We had a special tour that day, outside the castle walls. It had been already three months for us in the castle, there was bound to be something that would excite us. Through all the press conferences and interview, we finally had some insight on other stuff. 

I wore prism heels, and a vintage knee-length dress. As I exited my room, I bumped into Jiyeon. She had her hair up in a sophisticated bun, in a pinstripped suit dress complete with a matching bag. She eyed me from head to toe, and walked away. 

If I wanted to defeat her in this game, I had to take bigger steps. Even if Junmyeon said he never had feelings for Jiyeon, I had to make sure she wasn't going to do anything that would change his mind. I sped up my pace, and we went down together. 

" You seem to be enjoying the fame you're having. " she said to me in the elevator. 

I raised an eyebrow, " I don't understand what you're talking about. "

She crossed her arms, " The press, it's all about the Nation's Sweetheart. It's all about you, Irene. "

I smirked, " Do you have a problem with that ? "

She smiled back, " I don't know you very well, but I know a threat when I see one. " she chuckled. " Women are vain, Irene. They're sweet and lovely at first glance, but they can be as poisonous as vipers in a split second. I can see that, in you. "

Her threat was actually working, " What makes you think I'm that kind of person ? When you're also trying to make Junmyeon notice you ? "

She shrugged, " I don't need people to notice me, they naturally do in time. But my point is ; boys, love, riches, lust, when it comes to things like these, we're all the same. We want it, and make sure we get it. "

" So ? "

She cleared , " I'd like you to know, that anyone's capable of competing. Winning the crown is the hard part, and I will make sure that I'll be the one wearing that crown. " 

The elevator door opened, and she stepped out first. But I still had time to have one last say. " Good luck on that then. "

" Now we will be giving you a tour of our headquarters, so please stay close. " our tour guide, Doctor Ahn Chilhyun. 

The headquarters used to be called the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, now turned top secret research centre attached with an intensive care hospital. Everything was white and clean, with capsules and sections in all directions leading to other branches or departments. Doctor Ahn was part of the top secret branch, which was where we were heading to. 

We passed through one of the departments, and caught a glimpse of the fellow researchers. Some of them waved at us, and only a few of us waved back. Junmyeon was with us today, along with the person I felt most threatened, the Governor. 

" Today, we are going to give all of you a once in a lifetime glimpse of our latest success. " Doctor Ahn said proudly. " Now if you please, the assistants will hand each of you safety equipment. In case, for precautions. " 

They handed us some kind of headpiece, which had a button on the left side. Once I pressed it, it disapparated and covered my whole head invisibly. It was a mask, in case there was infection. And we all stood outside the research room, which was a ward. The glass seperating us from inside was useful, where the people inside couldn't see or hear us, but we could see and hear everything they were doing. 

An assistant pushed over a cart, where a delicate tube of clear blue liquid lay in the tray. Doctor Ahn picked it up and showed it to us, some girls at the back were awestruck and a slight chorus of ' Ooh's sounded. I think Junmyeon noticed, because he stiffled a laugh. 

" This is the newly developed memory serum, we call it the Amnesiac serum. It will help us in the future, and with this we can also prevent more terrorist attacks. " he explained. " Instead of giving full on memory serum, we can give these patients Amnesiac serum. "

" What's the difference between the Memory serum ? " Jiyeon asked.

" That, is the very thing that makes the difference. " Doctor Ahn's eyes were gleaming. " The memory serum exposes all of the subject's memories, the Amnesiac serum picks out specific memories, and it can be triggered with the subject's own will ; it fills in the missing piece in the mind. And if the subject was a criminal, it would pose less possibilities of that subject becoming the criminal he or she was before their memories were wiped. "

" So, they were already wiping people's memories before ? " I asked Wendy quietly. 

She nodded, " It's under criminal affairs, it's punishable by wiping out memoried. It's fair enough though, at least we're not killing people anymore. "

" It can also save lives. " Doctor Ahn proceeded. " People driven insane, mental, lost, they now have a chance to recover. Like so..."

He stopped talking, and we all took a step back. The room was occupied by two doctors, and a woman lying in bed. What I noticed was the woman being handcuffed to the bed. Her eyes were droopy, like she was still in her own head.  

" Park Jungah, she was involved in a car crash five years ago. Her nervous system has been badly damaged, she was never in her right mind after that. She woke up from a coma a month ago, but she hasn't spoken. We never caught the culprit, and this can finally help us solve the case. "

The assistants secured her, in case she would provoke. But she was as still as a statue, then they filled the syringe with the Amnesiac serum. Its blue colour filling the insides. They double checked, and the assistant touched her headpiece.

" Doctor, the subject's ready. " she said through the microphone.

" Ammence Project Amnesiac. " he answered and nodded. 

The assistants injected the serum through Park Jungah's veins at her neck, the liquid ammensely decreasing from the syringe. I could tell everyone who was watching were just as anticipated as I was. Park Jungah's eyes blinked a few times, and somehow there was some kind of spirit coming back to her. 

