At a certain correctional facility.
A sharp-eyed man was currently leaning against the wall and reading a letter with rapture.
'Dearest Hyuk-oppa,
How have you been? The weather is getting warmer. I'm glad that spring is almost here. I heard that prisons are colder during winter. I hope you didn't get sick or anything.'
'I'm fine, rather, I'm more worried about you, Yeo Ri-ah,' Hyuk replied in his mind.
'Today, I attended my graduation ceremony at school. It's a bit strange. It feels like I've been away for ten years instead of one. Haha, isn't it strange? I sound old, don't I?'
'Not at all. You're so cute,' the corner of his lips quirked up into an affectionate smile.
'I included a picture of me that Gun-oppa took. Am I pretty? Hehe.'
Hyuk rummaged the envelope and pulled out a photograph. Yeo Ri stood in the center, holding a bouquet. She was smiling at the camera, and though she was wrapped in multiple layers of clothing, her pretty little face was not hidden. Under Hyuk's rose-coloured vision, she simply looked breathtakingly beautiful, especially with the barren background that just seemed to highlight her presence and make everyone focus on her.
'Speaking of Gun-oppa, I'm glad he managed to come to my graduation. I felt bad for missing his'. The doctors are so terrible; I only caught a little cold but they didn't let me go out for three days. Poor Gun-oppa; he had to spend his graduation without family by his side. Even though it was such an important day. Hmph.'
Hyuk frowned. Who the heck cares about Gun? It's not like he's a little kid.
'Ah, that's right. I seem to have gotten confessed to today. Thinking back, it was pretty funny. He suddenly walked up to us with his friends, so Gun-oppa asked him who he was. He said he liked me for a long time. Hehe. Are you jealous, Oppa? I'm so popular~'
Hyuk's frown deepened. "'Hehe'? 'Hehe' my foot!" Hyuk grumbled under his breath.
'He was quite handsome too now that I look back. Oh, but of course, Hyuk-oppa is the most handsome in my eyes. I love you the most, Oppa~'
Cough cough!
Hyuk's ears reddened as his lips split into a barely-suppressed grin.
'Ah, I miss you so much, Oppa. How do you even live in there? All you do is get into fights. I want to see you but it feels like you're avoiding me. You're so bad, Oppa!'
'That's not it, Yeo Ri-ah...' Hyuk's brows drew up. He felt bad for always standing her up but it was not his fault that everyone in this hellhole had a punchable face and attitudes that seemed to invite others to beat them up. He also wanted to be a model prisoner but it was hard when those crooks keep riling him up. His temper had always been short anyways so it was hard to control himself when they 'invite' him to 'talk'.
'I can't wait to see you again so don't get into fights anymore, okay? Be good. I love you.
With love,
Yeo Ri.'
"Hmm..." Hyuk hummed, shaking his head with a contented smile. He folded the letter carefully before opening it again, running his fingers over the words and re-reading it several more times.
"...The heck's up with him?" A man whispered to his fellow inmate.
"...Who knows? Maybe he's training his face muscles," the other man replied.
The man snorted, "Yeah, sure."
"Oi, Lee Hyuk! The hell you doin' grinning like a dumb*ss?" Another man asked. He was lying on his side while scratching his oversized belly, scrutinising the younger man with a strange look.
Hyuk glanced at the three with a withering glare, then scooted closer to the wall as if hiding the letter from them. Hyuk ignored the rest, continuing to amuse himself with the letter.
"Aigoo, so unfriendly," the man clicked his tongue.
He was the very same man who had picked a fight with Hyuk in the beginning of his stay. Now, though, they 'got along' like proper, model inmates.
Although neither of them picked fights with each other anymore, they were not very close. Nevertheless, the man, Lee Moon Deok, quite liked Hyuk who was short-tempered yet straightforward.
"What's that, is it from your girlfriend or something?" He teased. That being said, he knew that the only person who would send a letter to Hyuk in such a cute pink envelope was his one and only little sister.
"Mind your own f*cking business," Hyuk clicked his tongue, glowering at the man.
"Ooh, so scary~" the man laughed. Clearly, after living with Hyuk for a year, he had gotten used to his prickly personality. To begin with, Lee Moon Deok wasn't as pushy and intimidating as he showed himself in the beginning. He had only done that to make sure that the new inmate didn't try to do anything stupid. But as it turns out, Hyuk was a total dumb*ss with enough strength to back his bark. Luckily, though, Hyuk almost never picked fights with anyone unless they provoked him first.
"Yo, stop reading that letter. It's almost time for work, so get off your a*ses!" A guard came up to their barred door and knocked his baton loudly, signalling the beginning of their work period.