Moonlight + Paradise (18+)

19. Unforgiving dawn

A week has passed, and she saw Jeon Jungkook leaving the compound for the sixth time...but something is different, she thought. From the window of the bedroom that was provided to her - a 'safe space' where no one else are allowed to enter without her consent, including himself, he said - she watched as all the cars and guards disappears, one lot at a time.

Briefly she wondered where they are all off to, but someone knocked on her door and called out her name - distracting that thought. It can only be Somi. Passing through the spacious, fancy-furnished room, she opened it warily - still feeling slightly awkward with the girl who she thought she once knew. The blonde gave a small smile and simply said, 

"Get your things. Let's get some fresh air."

She didn't know why it both enlivened and panicked her feet, stumbling as she grabbed her wallet and hopped out to chase after the girl without being given much time to think. I can go out? "Where - where are we going?"

"To the harbour."

Harbour? For what? Are we going back to our apartment? "Does um...does Guk know?"

The girl kept walking down the staircase, ignoring her question and scrambling steps. When they reached the door, she saw two packed bags - one larger than the other. Am I...am I really allowed to go home now? But my stuff - what's in those bags?

Somi picked them up. "Come." The girl hinted for her to step out of the door that she held opened with her body but Lisa couldn't take the leap. 

"Where are we going, Somi?"

"I told you. The harbour."

"For what?"

"Fresh air for you. Peace of mind for me."

Since she had been 'rescued' from the clutch of Mark eight days ago and found out about the secrets surrounding these two siblings, she can't help but noticed the similarities. They are both firm with their words, and they both have such strong personalities - always speaking their minds out loud and getting straight to the point. Always so bossy too! She knew that about Somi from 8 months ago but how could I not have realised it before? Like...before I knew they're related? 

"I don't think I should...Guk will be -"

"Guk will not know where you're going."

"Where..." She took a deep breath to get her mind aligned. "Where am I going?"

"Anywhere you want."

"I...I don't understand. Guk will be looking for me and I -"

"And you wouldn't care." Somi stared at her with a blank, unreadable expression. Lisa has never seen the girl acting so unbothered with her before so this is new. "You wouldn't care because why would you?"

"Somi, I -"

"You wanted to leave, now you can. You said you needed time and you're given time. He hadn't forced you to give an answer yet but we can all foresee what it will be, Lily. My brother may be a lot of things but one thing he's not is heartless. Not to you anyway."

Oh... "Did he...did he ask you to send me away?" She isn't quite sure why she felt a little broken inside as she asked that.

"You tiptoed around this house like a shadow. No one's asked you to do that. No one dares to even lay their eyes on you, yet there we were, being feared as if we carried a damn whiplash, every time we asked you to come down and eat something. We're not monsters, Lily. We don't simply hurt anyone, just because we can."

Somi was right. She did, literally, tiptoed herself around this house for the past week. It wasn't so much of her being scared. The air was just too quiet and gloomy that she felt like not contributing any noises in her stay here. The hushed whispers of Jungkook, telling his sister to ask if Lisa is okay or if she'll come down to eat were heard from her bedroom, but she didn't feel like answering it herself.