Lisa had moved to Korea from Thailand alone, for highschool, when she was fifteen. And since then the most alienated time she felt had been the time she started collage far away from the town where she lived.

 

She remebers how excited she was when she was on the road, couple of days before the school starts. She was going to start , living with whole new people, Lisa herself could not even believe how could this happen, leaving the routine she had placed in an order, over the past few years. As if it wasn't hard enough taking three years and so she could move the apartment of her own.

 

 

But here she was.

 

 

Her roommates were cool. One thing she envied was that they were living in the same city.Just a two hours away from their home, while Lisa was hundreds of miles away from her family. While her roommates could visit their families every week, she could only visit hers maybe once in a couple of months.

 

Altough, she had gotten over it within a couple of days, so the most enjoyable times of her life had begun. Lisa started to discover the campus, around the neighbourhoods, she sometimes was going out with some people in her class, they were cool people. Altough they were aways playing card games whenever they meet up. And that was just never been Lisa's cup of tea.

 

''You have got to play card games if youare in collage. That's the rule.''

 

Her roommate had said to her once.

 

But Lisa perefered sitting in the corner when the others start to play cards.

 

She wasn't seeing her roommates often.They weren't in the room most of the time. So they got chance to see each other from night to the morning before school.

 

Soon Lisa had become the one that spends the most time in the room. Whenever some of her roommates was there, sitting at her bed.

 

That was because Lisa realized, after classes, she was feeling lost, like she had nowhere to go . Going back to dorm just wasn't feeling like a place to go, after the day is done and you could rest your feet peacefully. But now that she had nowhere else to go,she was going to her dorm room and spend time the only place that had entirely dedicated to her. Her bed.

 

 

Lisa was leaving, but only to go to school, or to go to cafeteria to eat.

 

 

Earlier in her life, she had always looked forward to come home from school to have some '' me time'' Altough now, school hours were the only things that made her feel good.

 

There were people, first of all. People talking.

 

These were the things that had made Lisa feel less alone.

 

 

 

Also the girl on the corner of the room was one of the things that had made her times better for a short term.

 

Eunra had caught Lisa's eye on the first days of the school, but time she made her absolutely smitten was the day she had invited her to go to lunch with her.

 

Eunra was that powerful to make Lisa fall for her by just asking her for lunch. Altough Lisa herself was waiting on the corner to fall for her.

 

So he had been starting to talk to the girl, sitting ext to her, in order to get closer to Eunra.

 

She was talking to this girl that had an art page on instagram. She asked her what supplies she was using,

 

''Honestly i use whatever that comes to my hand, it's rare that I search for ne specific thing, unless I'm out of mine,my best works are done by highlight markers,to be honest,''

 

''That's so cool, Chaeyoung.''

 

''Thanks. Also,you were at the dance club, right? for a couple of weeks but you left.''

 

''Oh, yeah, right. Well, there wasn't any range variety types of dances. And I'm not the biggest fan of partnered dances. Also we weren't allowed to parnter with girls, for some reason.''

 

Chaeyoung chuckled, ''Oh I see, so, how do you groove?''

 

''Well, I swing between hip hop and modern dancing. ''

 

''Oh, see, show me your moves sometime!'' she said,tilted her eyebrows at the same time.

 

''Really ?''

 

''Why not? What are you doing after classes?''

 

Lisa wasn't sure what she was doing after classes.

 

''I don't got anything to do actually, yeah.''

 

''Cool!''

 

''How about we go to the studio today ?''

 

''Yeah, I'd love that.''

 

 

They were going to lunches with Chaeyoung's friend group, which was actually, sometimes, joined by Eunra.

 

Lisa and Chaeyoung got closer so, Chaeyoung could would notice how her friend became a jittery tittery on some occasions.

 

And it hadn't taken her long to spot those occasions were Eunra being around.

 

And it hadn't taken more longer to Lisa to tell her by herself.

 

Chaeyoug was teasing her about that.

 

After a week Lisa was convinced that she can't make Eunra notice her by constantly trying to fly around her. So her high tempo interest had turned into a regular crush.

 

Altough now, she was best friends with the person sitting next.

 

 

Altough everyting was considerably turning okay at school,It was't changing things that happens after school. It was the same feeling of emptyness , after she finds herself on the door of her room.

