April

Working at Kingston's laboratories brought me to New York, home to one of the biggest pharmaceutical labs around. My motive is to get my hands on the files of Project Synapse.

With a whirlwind of thoughts and a numbing sensation washing over me, I reached for the scissors. Snip by snip, I cut my hair to a medium length, which I tied into a ponytail. Each cut sent strands falling to the ground, almost dancing as they landed delicately.

I looked at myself in the mirror and saw my hair transformed into a jagged long bob, a decision made in a haze of emotion. I picked up my keys from the drawer when a voice interrupted the silence.

"I always loved your black hair," whispered a voice from behind me. Startled, I turned to see my mother standing there.

"I was always insecure about my looks, but when I first saw you," she paused, tears streaming down her cheeks, "you reminded me of spring—full of color and joy. That's why I named you April."

Her words hung heavy in the air as I waited for her to continue. "I made you miserable," she confessed, her voice tremble.

"No, Mom, you—" I began, but when I turned around, she was gone. Only the echo of her words remained. Only me with my silence.I took a deep breath and I let it out slowly, enveloped in my own thoughts. The scent of freshly cut hair lingered in the air, mixing with the bittersweet memories of the moment.

I drove myself to Kingston Laboratories after all. As I arrived, the heavy security and pristine cleanliness of the place struck me immediately.

Stepping into the elevator, I barely made it before the doors closed completely. Suddenly, a foot stopped the doors from shutting, and a girl rushed in with an apologetic smile. Her curly ginger hair and bohemian accessories gave away her Irish roots.

I stayed quiet in the corner as the elevator ascended to the 5th floor. But she broke the silence with a sudden question, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Are you the new doctor here?" she asked, catching me off guard

"Oh, me?" I stammered, then quickly nodded. "Yes, I just got hired."

Turns out, we both worked on the 5th floor. "Hey, I work there too!" she exclaimed with an American accent, giggling a bit too much for my liking.

As the elevator doors opened, I made a quick exit, with her trailing behind me. She introduced herself as Taylor, an intern who claimed to know everything about everyone in the lab.

I smiled and shook her hand. "I'm April," I said, trying to keep up with her rapid-fire chatter.

Just as I was about to respond, we reached the lab door and it slid open to reveal a tall figure approaching us.

"Miss Anderson," he addressed her sternly, "Dr. Fisher is on sick leave because of your jasmine-scented candle, and now our work is on hold. Didn’t you know he was allergic? When will you stop marketing your business here?" His tone was dead serious, and I glanced at Taylor, who looked completely stunned.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Taylor responded with a snory nervous laugh.

"And you must be Dr. Meyers, I suppose," he suddenly turned to me, and I nodded in confirmation.

"Yes," I replied.

"I'm Jeremiah Ralph, and we will be working together," he stated before leading the way. I followed him, stealing another glance at Taylor.

“He's a jerk," Taylor muttered with just her lips, and I couldn't help but smile in agreement.

Dr. Ralph quickly briefed me about the entire floor as we walked, his tall, broad figure leading the way. The building boasted 12 floors, each housing different teams working on various medicines and drugs.

As we walked, I couldn't shake off my burning question: who held the records of Project Synapse?

"The committee has recommended a formula for anesthetic tablets for women in labor, and we've just started working on that," Dr. Ralph explained, filling me in on the ongoing projects as we toured the floor.

Finally, we reached my designated workspace. "Here's your space... Unfortunately, the coffee machine isn't working. I've requested a new one, so you'll have to manage for now," he informed me with a slight frown.

"That's okay," I replied, trying to be cooperative.

With a nod, he indicated that there was nothing further to discuss. "Okay then... Welcome to Kingston Laboratories," he said, rubbing his hands together.

"Thank you," I replied promptly, sensing that he wasn't one for extended conversations. Just as he was about to leave, I mustered up the courage to ask about what I was seeking.

"I was thinking maybe some old research could help us with this new formula," I ventured, turning from the door to face him.

"A good thought, but I'm afraid only the president has access to the old records," he said, his expression tinged with disappointment. In that moment, I realized who the president must be.

"I'll try to request access to those as well," he added with a smile before departing. The first day at work was pretty uneventful. I was just about to head home when I received a message from Ha Ri, asking me to wait for her at the office. Despite having just landed in New York half an hour ago, she was already geared up to hit the club.

