Scarred Souls

16

Author's pov :

After holi both Arjun and Jae-won started working at Reva's cafe. It's been a week after holi. Another bustling morning at Aroma Heaven. Jae-won was helping Reva behind the counter, while Arjun chatted with some regulars.

The bell above the door jingled, and in walked Rahul. He greeted everyone with his usual charm, but as he leaned over the counter to chat with Reva, Jae-won caught a whiff of something familiar and unsettling: the unmistakable scent of drugs.

Jae-won’s instincts  kicked in immediately. He glanced at Arjun, who was already eyeing Rahul with a hint of suspicion. They exchanged a brief, knowing look. Arjun signaled Jae-won to come in staff room and went in.
As he went in -

"You got sniff of something?"

"Yes hyung, and I have no doubt it's drug'

"Yes, but how come Rahul has it?"

"Hyung, do you think he takes drugs?"

"I guess, but we can't tell anything now-"

"Let's keep an eye on him hyung."
Arjun nodded and both existed the room.

___________________________________________

Over the next few days, Jae-won and Arjun kept a close watch on Rahul. They followed him discreetly, noting his frequent visits to shady parts of the city, his secretive phone calls, and the odd hours he kept. Jae-hyun’s suspicion grew with each passing day.

One evening, Jae-won observed Rahul meeting a man in a dimly lit alley. The exchange was quick, and Jae-won managed to snap a few photos from a distance. He went to home back, and after dinner he and Arjun reviewed the evidence in their room.

“Look at this hyung, He’s dealing with the drug suppliers."

Jae-won said, pointing to the photos.

"We need to confront him Jae-won, or else he may cause more problems to us!
Yes hyung, we will do it tomorrow."

The next day, Jae-won decided it was time to act as he found Rahul alone in a quiet corner of the café. Approaching him calmly, he leaned against the table, his eyes piercing into Rahul’s.

“Rahul, we need to talk,” Jae-won began.

Rahul looked up, a hint of nervousness flickering in his eyes. “Sure, what’s up?”

Jae-won didn’t waste time and said
“I know what you’ve been up to. I’ve seen you dealing with drug suppliers.”

Rahul’s face paled, but he tried to maintain his composure.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jae-won leaned in closer, his voice low and menacing.
“Don’t play dumb with me. I’ve got photos and evidence. You’re dealing drugs, and I’m giving you one chance to come clean.”

Rahul’s facade cracked, but he quickly recovered. He glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then whispered harshly,
“You’re mistaken, Jae-won. I’m not involved in anything illegal.”

Jae-won’s eyes narrowed.
“Don’t lie to me, Rahul. I’ve been in this business long enough to know the signs. You’re dealing with something dangerous, and it’s only a matter of time before it catches up with you.”

Rahul’s expression turned defiant.
“I told you, you’re wrong. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.”

He stood up abruptly and walked away, leaving Jae-won fuming with frustration.

Later that night, Jae-won and Arjun discussed their next steps.
“He’s definitely hiding something hyung"

“But we need more evidence before we can do anything.”

"Ahh! He was lying. He never looked my eyes while refusing."

Arjun nodded and said
“We’ll keep watching him. He’ll slip up eventually, and when he does, we’ll be ready.”

___________________________________________

The following days went as Jae-won and Arjun doubling down on their surveillance. They documented Rahul’s every move, noting the times and places of his suspicious activities. Jae-won’s frustration grew with each passing day as Rahul continued to act as though nothing was wrong.

Determined to get to the bottom of things, Jae-won decided to confront Rahul once more. He cornered him outside the café one evening, blocking his path.

“Rahul, we need to talk. Now,”
Jae-won said, his tone brooking no argument.

Rahul sighed, clearly and said
“What is it this time, Jae-won? I’ve told you before, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

Just then Arjun came there and held up his phone, showing Rahul the photos “Explain these, then. You’re meeting with the drug dealers. You can’t deny this evidence?”

Rahul glanced at the photos and then back at Jae-won and Arjun.
“Those are not what you think bhai, I’m helping a friend out, that’s all. It’s not what it looks like.”

Jae-won’s patience was wearing thin. “Rahul, if you don’t come clean now, it’s going to be worse for you later. Trust me, I know how these things go.”

Rahul’s expression hardened.
“I’ve told you everything I know. Now, leave me alone.”

With that, he walked away again, leaving Jae-won and Arjun standing there, seething with frustration and a growing sense of unease.

Back at their room after dinner Jae-won and Arjun went over their evidence once more.
“We need to catch him in the act. It’s the only way to prove he’s lying.”

Arjun nodded. “Agreed. We’ll keep a close watch on him and gather more evidence. He won’t be able to hide forever.”

As they finalized their plan, Jae-won couldn’t help but think about Reva. She deserved to know the truth, but he didn’t want to put her in danger. For now, they had to handle this quietly and efficiently.

The next morning, Jae-won watched as Rahul interacted with Reva, his demeanor more subdued than usual. Jae-won’s resolve hardened. He would protect Reva and her family, no matter the cost.

As he sipped his coffee, he mentally prepared for the dangerous path ahead, knowing that their actions in the coming days would determine their fate in this new life they were trying to build but for him the protection of family he was staying with was more important than anything else.

__________________________________________

Hey!!!

What do you guys think, is Rahul innocent or guilty ??