 

In a couple weeks her roommates started to find Lisa laying under her blanket, almost every single time. As if she was never leaving.

 

She wasn't reflecting those feelings to her friend, becucasue there is not much of a thing to tell about, she was thinking, except her being a crybaby. She couldn't explain that in another word.

 

Altough she wasn't trying, people can tell that she wasn't doing the best by some way or another.

 

Maybe because she wasn't chaging her clothes, almost never. Or not brushing her hair.

 

While Lisa even can't admit herself that she needed to go back, it slipped fro in a casual conversation between she and Chaeyoung.

 

They were at the library cafe, where they usually go, because it was close to the their class.

 

Chaeyoung had looked at her, Lisa was surprised about what she just said but she was also surprised about her friend not seeming surprised.

 

 

''Lisa, I'll- I want to ask you something, are you going trough a depression? ''

 

Lisa's first reflex was saying no, furrowing her eyebrows, but then her brows took their regular place,''I don't know.''

 

''It's okay, just now that I'm here. Won't you consider talking to our counsleor, for a break, meantime trying to get help?''

 

Lisa was looking at her kneecaps. '' Yeah, maybe.'' She suddenly let out a breath and lifted her gaze from her kneecaps ''Tough, I'll probably be fine.You know, after I

 

visit home,'' she smiled, '' No big of a deal.''

 

''Yeah, I believe that too, you can work it out pretty easily. Also If you want to talk, you know that I'm here, you are not alone anymore..''

 

''Thanks Chaeng. ''

 

 

Lisa was at home, in Thailand. for Christmas holiday when she got one of the regular phone calls of Chaeyoung. She was preparing gift socks to her cats, meantime.

''Hey!'' Lisa opened.

 

''Hey!'' Chaeyoung replied, stretching the 'y' . ''How is it been?''

 

Lisa could hear her smile trough the phone.

 

''You know, as same as yesterday. Not much of a thing happened, to be honest.''

 

''Okay, well, except it did.''

 

''Yeah?''

 

''Yes! The thing is , my roomate is graduating, so she is leaving the dorm, so I though, how about, you move in with us? ''

 

Lisa stammered to the phone bunch of wowels, not knowing what should she say, ''Wow,''

 

''So? Say something!''

 

''Thats... that would be amazing. Tough, are you sure that management would concider our request?''

 

''I can't see why not. So, let's both of us talk to the dorm management.''

 

'' Wait, what wold your roommate say?''

 

Chaeyoung chuckled, ''I have talked to Jisoo and she was cool. I'm thinking you two would get along quite well. Also you know, a random person would move in if it's not you,''

 

''Yeah, thank you or saying that I'm better than a random person.''

 

Chaeyoung giggled, ''You know what I meant.''

 

''I know, really, that means so, so much to me, Chaeng. Thank you. ''

 

''Of course! Also who else could I have asked? I 'm kind of stuck with you, to be honest,''

 

They both laughed. Chaeyoung squeeked and said, ''We're going to live togheter!''

 

''I know!'' Lisa's voice was shaky, giving her excitement away.

 

 

''Jisoo, right? I'm Lisa. ''

 

'Lisa, hi! Nice to finally meet you. Chaeyoung was mentioning you a lot lately, I wonder why she didn't introduce us, until now.''

 

''Yeah. I would want that too. First year?''

 

''I'm actually a sophomore,''

 

Chaeyoung was going to come to the dorm the next day.It was two of them whole evening. They talked about this and that,Jisoo learned about Lisa dancing, Lisa

 

learned about Jisoo was in a school theater club.

 

''I'm working on my pronounciation, lately.'' Jisoo said, pouring boiling water to a couple of mugs. ''You know some people put pebbles in their mouth and try to talk,''

 

she chuckled, putting teabags in the cups. '' Don't think I'm going to take the risk of chocking on rocks,'' she handed Lisa the mug, ''At least for now. Things may change.''

 

Lisa burned her tounge with the tea, she squinted her face which made Jisoo giggled. ''Careful.''

 

Lisa hold some tea in , mumbled, ''she sells sea shells,'' while spitting some and choking, making Jisoo laugh hard.

 

''You are hilarious. How come Chaeng never introdcuced us. Guess she kept you to herself.''

