Lisa stood in front of the mirror, staring at the reflection that no longer felt familiar. Her eyes, once filled with warmth and a hint of playfulness, were now cold, sharp. The soft, hesitant girl who had followed her father’s rules and tried to keep the peace was gone. In her place stood a woman hardened by loss, anger, and the cruel reality of her world.

Her father was dead. Minho, her brother—her last link to the life she once knew—was dead. And now, there was no one left to shield her from the darkness that had consumed her family. She wasn’t going to be the scared, grieving girl anymore. No, that part of her had been burned away, leaving behind something fierce, something dangerous.

Jungkook noticed the change in her, even before she spoke. As he entered the room, he found her packing a small bag—clothes, a gun, and the essentials. She moved with purpose, no longer uncertain or hesitant. Her every movement was deliberate, calculated. It was as though the grief she had carried for her brother had been replaced by something far more lethal: resolve.

“Where are you going?” Jungkook asked, his voice careful, but with a hint of curiosity. He hadn’t seen this side of her before.

Lisa didn’t look up as she continued packing. “We’re going after the people who did this,” she said, her voice cold and steady. “I’m not sitting back and waiting for you to protect me anymore.”

Jungkook raised an eyebrow. “I never asked you to sit back. But this isn’t a game, Lisa. You don’t—”

“Don’t what?” she cut him off, turning to face him, her eyes blazing. “Don’t understand? Don’t know what I’m getting into?”

Jungkook was silent, his gaze locked on hers. The fire in her eyes was undeniable, and for a moment, he saw a reflection of himself in her—someone who had lost too much, someone who would stop at nothing to make things right.

“I’ve already lost everything,” Lisa continued, her voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of emotion. “My father, my brother... they’re gone because of this world. Because of secrets, lies, and power plays that were never mine to begin with. But now, it is mine. This is my fight.”

Jungkook studied her, the transformation in her demeanor stark. This was no longer the same girl who had looked at him with wide, frightened eyes when they first met. She had been forced to grow up, to face the reality of the world her family had been entrenched in, and now she was ready to claim her place in it.

“You’re serious,” he said, almost in disbelief.

“Dead serious,” Lisa replied, zipping up her bag with finality. “You said there’s someone inside betraying us. We need to find out who. And when we do, I’ll be the one pulling the trigger this time.”

Jungkook could hear the bitterness in her words, the pain she was still carrying. But it wasn’t just pain fueling her anymore—it was fury, a deep desire for justice. She wasn’t going to be a bystander in her own life anymore.

“We’ll find them,” Jungkook said carefully. “But this is going to change you, Lisa. Once you start down this path, there’s no turning back.”

Lisa met his gaze, unflinching. “I’ve already changed. There’s no going back for me now.”

The weight of her words hung in the air between them. Jungkook knew she was right. She had crossed a threshold, and there was no undoing what had been done. But what he saw in her now—this determination, this fire—was something he hadn’t expected.

“You’ll need more than just anger to survive,” he warned, stepping closer. “The people we’re up against—they won’t hesitate to use your emotions against you.”

Lisa squared her shoulders, her expression hardening. “Good. I’ll use theirs against them, too.”

Jungkook couldn’t help but feel a flicker of respect for her. She was no longer the innocent girl caught in the crossfire of her father’s sins. She was someone who had learned how to survive in a world that wanted to break her. And now, she was ready to fight back.

“We move tonight,” she said, her voice firm. “I’m not waiting any longer.”

Jungkook nodded, his expression serious. “We’ll do this your way. But if you’re in, you’re all in. No second-guessing, no hesitation.”

Lisa’s eyes darkened, the fire inside her burning brighter than ever. “I’m all in.”

For the first time, Jungkook saw the full potential of what Lisa could become. She wasn’t just a survivor anymore. She was a force to be reckoned with, and those who had betrayed her family had no idea what was coming.

And as the night fell around them, Lisa Manoban stepped into her new role, no longer the girl running from danger, but the woman who would face it head-on—ready to take down anyone who stood in her way.

...