BEYOND THE LOVE

CHAPTER 26:

From a distance, Suha, Kyoto, and Ji Woon had been watching the entire confrontation unfold. The disappointment in their eyes was palpable, and I could feel the weight of their silent judgment pressing down on me.

Suha was the first to approach, her normally steely eyes soft with concern. "Nara, this isn't like you."

Kyoto followed suit, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You may have thought you were making the right call, but going in alone...in this .. situation...not good."

Ji Woon,  simply looked at me. The fact that he didn’t say anything hurt more than any reprimand.

Humbled, I responded, "I know... I just thought I could handle it."

Suha sighed, "Thinking you can handle something and actually being prepared are two different things."

Kyoto added, "You have a team that's willing to stand by you."

Ji Woon finally spoke, her voice firm. "You put yourself in danger, and by extension, you put all of us in danger. It’s not just about you.”

Feeling defeated and overwhelmed, I whispered, "I know, and I'm sorry."

Suha took a deep breath, "Look, we all make mistakes, and we'll deal with the consequences as a team. But for now, go and sort things out with Rein. He's hurting."

Kyoto nodded in agreement, "He cares about you, Nara, more than he lets on. And seeing you in danger like that, it affected him deeply."

Ji Woon chimed in, "We'll handle things here with Juan. He's angry, but he'll come around. Rein, though... he won't listen to any of us. You need to talk to him."
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I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I was ready to face him again. But then, with newfound determination, I nodded. "I'll go find him."
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I wandered the dimly lit streets outside the club, searching for Rein. The cold wind bit into my skin, but it was nothing compared to the turmoil inside me. A few blocks down, I spotted Rein, his figure silhouetted against the faint glow of a streetlight.

Approaching him, I called out, "Rein!"

He turned, his face a mask of pain and anger. "What do you want, Nara?" he asked, his voice cold.

"To apologize," I said, hesitating slightly. "I shouldn't have gone after Corvus alone. I was reckless."

Rein scoffed, "That's all? An apology?"

I felt a rush of anger suddenly. "What do you want from me, Rein? I said I was sorry!"
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"Rein," I began, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and pain.

"Why do you keep doing this, Nara?" he snapped. "Do you have any idea how terrified I was when I saw you take on Corvus? "

I shot back defensively, "I can handle myself. I don't need you or anyone else to protect me."

Rein's expression darkened, "It's not just about you protecting yourself. It's about how your actions impact everyone else. Every time you go rogue, you risk not just your life, but ours too."

I felt my anger rise. "I had a clear shot at Corvus. I thought I could handle it."

Rein stepped closer, his voice breaking with emotion. "That's just it, Nara. It's not always about whether you can handle it."

Our faces were mere inches apart now, the tension between us palpable.

"Do you even realize," he whispered, his voice trembling, "how much I have to hold back every time I'm around you?"

His words took me by surprise. "What are you talking about?"

Rein's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a depth of emotion I hadn't seen in years. "Do you think it's easy for me, Nara? To see you, to work with you , knowing how we once were?"

My breath caught in my throat. The pain of our past was still so raw, so fresh. And in that moment, I realized that Rein had been struggling with it too, perhaps even more than I had.

His hand reached up, cupping my face gently, his thumb tracing the curve of my cheek. "Every moment with you is a battle, Nara. A battle against the feelings I still have for you."

My eyes widened in shock. "Rein..."

He pulled me closer, our lips just a breath apart. "Do you have any idea how hard I'm holding back right now?"

Tears welled in my eyes........But just as he was about to close the gap between us, he pulled away, a tortured look in his eyes.

With a deep, shaky breath, Rein turned away from me, taking a moment to compose himself. Then, without another word, he stormed off into the night, leaving me standing there, stunned and overwhelmed by the weight of our unresolved emotions.

Still reeling from the confrontation with Rein, I stood motionless on the dimly lit street, the cold wind cutting through the silence. The weight of our past, our feelings, and the recent events hung heavy in the air.

From the distance, I could hear hurried footsteps echoing on the cobblestone street. Before I could gather myself, Suha, Ji Woon, Kyoto, and Juan appeared, their faces etched with concern.

They skidded to a stop, taking in the scene — the raw emotion evident on my face, and the absent figure of Rein.

Ji Woon was the first to break the silence. "Nara, are you okay?"

I tried to form words, but they were stuck in my throat. Kyoto gently put his hand on my back, attempting to comfort me, "What happened with Rein?"

Before I could respond, Juan stepped forward, his anger replaced with a deep worry. "Nara," he began, his voice gentle. "Talk to me."

Overwhelmed by the weight of everything, I rushed towards Juan, tears streaming down my face, and buried myself into his embrace. Juan wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly, offering silent comfort.

Suha and Ji Woon exchanged glances, sensing the gravity of the situation. Suha whispered to Kyoto, "Find Rein. We need to know he's alright."

Kyoto nodded and quickly dashed off in the direction Rein had taken.

"I messed up, Juan," I sobbed, my voice muffled against his jacket. "I pushed him away. All the pain..........it's all coming back."

Juan tightened his grip, gently rubbing my back. "It's okay.....cry as much as you want....we are with you"