 

 

Lisa was preparing on a date. The girl had invited her to the volleyball club's party night. They had a cup of coffee about a week ago. They have ben texting, since then.

 

They were texting when Lisa was trying to find her in the party, too . She had found learned the girl and her friend were at the bathroom,quite tipsy.

 

They got back to the party, the girl walked her while her hand on her waist, which enstranged Lisa in a way she didn't understand.

 

Lisa realized it wasn't that much of a date, when she felt left out between the girl's friend group.

 

''We're going in.'' the girl said

 

''Oh, I'll stay outside. The music in there is so loud for me. ''

 

So they left Lisa.

 

She would drink more if she had more money but she could only get another beer with what's in her pocket.

 

So she stood in the corner and texted Chaeyoung,while finishing her warm beer.

 

 

L: I'm at a party. tho i'm alone.It wouldn't hurt you nerds to come with me.

 

C: We would

 

C: If you invited us.

 

L: Don't say that now.

 

L: Like you don't usually not show up.

 

C: I mean like you know that I work and all

 

C: Strange thing you assume that I'd never want to hang out.

 

C: Nvm.. Have fun.

 

 

She, was just...

 

Right.

 

Lisa dialed Chaeyoung this time. She didn't answer her.

 

C:Why are you calling.

 

C:I'll see you tonight.

 

L: Where are you.

 

Chaeyoung replied after holding awhile.

 

 

C:Why.

 

L:Are you at dorm?

 

C: So?

 

It was near midnight. The party had gotten boring.

 

 

L: I'll be there.

 

C: It would take half an hour and It's raining.

 

C: You're going to get sick.

 

C: Just wait for a crew, you'll leave with them.

 

L: It's fine.

 

Chaeyoung was wrong. It only took her twenty four minutes to climb back to the dorm.

 

Altough she was right about the rain.

 

Chaeyoung got out to find a wet haired Lisa there.

 

''You're going to get sick. Let's get back inside.''

 

''Nah, I would want to walk. Also I had a couple beers.''

 

''Why did you came?''

 

Lisa lifted her shoulders.'' Meh,I was bored anyway.''

 

''I was on a date- I mean I tought I was on a date tonight. Actually.''

 

''What ?''

 

''The girl I went there, turned out had bring her friends with us to hang out.''

 

''Oh, no..''

 

''Yeah, '' Lisa chuckled.

 

 

They talked and walked in the rain for twenty minutes.

 

 

''He makes us keep our phones at the desk.Like we are not adult people!''

 

''Huh, why?''

 

''I know! And then I didn't put my phone on the desk.But he counted the phones! So I had to tell him that my phone was on me.''

 

''Weirdo.''

 

''He scolded me like I'm a middle schooler!''

 

Lisa laughed, ''What!''

 

''He did!''

 

''You should have just walked away.''

 

''So he would fail me on purpose? ''

 

''Touche''

 

''Anyways It's fine.'' Chaeyoung said, sending a small smile to Lisa.

 

''Altough I wish we were at the same class. this semester.''

 

''Me too.''

 

They walked in silence a couple seconds.

 

''Thanks,''

 

Lisa smiled to the ground, making a 'hum' sound.''Altough I wasn't lying. I'm here because I was bored. To be honest I have the most fun when I'm with you. ''

 

Chaeyoung looked at Lisa when Lisa said,

 

''I'd rather be with you.''

 

 

Lisa was dreaming of the soft rain that was pouring , that night when she had left the party to be with Chaeyoung. Probably because of all she thinking about was

 

Chaeyoung, on the road.

 

A cold white fluerrescent light blazed, made Lisa open and then scrunch her eyes again, right after they opened.

 

She got up and looked around to see that the fluorescent was not lighting the rooom very well.

 

She was in a room that was in the shape of an exact cube, she could swear. There was only a door that didn't have a knob from inside and no window. There was a

 

vent on the wall, but Lisa suspected anyone would hear her voice trough there.

 

Other than that the only things that were in the room was the toilet with a sink on top of it and the bed that she was on. There was no camera or whatever. At least not on her sight.

 

The memory of her being thrown in a cab came to the surface of Lisa's mind pretty quickly. Suddenly lava for blood started to run trough all of her body.

 

She had no idea how long she was going to be there. She didn't even know if they were going to let her walk out of here alive.

