The Outskirts (ITZY Shin Ryujin)

16

"You really need to stop bringing so many random humans into this house," Lia complained to Ryujin as she entered the dining room to find the rest of the girls and Luke in there as well. "And what's worse is you just left him in the middle of the room. What if he died? You are lucky he still had a pulse when I medicated him."

Ryujin didn't even look up at her. She continued munching at her bowl of cereal.

"I don't even have the slightest clue what you're on about," she responded so nonchalantly it was almost comical.

"You don't recall placing a human in my room last night?"

"Last night I had the best sleep I've had in months. I can even the you want the dream was if you don't believe me. I certainly did not bring some random human in here. My crazy acts ended with Captain Confusion over here," she motioned to Luke earning a sarcastic smile from him.

"Wait, let me get this straight," Yeji sat up. "You found a random human on your room this morning?"

Lia nodded.

"A fresh one too. Must have been captured in the early hours of the morning."

"Does anyone have any idea how he got here? Yuna? Chaeryeong?" Yeji questioned but both of them shook their heads. "Is it possible someone was sleepwalking then?"

"Inventions don't sleepwalk. Only humans do that so it was either you or Luke which I highly doubt... That being said, did Tinsel bother you at all last night?" Chaeryeong asked.

"Yeah but I think I know how to drive him away," Luke shrugged.

"You mastered the skill Ryujin's been trying to do for the past few months in only a couple of days? What are you? A superhero?" Yeji joked.

"Ok, I probably didn't but I managed to get him to leave me for a bit which I believe is an accomplishment."

"Good for you, Luke," Yuna applauded. "Well done. If we had stars I'd give you one."

"Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not but I'll take it anyway," he smiled at her before resuming eating his breakfast.

"Let's not get off topic," Lia told them. "Even if it wasn't one of you guys, that means someone snuck into our house and gave us this human in the middle of the night. Don't any of you find that even the slightest bit sketchy?"

"Lia's right," Yeji pushed her empty bowl away from her. "We need to find out who did this and why."

"Why can't we just except it and get on with life, huh? We got a free human and now we'll have extra help around here. We've needed this for a long time. Lia has been going on for years about how she wants more help around the house and now we get it and everyone's sceptical," Chaeryeong shrugged.

"Whoever brought him here must have been the one who pulled him into the Outskirts. We need to find out why," Yeji tried reasoning but the snake mutant wasn't having it.

"Ryujin pulled Luke in because a siren was following him. Maybe the snake thing happened."

"Well, then we need to know that, don't we now."

"I just think it's a waste of our time but if you want to be persistent," she shrugged. "That's your choice. I'm not doing anything though. So you can count me out of the equation."

"So you aren't even the slightest bit concerned? Seriously?"

"The thing here is, we mutants don't think too much about such. Humans and stonefaces are constantly worried whereas we just go with whatever life throws out way," Yuna explained.

"I'm a bit concerned but I'm not going to spend my day stressing over who did it. Life goes on. If we have an extra human, great. If you don't, also great," Ryujin gulped down her last spoonful of cereal. "Should we get going now? The sun will rise at any minute now."

"I think that's best. Yeji, you're with me today. We'll go to the main town. I have some people I need to meet," Chaeryeong announced, standing up and heading towards the stand with all their equipment.

Lia sighed.

"Don't worry, Yeji. Luke and I will look into it."