Abduction

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Lila wasn't sure exactly sure why she had decided that she needed to get this far away from her home. She just looked at the map on her wall and the first country that her eyes met became the one that she would escape to. It just turned out that it happened to be the country that she last expected it to be.

She did know why she wanted to get away it just wasn't something that she wanted to focus on.

Family life had gotten really bad, and after that really bad breakup, she just wanted to escape. It wasn't until she had the ticket in her hand and she was boarding her flight that it hit her; She was getting away from all the lingering problems that had haunted her for months. It was liberating in some ways that were hard to express.

This was the first time in a very long time that she felt free to do whatever she wanted to do. She didn't have to live up expectations or push herself so hard into her word that her fingers bleed. She could frankly do anything, and she went straight ahead without even thinking through all of her choices as they were endless.

She was going to take life by the flip of a coin.

It was very unlike Lila, but, she wanted to make a change. If she wanted to be more daring and bold of a person then she needed to take some risks.

So, that's exactly what she did. It took a couple of long hours but after a nap and a quick read-through of one of her favorite books, the plane arrived in Seoul sometime during the afternoon. She settled in rather quickly. She headed to her hotel right off the bat and slept off the lingering jet lag until her body felt refreshed.

That following morning, she got up and for once, she had no idea of what to do with herself.

Normally her anxiety would have chomped at the bit at that realization, however, this time, she didn't feel as concerned about it as she normally would. Lila just pilfered through her phone for a little bit to let those that were concerned, not as if there were any apart from one person, and after reassuring her sister that she had arrived just fine and sound, she rose from the bed and decided to start the day.

She got dressed and then left her hotel to just do whatever seemed interesting. Whether that meant she walked for some time until anything intriguing popped up, or if she recalled something from her online research back home and wanted to check it out. That cycle was rinsed and repeated over two weeks.

Sure, a good portion of that time was spent looking for new accessories and props that would look good with the coords back at her apartment, but there was nothing wrong with that. The best place to find cutesy stuff always seemed to lead back to South Korea or Japan. There was no way she would pass up the chance to find great prices on stuff that cost an arm and a leg to buy and ship back home.

You had to keep your eye out for the next coordinate and all the looks that went with it, that's how Lila enjoyed spending her free time and just being able to bask in that hobby without the judging eyes of her mother on her back was the greatest feeling she had ever felt thus far in life. Everybody has their little niche.

Hers just happened to be Lolita.

She didn't always get to dress up, though. It was harder back home when there weren't enough meetups and never quite enough people to chat with her about it in a positive way. Some people just didn't get that it was a form of rebellion, just like those classic punk kids in ripped jeans. Although, that just meant all the more chances for her to come across rare items without competition.

Never let it be said that Lila was someone who could be stopped when she got her eyes locked on target.

She might have hissed at someone if they dared touched something with Cinnamoroll on it before she could. Of course, only in her head would that scenario play out. She was far too socially anxious to ever push a confrontation.

All and all, the first couple of weeks had been a lot of fun and allowed her to breathe. All of the weight that had been suffocating her back in America was all but gone. It still existed but it was like there was a barrier that kept it from reaching her while she was here. Lila was grateful for that.

It was nice, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back just yet. She would have to, though, eventually, and when that day came, she would still be reluctant. For the time being, she just wanted to enjoy this vacation for what it was.

She hadn't spoken to many people, although be it not much of her fault because while she was relatively fluent in the language, she was by no means an expert. She would often misplace the right word she was looking for with something else. It could be embarrassing and she wanted to avoid making a fool of herself.

Better left unsaid when you didn't know what you were doing. Faking it till you made it only worked in the context of other situations.

Tonight, though, something felt off.

As a matter of fact, something hadn't felt quite right in the last few days. She couldn't put her finger on it but it was like something was watching her back everywhere she went. Lila didn't know why this was the case. She never did see anyone looking at her or trailing behind her at all.

She knew when to look and not get caught. It was just a trait that any woman in a city learned fast either when they were young or when they started living there on their own. She would try and note for any abnormalities in windows and her phone camera but nothing came out. She decided tonight that she was just being irrational.

It wasn't unlike Lila to get overwhelmed with a sensation and run with it.

It just had to be one of those things, right?

...Right?