 

Thinking about that made Lisa's breath shrink. She tried to calm herself down by thinking rationally,

 

They will probably going to threat you to not to see Jennie again, and nothing else.You are not a threat, you are nothing for them , they wouldn't make any profit out of killing you. Don't worry.

 

 

Lisa had no clue where she had been taken, because she simply had woken up in a room without any windows. But she was guessing that she was away from the city., on suburbs, where the cult that Jennie and her family once lived in.

 

 

Lisa tought about trying to find a way to escape, but she quickly realized that such thing would be impossible in an isolated room in a well secured radicated

 

commune.So she crawled in the bed, eyes wide open,

 

After about two or three hours, Lisa assumed, because there wasn't any clock or sunlight in the room, the door opened, Lisa electrified by the noise that she heard, after hours being in silence.

 

A man whose hair had already started to fall off , came in, right after him, another man with a ponytail entered, this one was holding a platter that had food.

 

Bald guy started talking with asking '' Do you have any idea why you are here,?'' while Ponytail guy put the platter on the corner of the bed Lisa was sitting on. He then went to the croner of the room and stood against the wall.

 

Lisa had an idea why she was here .In fact, Lisa knew ecxactly why. Eventough she wasn't willing to talk about her and Jennie, she didn't think she could trick these guys, also she had already waited too much , they would totally tell if she had lied.

 

Lisa told them she thought they brought them because they were looking for Jennie.

 

'Good, lets talk the rest of this going over the assumption that this is the reason why you are here.''

 

Lisa blinked for an answer.

 

''When did you last see Jennie?''

 

''I can't recall exactly, I guess it has been almost four months. How do you know that Jennie and I know each other anyway?''

 

''What was the relationship between you and Jennie ?'' The guy asked , ignoring Lisa's question as she would guess.

 

''We dated couple of times and nothing more.''

 

''Have you got into an romantic , whatever it would ? ''

 

''No, why do you care about that? As I said , we have been on a date a couple times.''

 

Lisa had a deep down gut feeling that they should never even know that Jennie and she ever kissed.

 

''So you two had this much of a shallow relationship, how did you assume , someone would kindnap you to now things about her?''

 

''Because I know that her long gone parents had belonged in a commune that Jennie had cut her relation long time ago. I don't know I think losing parents type of things are something you can tell about, on first dates. They are kind of important.''

 

''Miss Manoban, you mean nothing to us, harming you or someone you know would bring no benefit to us. So you wouldn't have to worry about that. You also don't have to worry about Jennie either. Quite the opposite , Jennnie means so much to us, so If you help us, it would do good for both Jennie and us. We want you to tell where Jennie lives.''

 

''I don't know that.''

 

''Miss Manoban. I don't think you understood us well. We have the information that you and Jennie have spent time togheter,''

 

Lisa was after going to realize that he was bluffing.Altough right now, she was feeling like the guy was reading her thoughts.

 

''Telling us what you know is all we want from you,If not the conciquencues would be in a way that neither you, nor us would want.''

 

''I said I don't know. Also I don't believe you . I think you are going to do thnigs to Jennie that's against her will.''

 

''We are sad that you would thik this way. The only thing that we want for Jennie is to protect her against all that could happen. ''

 

''Does that mean keeping her hostage. ''

 

''We are goning to be patitent about when you are going to give us the information about Jennie.After all, we have got all the time. Until then, keep this button with you,' '' He said, as he handed a remote that looked more of a car key, ''You can pres that to let us know that you are ready for give us the information that we want.''

 

Ponytail and bald left Lisa after that.

 

 

As long as Lisa could tell from the times that ponytail had brought food to her, Lisa was left that room for five days after that conversation. At first she hadn't been

 

eating the food that she's given,but after two days she had came to a realization that she had no idea how long she was going to be there.

 

Lisa knew that eventually she was going to have to tell them where Jennie lived.Like they said, they had all the time, after all. Altough she might get Jennie gain some time. Tough Lisa had no idea where she was.

 

Lisa wasn't not thinking if that would meant her time could be getting to an end. But again, like they had said, harming her would bring conciquencues would be in a way that neither you, nor they would want. Lisa believed them there.

 

She had to.

 

After five days the lights turned down on the regular but they hadn't switched on again. Lisa realized that the rest of her days were going to be like that when she spent the sixth day in the pitch black room.

