Chapter Text
It has been a while since Mizi visited the rebellion.
Since she’s visited Till.
She tries to stay away from him as long as he can, always knowing that he’s better off without her, but then the guilt and shame become so overwhelming, and she selfishly needs to see he’s alright, for herself.
Mizi was always seen as the “kind-hearted” one back then. She wonders what Sua and Ivan would think of her now.
Which is why she is back to the base where her first taste of freedom took place.
And she is first sought out by
Hyuna
Issac
, the de-facto leader that surprisingly doesn’t hate her, instead of Till.
It’s to be expected, Till is ever-so energetic, just like when they were kids, always doing something. Still doesn’t mean she’s not disappointed that she can’t just check on him and then disappear.
“Mizi.” Issac nods in her direction, a small smile on his lips.
“Issac.” She nods back, but she doesn’t smile. It’s been so long since she’s smiled.
He leads her to an unoccupied room, away from any stares, for even though Issac may not hate her, the same could not be said for the rest of the rebellion. Some respect her, as she was the one to end Alien Stage; others not so much, for she is the cause for so much death. Both Segyein and Human.
It doesn’t matter.
“Back again to check on Till?” Issac asks, familiar with the routine.
Mizi nods. “Yeah. Maybe we’ll get drinks. See what he’s been up to.”
Issac frowns at the last part. “Did you not hear about what he did at the Alien Stage Museum? It was all over the news, wasn’t it?”
Confused, Mizi nods. “They talked about how he stole some of the stuff but that’s it. Why? What happened?”
And Issac looks so uncomfortable , Mizi almost feels bad for asking. “Well, it wasn’t stuff. He took kids that were part of the attractions.”
Kids.
Kids.
Of course they did, why is she still surprised?
She must have an expression on her face, for all Issac does is nod at her reaction.
“They’re fragile right now, and dependent on Till for the time being. I just thought you should know before you were blindsided.” Issac says, rubbing at his neck.
And Mizi? Mizi just sighs, says “Thanks Issac.” and goes off to find Till.
It doesn’t take too long. If Till isn’t doing something for the rebellion, there’s only a few places he would be, and she finds him in one of the gardens.
A real garden. One with real flowers.
Bright red.
Till sits there, sitting at the base of a small tree, surrounded by kids, making flower crowns just like he used to with the camera flowers.
Mizi is about to shout, to announce her presence, but then she recognizes the kids.
They’re…
They’re…
They’re random mixtures of everyone.
Luka. Hyuna. Till. Ivan. Sua .
Herself.
Mizi feels bile rise in her throat, just looking at the kids with such familiar traits planted so foreignly.
Before she can escape undetected, one of the turns to her.
Oh no .
At first glance, she looks only like Till, except with honeyed eyes similar to her own.
But then, she smiles .
So sweet, with her eyes scrunching up at the force of her smile, chopped hair framing her face, gentle when she looks at her.
Just. Like. Sua.
“Such pretty hair…” the girl, Sua, says, “You look just like in the videos…
…Mizi.”
She wants her to stop. She needs her to stop.
Unthinkingly, wildly, she raises a hand to slap across the girl's face.
It hits, but not who she attended.
In her haze, she didn’t see Till get in between her and the girl, taking the hit.
(The caretakers are mad, oh so mad, and Mizi is scared that they’ll take it out on her, as it was her idea, only for Till to say “Hey, I roped her into this! Get mad at me!” and to take the slap to his face, so forceful he falls to the ground).
He hasn’t changed.
This time, though, he doesn’t fall to the ground, just stumbles slightly, showing Mizi’s strength as she did not hold back.
There’s a ring of cries from all the children, “Hyung!” “Oppa!” though the girl just stares at Till, who still is in front of her, protecting her.
Protecting her from Mizi .
“I…” Mizi starts, but cannot continue.
She runs out the room, out of sight from everyone inside.
But she still stays close. Close enough to hear.
“Oppa, are you okay?” A girl’s voice, but not the same one as before,
not the one she almost hit-
.
Quieter. It reminds her of Ivan.
“That witch!” Another said.
“Hyung, you said she was nice!”
“I was right, we shouldn’t have let her get so close.”
It’s quiet for a moment, before…
“Thank you, Oppa…” The girl says, “From saving me from the witch.”
Mizi’s breath hitches.
Is that all they see her as?
No… That girl called her by her name. They know of her, whether through the museum or through Till.
“The Witch” is what the Segyien call her. A monster with no hesitation to kill. To hurt.
And she just proved them right.
Choking down a sob, she runs away from the garden. Runs away from her shame.
Everyone has finally calmed down, yet Till still couldn’t leave them alone.
Or rather, be alone with Mizi.
All the kids seem terrified of her now, even the ones that like to act tough, and when he tries to get up and go to her, they beg him to stay, as if, if he leaves for just a moment, Mizi will appear out of nowhere and hurt them all.
Till hates how they’re so scared.
He didn’t expect to see Mizi today, but he had hoped that maybe, since she was also a contestant, they would also find a relationship with her. Have somebody that isn’t him to rely on.
But now, Till will be lucky to be able to leave them alone with someone they don’t already know.
He tries placating them as best as he can without a working voice, ruffling hairs and caressing cheeks to show there is no need to be afraid, but as he stands, his hand is tugged on, stopping him in his tracks.
“Till, please don’t go.” The girl with Mizi’s hair and Ivan’s eyes begs. “We don’t want you to get hurt again.”
And oh .
They might be scared of being hurt, but they’re also scared of Till being hurt.
Looking at the vulnerability in her eyes, the anticipation and tension within the others, Till has to make a choice.
Comfort Mizi, or comfort the kids.
And it’s painful to say, but Till barely hesitates before choosing the kids.
He’s the only one they have.
He can’t fail them.