After a few days, Giselle’s recovery progressed faster than expected, possibly due to her ‘powers,’ though they hadn’t been confirmed yet. Today was the anticipated day when their suits would be completed, according to Yujin, allowing them to finally put them on. Both Winter and Giselle couldn’t contain their excitement, eagerly anticipating the chance to test their new suits.

 

Yujin had also made sure to request extras just in case of emergencies. With Winter and Giselle, you never knew what might happen.

 

Meanwhile, Ningning continued to text Giselle frequently, checking up on her or simply sharing random thoughts. Giselle always smiled at Ningning’s messages.

 

Curiosity gleamed in Giselle’s eyes as she turned to Yujin. “So, how exactly do we get access to all this ‘stuff’?” she asked, air quoting with her fingers.

 

"My uncle, he works in a special field, they focus on a lot of different things. Luckily, this is one of the few things he’s able to do for me.” Yujin's dimples showed as she smiled.

 

The four of them walked to the building, opting not to drive that day. The atmosphere was quiet and calming, though Liz seemed to be a ball of nerves since the hospital visit. It was as if she anticipated something going wrong. Despite her attempts to shake it off, the feeling lingered, leaving her quiet and withdrawn. Giselle noticed, but chose to let her be, assuming she preferred solitude.

 

Rei had been reaching out to Liz more frequently than usual, but instead of feeling elated, Liz found herself irritable and unable to control her emotions. Even the slightest things seemed to trigger her. Rei's texts to Yujin or Giselle often received the same response: 'You didn’t, it’s fine Liz is just having a rough time.'

 

Yujin’s phone dinged as they walked, prompting her to slip her hand into her pocket to retrieve it. It was a message from Rei, yet again.

 

“Liz, what’s up with you lately? Rei has been texting me to reach you,” Yujin inquired, her eyes scanning the message once more.

 

“Nothing, Yujin. I'm fine. Tell Rei to stop worrying,” Liz responded curtly, averting her gaze away from the group. Giselle raised an eyebrow but chose not to dwell on it.

 

The rest of the walk was shrouded in an awkward silence. Liz's behavior was uncharacteristic, especially her dismissiveness toward Rei. Giselle wondered silently, 'What’s wrong with you?' but decided to wait until they reached the dorms to ask. Liz's newfound attitude cast a palpable tension over the group, and no one dared to broach the subject, preferring not to overwhelm or overstep.

 

Liz fumbled with the hem of her long sleeve shirt, her fingers tracing the ridges of scars that marred her skin. She rarely paid attention to them anymore, opting instead to conceal them beneath clothing. But today, her fingers lingered, tracing the rough texture with a sense of revulsion.

 

She couldn’t quite articulate why, but lately, those scars seemed to bother her more than usual. The way they felt under her touch sent a shiver of disgust down her spine, igniting a surge of loathing within her.

 

She despised them, every last one.

 

With a frustrated sigh, Liz shoved her hands into the pockets of her sweats, channeling her irritation and disgust into a silent, internal battle—one she directed toward the one person she vowed never too.

 

Liz's heart weighed heavy in her chest, burdened by the conflicting emotions. She couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at her, nor could she understand the source of her recent erratic behavior. All she knew was that she wanted it to stop—desperately.

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Rei's typically happy demeanor crumbled beneath the weight of her emotions, tears flowing fast as she grappled with the overwhelming feeling within her. It was a stark departure from her usual composure, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.

 

In a moment of vulnerability, Rei reached out to Ningning, seeking comfort of a friend's presence. With trembling hands, she dialed Ningning's number, her voice choked with emotion as she made the plea for companionship.

 

The phone rang, each tone echoing Rei's anxiety and desperation. Finally, Ningning answered,

 

Hey Rei! Whats up?

 

"Ning... can you come over?"

 

Rei, are you crying? What’s wrong? Never mind, I’m on my way already. Do you want me to bring the other two?

 

"Please?"

 

Okay, just hold tight Rei. I’m going, okay?

 

"Mhm.”

