Meeting an Old Enemy

Hyuk had gone to a technical school so he had long learned woodworking. Thanks to his experience, he did well and was sent to the workshop to build and assemble wooden furniture.

The workshop was filled with dangerous tools that could be used as weapons. That was why the workshop was one of the most desirable yet undesirable places to be assigned to. But thanks to that, not many people dared to fight in the workshop since there was a high chance of getting seriously hurt and even punished.

Just like always, Hyuk kept to himself and did his best. For every piece they finished, the inmates could earn a small commission. Hyuk was highly reliant on the commission since it was the only way he could earn money inside the prison. With that money, he could help his little siblings with their bills.

Because of that, Hyuk was always the most diligent in the workshop and had the highest number of furniture made everyday. He even rose to the vice-foreman position even though he was young and new.

"Everyone, gather up!" The foreman's voice boomed among the busyness.

The foreman was a middle-aged man with greying hair. Before he was thrown into prison, he'd been the owner of a construction company. He was good with crafting and was a fairly good leader so he was given the foreman position.

The foreman had brought along another inmate with him, accompanied by a guard who escorted them both to the workshop. The guard wordlessly took off the handcuffs from the other inmate, sending him a look of warning.

The younger inmate flashed a fearless grin, as if trying to rile up the guard. However, the guard seemed used to it and easily ignored the younger man. After taking off the handcuffs, the guard left without looking back, leaving the problematic delinquent for the foreman to handle.

"We've got a new edition today. Teach him well," the foreman merely said to the workers who stood in attention. He roughly patted the new inmate's shoulder, pushing him forward. "Take your place over there. Someone'll show you the ropes," the foreman instructed, pointing to an empty spot among the many worktables.

"...!"

The new inmate's eyes widened as he spotted a familiar face.

Hyuk had stopped working on his piece and stared intently at the man, his face darkening. Clearly, he had also recognised the new inmate.

"Lee Hyuk!" The inmate exclaimed.

"Ji Yeong Gi," Hyuk said through gritted teeth. He was not as happy as the other man to see him.

It just so happens that the empty spot was right next to Hyuk, so Ji Yeong Gi walked over to him.

Ji Yeong Gi's mouth split into a fiendish grin. "Wow, what a small world! I would have never expected to see you here, but then again... why wouldn't I see you here? We're two peas in a pod, aren't we?" He laughed, his eyes curving into crescents. It looked as if he was really happy to see his old friend. 

Hyuk glared at the man, "You f*cking *sshole." If looks could kill, Ji Yeong Gi would have died multiple times. It was so obvious that Hyuk was not glad nor excited to meet this familiar face.

"Now, now, Hyuk-ah. That's no way to greet your old friend, hm?" Ji Yeong Gi leaned forward with a sickening smile, as if provoking him.

"F*ck off," Hyuk growled. He slammed the hammer he was holding loudly against the table. However, the sound was negligible among the loudness of the heavier tools used by the other inmates.

"I thought I heard something about you killing your dad on the news a long time ago. Good for you, huh? Finally got the guts to do something."

"..." Hyuk's jaw locked. He was itching to punch a hole in the b*stard's thick skull, but he tried to calm himself down for Yeo Ri's sake. She's been complaining about his troublemaking tendencies and he didn't want to disappoint her again.

"How's your sister, by the way? Heard she got raped by your dad? So f*cked up," Yeong Gi said, cackling.

"F*cking—" Hyuk's arm almost shot out to punch the man reflexively, but he held himself back. His face twisted into an angry sneer, his veins popping.

Seeing Hyuk's reaction, the man seemed even more pleased. As if he had thought of something good, Ji Yeong Gi's grin widened.

Opening his mouth slowly, he asked: "Say, did you sleep with her too?"