The Demon, The Angel, And The City of Sound (Chaelisa)

Chapter 1: Fear Is How You Win

[this is my first time writing a fanfic aHHHH!!

if you have any critiques or suggestions, please let me know! i'd love to hear what i can improve on ! enjoy ! :)) ]

Seoul was not a place for the faint of heart. It wasn't as if it wasnt welcoming. Everything on the surface was perfectly inviting. The sights, sounds, tastes smells - all beautiful and glamorous in the light of an LED screen. But all that glitters isn't gold, and Lalisa Manoban knows that all too well.

Lisa checks the radio clock in her car. 5:55 AM. Five minutes until dropoff. The Samsung rings, and she answers.

"Arrival in approximately 6 minutes. Go for transfer."
"Copy. Awaiting package."

She hangs up the phone, placing it facedown in the glove compartment, just as she's been told to do. She adjusts the rearview mirror, eyeing the back end of the garage. It's the basement of what used to be a children's school. There's a stairwell leading up to a door with words in faded yellow Hangul - "Yongsan International School of Seoul" . Lisa went to this place once, before her father was taken away. She missed those days when she was naive and guileless; when she didn't have to worry about secrets or being seen. But those days are long gone. One has to grow up and smell the smoke at some point.

Lisa snaps out of her daze of thought as the old door opens. Two men in full black attire walk out carrying a hefty duffel bag. They shuffle down the stairs and approach the car. The taller of the two knocks on the back window, and Lisa pops open the trunk.
They shove the bag in and shut the lid, causing the car to shake momentarily before settling. Lisa rolls her window down, rubbing her fresh coat of black nail polish with a slight impatience. The taller man approaches the window.

"All clear up ahead for you, Ms. Manoban."
She nods, not making eye contact.

"Thank you Jong-Hyuk."

Lisa pulls out of the underground garage and onto the streets of Seoul, the lamplights flashing by as she traverses down the highway.

Another day, another deal.

********

Her first stop is Club D, one of the Manoban's biggest buyers for over 10 years. Lisa doesn't have to call them to open up their garage. They're already expecting her.

The bodyguard waves her in as she backs into the garage. She puts it in park, slamming the door, and steps out of the vehicle. As per usual with business transactions, she's wearing her "uniform" - a slim black tuxedo and a pair of sunglasses. Her high heels click against the ground as she approaches a slightly scruffy man clad only in a Versace bathrobe.

"Samchon." Lisa nods, folding up her sunglasses and hanging them on the pocket of her suit.
"That's no way to say good morning to your uncle."
"I called you samchon, didn't I?"

He places his hands on his hips. "Your father really didn't teach you any manners, did he?"
Lisa smiles. "Father says that manners are for people who lie down and let the world fuck them over."
Uncle doubles over and lets out a hearty laugh. "Well, he's not wrong. No absence of 'pleasing' in this place." He gestures to the exquisite building around him, then extends his arms out to Lisa.

She walks over, her heels punctuating each step, to eventually embrace him.
"Always good to see you, samchon."

He pats her back. "Good to see you too, little one."
He parts from her and grabs her shoulders. "Now, back to business." He claps and rubs his hands together excitedly, striding over to Lisa's car without a second thought.

Lisa bites her cheek. As much as she knew her samchon to be kind to her, he wasn't her blood. They only knew the family through business. In fact, she didn't even know his real name. Father only told her to refer to him as her uncle out of respect.

It's hard sometimes, not knowing what it's like to have a real family. After mum died, she never knew love again. She'd spent so long trying to seek it out from father or her brother or anyone that walked into her life but it only made her feel worse. Now she was all grown up; a criminal with a heart of stone.

Lisa turns on her heel, unlocking the trunk with the push of a button.
"What've you got for me today?" Uncle says, licking his lips.
Lisa unzips the duffel to expose a plethora of different narcotics.
"The usual shipment. LSD, X... and crystal, of course."
"Perfect..." He grins widely. "HOJIN!" Uncle calls out, snapping his fingers.

The largest of the body guards waddles over, an empty duffel bag in hand. He starts to reach for the bag in Lisa's trunk, but her arm reflexively comes up to stop him.
This one is new. He should know better.

"My drugs, my rules." Lisa asserts.
Hojin scoffs at her, grabbing her wrist and tossing her hand away. Within seconds, Lisa pulls out the pistol is hidden in her suit jacket, aiming it at Hojin's throat. All of Uncle's guards quickly draw their weapons, aiming straight for the young blonde.

"WOAH, WOAHH!" Uncle waves his hands out in a panic, trying to diffuse the situation. "Relax! Everyone just relax! We're all family here, aren't we?"

Lisa eyes Uncle, pistol still cocked and at the ready. Her eyes move to Hojin. He's looking down and grimacing at her, trying to appear as big and menacing as possible. But Lisa doesn't flinch. She keeps her cold gaze locked with his and doesn't falter.

Her father's words echo inside of her mind.
"Do not relent. Do not submit."

Her finger adjusts grip around the trigger as she presses the gun into Hojin's skin.
"Use it. Become it."

That's when she sees what she's looking for. It's very quick but not untraceable. The sharp intake of breath. The tightening of his jaw as he swallows. The twitch at the corners of his eyes.

"Fear...

Fear is how you win."

A toothy grin spreads across Lisa's face. She leans in close so she's only inches away from Hojin's ear.

"I win..." She whispers.

Satisfied, Lisa puts the gun down, and Uncle's men follow suit. Hojin's body relaxes, his glare lingering until Uncle's hand grabs his shoulder.

"Hojin... why don't you go wait inside."

He smiles nervously, patting the behemoth's back. Hojin complies, handing Uncle the duffel bag, taking one final look at Lisa before trudging away.

Uncle looks to Lisa with shifty eyes, reaching into his pockets to pull out multiple large wads of cash. Lisa takes the money from him and pulls out several packages of each drug, dropping them into Uncle's open bag. He zips it up quickly as Lisa slams the trunk closed.

"Violence isn't always the answer, little one."

Lisa turns to him and sighs. "No. But it never fails."
"You're on very thin ice, Lalisa."
" I'm the one on thin ice?" She chuckles. "I'm the boss. I am going nowhere anytime soon."
Lisa puts her hands behind her back, taking slow steps closer to Uncle's face.

"Who's going to get you these drugs this readily? Hm? The police are cracking down on narcotics and Manobans are the most reliable suppliers in Seoul. Would you really want to risk the reputation of your precious 'pleasure palace'?"

Uncle goes silent. He swallows hard, then looks to the ground. He's smart enough to know that Lalisa Manoban is the wrong person to argue with.

"I may call you samchon, but you will always be nothing more than a customer. Remember that next time when one of your men lays a hand on me." Lisa puts her sunglasses back on and struts over to the driver's side door, swinging it open. Before ducking inside, she turns her head.

"And I'm not a little girl anymore, samchon.

I am a Manoban."