 

Their conversation was brief but Ningning understood it, as Rei ended the phone call Ningning already started to head to her place.

 

-

 

Ningning drops everything she’s doing. That project due tomorrow? Forget it. She’ll find someone else to handle it. The essay due in a few days? It can wait.

 

She knows Rei isn’t the type to show her emotions, especially not to this extent, painfully aware of her dense she can be. Hearing her cry on the phone makes Ningning’s heart sink. She hates to pointing fingers on the cause, but after knowing Rei for years, it’s pretty clear. No one else can make her cry like this, except her.

 

Ningning dials Karina’s phone in a hurry, desperately hoping Karina answers quickly.

 

Ningning? What’s up?

 

 

“Are you with Wonyoung?”

 

 

Yeah she’s right here, why?

 

 

“Go to Rei’s house, please.”

 

 

Rei? What’s wrong with her?

 

 

“She’s crying. She called me just now and needs us. Can you come over when you can?”

 

 

Me and Wonyoung are on our way. Don’t worry.

 

 

The call ends, and Ningning wastes no time gathering her things. She rushes outside, quickly starting up her car.

 

Ningning doesn't dwell on how many laws she might be breaking while driving (not that she really cares). It's a bit nerve-wracking, and she might have racked up a few speeding tickets, but that's the least of her concerns right now.

 

After about ten minutes of driving (Rei doesn’t live at the dormitory full-time), she parks on the street and sprints to Rei’s house. Despite her dislike for running, Ningning is surprisingly fast. She retrieves the spare key from under the doormat and unlocks the door.

 

Making a beeline for Rei’s room, Ningning finds Rei curled up on her bed, crying with her legs pulled to her chest. Ningning's heart aches as she approaches Rei, pulling her into a tight hug. Rei turns to embrace Ningning, sobbing into her shoulder.

 

Ningning soothes her, rubbing gentle circles on her back and reassuring her that it's okay to cry. After a few minutes, the other two arrive, bursting into the room and joining the embrace. Rei's sobs eventually subside.

 

“Are you okay?” Ningning finally asks after a while, rubbing a comforting hand on Rei’s back as she sits next to her.

 

Rei shrugs. “Mostly. I think I was just being dramatic,” she mumbles, her head hanging low.

 

“Rei, if it had you crying, then it isn’t something you’re being dramatic about,” Karina interjects, placing a hand on Rei’s head.

 

“Tell us what happened,” Wonyoung urges.

 

Rei sighs. “Liz has been acting weird. She hasn’t been herself at all. Usually, I would've just brushed it off, but I couldn’t. So, I texted her, and she left me on read. I texted Yujin, who told me the same thing: ‘She’s just having a rough time.’ If she is... Why can’t she talk to me?” Rei sniffles, her eyes welling up again. “Liz got mad at me for texting Yujin. She said I was making it a big deal and to just leave Yujin alone. I don’t know why, but it just made me feel so bad. I can’t explain it.”

 

Ningning is utterly confused, Karina is seething with rage, and Wonyoung is worried about both Rei and Liz.

 

“What the ?” Karina demands, her hand stretched out to Ningning. “Give me your phone. I need to talk to Liz.”

 

“No, Karina, I need to talk to her myself,” Ningning insists, holding onto her phone.

 

“What for? Just give it,” Karina presses, her frustration evident.

 

“Karina, stop. You’re going to say stupid . I love you, but calm down. Liz is just having a rough time, like Yujin said. Give her a break,” Wonyoung intervenes, grabbing Karina’s arm with a concerned expression.

 

“So what? That gives her an excuse to be a ? Everyone goes through , and I’m sorry Liz is. But that isn’t an excuse to tell someone else they’re being ‘dramatic’ about how they feel,” Karina retorts, her anger clouding her thoughts.

 

“I never said it did. Just calm down, please. Not right now, not with Rei,” Wonyoung pleads, her soft tone soothing Karina’s tension.

 

Karina sighs and sits next to Rei, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m sorry, Rei,” she mumbles into her shoulder.

