Short: The Map

  The silence in Leeseo’s room was only broken by the sharp clack-clack of plastic bricks. On the small table before her lay a skeletal, half-finished LEGO set—a jagged mess of colors that looked less like a car and more like a physical representation of her own scattered thoughts. She glanced at the manual, then at the build, her eyes distant, searching for where the pieces were supposed to fit.

  A shadow fell across the doorway. Ren was there, his hand already on the frame to propel himself past, intending to disappear back into his administrative duties. But as her head turned, he froze. He took a cautious half-step back, his "exit strategy" already in motion.

  "Ren!"

  The command in her voice was small, but it anchored him to the spot. He exhaled slowly, straightening his suit jacket before stepping into the room.

  "Yes, Leeseo?"

  "Sit." She didn't look up, simply pointing to the floor beside her.

  Ren let out a long, weary sigh, the sound of a man who had a thousand more important things to do, yet found himself sinking onto the rug anyway. "I’m going to be direct with you," he started, his voice clipped and professional. "I am in no mood to play with toys—"

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Oh, we're not playing." Leeseo set the manual down, her expression turning uncharacteristically serious. "My memory is still a bit blurry... and I want to know about the Outlands."

  Ren’s eyes flickered. He reached out, almost instinctively picking up a stray 2x4 brick and fidgeting with it between his fingers. "The Outlands? What about them?"

  "How far is it? Are we safe here?"

  Ren looked at the brick, then out toward the window, as if he could see through the miles of ocean. "Where we are right now... we are safe from the threats of the Outlands, if that’s what you’re asking." He snapped a second brick onto the first with a satisfying click. "We are currently in the City of Mainland. It kept its English name because of the history we shared with the Europeans. It’s our only remaining pocket of peace—the place where you can still watch a movie or walk through a mall."

  His gaze darkened slightly. "Because Ven City, the smaller sister city right in front of us... it was hollowed out. Destroyed during the war between humans and demons."

  Leeseo watched his hands. He was no longer just fidgeting; he was aligning the pieces with surgical precision. "Go on," she whispered.

  "The Outlands sit past Ven," Ren continued, his voice dropping an octave. "Ven is nothing but craters and ash now. In a grim way, it makes our defense easier. If the beasts from the Outlands decide to venture out, they have to cross that wasteland before they ever reach the Mainland gates."

  "That’s why Ven was hit so easily back then?" Leeseo asked, her voice tight.

  "Yes," Ren said, his jaw tightening. "And the Covenant... they didn't even lift a finger to help."

  A heavy silence settled between them, the weight of the history lesson sinking into the room. Leeseo finally picked up a piece and nudged the manual toward him. "I see."

  "Is there anything else you want to know?" Ren asked, his professional mask slipping back on. "The history of Flux? The logistics of the wall?"

  Leeseo shook her head, a small, mischievous glint returning to her eyes. "Build this car. It’s a gift for Seonho."

  Ren blinked. He looked down at the plastic bricks in his hands, then at the half-finished chassis. He had been so caught up in the tactical explanation that he hadn't realized he’d already started assembling the engine block. The "Admin" who didn't play with toys was already three steps ahead in the instructions.

  He opened his mouth to protest, realized he’d already committed to the build, and simply huffed. "Fine."

  He pulled the manual closer and began to work in earnest. Leeseo leaned back against her bed, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she watched him.

  “Can’t believe that worked,” she whispered to herself.

  Light.