Refuge At Ground Zero (20.1)

"So," Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow, looking at Risále, "You did it."

Risále sighed, "Just because you were right, doesn't mean you need to rub it in," She mumbled, "...I think she got the point though. Bella said we'd, uh, talk about it when we see each other again. So. I think it might be mutual?"

"Darlin'. Sweetheart. Please," Hyunwoo gave her a look, "I'm also Bella's boyfriend. Trust me. I know when she likes someone. She definitely has more than sexual feelings for you. She's been talking about you since you guys met," Hyunwoo decided not to mention that the majority of it started off with Bella calling Risále a "gorgeous dumbass". 

Risále let out a breath, "Well, I suppose you're right. But, uh…I know you told us about what happened with…With that bitch and all but…How are you feeling? If you want to talk about it, we totally don't have to!" She held up her hands.

Hyunwoo looked surprised for a moment and then laughed, "My, my, you are adorable. I'm alright, Risá. I just…I really did heal from it, that part I wasn't lying about. Therapy really did help and it helped Val a little bit as well. I just…Never thought I'd see her again. So, I did sort of panic when I did, especially when I realized she still remembered me. Honestly, I didn't expect her to bring…Those men." 

"I'm going to kill them, by the way," Risále told him.

"Be my guest," Hyunwoo's smile took a sharp turn, "As long as you save one for me, do whatever you like, I really don't care. And if I have Lumina's permission, I'd like Veronica to be left to me as well."

Risále raised an eyebrow, "I don't think Lumina's going to care too much about it. Val on the other hand…"

Hyunwoo sighed, "...We had very different ways of dealing with it. I…Never wanted to see any of those people again. Val on the other hand…She survived mostly out of pure spite. Her hatred for them was what kept her alive. She can't let go of it easily, and that is valid. But I don't…Think it's healthy for her. If she wants to take revenge on them, I understand. But I'd rather she just…Move on. I'd rather she not keep thinking about what happened to her because it's only going to make her feel worse. As…As an older brother figure, that's how I feel, but it's up to her in the end."

The girl nodded, "I get it. But I'm also going to say, maybe it might actually be good for her? To get her revenge in a safe space, at least, where they can't hurt her. She might be able to move on if it's done and over with."

"...That's also true," Hyunwoo reached back and pulled out his hair tie, letting his dark brown hair tumble down his back, the purple streaks falling in the front.

"I meant to ask," Risále said, reaching forward and touching one of the pieces of purple hair, "Where did the purple…"

Hyunwoo smiled, "A couple of years ago, Bella and Val dyed my hair entirely purple for fun. My hair wasn't that long back then so it was easier to do. With this length, it's harder, so they compromised and only dye the front parts."

"They really both grabbed you and you couldn't say no, could you?" Risále teased.

"Tell me that if Bella looked at you with pouty eyes, you'd be able to say no," Hyunwoo countered.

"Well, if she wanted to me to do something to me, she's got other ways than pouting to convince me."

Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow, "Damn, Bella was right, you really are just a bit of a brat. You just need someone to take charge of you and then you fold—"

Risále leaned up, pressing her hands to cover Hyunwoo's mouth, "Okay, that's enough, that's enough! Jesus, I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. If I said this to Leon, he'd probably blush and tell me to shut up."

"Hm, would you be telling Leon because you think he should know Bella could dominate him, or so that he knows he could dominate you?" Hyunwoo's voice was still muffled by Risále's hands.

Risále pulled her hands back, her eyebrows furrowed, "You know, I'm trying to figure out if I should be offended that you think Leon could dominate me or if I should laugh at the notion that Leon could dominate anyone."

"So, you've thought about it?" Hyunwoo smiled.

"No! Not…Not intentionally. I mean, I'd never want to make him uncomfortable but when you say stuff to him sometimes that's implicative…" Risále blushed.

Hyunwoo sat down on the bed, patting the space next to him for Risále to sit down, "I understand what you mean. You like him, don't you? You love him."

Risále looked down, "Yeah but…Not the same way he loves me. To him, I'm just his best friend. And…" She looked up to Hyunwoo, "...I can't help but feel like something is missing. I need to know something more. I know Leon, I knew him before, I know that from what you and Leon told me. But I don't…Remember it. And I think that there's something important I need to know. Hyunwoo…How bad was what we did?"

Hyunwoo stiffened a bit, "I'm not sure I should tell you, Risá—"

"Please."

He sighed, scratching his head, "...It wasn't your actions directly. You and Leon were…You were both used. The White Lotus had that program for gifted children where they took the most intelligent and obedient children in that program and used them to do their experiments. You and Leon were successful subjects of that experiment. Subject 001 and 002."

Risále looked down, squinting as though trying to make sense of something, "...Hyunwoo. Were Owen and Kaedan ever a part of this program?" She asked.

"...They were supposed to be. Kaedan was too old for them to manipulate. They gave up pretty quickly. Owen was…He was meant to be part of it but since he didn't pass their standards, they used him as something to test out experiments on, like the eye." Hyunwoo said quietly.

