FORTRESS 'kailisa'

o08

      The silence in the room lasted for a while until Irene decided to speak again, my eyes looking into hers as she spoke.

      "I am truly sorry we've mistaken you for Im Nayeon, that was a mistake." She brushed back a long strand of her luxurious hair. "I'm sure Yeri had told you that?"

       "She did." I answer. "However, I still don't understand as to why you wanted Nayeon."

       Irene had a warm-looking smile aligning on her lips as she stared at me, opened a drawer beside her and looked through it, my eyes continued to solely focus on her. After finding what she wanted, she pulled it out.

      She pulled out a small book but when opening it, it was large and it covered half of the desk. It seemed to be marked with many locations on it and my brows furrowed, eyes narrowed slightly in confusion.

     She had one of her hands roam a certain area and her other roam upon an area that seemed to look quite far from the first one. Each of her fingers placed themselves on a certain spot and she looked up at me, telling to look down on the map.

      "See this area right here?" She says, her finger tapping on the area that was near the blue edges. "This is where we are at, Busan." She then had her hand retreat fom that spot and now only having one on wide sheet. "And this is where Pure Seoul is."

        "But why is it only written Seoul?" I question in confusion.

       "This is a map —"

       "A map?"

        I looked up to meet her eyes, she stopped for a brief moment before nodding her head. "Yes, Lady Lisa, this is a map." She states and had her eyes look down to it again. "This is a map from 2013 that I kept."

       I take a step back from confusion. "2013..." I murmur. What had she been talking about?

       "You must be extremely confused by what I am speaking about." She says, snapping me away from my thoughts. "If I speak to you about this now, it will only confuse you further. But when the time comes, I assure you, everything will be explained."

       "When will that time come?" My eyes lift up to meet Irene's, they calmly stare back into my anxious, demanding ones.

      "Not now, but soon everything will be explained." She says calmly but firmly. Her hand then sliding away from the location where Pure Seoul was located.

      My eyes went over the names on the map — Names I've never read before or even heard mentions of it. My eyes raised to Irene who was turning around and looking outside, from here, I couldn't see Pure Seoul but nothing but broken down buildings, and roads and avenues.

       What happened to the world out here?

       "Now, the main reason of why I called you here..." Started Irene. "We need to discuss about your identity."

       I raise my brow. "What about my identity?"

       "You can't let anyone know about it." My eyes widen in confusion. "People from here have an absolute hate towards the Rifes of Pure Seoul, other bases are aware of the names around the higher-tiers but luckily, your name is quite unique." She looks at me. "Lalisa."

       "So for that matter, we will only shorten it to Lisa like you are called, other bases or the citizens don't know about that shortened name of yours or how you look like." Irene had her finger sliding across her dark wood desk. "Fortunately, they only have information on the brains of Pure Seoul."

        My heart stops. "... They have information on Park Chaeyoung..." I whisper to myself, and in a question. "D-Do they have information on her?" I start to panic.

      Irene raises her eyes again, her dakr eyes that seemed to hold mystery within them. "... Park Chaeyoung..." She murmurs, looking out the window. "Also known as Rosé... They do know about her." My throat becomes dry. "But I can assure you they won't harm her in any way."

      I was quick to stride to Irene, grabbing her by the collar. "How are you so sure?" I demand from her, her gaze towards me was now icy and if I hadn't been in such state of panic, I would've quickly backed away.

       "Let me go, Lisa, please." Hesitantly, I do so. But my clenched fist was now on top of the table. "... I can assure you a hundred percent that Rosé will not be harmed in any way." I bite my lower lip in anxiousness, all I can do for now is trust this woman's words.

      Silence fell between us for a while until I hear her sigh.

       "Anyways, here in Busan, by any means you can't reveal your identity to anyone, I shall speak to Yeri about how she adresses you." Irene reminds herself. "We don't need to take much care of your appearance, but then again, from now on, we will be giving you clothes and you can't act too..." She brings her hand to her chin. "What's the word I am looking for? Royal?"

        I continue to have my lips sealed, the woman nods with a satisfied smile. "I guess I could use that word, and you will also be assigned to somebody else."

       "Assigned to somebody? Why?"

       Irene smiles and sits down on her chair. "I've heard about the ruckus you caused in the streets involving Baekhyun, I can't have that happening again." I shift uncomfortably on the spot and she continues to smile. "I've also heard you are quite comfortable with Yeri and Joy, however, we can't have you guys together."

       I eye Irene. "... Then who am I going to be with?"

      "I'm sure you've met Kai." My eyes widen. "He is the most trustworthy person as for now, he managed to catch you and so I am entrusting you to him."

      "... I..." I can't really have a say in this. Irene huffs and leans back on her seat.

      "Kai it is."

      In amidst of thought, I start to think about the weird names all of them have. Kai, Wendy, Joy, Irene...

      I realised what they were.

      "Why do you have code names?" I question quickly before she dismisses me. "Why is there a need for them?"

      The beauty of a woman stares at me in slight surprise before smiling again, like she had been through the entire time I was here. "That, too, will also be revealed soon." She places her hand back down. "You may go now, Lisa."