A blink of an eye is all it takes to find myself standing next to Melissa.
"Wow, it's so bright in here!" She exclaims, the devilish sun baring down on her doesn't seem to do much to her mood.
She blinks rapidly a couple times, trying to force her eyes to adapt faster. Meanwhile, I just hold on and guide her to the artificial oasis.
"I heard rumors about the air here and I can say that they did not disappoint." It takes her a little longer than I anticipated, but after a moment, Melissa shakes me off and stands tall, taking a deep breath.
"Hoo~" She breathes out with a smile, "Maybe she'll let us in on some of her secrets!"
Now that makes me laugh, Melissa has no clue how hard it is to get information on her, let alone her closely guarded secrets.
Soon enough, we're just a few steps away before the door of the cabin suddenly swings wide open and the woman of the hour steps out.
"Hello, Renji, Melissa," Feng smiles warmly, "welcome to my floor." Her words are kind but the way she's staring at me is darn right creepy. Do I look at other people like that too?
Clearly not feeling the same way, Melissa, the ever polite student, bows sharply while flashing a similar smile. "It's an honor to meet you Ms. Feng."
"Oh, relax, dear!" Feng swings her arm, urging us inside. "'Ms. Feng' makes me sound so old."
I take a look at her youthful face and the clear lack of wrinkles or any other blemish. I don't think anyone would call her that.
The smell of the cabin hits almost instantaneously, but it doesn't bother me all that much. Rather than the smell being foul, it's more of an overwhelming scent of herbs and mixtures. That being said, Melissa pays no mind to it and makes her way to the table ahead.
Feng eyes me from the side before heading back toward the kitchen to grab something for us to drink.
The clink of porcelain follows her, announcing her movements without a word. For a moment, I linger at the doorway instead of joining Melissa at the table. Everything is immaculate and there are handwritten labels everywhere, some in English, others in Chinese characters.
Feng returns with a small tray balanced effortlessly on one hand. Three small cups with steam curling around in lazy spirals carry a sharp, earthy scent that settles at the back of my throat.
"Please," she says, setting the tray down. "Sit."
Melissa has her hands folded neatly in her lap, posture straight enough to pass inspection by any eager instructor. Ignoring the expectant look she gives me, I take the chair opposite her and note that Feng doesn't sit immediately. Instead, she watches us both, her gaze lingering on me.
"This blend is unique, you see," Feng says lightly. "Engineered," she laughs, "as all things are on this island."
She finally takes her seat, gripping her own cup firmly. "Still, I think it turned out nicely."
Melissa takes a careful sip with wide eyes. "It's incredible," she says honestly. "I've never tasted anything like it."
Feng hums pleasantly. "Innovation thrives under the right conditions."
I bring the cup to my lips but don't drink yet. The steam brushes against my face and prickles along my skin. All the while, the blaring sense of her gaze digging into the side of my head fills me with a strange feeling of irritation.
"You're very perceptive," Feng says suddenly.
I look up, keeping my expression vague. "About the tea?"
Her smile deepens, sharp at the edges. "About me."
Melissa stiffens almost imperceptibly, eyes flicking between the veiled tension between us.
To the sound of Feng's questioning hum, I finally take a sip. The taste is complex, bitter at first, then strangely refreshing, like cold air filling your lungs after being underwater too long. It doesn't make sense.
"I make it a habit to observe my surroundings," I reply truthfully. "Especially when they're this… unconventional."
Feng laughs softly. The sound echoing eerily in a way that laughter shouldn't. "Careful, Renji. People who look too closely tend to find things they weren't meant to."
There it is. The powerful beating presence under her calm exterior. It's heavy, carrying weight that begets her striking appearance. Her film ripples aggressively, reacting to my presence like a whip, recognizing a potent force. I want to see what she's hiding.
Melissa clears her throat abruptly. "Ms. Feng, I was hoping to speak with you about a possible apprenticeship."
Feng's gaze slides away from me at last, warmth returning as she turns to Melissa. "Of course, dear. I've heard wonderful things about you."
I lean back slightly, letting the conversation wash over me. Feng listens to Melissa intently, asking precise questions and offering thoughtful answers. She's brilliant, no doubt about it. But beneath every word is a subtle cadence, like she's tuning something people overlook.
Then, Melissa blushes and shakes her head to a question I dismiss, glancing at me before asking where the restroom is and leaving the two of us alone.
The moment the door slides shut behind her, the air tightens.
Feng doesn't follow Melissa with her eyes, keeping them on me instead.
"So," she says at last, her voice smooth like polished jade. "You see more than you should."
I smile faintly. "I get that a lot."
"That wasn't a compliment." She lifts her cup and takes an unhurried sip. "Most people have questions upon questions to drill at me like a woodpecker. So, young man, what kind of question do you have for me?"
"Now you're starting to sound your age, old woman." My words make her eyes crease angrily but she keeps quiet, waiting for an answer.
"I asked what question you had," Feng repeats, setting her cup down carefully.
I mimic her actions, letting the steam curl upward like a veil. "Then I'll be blunt," I say. "Who are you, really?"
Feng tilts her head, studying me as though weighing the gravity of my words. Her green eyes glint under the artificial sun. "You want titles? Formalities?" She shakes her head, letting her raven black hair sway over her shoulder. "I am the Head Researcher for the fortieth to fiftieth floors."
I raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. "That's it?"