"So, I assume I was correct about Leon possibly being a cyborg as well?" She asked.

"...He didn't tell you," Hyunwoo realized.

Risále shook her head. 

As they both sat in silence, Hyunwoo sighed, "I think I know why he didn't tell you earlier."

"He didn't want me to remember," Risále said, her voice neutral, "If we did terrible things back then, then letting me know he was also a cyborg would have probably reminded me earlier that I knew him back then. If anything, it would have started to jog my memory. He was already familiar. If I knew he was a cyborg…I would have remembered a lot more about what I did. What we did." 

"Can you blame him?"

Risále sighed, "No. I understand it, I'm just…Frustrated. I still barely know anything about myself. I remember other people, like I remember Bella and you vaguely, I remember Leon, I remember Lumina and Nia, but I don't know anything about who I was. How the hell did I even get to the White Lotus? Did I even have a family? Why am I involved in any of this?"

Hyunwoo frowned, "Actually…I don't think even Leon or I know that. I…Used to go to the facility to see Leon often. I was determined to be his friend, but I suppose I was basically a sitting target for the White Lotus. Since they already had you and Leon, they were probably going to kill me until Leon convinced them otherwise. You were both ten, I was twelve. I know Leon joined the program because the White Lotus told him they'd give Chaewon and Elliot back. But you just…Showed up. We don't know who brought you there, or why you stayed. You had a reason but you never told us."

"So, I really never told you anything?" Risále asked, "Huh. I thought I would have told you or Leon…"

"If you did tell Leon, he may have not told me to respect your privacy, but I don't think so. You never talked about your family or anything, it was really like you appeared out of nowhere," Hyunwoo said.

Risále hummed, "And I have no memory of a family of any kind. Could I have been an orphan?"

"That would explain a lot," Hyunwoo rubbed his neck, "Val was also an orphan who was basically picked up off the streets by Veronica, I wouldn't be surprised if they meant to take you as an experiment but then saw potential in you."

"By the way, Val and Nia…" Risále hesitated, "I know I met them before both of them. But I also vaguely remember they knew each other back then? They were inseparable from what I recall. But it seems like neither of them remembers anything?"

Hyunwoo sighed, "No, that's not entirely true," He said, running his fingers through her hair, making small braids into it, "Val does remember. She remembers everything but…How much do you remember?"

"They were both brought in earlier, before Owen, I think. Was Fenix already there? I suppose because of Bella and their uncle, that would make sense. It was…Val got there first, and then Nia. Was it…Nia who always tried to fight back? And Val tried to protect her every time she acted out. They had a huge argument, I remember that they sedated them both because they were scared both of them would pass out from hyperventilation. And then…" Risále's eyebrows furrowed, "Something happened. I…Can't remember what but it was…It was really important. Nia was devastated. What…"

Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow, "You remember a lot more than I thought. I suppose I can tell you then, since Val is fine with people knowing, as long as they don't tell Nia. Both Val and Nia were childhood friends, they both lived in a small remote village on an island far away from any mainland. You've seen Nia's freckles, right? It's a trait that quite a few people on that island have. Nia has it very obviously, with the constellations. Val has them too, but not as bold as Nia's. The freckles on her shoulders look like they glow a bit, like the ones on Nia's face. The White Lotus found out and became…Curious. You know what that entails. Val found out they were planning on kidnapping Nia since she was an orphan anyway. She managed to convince them not to take Nia and showed that she had the same traits. They took her, that's why Val arrived first. Of course, you know Nia, she wasn't going to sit by and let that happen. She tried whatever she could to get in but...It took her almost two years to finally get to the mainland and the facility."

"That's why I remember a gap between when the two of them arrived," Risále murmured.

Hyunwoo nodded, "When Nia got there, though, she was new. She didn't really understand that if she fought, they'd get angry at her and hurt her. Val did, and so she tried to take the blame. Eventually, they had that argument because Nia kept trying harder and harder to provoke the guards and Val was getting scared that she couldn't keep protecting her. As for what happened after that…" Hyunwoo sighed, "That's the part I can't tell you."

"I'm guessing it's not that you don't want to, but it's that you can't, right?" Risále asked, sighing as well.

Hyunwoo nodded, "Bingo. Unless you want to see me having some sort of extreme chest contraction, then yeah, I can't say anything. We can only wait until you remember yourself."

Risále leaned down, resting her head in his lap, "It's frustrating. All of you know what this is except for me, and I feel like if I remember that one thing, then a lot of other things will be clearer to me."

The man stroked her head, "I know, darlin'. It'll come in a matter of time. Besides, you're remembering important things very quickly, especially after finding the safe."

"I suppose. You mind if I take a nap?"

"If my lap is a comfortable enough place for you, feel free, my love," Hyunwoo smiled, gently running his hands through her hair.

Risále laughed, "You know, I can't believe I bagged someone as amazing as you as my first-ever boyfriend."

Hyunwoo chuckled, "Well, I'm certain your second boyfriend will be just as amazing. I should know, he's my boyfriend."

"You're never going to let it go, are you?"

"Absolutely not, my dear."