Rise Up (Stray Kids Seo Changbin)

22

Upon landing, Paige rushed into the nearest cabin with Woojin following close behind. In the snow-blanketed terrain, it appeared as a small shelter shivering in a white abyss. The lights were off, providing the illusion of it being in the middle of nowhere, far from civilisation.

Only Paige knew of the substantial village hidden behind the mountain ranges.

"I have known you for a long time, Paige," Woojin muttered, the thick, black coat engulfing him doing nothing to shield him from the frosty air. "But this is by far the riskiest thing I've ever seen you do."

A blizzard was blooming, she realised, watching as her assistant's lashes caught snowflakes. The plane had been landed a couple of kilometres from the cabin and the walk quickly became unpleasant.

She shrugged,"what's life without a few risks here and there?"

He glared at her, finding her playful remark distasteful.

"I'm serious."

Her lips parted momentarily before shutting again at the realisation that nothing she had to say would satisfy him. His dark eyes scanned her intently, waiting for a response.

He got none.

"Why?" he decided to continue. "Why did you have to go this far? Do you really need to find Janey's murderer that badly?"

It was her turn to glare. He simply shrugged as though feeling his question was valid. And perhaps it was but Paige wasn't willing to think too much about it just yet.

"I'm just trying to look out for you-"

"I don't need you to, Woojin!" she snapped so suddenly the boy flinched. A sharp sigh escaped her lips before she turned her gaze back to the trail. "I never asked you to and I don't expect you to. I do what I do for a reason, okay?"

She expected him to shout. To raise his hand sin exasperation as he screamed on and on about how he was concerned for her. She expected a negative response only to be met with the image of him sighing and mumbling, more to himself than anyone else, "you just don't get it, Paige. You just don't see what I see."

"It's about Donghyun, isn't it? You don't want him here. You don't trust him, do you? Or is it because of your long lived rivalry that you are so against his presence? He's here to help us, Woojin, to help me."

"I never mentioned him," his voice was calm, too calm for the situation they found themselves in. "I never even implied him. I don't many people. It was just the way I was raised but I trust you. And if you say that Donghyun is trustworthy, I will take your word for it. But I wasn't implying him. I'm talking about you."

"I see it," she muttered. "I see how everyone is glaring at him, plotting his murder."

"You see nothing," contrary to his harsh words, his tone remained gentle, soft. A side of him she knew she was lucky to see. "Ever since I was born, I was taught to see what others can't. I was taught to see past the surface -- to study and analyse and understand every single movement or action anyone made. I see things you don't. I understand you are concerned for Donghyun, trust me, as much as I hate him, I am too but you aren't seeing the bigger picture, Paige, and that's the problem. That's why I have to look out for you. You are so focused on one side of the equation that you are forgetting the rest. No one is planning to kill Donghyun, at least not yet. What threat is he to them? To members of the Society -- to the betrayers. It's all a facade, a trap to get you to focus on the wrong person, to get you to forget who the real person in danger here is. They want to kill you. And if that means killing Donghyun, they'll do it because at the end of the day, if you are dead, they've won."

"I know that. I know they wish to kill me."

"Perhaps you do. I'm not questioning you. I just don't believe you know the full extent. You are scared. Of course, you are. But that's only because you know you should be, not because you truly feel that way." His gaze met hers in an intense glare, an urgent plead of his eyes. "Be scared, Paige. Be horrified, terrified, be alert. You don't see their gazes. You don't see how they perfect each detail of your murder in their heads with each passing moment."

"I see it."

He halted and Paige took the moment as a chance to acknowledge his rosy nose and cheeks.

"No," he shook his head. "You don't. You still think Donghyun is in danger. You just don't understand... How could you?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, a scoff slipping off her lips, "how could I? Hate to break it to you but I've been in this business since I was born. I know what I am doing. I know and have seen things you could only imagine in your darkest nightmares. I know, Park Woojin," she She turned her gaze to a cabin that stood not too far from them. A chill ran down her spine and she exhaled loudly. Everything inside her was screaming for her to run away, turn on her heels and sprint until her legs could not take it anymore. But she remained frozen in the quickly piling snow, feeling more hopeless than she ever had before.

She regretted it as soon as the words fell off her lips, wanting to bury herself in the snow to never be seen again. And it was obvious from Woojin's expression that he wasn't expecting it when she mumbled, "I've been in this business long enough to know not to trust anyone... Not even you."

Stay safe everyone! With covid-19 everywhere please do your best to isolate yourself as well as be as safe as possible. My school closed yesterday due to the case and we are only expected to return by late April. My sincere apologies to everyone who had been studying so hard for their finals only to hear that they are cancelled. And for everyone who still has their exams coming up, like me, please use this time wisely and study as best you can whilst also staying safe. I hope none of you get this virus, but if you do or currently have it, I genuinely wish you will recover well and hope none of your family are suffering either. Once again, stay safe

~SpicyThaiChicken