The city streets were always alive with people and there was always the sense that she wasn't alone so that couldn't have been it. She frowned and glanced at her phone as the view of her hotel started to appear on the horizon.

She had stayed out a little later than usual to get some tea, and that wasn't much of a big deal. It was nice to meet up with other Lolita. She didn't often get to do that. So, she was dressed up tonight and as cute as can be. Nobody would take her as much of a threat when she looked like a cute cupcake, you know?

It was just this feeling that wouldn't go away. She just didn't like this feeling. If she had to make a break for it, it would be a little harder than normal. Her phone told her that it was around nine o'clock. There weren't as many people out as there were when she normally took this path back, but there were enough that she wasn't as nervous as she might have been on another night.

Another odd thing that she couldn't ignore was happening. For some reason, her phone was downloading something and that shouldn't have been happening.

Lila stopped in her tracks and went underneath the first streetlight she saw to see what it was loading up. She didn't remember clicking anything. She never even unlocked it. Her data was limited too abroad, so this shouldn't have even happened without her okaying it.

She watched as it finished loading and then with a raised brow, she murmured the title of it to herself in confusion, "R.F.A.? ...What the heck is that?"

It could have been an accident?

Against her better judgment, she clicked the little button a chatroom opened out. Most of it was distorted in the background like the code had been frayed, or broken, maybe tinkered with just in the wrong way?

She pursed her lips. Something here was fishy. It gave her the prompt to enter a username.

Lila plugged in her nickname, then she hesitated. She may be trying new things but this might have been a reach. She was going to close it and try to remove it because it could have easily been a virus but a message popped up.

Unknown: Hello?

Wisteria: Um, hi?

Unknown: Can you see this?

Wisteria: Yes.

Unknown: Oh, thank goodness. I didn't think I was ever going to get a response from anyone.

Wisteria: I'm a little confused myself.

Wisteria: Um, what is this app? Do you know?

Unknown: …

Unknown: I was going to ask you that. You see, I found this cell phone on the subway. There was nothing on it.

Unknown: Except for this messenger app.

Unknown: I wanted to return to its owner but there

weren't any contact details written anywhere on it.

Wisteria: Well, this app just kind of… appeared on my phone. I'm not sure who that device belongs to, or how this got on my phone in the first place.

Unknown: Hm. That's really odd.

Unknown: Darn. I thought I had found someone to give this to after not knowing what to do with it.

Wisteria: Well, you can always take it to the local police station.

Wisteria: I'm not really from this area. I don't know anyone, I'm afraid.

Wisteria: It's very good of you to want to return something like that though. Most people would have just pocketed the free device.

Unknown: Well, I'm a very religious person. It would be against the teachings to not do the right thing, you know?

Unknown: Oh, look at me. I was so excited about finding someone that I forgot to introduce myself.

Unknown: I don't care for my name. I usually leave all my accounts blank like this.

Unknown: I guess you could say my name is Unknown…

Wisteria: My name is Lila.

Unknown: Since you're typing in English, I can assume you're American?

Wisteria: I would hope it wouldn't be that obvious.

Unknown: Wow, you came from a long way away.

Wisteria: To clear my head, if that makes sense.

Unknown: Sure. I can understand.

Unknown: I'd hate to bother you anymore and I figure you're probably really wary of strangers in a foreign country...

Unknown: I'm not all that great at talking to people... or reaching out... but I want to find the owner of this phone.

Wisteria: Well, your best bet is lost and found or the police station.

Unknown: Yeah. That makes the most sense but... ah.

Unknown: I've got really bad social anxiety when it comes to stuff like this.

Wisteria: Oh...

Wisteria: I understand. I have the same problem.

Wisteria: Don't you have any friends that can accompany you?

Unknown: Ah, no. I'm pretty new to this area too since I came here for my studies.

Unknown: There is an address on this phone now that I'm trying to pick it apart, but that's really about it.

Unknown: I don't want to just pop into somebody's place out of nowhere without being able to speak with them first!

Unknown: You wouldn't happen to want to go there for me?

Unknown: Would you?

Wisteria: Just pop up to a stranger's place to tell me this person found their phone but they're too nervous to give it back themselves?

Wisteria: You're joking right? lol

Wisteria: Don't put me in that position too!

Unknown: It is strange to suggest, isn't it?