 

“It’s okay,” Rei replies, pulling her in closer.

 

Ningning disappears into another room.

 

 

 

Ningning groans and walks back over to Rei’s room. She knows something is wrong. Why won’t Liz stop being so stubborn?

 

-

 

Liz doesn’t mean to be so harsh or rude, not even a little bit. She doesn’t have a sense of control anymore, like something clouds her mind of emotions making her lash out like that. It sounds so stupid, but that’s how it feels.

 

She sighs, forcing a small smile as they reach the building they were walking to, a rather long walk.

 

As soon as they step through the threshold, Liz's head starts to hurt, as if it's being smushed by a wall. She tries to ignore it, but it's almost impossible.

 

“Liz, are you okay? You don’t look well,” Giselle whispers, slowing her pace to walk behind the other two.

 

“I don’t know. Can you hold onto me? My head is hurting so much, I feel like passing out,” Liz asks, holding her head with her hand.

 

“Yeah—or better yet, just hop on my back,” Giselle offers.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Of course. Come on,” Giselle says, crouching down a little with her hands sticking out. After a moment, Liz hides her head in Giselle’s neck, and they continue walking. The other two notice and inquire about it.

 

“Hey, is Liz okay?” Winter nudges, her tone filled with worry.

 

“Probably. She just said her head hurts a lot,” Giselle shrugs as best she can. Winter nods and heads back next to Yujin.

 

They reach a door after walking a little, and Yujin instructs them to wait outside. They take seats next to the wall—two seats, which Winter lets Liz and Giselle have to themselves.

 

Giselle steals a glance at Liz’s figure. She’s visibly tired, nauseous, and worried. Giselle isn’t very good at describing someone’s emotions, but she’s doing a great job now.

 

Liz, on the other hand, holds her arms against her stomach as she slouches over. She sure as hell isn’t sick, and she hasn’t done anything bad. Something about this place makes her feel sick, her head swirling with thoughts, mixing them all up.

 

Thankfully, Yujin walks out with a large suitcase, which makes Giselle's eyes widen.

 

“What the is that monstrosity?” Winter points in disbelief.

 

“Three extra suits for the both of you! Because I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Yujin grins, holding the suitcase to her side. Giselle rolls her eyes and stands up. She helps Liz back onto her back, carrying her out to the exit.

 

Some employees definitely give them looks, but Giselle couldn’t care less. It wasn’t their business anyway. Liz slowly passes out, and Giselle feels her breathing becoming slower and softer.

 

 

 

“Jiwon.”

 

-

 

After some comforting and gentle embraces, Rei slowly forgot about her worries and just focused on other things. Five hours into Monopoly, everyone gave up, leaving Karina to win, happily rubbing it in everyone’s face.

 

Deciding to stay over at Rei’s house, they all settled on sleeping on the floor, with Wonyoung happily choosing the spot next to Rei herself. Karina and Ningning situated themselves on the ground. Soon, the sound of snores filled the room, indicating that everyone had already fallen asleep. However, Ningning couldn’t seem to get any shut-eye at all.

 

Liz still lingered on Ningning’s mind. She desperately wanted to know what Liz was thinking. Liz seemed scared, and Ningning couldn’t figure out why. Her first thought was maybe because of their opinions changing, but no matter what, her opinion—or anyone else's—wouldn’t change at all. They all collectively loved Liz, Ningning more recently, but the point still stood.

 

Her phone buzzed again.

 

 

Her heart raced as she stood up abruptly. She attempted to step out the door but was halted by the cat lounging on the floor.

 

“Where are you going? It’s literally one in the morning,” Karina whispered, leaning on her arm as she propped herself up.

 

Not wanting to waste any time, Ningning ignored Karina and walked out the door quietly. Karina huffed and stood up, following after Ningning and tugging her hand.

 

Ningning turned around to face Karina. “I said, where are you going, Ningning? Don’t ignore me,” Karina remarked firmly, maintaining her grip on Ningning.

 

With a sigh, Ningning replied, “I got a text from an unknown number. They want to meet me at High Line. They mentioned something about Liz, and I need to find out what’s going on.”

