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Was it possible to hate everything around you overnight?
The golden sunlight, the beige color of the bedroom walls, the clear skies, the distinct sound of the crashing waves, the tall coconut trees, the striking smell of the sea, the white powdery sand, the turquoise waters of the ocean, the hotdog pillow...
Every little thing that used to bring Lisa comfort in this island, she hated now.
She needed an escape.
She wanted to be left alone.
And so, after a long shower, the girl locked herself in the game room.
In the background, the speakers were playing some hip-hop music at the top volume. It drowned out the sound of the beach waves outside. But, it wasn't loud enough to drown out Lisa's dismal thoughts.
For the past hour, the girl did nothing but watch her members' video. She had clicked on the play button for possibly the hundredth time. And every time, she looked intently at her members' faces despite her tears.
These were the girls who she had spent half of her life with. They were her Day One, her anchor, her sisters now and forever. And she missed them so much, it hurt.
"Please be strong for us," muttered Jennie in the video. Her cat-like eyes were swollen, but there was also a defiant glint in her gaze when she said that. It was something Lisa didn't notice, when she and Jungkook first watched the video.
"I'm trying," the youngest sobbed, "I'm trying my best, unnie."
"Fake it until you make it, Lisa," Jisoo used to tell her in the past, whenever she was having doubts or lacking in confidence, which she did most of the time, "it will get easier, I promise. Just fake it till you make it."
But, she can't do that anymore.
All she can do now was hate; the kind of hate that chokes a person up, the kind that makes a person want to ball their hands into a fist, ready to harm anybody, even herself.
All she can do now was hate; the kind of hate that was directed to the lowlife on the other end of the telephone, the kind that makes a person unforgiving.
All she can do now was hate; the kind of hate that makes a person wish ill to somebody else; the kind that makes a person wish that they rot in the deepest pit of hell.
All she can do now was hate; the kind of hate that brings out the worst in a person, the kind that changes a person.
Lisa wiped at another tear that fell to her cheeks. Her eyes hurt so much from weeping. And yet, she can't seem to stop.
If I start crying blood, would the kidnapper finally set us free?
•••
"Hello?" Jungkook muttered into the telephone, his hands was shaking on either side of him.
"Good morning, Mr. Jeon," answered their kidnapper, "what can I do for you?"
"I, uh," he stammered, not knowing how to fathom his cluttered thoughts into words. In the end, he opted for a simple, "we want— we need to go home now."
"I'm afraid your thirty-day stay on the island isn't over yet."
"I know, I know," his frustration was quickly turning into desperation. He had never felt this hopeless his whole life. "But, Lisa can't stay here any longer. She hasn't stop crying all morning. I'm very worried about her."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Jeon, I cannot—"
"Please let her go home. I can stay here in the island alone. Just please... please let Lisa go home." The boy pleaded, fighting back tears.
It was pure torture to sit outside of the game room while the girl he liked suffered alone inside. Jungkook cannot bear it any longer.
The other line was quiet for a while before Siri asked, "do you have romantic feelings for her, Mr. Jeon?"
The question caught him off guard. But, he knew that it was pointless to hide the truth from their kidnapper now. After a brief moment of hesitation, he admitted, "I do."
"I see. Does she have romantic feelings for you?"
"That, I'm not sure," he answered anxiously. "But, why does that matter? I like Lisa now. Isn't that enough?"
It was as if Siri didn't even hear a word he said. "Have you told Ms. Manoban that you like her yet?"
"No, not yet. But—"
"Understood. Expect a call from me tonight, Mr. Jeon. Have a great day." Then, their kidnapper ended the call.
Wiping his own tears away, the boy stood in the middle of the living room for what seemed like an eternity, just staring at nothing.
"Jungkook?" The whispered call pulled him out of his reverie. He faced a tear-stricken Lisa.
As expected, the girl looked as empty as he felt. She seemed troubled, too, as if struggling to find the right words to convey her feelings.
"I miss my cats," she finally said. But, those simple words held the heaviest weight, because he knew just how much she adored her pets and the way she practically treated them like family.
He walked to Lisa and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. Her body rocked as she sobbed into his chest.
"I know, baby. I know." Jungkook pressed a kiss to the top of her head, promising to himself that he'll get her home soon, even if it was the last thing he did.