 

After they switched off the lights, She had developed a habit that she would squint her eyes close. Couple of days after Lisa realized that she often didn't even realize if her eyes were open or not.

 

When Lisa started to wake up to horrfific sleep paralysis after a week, only thing she wondered was why hadn't they started sooner. Of course they were going to come, Lisa had no doubt in that. The halluscinogens in her food, which she hadn't noticed at at that time, was also not helping her to stay sane at nights.

 

The nightmares were different, this time.Different like, she also haven't been seeing anything in her sleep paralysis. just like the days. She was trying to open her eyes but it was like her eyelids were glued togheter. Only if they would, they would be that hard to open .

 

The dreams she had between may be the only thing that was the only thing that gave her a clue that she was alive, the dreams where she was seeing her, sometimes she was with Chaeyoung and Jisoo, sometimes Jennie, in one of them Jennie was even visiting the three. Altough they were short and sketchy, it was adding Lisa's fading patiance a little strenght.

 

Some other thing that Lisa may be thankful or was the ponytail guy who was bringing her food. Altough the food was making her crazy, she could at least encounter a sign of living at that times.

 

One of those times, It had to be after two weeks she'd been there , she was searching for the remote button that she had lost in the dark, scratching her head furiously, at the same time, because she hadn't showered in two weeks and her hair felt like it was going to fall off. When the ponytail came in with the plate, she didn't even realize how she hurled upon the guy, made him spill the food with the plate, she remembered stuttering how she can't find the remote and there were bugs in her hair,

 

And so the ponytail left the room closing the door, couple of minutes after the lights flicked open, Lisa was trying to adjust her eyes to the light and trying to calculate what just happened. Just then bald and ponytail came in the room, again.

 

''Wer're glad that you made up your mind.''

 

Like that Lisa gave them the adress, not the place that she would forget after visiting there repeatedly for months.

 

''Stay still.''

 

Before Lisa even could counciously apply the command they slapped a napkin to her face, again.

 

 

 

'To the bookstore.'

 

 

...were the words that Lisa heard in her dream, the ones that she wrecked her brain to remeber, after she woke up on a bench in the park .

 

She woke up o a purple sky, the two moons were staring down at her as always, Like they were the doctor that were waking her up from the anestesia.

 

Lisa 's throat was tied up, It was hurting to even swallow. also her bones were aching Lisa would believe that they could shatter anytime.

 

She looked around, realized that she was at her hometown.Also her belongings were on the bank that she was laying.Her suitcase were laying down beside her. She

 

checked her bag to see her wallet, Id , her money were in their place, luckily. Everyting was feeling surreal, since she had been in a two week long nightmare .She was pinching a wound open too tell how long it had been. When she was trying to adapt herself back to the real life , she heard that call again.

 

But what was it? What did it say, she couldn't recall. Someone had talked to her while she was unconcious, she brainstormed, just like trying to remember someone's

 

face in a dream, until she looked up to the sky, at the moons, then the words got whipsered in her ear, again.

 

 

'To the bookstore.'

 

Wasting time was not a choice, nor Lisa could be patient wait any more second long, so she called a cab, got back to the bus terminal, got a ticket, she even forgot the pain in her bones, or .

 

The bus was two hours later, so she grabbed some tea, even drinking that was feeling like millions of knives were stabbing .

 

Lisa hadn't thought she could but she actually slept the whole way , the host should had to wake her up to tell her that they arrived.

 

Altough it was slowing her down, she didn't have the luxury to leave her suitcase behind her, so she dragged that unwieldly thing all the way to another bus stop, then on the streets, until she finally arrived to the bookstore that once she and Jennie visited.

 

Lisa checked her watch, It was 10:44 . She then saw her accross the street. She also saw Lisa .Looking like a picture , staring directly at her, like there were nothing else ever in the whole univervse.

 

Lisa was afraid to blink or move, because she could dissappear, any moment. Because all she had ever did was to dissappear with a blink of an eye.

 

Thank god this time, she didn't. Lisa crossed the street, and before she even knew their arms were tangled, Lisa's cheek was resting on her neck.,

 

 

With that, Lisa was finally convinced that Jennie wasn't going anywhere, so she closed her eyes with peace.