Unknown: lol

Unknown: I'm kind of trapped between a rock and a hard place. I know it's silly but…

Wisteria: I'm gonna kick myself for this but if you're in the same area as me then I might be able to come with you to drop it off with the authorities.

Unknown: Really? Oh, you don't know how much that would mean to me.

Wisteria: What could it hurt?

Wisteria: As long as it's in a public area, it should be fine.

Unknown: Oh, man, I never thought someone would be so nice to me like that.

Unknown: [address]

Lila clicked the link and it took her to her maps app.

It said that the location wasn't all that far from where she was. It was a couple of blocks away but it seemed like a dense area given the few different restaurants and businesses. It was probably alright. They seemed okay. She didn't have any bad feelings in her gut and she empathized with this person.

She wanted to give them the benefit of a doubt.

She was trying to be more spontaneous and open. Surely this could count as one of those things if she let it. If things got fishy, she could always leave and turn around.

It wasn't like they were asking her to go out of their way and do it. They seemed to appreciate the thought. She didn't want anyone to feel worried about themselves and if that got her into trouble, well, so be it.

Her empathy was, unfortunately, stronger than her brain at times.

If someone said that they were struggling in a way that she did, her empathy overtook her brain and she just went to help them. It had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the past but there times where she did believe it was an asset.

What kind of person would she be if she didn't try to help others?

Wisteria: That's not far from me…

Wisteria: Well, I'll help you out. But if things seem fishy, I'm out of there.

Unknown: Really?

Unknown: I won't let you regret it.

Unknown: Th

Unknown: ank

Unknown: you

Unknown has left the chatroom.

Wisteria has left the chatroom.

Lila stashed her phone away and decided to head towards the location using her GPS to guide her the rest of the way along with the signs that she couldn't quite read on her own. As she began to turn away from her hotel, the bright lights started to die down the further she walked away. It was a little ominous but she paid it no mind.

It wasn't like she would be gone for very long.

When she arrived at the area that had been sent to her, she glanced around to see if she could see somebody that seemed to be looking for someone else. It took a few minutes of looking at whoever passed her by but after five minutes of looking around, she had decided that whoever it was didn't really want her help.

They would have found her by now if that was the case.

She blew out a puff of air and went to stash her phone back into her coat pocket when a voice spoke from behind her head, "You wouldn't happen to be username Wisteria, would you?"

Lila immediately spun around to face this person. She found herself staring up and into the most dazzling and haunting green eyes she had ever seen. They were almost unnatural in color the way that they shimmered underneath the streetlights. His locks were dyed white but had to a sheen to it where pink lingered through the tips.

He was a stark contrast in dress compared to what she was wearing.

He looked like he had walked into a mall Hot Topic and grabbed the first thing he saw to make himself look tough; With a leather jacket that purposely hung from his shoulders and a tank top that fit a little too well against his frame, as well as dark jeans and boots.

She wasn't one to say something about the way that somebody looked so she wasn't going to comment on somebody's aesthetic. People would take a look at her and make their assumptions. She hated that. Plenty of people were far different from the way that they looked and she knew plenty of people that were kind and dressed dark as night.

She cocked her head to the side, "And I presume you're username Unknown, then?"

It made him grin involuntarily. It didn't reach his eyes, though. "You'd be correct. I don't hate smart people so I'm impressed you'd picked up on that so quickly. Yeah, that's me, Unknown. Funny, isn't it, though? I don't bother with nicknames but the system gives you one anyway. "

"Yeah. Society and labels, am I right? You'd think somebody like me wouldn't fit the name I picked either," she offered a small, polite smile.

"Mmm," he hummed. "No, I'd say that your name suits you. It isn't a symbol I expected to see from somebody with such a nice disposition like yourself, but then again, my name doesn't match me quite fit as one would think… right?"

"I suppose so," she nodded in agreement.

Unknown seemed alright.

His hands rested at his sides and he didn't move much. There was enough space between them that she didn't feel out of place. She didn't feel very threatened by him yet so she didn't say much to him. He wasn't making any sudden moves or anything so this seemed like it was legit.

She shuffled from one foot to the other as the lingering anxiety buzzed. Lila looked away for a moment and then looked back at Unknown, "So, you said you found a phone? Whoever lost it must be missing it plenty. I can head with you now if you still want me to!"

Unknown stared at her for a moment as if he were trying to read her expression for something hidden underneath the surface.