 

“Are you stupid? You’re meeting someone from an unknown number in the middle of the night?” Karina's annoyance was evident in her voice.

 

“I’m worried about Liz, okay? This might be the only way to get a hint about what’s happening with her,” Ningning explained, flailing her free hand in desperation.

 

Karina sighed. “Then I’m coming with you,” she declared, loosening her grip on Ningning. Ningning nodded and headed out into the cold, crisp air, making her way to her car with Karina following closely behind, scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement.

 

They both got in the car and cranked up the heater. Ningning activated the GPS on her phone and started following the directions. It was a good 15-minute drive, and like the law-abiding citizen she was, she drove carefully and stuck to the speed limit.

 

After about 20 minutes, they finally reached High Line Park. It looked sketchy, almost secretive. Karina stayed on alert, cautious of where she stepped. They both walked around, observing everything around them. As they rounded a corner, someone called out to them.

 

“Psst!” A feminine voice called from their right.

 

Karina immediately turned her head, trying to get a better look.

 

“Over here!” Another feminine voice spoke, this time more distinctly from the alleyway. Ningning shivered, feeling a sense of unease reminiscent of the Five Nights at Freddy's games.

 

Taking deep breaths, Ningning slowly walked into the alleyway.

 

She was met by two women, roughly their age. One had short brown hair, while the other had a blonde look. Both appeared drained of energy, almost like walking corpses. They were dressed in ripped gowns, not revealing too much, but it was concerning. Scars marred their faces and legs, and Ningning feared they might collapse at any moment.

 

“Holy , are you guys okay?” Karina exclaimed, stepping forward and instinctively reaching out to one of the women.

 

“Karina, be careful! But damn, do we need to take you to the hospital?” Ningning's hands softly landed on the other woman, concern etched on her face.

 

The woman in front of Ningning shook her head as best as she could. “The Ae is linked to the hospital files. If they find out we escaped and ended up at the hospital, all of our work would be for nothing,” she explained, her voice quivering with fear.

 

Ningning and Karina exchanged a glance, silently communicating their thoughts.

 

“Get into my car. I’ll take you to my dorm. We'll try to assist you as much as we can, and you can tell me what you know,” Ningning offered. Together, they helped the women walk to the car. “Do both of you still talk to Liz?” Ningning asked as they made their way.

 

“I lost contact. They took us separately, then found us again and took us. I’m glad they haven’t taken Jiwon, but they found her again. We need to be careful,” the woman on Karina's side replied with a serious tone.

 

“Jiwon?” Karina inquired.

 

They all fell silent, deciding to discuss it further at the dorms. After a good eight minutes, they finally reached the car, and Ningning helped them inside. Before getting in herself, she went to her trunk and grabbed a few blankets. Returning to the car, she tucked the blankets around the women to keep them warm.

 

Starting up the car, Ningning began the drive back to the dorms. She sent a quick apology message to Rei and focused on the road, listening as Karina asked, “So, what are your names?”

 

“I’m Gaeul,” the short-haired woman replied.

 

“And I’m Sakura,” added the blonde one.

 

Karina nodded in satisfaction, and they settled into silence for the rest of the journey back.

 

 

-

 

 

Yujin, unwittingly, is contributing to Liz’s predicament, almost as if someone is orchestrating their arrival and their purpose.

 

Another man leans against the reception desk, his hand once again pressed against his ear. “Perfect. Jiwon is still the host.”

 

“Good, start project ‘D-Lite’ right away,” the voice on the other end instructs, satisfaction evident in his tone.

 

“Yes, sir,” the man grins, checking his pocket for the small box containing a dark blue liquid. He slides it back into his pocket alongside his phone.

 

As he begins to exit the building, his phone buzzes urgently. He quickly pulls it out and answers. Before he can express his annoyance, the voice on the other end delivers news that stops him in his tracks.

 

“Gaeul and Sakura escaped,” the voice speaks quickly, fear evident in its tone.

 

“.”