The alleyway was dimly lit, the neon glow from a distant streetlamp barely cutting through the thick air between you and Ran. The adrenaline from your narrow escape still thrummed in your veins, but the momentary relief was overshadowed by the reality of your situation. You had him cornered—yet somehow, it felt like you were the one being played.

Ran tilted his head, his ever-present smirk curling at the edges of his lips as he observed you like you were his favorite puzzle to solve. His eyes gleamed with that unsettling mix of amusement and something deeper—something you refused to acknowledge.

“You still haven’t thanked me, you know,” he mused, tapping a finger against his temple. “I did just help you escape.”

You scoffed. “Help me? You practically handed me over to those guards by claiming I was yours.”

“Oh, sweet thing, you wound me.” He clutched his chest dramatically. “Would you rather I let them take you? Because they were ready to drag you to one of those lovely ‘Untainted Facilities.’”

You bristled. He wasn’t wrong. The Untainted—those who hadn’t succumbed to the pink smoke—were being rounded up more frequently now. No one knew what really happened inside those facilities, but rumors painted a grim picture.

None of this changed the fact that Ran was toying with you.

“You said you had information,” you said, voice sharp, cutting straight to the point. “If you’re just here to screw with me, then I’ll be on my way.”

Ran chuckled, stepping closer. You didn’t back away, but you hated how he made your skin crawl—not from fear, but from his certainty. Like he knew you better than you knew yourself.

“You’re looking for Maya Ravermore, aren’t you?”

Your breath hitched.

He knew.

Your fingers twitched at your sides, itching to reach for a weapon, but you forced yourself to stay still. “How do you know that?”

“I know a lot of things,” Ran hummed, feigning nonchalance. “For example, I know you’ve been searching for her for days. You’re running out of leads, and every path you’ve taken so far has been a dead end.”

You clenched your jaw. He wasn’t wrong.

Maya had disappeared without a trace. You had exhausted every possible lead, chased every whisper of information, and yet, nothing. It was like she had been swallowed by the very city itself.

Ran’s smirk deepened. “I could tell you where she is.”

Your fists tightened. “Then tell me.”

He tsked, shaking his head. “Now, now. That would be too easy, wouldn’t it?”

Your patience snapped. “Ran, stop playing games.”

“I never play games when it comes to you, sweetheart,” he whispered, and the sincerity in his voice sent a chill down your spine.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black card. The moment he extended it toward you, you hesitated, instincts screaming at you not to take it.

With a lazy smile, he murmured, “Elysium Institute for the Tainted.”

Your entire body went rigid.

You knew that name.

Everyone did.

Established two years ago, Elysium Institute for the Tainted was founded under the guise of education and control, but in reality, it was a breeding ground for obsession.

The so-called "academy" was nothing more than a twisted playground for the Tainted—a place where they were encouraged to embrace their madness rather than suppress it. The curriculum was designed to help them understand their afflictions, hone them, and learn the ‘proper’ way to care for their beloveds.

You had heard horrifying stories.

Tactical training in pursuit. Lessons on devotion—enforcing devotion. Psychological conditioning meant to break down any resistance.

The Untainted whispered of the academy like it was a death sentence, their voices barely above a murmur when they spoke of it.

And now Ran was suggesting you go there?

“You’re insane if you think I’d ever step foot in that place.”

Ran simply shrugged. “Then I guess Maya stays missing.”

Your blood ran cold. “She’s there?”

Ran’s smirk softened—just slightly. “I didn’t say that.”

You wanted to hit him.

Instead, you exhaled sharply, forcing yourself to think.

If Maya was in that place, then you had no choice. But Ran was delusional, and you knew better than to trust him outright. He could be lying, leading you straight into a trap.

And yet…

He was right about one thing.

You were out of leads.

Ran watched you, his expression smug. “I can help you enroll.”

You shot him a glare. “Why the hell would I need your help?”

“Because Elysium isn’t just some school you walk into,” he said. “You need an invitation. A sponsor. Someone with connections.” He pressed the black card into your palm. “Me.”

The contact information on the card mocked you.

“Think about it, sweetheart,” Ran purred, stepping away. “You can walk away now, pretend you never heard this conversation, and keep running in circles.” His grin widened. “Or… you can do what we both know you’re going to do.”

You hated him.

You hated how confident he was.

Because he was right.

Your grip tightened around the card. “If I find out you’re lying to me—”

“Oh, I never lie to you,” Ran murmured, his voice dripping with something dangerously close to reverence. “You’ll come find me when you’re ready.”

With one last smirk, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving you standing in the alley, the weight of his words suffocating.

You looked down at the black card in your hands.

Elysium Institute for the Tainted.

Your stomach churned.

If Maya was there… then you had no choice.

Even if it meant stepping into a living nightmare.