BEYOND THE LOVE

CHAPTER 38:

Exhaustion washed over me, the weight of this prolonged investigation dragging me down. Six months in, and the case seemed an endless maze with no resolution in sight, a stark contrast to our usual 3 to 5 months timeline.

Sipping on my coffee, my eyes fixed on the monitor, I caught a glimpse of Juan urging Ji Woon to approach me. Ji Woon's subtle refusal, Juan's eye roll – a silent drama unfolding. Squinting to catch the nuances, I observed Ji Woon take a deep breath, turning towards me. I averted my gaze, sipping my coffee, as he hesitantly asked, "Nara, can we go for a walk?"

Perplexed by his unusual behavior, I shot him a sharp look, nodding reluctantly. "Come, let's go," he said, prompting my inquiry, "Now?"

His nervous touch on his nape affirmed it. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Let's go," I agreed, grabbing my jacket, ready for a break from the stagnant atmosphere.

As we strolled together for a solid 10 minutes, an unusual silence enveloped us, intensifying my suspicion. His demeanor was unlike his usual self; instead, he seemed preoccupied, scanning the surroundings as if in search of someone.

Breaking the silence, I briskly positioned myself in front of him and questioned, "Whom are you searching for?" My raised eyebrows conveyed my intrigue. He hesitated before admitting, "Someone......no one special."

I pressed him with my eyes, and he finally confessed, "Nara, don't be upset. Be strong and handle this." His words were accompanied by a firm grip on both my hands. "Ji Woon, what are you talking about? What—" Before I could finish, he abruptly cut me off, promising to explain later, and sprinted away. Frustrated, I muttered, "This boy, what the hell..." as I hurriedly pursued Ji Woon. Just then, a voice called out, "Nara," freezing me in my tracks, even beneath my jacket.

"I can't bear the heaviness in my heart any longer; the emotion is overwhelming. I must confront him, find closure. Turning towards him, my words falter, "I think we sho-"

Before I can finish, he envelops me, and I'm left speechless. "I missed you so much,"he murmurs, and tears well up in my eyes; perhaps I missed him too. "You shouldn't do this,"I manage to say through tears, and as he releases the embrace, wipes away my tears, and softly apologizes, "I am really sorry.

In the midst of our intense exchange, he uttered, "I realize I have no right to apologize, but Nara..."

His words hung in the air as I interrupted, inquiring, "Did you know all along I was investigating?" His hesitant nod confirmed it all. Without warning, I unleashed a punch to his stomach, exclaiming, "You knew from the start, even on the day we first met when you struck me. How could you harm your own sister?"

It dawned on me at that moment, and as he winced in pain, he admitted, "I didn't have another choice, and I am truly sorry." Before he could finish, I pulled him into a tight hug, whispering, "Be on my side."

While enveloped in a warm embrace, a chorus of subtle murmurs and whispers surrounded us. Abruptly, I disengaged from the hug, leaving him bewildered. To my surprise, Juan, Suha, Kyoto, and Ji Woon stood beside the tree. Ah, so this was their orchestrated scheme.

Observing their guilty expressions, he attempted to explain, "Nara, this is my plan, they don't have any..." I cut him off, saying, "They're not skilled actors, you know."

With that, I strolled toward them. Lost in their squabbling, they were oblivious to my presence until I cleared my throat, prompting them to shift their attention from my brother to me.

Inquiring, "Are you all part of this?" left everyone momentarily speechless. A sudden gaze at Ji Woon, accompanied by, "Ji Woon, I believe we have matters to attend to, don't we?" made his eyes widen in surprise.

All eyes shifted to my brother when Suha declared, "Look, Mr. Nara's brother, we assisted you; now it's time for you to reciprocate." Suppressing a laugh at their expressions, I redirected my attention to my brother, who began, "Nara, we should solve ev—" but was abruptly cut off by Juan's unexpected interjection, "I did this all."

As he uttered those words, Kyoto shot him a seriously intense look, as if daring him to challenge fate. In the same breath, Ji Woon turned to me and remarked, "Nara, we're not done yet; you should handle this too." His eyes compelled me to glance in the direction he was fixated on, and there, I saw Rein approaching. My heart raced, reaching its limit; I couldn't face him as boldly as I did with my brother.

In that tense moment, Suha's voice shifted entirely, exclaiming, "Wow, he has the audacity." As I observed him, it felt like everyone was abandoning my side, guided away by my brother who insisted, "Let them settle it themselves."

He approached me, locking eyes as though peering into my soul, rendering everything else insignificant. Amidst the betrayal and pain, forgiveness lingered reluctantly. Realizing our closeness, I stepped back, asserting, "You've no right to speak to me."

His stoic expression held as I turned away, unable to withstand the intensity of his gaze. Walking away, he silently followed. "Planning to walk all night?" I questioned. With a subtle smile, he replied, "If you are." A spark ignited within me, only to be interrupted by an untied shoelace.

As I stumbled, he caught my hand, knelt down to help, he teased, and said, "You still haven't learned to tie your shoes, huh?" Rising and gently gripping my shoulder, he uttered an unexpected apology,  "Nara, I'm sorry. I never meant for this. What can I do to make it right?" His words, soft as his gaze, unveiled a vulnerability I never expected to see in him.I swear that it was my first time I saw his guard down.

As we stood there, the weight of his apology hung in the air. Unsure of how to respond, I found myself caught between the lingering pain of the investigation and the unexpected vulnerability in his eyes. "It's not that simple," I muttered, wrestling with my conflicting emotions.

He nodded understandingly, and for a moment, the world around us seemed to fade.

As tensions surrounded us, Suha emerged unexpectedly, calling my name with urgency. Turning towards her, I spotted Kyoto and my brother by her side. She conveyed, "The chief is desperately trying to contact you; I sense urgency in his voice." Though I didn't catch every word, I nodded, signaling my departure. With a subtle gesture, I conveyed to my brother that I was leaving. Just as I moved with Suha.....a hand clamped onto mine, strong and unexpected. Rein. He spun me towards him, our faces inches apart. Time seemed to warp, the world around us fading away until it was just him and me. His eyes,  a flicker of something else - a desperate need, a reflection of the solace I myself craved.

Before I could even register the shift, his lips were on mine. Not a sweeping, passionate kiss, but a tender exploration. A single, soft touch, barely a whisper, landed on my lower lip. It sent a jolt through me, a spark igniting in the chaos of my emotions.

His touch was brief, a fleeting taste of what could have been. But in that tiny kiss, the world seemed to right itself for a moment. In that shared breath, I found the comfort I desperately needed, a silent promise hanging heavy in the air.

 Abruptly, he pulled away,  he confessed, "I can't risk losing you anymore," then instantly walked away with Ju Yan. As he left, I noticed Suha and Kyoto gazing at me in surprise. Kyoto remarked, "I never knew you had that side to you."

As Kyoto spoke, a warm flush spread across my cheek, and with each step, they followed behind me. Out of nowhere, Suha turned to me and, wearing a small smile, asked, "You like him, right?"

I turned to Suha, maintaining a straight face, and replied, "No... I love him."

Kyoto chimed in, saying, "Oh, I think someone found her lost love."

Simultaneously, Suha, surprised, asked, "Since when?" I responded, "19."
As we approached Juan and Ji Woon, Kyoto began to inquire, "Guys, do you want to know somet-" I shot him a stern glare, and he whispered to them, "Will tell you later."