recognize the younger girl’s voice.

“ Look at me? I haven’t seen your face in a long time.” Tilting her head to see more of Jimin, Minjeong’s brow furrows looking at how the older girl’s eyes move frantically left and right.

To Jimin, her voice was just a muffled sound, in contrast to the constant silence she’s been hearing, but still unregistrable.

The ink within the younger girl’s heart spreads to her chest, as if pulling Minjeong down to the ground.

Shaking her head and clearing her mind, the doctor reaches a hand over to the older girl’s head, placing her fingers first, then her palm, before finally pushing the hair aside. Finally revealing Jimin.

“...Hi.” Smiling painfully, Minjeong feels her tears welling up behind her eyes, the ink spreading to her abdomen.

She only had one wish.

To let everything end with the two of them. This chain of nonsensical pain. This cycle of sacrificing love for the sake of inventing a weapon. She could only wish it would end with them.

She had only one request, that if she were to die, that the older woman would be able to live her life as she wants. That Jimin would be able to live her life for her.

Wishful thinking.

Jimin feels the warmth on her head, even as she’s unable to see anything but white, she’s able to feel the touch of another. Sitting up straight and crossing her feet, Jimin tries to see whoever was in the room with her.

Minjeong winces at the way the older girl looks directly past her, perhaps it was too early to think the girl’s sight would return.

“ Jimin unnie, do you know who you are?” Holding the girl’s hand within hers, Minjeong looks directly into the woman’s eyes, dull, as if there was no light within them.

Jimin looks at the blurry silhouette in front of her, squinting her eyes in an effort to recognise who it was.

She pulls one hand away, scratching her ear, trying