The Outskirts (ITZY Shin Ryujin)

19

"What happened?" Luke asked, stumbling into the kitchen for breakfast. Lia immediately caught him before he had the chance to crash into the floor.

He only woke up a few hours prior and his body were still numb and weak. His mind, foggy as it was, struggled to comprehend every single detail about what had happened. He had died. He was so sure of it.

"I told you to stay in bed," the stoneface scolded, forcing him to his feet. "You need to properly recover."

"I am properly recovered," he assured her, taking slow and careful steps to the dining table. "Just a bit... Dazed. Could someone please explain what happened."

Ryujin, Yeji and Yuna sat at the table eating what looked like Fruit Loops but, knowing the girls, Luke was pretty sure it was some odd alternative.

Unexpectedly, Ryujin was the only one to look up. A thick cast covered the entirety of her left arm with little notes written on it. She gave him a little shrug, gulping at the cereal in her mouth.

"You died. There isn't much to explain."

"How about you explain why I'm here in front of all of you and very clearly alive and breathing?"

"Lia rescued you."

He gave the stoneface a confused expression.

"How did you do that?"

"You were only dead for like... Five minutes," Lia explained as though it was nothing. "Wasn't that hard to resurrect you."

"Wow... How long was I out for then?" He asked, taking a seat at his rightful breakfast seat only to find his bowl of cereal completely finished. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Chaeryeong's also awake, I see."

"Two weeks," Yeji revealed. "And no, she's not. Although you almost died, Chaeryeong's injuries were more serious. I'm afraid Lia didn't have any medicine or experience to help her. We had to send her to a proper snake doctor. We're expecting her by the end of this week."

"I see... Then why is my breakfast bowl empty?"

"Oh right, I forgot to mention," Lia perked up. "Max's awake. He woke up the night you almost died. That's why Yeji and Yuna went to find you guys. And that's how you were rescued. Yeji threw a rock at Tinsel's head and knocked him out."

"Oh really? Where is he?" Luke beamed, standing up to find his friend before instantly losing all strength in his legs and falling back in his seat.

"Yeah, you should probably just stay here," Ryujin placed a hand on his shoulder and grinned. "He'll be back any time now, he just went to do some laundry real quick."

"In the meantime," Lia uttered as she placed a bowl of cereal in front of Luke and pushed Max's bowl out of the way. "You can eat this."

***

"So what exactly landed you in The Outskirts?" Max asked as he sat on the seat beside Luke's bed.

Lia had order the latter to stay in his bed until she specifically tells him not to. Luke didn't mind too much though. He got his food and water transported to him, didn't have to do chores, and, when they are free, got to spend time with Max and Ryujin. Having a broken arm meant Ryujin couldn't go on any outdoor hunts.

Luke glanced at his best friend with tired eyes, sinking his head lower in the pillow.

"I was investigating the area and saw Ryujin. She pulled me in when I got too close."

"Why would she do that?"

"Tinsel was following me."

"Who now?"

"Tinsel. The siren that did this to me... And the one who brought you here. What about you?"

"Just me being my normal, dumb, clumsy self. Nothing much really."

"Yep, that's more believable than you courageously stomping into The Outskirts."

"Hey! You never know. I could do that!"

"Max, I mean this in the nicest way I can: you are the most cowardly creature I've ever known. Honestly."

"How many cowardly people do you see strolling through the Outskirts, huh?"

"As you said, you're only here due to your idiocy. Now make yourself useful and got wash the pots downstairs before to tell Ryujin you're slacking off."

"I swear, sometimes I question whether you actually are still hurt or you're just faking it. And on that note, what's with you and Ryujin?" He wriggled his eyebrows.

Luke ignored it with a roll of eyes.

"What do you think, Max? I don't think I'm being very secretive at all."

"That was on purpose? I just thought you were bad at acting... Like, really, really, insanely bad."

"I am, and I'll admit to that. But this time around I didn't hide it."

"What if she didn't like you? Not saying she doesn't because I'm pretty sure she does. But just what if."

"Then I'd use it as revenge and annoy her with it. She brought me here and so I pay her back for it."

"Have you ever talked to her about it?"

"It's just... Not something that comes up naturally in a conversation. I can't just go up to her and say 'hey, I like you. Want to go out and watch a siren rip off a civilian's head, or we can go watch the nuclear war take place in the south, oh and what about pulling random strangers to into the Outskirts and to their death, huh? Sounds fun!' I can't do that, Max."

"Well, I mean if you put it that way, then she'll never say yes. You need to put it in a way that will make her instantly agree. Not going to lie, there isn't much to you, Luke, so you really have to value what words can do for you."

Lia just so happened to walk in on the two guys just as Luke was about to pounce on Max.

"Uhm," she cleared her throat, pulling Max to her side. "I don't know what happened here but I need someone to clean the pots downstairs and both Ryujin and I are too busy. Could you do it, Max?"

"Of course," he grinned at her.

"So when I say it, you get mad but when she says it, you instantly agree?" Luke argued.

"The difference here is that she is a beautiful female and you are not."

With a playful grin, Max exited the room. Lia remained, rolling her eyes jokingly and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I heard everything you guys were discussing, by the way, and I swear if you don't listen to your friend over there and ask her out sometime soon, I will personally stone you to death. Got it?"

She didn't wait for a response and just walked off with an innocent smile on her face. Luke watched in utter disbelief before sighing and leaning back in his bed. Ryujin liked him back, he knew that but how was he possibly meant to bring it up without it sounding forced?