She craned her head, and her eyes darted around the room, shocked and nauseatic all at once. She tried getting up, but her stiff legs gave in and she stumbled. But the assistants steadied her before she fell down. Then the nurses came in, calmed her down for a few minutes. 

" Can you tell us your name ? " they ushered her.

She looked at them with uncertainty, " Park Jungah. "

" Do you remember anything before this ? " 

She thought for a second, " I-I remember going on a trip, a-and that car crossing our l-lane...the carcrash..." and she trailed off, having a major breakdown.

" Miss Park, miss Park, please calm down ! " the nurses said. " Do you remember the car that hit you ? "

" I remember his face..." she kept on saying.

And with that, we all turned away from that dramatic few minutes. I was amazed, mostly at the technology Seoul had in hand. The power to bring back someone's memory, it was incredible. It was life saving, even.

" I think we shall end this demonstration for today, please follow me. " Doctor Ahn chuckled and said to us. 

We didn't question and followed him away, as we walked through the halls and turns of the headquarters. Although none of them seem to question the science behind it all, I was hesitating about the humanity behind Amnesiac. They were returning memories to the forgotten for a purpose, to solve cases. My mom once told me people tend to lose their memory because they chose to forget the very second the incident happened. Not because they accidentally damaged any part of their brain, but because they wanted to.

" Oof ! " I sounded when Jiyeon shoved me a little to the side. My heels were a little higher than usual, and I wasn't used to walking in them just yet. And I tripped and fell onto the stone cold floor, the contents in my purse just scattered everywhere.

Everyone looked at me, and Jiyeon smirked at the back. Junmyeon was getting ready to approach me, to help me, but some part of me skidded away from him. Still, he didn't notice and ushered forward. He picked up my compact powder, but I immediately took it away from him. 

" T-Thank you. " I said to him. " I can do it myself, you don't have to worry about me..."

His eyebrows were scrunched together in concern, " Are you sure ? "

I nodded, without looking at him. " I'm fine, no need to worry. " 

Then Doctor Ahn cut in, " I'm sure miss Irene will do fine. Now, if you please..." he was beckoning everyone to hurry up. Junmyeon looked at me one last time, before getting up and was ushered away by Doctor Ahn.

I bit my lip and continued picking up my things. That was when I heard a faint scream out of nowhere. I stood up, and looked around. At first there was no sound, then the screaming was heard again.

" No ! " I was certain it was a scream, a woman's scream. I didn't know what got into me, I was following to where the sound came from. I zipped past blocks, alleys I wasn't familiar with. 

" Pleasepleaseplease, I beg you..." that woman's voice whimpered somewhere. 

I realized I had stepped into a block, it had the same white pillars and walls. Though I had a feeling this wasn't a common branch we were visiting, I was sure of it. I could still hear that voice calling out, and it was coming from the chamber down the hall. It looked highly guarded, considering the door was made of strong metal. It looked oddly out of place, since it was attached to an intensive care hospital.

It seemed like whatever was inside wasn't intended to be discovered. 

Going along with my instincts, I crept closer to the door. There was a keypad outside, it needed a password to access it. This was a dead end, I couldn't go any deeper. Still, I was determined to have a clue what was going on inside. There was a bookshelf near me, full of files. Maybe...if I could just get one of them-

" Miss Irene ? " someone clasped my shoulder.

" Oh ! " I let out a startled cry, making the file I was holding fall to the ground, sending the papers within flying. 

It was Doctor Ahn.

" Oh, Doctor ! " I sighed in relief, I had to fake it. " I'm awfully sorry, I got lost. "

At first, he looked troubled. " Ah, there you are miss Irene. We've been looking everywhere for you, you shouldn't be wandering around. And, what are you doing here ? "

My mind racked, the only way to lie to someone was to tell the truth. So I did, " I-I just heard someone scream, so I was worried. And look where it took me, that's how I got lost. "

" Ah. " he was anxious. " I'm sure there was no screaming, nothing out of hand. You shouldn't let that frighten you, we've got it covered. And thank you for informing me, I will get that checked out. "

He believed me. I smiled sweetly, " It's alright, and I'm terribly sorry causing a mess. " I beckoned at the papers on the floor. " Let me help you clean up. " and I crouched down and started to pick up the papers.

" Nono, miss ! " he exclaimed. " Oh no, you shouldn't be doing this. How will I explain to the prince ? It's quite alright, I'll tell the assistants to clear this up. Now, if you'll just follow me-"

" No ! No ! " the metal door suddenly opened, and it made me shocked. Two doctors, or helpers, were dragging a woman out of the room. And she wasn't unconscious, she was kicking and wrestling them away. She was resisting.

" Don't do this to me !!! " she cried. " You'll pay ! You'll pay I tell you ! " her face was red and stained with tears. 

For one sturdy moment, that woman looked at me. " Help me..." I could tell what she was mouthing out.

Help her what ?

Doctor Ahn seemed to be most anxious at that time, he even grabbed hold of my hand. " Miss, I say we best get going. "

" Um, yes. " I stammered. And he immediately took me away from the place.

That woman seemed desperate.

What were they hiding in that room ?