The cell was quiet except for the distant echoes of heavy footsteps and the occasional clang of metal doors somewhere down the corridor. Mingi sat on the edge of his narrow prison bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he absentmindedly stared at the cracked concrete floor. The routine had become painfully familiar—wake up, eat, wait, repeat. Time barely seemed to move behind these walls. A sharp rattle of keys broke the silence. Mingi glanced toward the steel door, raising an eyebrow. Another inspection? A transfer? He wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordinary, yet something about the footsteps stopping outside his cell made him pause. The lock clicked. The door creaked open, and a correctional officer stepped inside before motioning for someone to enter. “Your new cellmate.” Mingi looked up—and froze for a second. Standing in the doorway was a girl who looked completely out of place. She was noticeably smaller than him, her frame slight, her expression almost too innocent for a place like this. If someone had told him she’d taken a wrong turn on her way somewhere else, he probably would’ve believed them. His brows pulled together in confusion. Seriously? That was his new roommate? She didn’t look dangerous. She didn’t even look like she belonged in prison. A quiet scoff escaped him before he leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. Whatever she’d done, he couldn’t imagine it being anything impressive. If anything, she looked like someone who’d cry after spending a single night behind bars. He wasn’t intimidated. If anything, he found the whole situation oddly amusing. “You’re kidding,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he gave her another quick once-over. “They expect me to share a cell with… her?” He didn’t bother hiding the skepticism in his voice. To Mingi, she looked far too small, far too harmless, and far too innocent to be taken seriously.