Rise Up (Stray Kids Seo Changbin)

9

"What's up with you?" Kyla questioned when she glanced at Paige. The girl sat on a chair, gaze fixated on the floor tiles as if they were a circus show.

Clearly startled by the sudden question, Paige jolted a bit before releasing a loud, exhausted sigh.

"I had a talk with Woojin earlier today. He wants me to partner up with Lily."

Kyla cocked an eyebrow before sparing at glance at the person on the other side of the one way window. Lincoln sat on a chair, staring at a wall with a blank expression. His hair was messy and his skin was pale but he had eaten a lot more in the past few days than he had in the past year. A slight smile dressed Kyla's face at the thought but it dropped again when she turned her attention back to Paige.

"Why's that? Things at the Society have gotten that bad?"

"Cassidy has Chan," she blurted quickly but Kyla knew there was more than just that.

"Chan, huh? Let Stray Kids sort it out then."

"She'll only let him go if I face her. Otherwise she'll kill him."

"Is that what she said?"

"Yes."

"And what does this have to do with Lily?"

"If the Society and Rebellion pair up, we can defeat her together."

"Why don't we just let her go ahead with her plan and see what she wishes to gain from it."

"World domination."

A laugh fell off Kyla's lips as she shook her head slightly.

"Cassidy doesn't want world domination. She just wants to feel as though she's in control."

"Maybe she doesn't but whoever she's working with does."

"Well then, that's that, isn't it?"

Paige scoffed, glaring at Kyla in utter disbelief.

"That's that?" She repeated loudly. So loud that Lincoln turned his head in the direction it came from, surprised by it. "That's that? The Society will fall along with life as we know it. Just being involved with the Society means that when they get their hands on us, we're either going to be slaves to them or killed. We can't let the Society die like that. Not without a fight."

"The Society is practically already dead, Paige. Don't you get it? You're trying to end the inevitable."

"People believed the Society was dying decades ago and yet here we are. If we are still alive, we can keep going until we-"

"No!" Kyla shook her head strongly. "Too much blood has been shed already. We can't fight anymore."

The sadness hidden behind her words was obvious and for once Paige saw everything in Kyla's point of view. She had already lost Janey and Cassidy. The only person she had left was Lincoln and here she was left to watch him go insane.

Paige sighed, approaching Kyla.

"If I do nothing, Cassidy will find you, find him." Her voice was quiet and soft. "I understand how much is at stake, Kyla. And that's why I'm doing this."

She shook her head lightly, turning around to face Lincoln. He was string right at her though he couldn't see her. He could feel her presence.

"And how will you convince Lily?"

"Family is always the strongest bond, is it not?"

"No way. Linc is not going out there... He hasn't recovered enough."

"He's not going out. Nor am I telling her his whereabouts but rather that her that he still lives."

Kyla sighed, a light groan escaping her mouth as well.

"So you're really willing to lose it all," she asked. "How much are you going to give away before you realise you can't save the Society."

"I'm going to try until I die knowing I did all I can."

"You're wasting your efforts."

"My previous efforts will be wasted nonetheless if I give up now. I've done too much, lost too much to stop now."

"I see now," Kyla turned to her. "This isn't just about the Society. It's about the Davies family, isn't it?"

"I'm the last, Kyla. I need to make sure my family's name won't be forgotten like everyone else. They gave their lives to the Society, and I'll die the same way. The least I ask is to be remembered."

"And you will-"

"By generations, not a few people. I want to be like one of those people you read about in old Society books."

"Society books?" Kyla narrowed her eyes at her before realising. "Being remembered is one thing. Changing the past is another."

"Change? No. Forget? Yes. That past got Janey and whoever read it killed, I want to create a past anyone can read, learn from and survive afterwards. I want a new era for the Society."

"To do that, you need to read Janey's journal. You need to find out why it gets people killed."

"I know."

"Last I checked, Cassidy had the journal. She claimed she lost it but you know Cass and her lies."

"Great, now I need to figure out a way to sneak into her office."

"Or maybe you don't. I know a place," a voice came from behind them. Paige recognised it and groaned a bit before turning to the door to see Donghyun. He leaned against the doorframe and winked at Paige before his gaze landed on Kyla. "I don't believe we've met before. I'm Donghyun."

"I know who you are," Kyla responded bitterly, glimpsing at Paige. "You led him here?"

"No. He came alone," Paige explained, glaring at him.

"Do you need to find the journal or not?"

"Fine," Paige sighed. "Where is it?"

A grin grew on his face as he turned around, beckoning them to follow him.

"Follow me," he told them before walking off.