As I made my way towards the elevator, I saw Dr. Ralph holding the door for me, and I quickly slipped inside. "Thank you," I said, feeling a bit formal. He just nodded with a smile. After a moment of silence, he spoke up.

"Do you live around here?" he asked, his tone slightly confused and raspy.

I hesitated for a moment. "No, but I don’t too far," I answered cautiously.

He nodded silently, his expression thoughtful. "You... I guess you cut your hair yourself. It's quite uneven," he remarked, gesturing towards my long bob.

I was surprised that he had noticed. "Uh... Yes, how did you know?" I asked, meeting his gaze.

"My mother is a hairdresser, so I have a bit of knowledge," he explained with a smile. With a swift sound, the elevator doors slid open, and I hurriedly stepped out.

He remained behind for a moment, but then caught up to me. "Hey... I don’t know if this sounds appropriate, but... would you like to grab some coffee?" he asked hesitantly, and I couldn't say I was surprised.

"Oh... um..." I scratched my head nervously. "Actually, my friend is picking me up in a minute, so..."

"Oh, right, of course," he finished my sentence for me, and then turned to leave.

"Then, goodnight, Dr. Meyers," he said.

"Yeah... goodnight, doctor," I replied with a sweet smile, trying to be as polite as possible. With that, he walked off. As I waited at the entrance for Ha Ri, I couldn't help but check the weather on my phone. New York was cold, and suddenly I found myself missing Korea, yearning for the warmth of home and the aroma of freshly cooked rice by Aunt Soo Hee. My phone suddenly rang, jolting me out of my thoughts. Swiftly pulling it from my coat pocket, I saw a message that wasn't from Ha Ri.

"Dr. Ralph needs a quick lesson."

My head shot up, Was he watching me? From where?

A surge of short breaths and palpitations coursed through me, accompanied by a rising heat beneath my feet. I scanned the area, looked here and there but then my eyes landed on five cameras positioned above the entrance.

I stared directly into the camera above my face, a mix of frustration and defiance burning within me. If only I could do something through it...

I refused to be afraid of him but this feeling wasn't fear, it was an overwhelming sense of anger and determination. He led the organization responsible for Aunt Soo Hee's murder, and I couldn't bring myself to believe that he was a person of morals. I hated him!

The loud horn of a car suddenly broke through my thoughts, snapping me back to reality.

"Get in Babe!" It was Ha RI’s voice that came from my left I took small steps and before getting inside the car, I looked towards the camera and at the person watching through it.

Ha Ri hit the car on the road and we partied all night, Amidst the loud music and flashing lights at the club, Ha Ri and I were having a blast, dancing like crazy. Our moves were as wild as our laughter, and we were totally rocking the dance floor. Until Ha Ri ended up retarted in only 5 drinks and just like every time, I had to hold her hair back while she vomited the entire night out.
The club was packed, the noise unbearable, like a cacophony of screams echoing in my head. But my mind was still fixated on that message. I had been planning to take down George Kingston, But there was something about Ray that always made me feel both scared and excited.

Suddenly, my breath seemed to drift away like distant voices, slipping further and further out of reach. I took a deep breath, but as my head began to spin, the flashing lights of the disco ball felt like knives piercing my brain. A headache descended upon me like a heavy stone, pressing down so hard that I had to support my head with my hand. I squeezed my eyebrows with my fingers, hoping to alleviate the pain, but it only worsened.

The loud music and voices around me faded into numbness, and I strained to listen and see, but all I could perceive was silence and the shrill whistling in my ears.

"Stop!" I exclaimed, unsure if I was speaking to my body or my mind. My breath hitched for a moment. I hate this feeling.

Turning towards the door with a sense of urgency, my movements felt sluggish, as if I were underwater.

"April?" A distant voice called out, and I searched for its source amidst the whistling noise.

"I... I need my pills," I managed to say, my voice echoing faintly.

"Pills? ... Where are they?" The voice responded, but I couldn't place it. Was it Aunt Soo Hee? Or perhaps my mother?

"Mom?" I called out, but there was no response, only the haunting silence.

With each step, I struggled to reach the door. I needed to escape, to breathe, to find air. I chanted it to myself like a desperate mantra.

I need air.

I need air.

I need air.

Suddenly someone put something on my palm.

