The Outskirts (ITZY Shin Ryujin)

17

"Max?" Luke furrowed his eyebrows when his eyes landed on the boy who had randomly been brought to their house.

"You know him?"

"He's my best friend! Why's he here? How did he?" He quickly turned to Lia. "Max was never one to like going near the Outskirts. It makes no sense for him to be here."

"Maybe he was looking for you."

"Still, he would never go close enough to the Outskirts to be pulled in... Maybe the siren that had followed me had cornered him and he had no choice."

Lia cocked an eyebrow.

"That doesn't seem very likely."

"Well, it's better than him deciding to prance into the Outskirts."

"Maybe he saw someone on the other side like what happened to you."

"Max is... How do I put this... a bit of a coward. He wouldn't approach the person, he'd surely run away."

"Look, I'm just trying to come up with scenarios here. Besides, the reason he's here doesn't matter, the person who brought him here does."

"Well, who do you think it was then?"

"I don't know but the fact that none of the girls were involved worries me."

"Does it?" A voice came from the other side of Lia's bedroom, both her and Luke turned to see the last person both of them wanted to see: Tinsel.

"You," Lia pointed directly at him. "You did this."

"I did," the siren confirmed.

"But why?" Luke turned on him. "He was better off in the towns. Why would you do that?"

"Because this birdbrain messed with two police officers then decided to fall into the Outskirts. If anything, I saved him because he either would have died due to the radioactivity or from the officers," Tinsel explained.

"Why was he even near the Outskirts? And messing with officers? That doesn't sound like Max at all!"

"He was trying to look for you and, quite possibly, save you."

"Why did you leave him on the floor of my room? Couldn't you have woken me up?" Lia asked.

"Let's be real, darling, you wouldn't have believed me. Would have thought it was a trap."

"I... Admit that's somewhat true but... Nah, you're right I would have. But why couldn't you have looked after him? I'm sure you at least have medicines to do such."

"I captured him during the night and you know a siren's killing instincts are strongest at night. If I had kept him, I would have killed him and used his blood as toothpaste. Besides, babysitting a human is just something I don't do. Even doing as much as saving him was going over my boundaries."

"That being said, what are you doing awake at this time? Sirens always sleep during the day."

"I wanted to make sure you got my gift," he motioned to Max. "And by the looks of it, you did. So I guess my job here is done. Any more questions?"

"No," Lia responded before turning to Luke who only shook his head.

"Perfect," Tinsel chimed. "Then I guess I'll get going."

And with that, he disappeared.

***

"Good evening," Ryujin smiled as she joined Luke in his bedroom.

He peered over the book he had been reading to grin at her.

"What's that in your hands?" He asked, noticing a little device hidden between her palms.