Feng laughs dangerously, not a hint of joy behind it. "You'll find that answer unsatisfying. That I am certain of."
She leans forward, the intensity of her gaze pressing down on me. "Do not forget, Renji… you're intruding."
Her warning hangs in the air like the scent of the herbs that fill the room. I analyze the way she said it, so sure of herself as if her words were a statement of fact. "You're just like the rest of them, little one." She grins, her canines shining under the light. "At the very least, you have some redeeming qualities, but this island, my island, isn't some playground."
Everything about her words irks me. Who is she to tell me if I can stay on the island or not? A part of me is tempted to extend my vacation just to see the look on her face. Yes, that would be great.
"So your Quirk amplifies your hearing." I go all in, feeling my irritation rise as the seconds pass. The quiet tilt of her head would look timid from any other person, but the way she moves tells me she knows I won't do anything to her, even if it would be so easy to let loose.
Feng's eyes shimmer and her lips curl up in satisfaction, an almost cruel look. "Amplifies? My dear boy… what an understatement. I can hear everything. From the quietest whisper to the faintest breath of the rat in the depths of our sewers. You haven't the barest idea of what I'm capable of."
"How overly arrogant," I smirk, tilting my own head in a similar fashion. "Spouting out insight like that without a care in the world. Who's to say there isn't someone listening in on us as we speak?"
"Oh, please," Feng shook her head with a laugh. "No one would dare do such a thing. Not on this floor. Not in front of me."
I sit back, already keenly aware of the truth in her words.
"You're perceptive, Renji." She continues, her voice soft yet merciless. "But you cannot ever hope to outmaneuver me. You are clever, yes. But cleverness alone is not enough when you're up against someone like me."
Melissa chooses the moment to spring out of the bathroom with a loud swing while Feng and I watch each other carefully. Her eyes don't leave mine as she looks for any sign of surprise.
"…What's going on?" Melissa asks as she reaches us and sits back down. "Am I interrupting something?"
Feng gazes at me for a moment longer and her eye twitches. "No, dear. Just a conversation between like minded peers."
"Exactly that," I echo lightly, lifting my cup again. "We were just getting to know each other, that's all."
Melissa looks between us, clearly sensing the leftover tension. "Right," she says slowly before forcing a smile. "Ms. Feng, about the apprenticeship—"
"In time," Feng interrupts smoothly, never taking her eyes off me. "I'll contact you soon with more details."
Her fingers tap against the porcelain, a soft sound chiming through the air. Despite it's intimate noise it seems to land with the weight of a sledgehammer.
"You know," Feng carries on, "people assume knowledge travels slowly. Passed through emails, reports, whispered conversations behind close doors." Her gaze sharpens. "They believe silence protects them."
I meet her unblinking stare.
"But the wind," she says, "is honest. It carries intent, fear, ambition." Her knowing smile returns. "It tells me everything I need to know. Can you hear it too, Renji?"
Melissa laughs awkwardly. "You make it sound like you've got ears everywhere, Ms. Feng."
A faint whispers passes by my ear. For a brief moment, it feels like the entire cabin is looking at me, listening.
Her reach stretches outward in my mind like a vast invisible web. Every vibration, every footstep in a distant corner flows back to a single point.
How outstanding.
"You've built quite the throne," I say quietly.
Feng's smile widens, "Someone has to keep order. The brilliant minds on this island breeds chaos if left unattended."
I take another sip of tea even as my thoughts race. An island where secrets are stifled and choked away before they can breathe. I bet every careless word is cataloged and filed away in a little notebook called 'People I Need to Get Rid Of.'
Despite her arrogance and not so subtle hostility, I can't help but feel amazed at Lily Feng's feats. The amount of control she has on the island is rooted in deep into the infrastructure itself.
"Well," I set my cup down gently. "I suppose it's comforting to know we're in such capable hands."
Feng studies me, searching for something beneath the surface to exploit. When she doesn't find it, she mimics me and calmly stands.
"Comfort," she replies. "Or confinement. Most people struggle to tell the difference."
Melissa claps her hands together suddenly. "This place never ceases to amaze me!" Her blonde hair sways as she bows sharply. "We've taken too much of your time, Ms. Feng, we'll see ourselves out!"
"Yes, yes." Feng waves, pushing her chair in and guiding us back toward the front door. "It's been an absolute pleasure."
The door slides open with ease and the scent of the false desert fills my nose again and I can feel a weak drift across my skin.
Melissa turns to bow at Ms. Feng again with a smile before snapping toward me and grabbing my wrist. "Come on, Renji!"
I follow in her footsteps, making it halfway across the floor before hearing a shout behind me.
"You're one insolent fool, Renji!" Feng hollers at me from the doorway.
"Fools like you can't help but be in the center of it all." Her face shifts amorphously into a monstrous grin, her canines glinting in the sunlight. "I can't wait to see how you react to what's in store."
The elevator screeches shut and the indicator above flashes as we make the descent.
Before I can process anything, my thoughts are interrupted by a stray cough beside me.
"Ahem—" A small, uncertain smile tugs at her lips. "Not quite what you expected?"
I keep quiet, feeling the pressing gaze still piercing through my spine as I test just what I should say.
"No…" I reply cautiously, staring at the ceiling. "But I'm not dissatisfied."
"Haha," Melissa simply laughs, the noise sounding more genuine than before. "I've heard Ms. Feng has that effect on people."
I breathe out sharply and scratch the back of my head. "You're not wrong there."