"Here... here... take it, it's your pill, April!" The voice came again, and I felt the object placed in my palm. Without hesitation, I placed it in my mouth and swallowed, despite the bitter taste. It was poison, but I had swallowed many bitter pills before.

It took about five minutes, but eventually, my head stopped spinning, and my vision began to clear. A cold breeze brushed against my face, and I exhaled with relief. Just as I was about to take a peaceful breath, a strong kick struck my back, and I stumbled, falling against the car.

"Oowwww!" I screamed, turning to see Ha Ri standing there.

"You bitch!!!" she exclaimed, her words slurred, "You scared the fuck outta me!" She plopped down on the ground.

"I'm sorry”

"Let's get back—" she started, but then her face twisted in nausea, and I rushed to her side.

"Oh no... No, not again," I muttered, and just then she vomited all over her shoes and on the ground, then she lifted her wobbly head with a screeching sound of breathing and smiled stubbornly.

"That's my favorite song..." she mumbled with a floaty mind, but I immediately denied it.

"No, honey, you're going home."

"No..."

"Yes," I insisted, lifting her up and guiding her towards the car With all my effort and As we made our way to the car, Ha Ri kept apologizing between her giggles. "I swear, April, it was just too much fun," she slurred, barely making sense.

I couldn't stop laughing. "Yeah, let's stick to dancing next time," I joked, trying not to gag from the smell. I managed to get Ha Ri into the backseat of the car, where she flopped down in a heap. "Nighty-night, party queen," I teased, shaking my head as I closed the door and drove off.

Just after dropping her off at her home, I drove towards my apartment. My heels now started to ache from all the dance I did in these heels. I took a look at my wristwatch and took a deep breath because I had only now 5 hours of sleep.

Finally, I reached my apartment. I didn’t even feel any near to getting drunk even though I had 8 drinks, yet HA RI couldn’t be able to hold only 5 drinks. I smiled at that clumsy human being while unlocking my door.

I splashed the keys and bag on the counter and searched for the switch. My hands were in the air when my movement stopped from the sound of someone’s breathing. My heart pounded in my chest, and a chill ran down my spine as the familiar scent of cigarette smoke mingled with the fragrance of red amaryllis filled the room. I could distinguish that scent from a million others. I sensed his presence, sitting on the sofa behind me, the moonlight casting eerie shadows around me. But I didn't turn. I knew I had to.

With a steady hand, I reached into my bag and pulled out the gun. Turning around calmly, I pointed it towards the sofa and the figure sitting in the darkness.

My breath trembled, but I refused to let my hands shake.

"Come out of the dark," I whispered, my voice barely audible. In response, I felt his devilish smirk spreading across his lips.

 
The room filled with tension as his mocking voice echoed from the darkness. "A gun?" he bellowed, his tone laced with amusement, and he cocked his head as if amused. "Are you flirting with me?" His laughter sent a chill down my spine, but I felt a fierce heat building in my palms, urging me to act. Should I pull the trigger? Should I?

"Do you even know how to use that thing?" he whispered tauntingly, his laughter ringing in my ears. His mocking laughter ignited a fire within me, a determination to prove him wrong. So, without hesitation, I reached for the window and pulled the trigger. A loud gunshot sound filled the air as glass fell shattered everywhere. In the dim light, I watched as his confident face changed.

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“Never tell a woman she can’t” I replied to his challenging words and added, “especially when she had a gun in her hands, Mr Wallace!”

He leaned forward with deadly smile. Those intense stormy eyes stirred something inside me, a mix of excitement and fear. He rose from the sofa and advanced towards me. I instinctively stepped back, and he mirrored my movements, our gazes locked without blinking. We engaged in a silent struggle, each trying to assert dominance. Eventually, I found myself pressed against the wall, but he showed no signs of stopping. He continued to advance until he was halted by the gun I held between us. He Removed his hand from his pocket and took hold of the gun and pressed it against his heart. I tried to pull it away, but his grip was firm.

"Do you want to kill me?" he asked, his tone calm but challenging. I looked at him, confusion evident in my eyes. Then, he leaned in close, his breath tickling my nose, sending shivers down my spine. He wouldn't manipulate me!

"I'll be the River of Blood, Precious," he whispered, his words chilling me to the core. I looked up, searching for something in his eyes, but all I found was darkness, as if the abyss itself was staring back at me.