When he seemed to find what he was searching for, he nodded his head. "Yes, I want to do the right thing. I appreciate that you want to help me so willingly. Most people wouldn't help a stranger like this."

The two of them started to walk down the sidewalk together and the further that they traveled away from that spot, the darker and more lonely the streets grew. Fewer people were standing around or walking in the same direction, and the streetlights were dwindling. It was like the road they were on was getting into a more desolate part of town.

"Yeah, but you seem like an alright guy to me," Lila said. She kept her hands close to her body. "I'm sure you deal with this sort of thing often, not a lot of people are nice to anyone who deviates from what people consider normal. I get it. I hear plenty of flack from people about the way that I dress from time to time."

"It suits you," Unknown replied.

His tone, although dry, made her chest feel warm.

Heat rose to her cheeks. She wasn't used to compliments nor did she know how to react when she got them from people. She let out a little awkward laugh. "Well, thank you. I work hard to pull these off. It takes a lot of thought to make something look just right."

They spent the next twenty minutes or so just talking and chatting about this and that. He would charm her or make her feel like she was really special, and her trust for him would grow stronger and stronger by the minute.

It put her off-guard.

She was so preoccupied with chatting with this stranger that she didn't even realize that they were the only people standing on the street now.

"It really is my lucky day," he commented, idly.

There was no sign of any other light and all the lights sans the moon were long but gone.

Lila glanced at him, "What makes you say that?"

A chuckle bubbled up from the back of his throat. It was dark and made her shiver as it echoed throughout the street, "Oh? You don't know? At first, I thought that you would be the perfect choice for my plan. Anyone would be enthralled by a girl as naive as you without even blinking. But, I think I changed my mind. I don't want to share you with those bastards."

That was when Lila realized the position that she was in and just how far they had strayed from the rest of the world. It was just she and him. There was nobody if something happened. She wasn't sure what he was talking about.

Her blood ran cold.

What plan?

"Plan?" Lila asked, trying to keep her cool. She didn't want to escalate anything. Clarification was going to be key here. "What are you talking about? I thought that I was just helping you with…"

Unknown held up his hand and shushed her before she could finish talking. His face told her all she needed to know. He clicked his tongue in distaste. "I'm getting ahead of myself. I don't want to play twenty questions, princess. I'll put it in simple words for you. I've come to take you to paradise. A place where only the chosen can wander freely, and where all your pain disappears."

Paradise…?

What was he talking about? She had no clue what he was talking about. She just wanted to help him return a phone. There was nothing about this when they spoke. He never mentioned that he had a speech ready for some sort of mythical location.

Her body was trembling.

Every part of her was screaming that she needed to get out of this place as fast as she could but her legs weren't listening. She could feel her chest tightening and her breath start to quicken. This wasn't good, this wasn't good.

Unknown took a step closer, and another, and another until he was in front of her. "My dear naive princess... did you really think you could trust any stranger? Don't worry, I'll reward you greatly for your actions. I know you've been hurt by the outside world but I know just how to correct your woes and pain. You're going to come to paradise with me… whether you like it not."

Lila swallowed, "A… And what are you going to do if I scream for help right now?"

"Let's just say, I don't want to have to do those when it's all that easier just to get you to walk willingly for me, you wouldn't like the answer, trust me." He said, "I really don't want to dirty my hands or hurt you. But, I must do what I must do for paradise. You're the one that willingly came to help somebody shady, you know? You don't have any regard for your safety."

She could try to make a break for it.

But she didn't have any idea if he had a weapon or not. Even if she tried, he would be able to take her down. He was a lot bigger than she was. It wouldn't have taken much to do it. She had no choice but to listen to him.

Lila knew that she should fight back.

But, at the same time, she knew that if she fought him right now, the odds were stacked against her from all sides.

Unknown was watching as she ran through all of her options and landed on the one that he already knew was coming. He only laughed when she dropped her head in defeat and went quiet. From his perspective, she was about to burst into tears.

He gripped her chin in his index finger and thumb and tipped it back so he could see her nervous brown eyes. "What a good girl you are, princess. You really do act as you look. I thought you were going to make it hard on me, but it turns out you're just as polite about following your manners as your profiles led me to believe."

Lila didn't say anything.

"Haha… hahaha…! Don't worry. I'll treat you better than that traitor ever would have."