The Outskirts (ITZY Shin Ryujin)

20

Night fell upon The Outskirts and word spiralled that Tinsel was preparing to make his infamous revenge killings. But instead of one person, this time it was seven: Yeji, Yuna, Lia, Chaeryeong, Ryujin, Max and Luke.

A month had passed since the incident and life had seemed to go back to normal. Chaeryeong returned stronger than ever and took her role out exploring once again while Ryujin's arm still hadn't fully recovered, but she managed to learn how to manoeuvre around it to get things done.

Max, Luke and Lia remained at the base, doing the chores. However, ever since the news about Tinsel went around, their way of living crashed at their feet all over again. No one was allowed outdoors and they were forced to buy food and basically anything on their shopping list online.

The place soon became boring. Wig so many people, chores finished quickly then they had nothing to do for the rest of the day. This way of living quickly took its toll on everyone.

Yuna, being a wolf mutant, needed fresh air and exercise, without those two, she had to find a way around it. That meant she was constantly running around the base, knocking over objects or the other people with her big, fluffy tail and the air conditioning was never switched off.

Chaeryeong needed to hunt something, anything. So she ordered a box of rats every so often and let the scurry around the house until she was ready to hunt down any one of them.

Although the girls and Max turned a blind eye to it, Ryujin's fight with her siren side reached his ultimate peak and, although she always told Luke and hat she was alright, she knew she was losing to it.

Lia, Yeji and Max quickly got stressed out from the scurrying rats, cold temperatures of the house, and Ryujin constantly disappearing, not to mention how the place was constantly loud.

Luke had to the calmest of them all but saying the rats and cold wind didn't irritate him the slightest bit would be a lie. He spent most of his time in his room, to be frank. And, to make situations better for him, Ryujin often visited him. He hadn't said a word yet not did she mention anything about dating but as time passed, their feelings for each other grew. Luke really wanted to tell her how much he actually liked her but it just didn't seem like the time. There was no way of them ever going out for a date seeing how things were and with her siren side threatening to slip out, who knew when she'd just randomly attack him?

He gulped at the thought as he watched her enter his room.

"Hey," she offered him a wave which he happily returned. "Have you been here all day?"

"I finished off my chores earlier on. I just wanted to think today."

"Hope I'm not disrupting that."

"No, it's alright."

He shifted in his bed and pat an area beside him. She smiled sweetly before sitting beside him. Their arms were only barely touching but Luke felt his pulse triple.

"What are you thinking about anyway?"

"A lot of things. Mainly this Tinsel mess."

"Gosh," Ryujin ran a hand through her hair. "I'm so sorry. I started a of this. I went to talk to him and I guess I must have provoked his siren side or something because this happened and then Yeji had to hit him. He's always been a sore loser. I guess this is his payback."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. It's alright. No one blames you."

"But Lia..."

"Look, I know Lia snapped at breakfast and said things she probably didn't even mean. She's stressed out, all of us are. And no one's ever in this right star of mind in a situation like this. Excuse her and excuse yourself while you're at it. Who cares if you provoked him or now? It's not just your problem anymore. It's all of ours now, alright? And we are all going to fight alongside you to make sure you are alright."

She emitted a slight scoff.

"I don't see why you'd do that but sure."

"Do you honestly think we are going to let you die that easily?"

He sighed once more before meeting Luke's serious gaze.

"Maybe you wouldn't but those girls out there... They will betray me as soon as I'm at my worst."

"Don't say that-"

"You know why I keep saying that, Luke? It's not just me not trusting my group. I've seen it before. With my own two eyes. We were six once and then her tiger side attacked." Ryujin exhaled a loud sigh, blinking away tears that threatened to fall. "I begged for them to rethink their decision. I begged and cries and screamed for her. And you know what they did? They killed her. Right before my eyes. I watched them betray her, slaughter her. And after it all, the only thing they said was that is was for the best. They just left and never looked back. I don't want to die that way."

Luke brought his hands up to cup her cheeks, wiping a few tears that had slipped out of her eyes with his thumb.

"I won't let them. You mean so much to me, Ryujin, and I'm pretty sure I might be obsessed with you. I will never betray you that way nor will I ever allow anyone to do that as long as I am alive. I promise. I know I'm weak and I can't do that much for you but I feel like I'm good at rambling. I could ramble long enough to stall the person as you escape. I swear, I'll do it."

Chuckling slightly, she caressed his cheek softly.

"You know, I'd actually really appreciate if you would do that... Oh, and of course, I know I'm obsessed with you so how about we go downstairs, grab one of those half eaten bags of crisps and call it a date, huh?"

"It was that easy?" He asked in disbelief.

With a nod, she responded, "well, you like me and I like you. It was obvious we'd both agree to do this. In fact, you took so long to ask me, I was wondering if you actually liked me."

Luke chuckled, bringing his right hand back to his side while his left held Ryujin's hand.

"I'm sorry I just wanted it to come up naturally. And about the date, I'd actually love that."

"Really? I thought you wanted to watch a siren rip off a civilian's head, or  watch the nuclear war take place in the south, and maybe even pull random strangers to into the Outskirts," she chuckled.

He bit his bottom lip as he scratched his make slightly.

"You heard that?"

"Trust me, you guys were so loud that time, the neighbours even asked me about it."