Run Away, Astrid

v. vision of a fool

v. vision of a fool

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Fortunately, the rain has stopped pouring when Ares opens the door of his car for Selene to get out. Under the dark sky, the two of them are standing in front of Selene's house with a green light illuminating the front gate.

Ares has brought Selene home after a long day of worrying for Astrid. Now that they have a lead, Ares believes it is best for Selene to relax before overloading her thoughts with concerns again.

The main worry right now is that the family has left hours ago already, and they still haven't notified Ares to confirm if Astrid is truly present at the specified address and if they have returned home.

"After Astrid went missing, shouldn't you look for her girlfriend first? You'll most likely find Astrid if you just tracked her down. But you didn't. Thankfully, there's a lead," says Selene. "I mean, she's the main suspect of this."

"I get where you're coming from," Ares responds. "However, as you mentioned, we already have a lead. If Astrid really has a girlfriend and she is the culprit, we would catch her together with Astrid."

"The girlfriend is real, believe me." Selene exhales a sigh. "I just . . . haven't met her yet."

Ares crosses his arms. "I had my team check through Astrid's activity logs, and we couldn't discover any evidence of her girlfriend's existence, so it's difficult to believe she's real."

Selene furrows her brows. "So you're saying that . . .?"

"Yes." Ares gives a nod. "The girlfriend might be just a figment of Astrid's imagination, especially since you haven't met her yet. Both of us know how tough life is for Astrid. Demeter has been keeping an eye on her since she was a child due to it."

Selene exhales a sigh, realizing that Ares proves a point. She turns her back on him to open the front gate, but just when she is about to enter her house, a thought enters her mind. So she turns to face him again and says, "How about the lead? Who do you think sent that message and why do they know Astrid's whereabouts?"

"Hmm . . ." Ares pulls out a thinking pose—his right hand on his chin and his left hand supporting his right elbow. "I wonder the same thing as well. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. For the time being, we must prioritize the search for my sister. She is what matters the most. She certainly did not want all of this to happen, and she desires a decent life with freedom. I'm going to give her that."

Selene scoffs and looks down. "I find it ridiculous that your little brothers have referred to Astrid as their sister ever since she went missing. They never addressed her in that way. You are the only one who does."

"The family has a bunch of miscreants. You can never expect anything positive from such people—though it depends. However, knowing their past endeavor toward Astrid, I found it quite surprising when they displayed even a smidgeon of concern for her. Who wouldn't be surprised when the twins literally used to lock Astrid in the closet several times before? Cadmus has also attempted to overdose Astrid. They've done a lot to her, and their acts right now seem miraculous." Ares shakes his head.

"I guess people just really see the importance of a person's worth when they disappear." Selene gives a nod. "Anyway, I appreciate you taking me home. Have a wonderful evening. See you soon."

Ares smiles. "Likewise. Spend your moments wisely, Selene. Before I bid you goodbye, please greet your brother for me. Aren't you meeting him very soon?"

A driver scrolls on his phone while sitting in the driver's seat of a tricycle parked on the side of the road. There he sees the most recent news. The 21st disappearance thus far has piqued his curiosity, as has the bounty set on the missing person's head. "Astrid . . . Astrid Gavi," he reads the name of that person.