Rythem Of Our Hearts |✓

Chapter 14: Shattered Dreams and Hidden Truths

"She was the transferred student who transferred his heart."

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Word Count: 864

The day of the winter showcase arrived, bringing with it a flurry of activity and a storm of emotions for Lisa. As she stood backstage, adjusting her costume one last time, she felt a hollow ache in her chest where excitement should have been.

It had been three days since Jungkook had walked away from her by the lake, and she hadn't heard from him since. Every text went unanswered, every call straight to voicemail. The silence was deafening.

"Five minutes to curtain!" the stage manager called, snapping Lisa back to reality.

She took a deep breath, trying to center herself. This was her moment, the culmination of months of hard work. She couldn't let her personal life affect her performance. And yet...

As she peeked out at the audience, her eyes scanned the crowd, hoping against hope to see a familiar face. But Jungkook wasn't there.

The music started, and Lisa took her place on stage. As she began to dance, she poured all of her pain, frustration, and longing into every movement. Her body moved with a raw intensity that left the audience breathless.

In the middle of her solo, something caught Lisa's eye. There, at the back of the auditorium, stood a tall figure in a leather jacket. Her heart leapt – Jungkook had come after all!

But as she spun, completing a complex sequence, she realized her mistake. It wasn't Jungkook at all, but Minho, watching her with a smirk that sent chills down her spine.

The realization threw Lisa off balance. She stumbled slightly, barely recovering in time for her next move. As she continued her performance, her mind raced. Why was Minho here? What was he planning?

As the dance reached its climax, Lisa pushed herself harder than ever before, determined not to let Minho's presence affect her. She ended with a powerful pose, chest heaving, as the audience erupted into applause.

But Lisa barely heard it. As soon as she could, she rushed off stage, desperate to find Minho and confront him.

She spotted him near the exit, already turning to leave.

"Minho!" she called out, her voice sharp.

He turned, that infuriating smirk still playing on his lips. "Quite a performance, Lisa. Though I noticed you seemed a bit... distracted. Trouble in paradise?"

Lisa's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here? Where's Jungkook?"

Minho's smirk widened. "Oh, you mean he didn't tell you? I'm hurt. I thought you two shared everything."

"Tell me what?" Lisa demanded, her heart pounding.

Minho leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Let's just say Jungkook remembered who he really is. And trust me, sweetheart, it's not the lovesick puppy you turned him into."

Before Lisa could respond, Minho's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then back at Lisa with a triumphant grin. "Sorry to cut this short, but duty calls. Your boy's waiting for me."

As Minho turned to leave, he called over his shoulder, "Oh, and Lisa? You might want to check the campus parking lot. I have a feeling you'll find something... interesting there."

With that, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Lisa standing alone, her mind reeling.

Without thinking, she ran. Still in her costume, she burst out of the auditorium and sprinted across campus, her heart pounding in her ears.

As she approached the parking lot, she heard the roar of motorcycle engines. Rounding the corner, she skidded to a stop, her eyes widening in disbelief.

There, in the center of a group of leather-clad figures, sat Jungkook on his motorcycle. But this wasn't the Jungkook she knew. His face was hard, his eyes cold. As she watched, he revved his engine, preparing to ride off with the others.

"Jungkook!" Lisa cried out, her voice breaking.

He turned, their eyes meeting across the distance. For a moment, Lisa thought she saw a flicker of the old Jungkook – her Jungkook – in his gaze. But then Minho pulled up beside him, saying something Lisa couldn't hear, and the moment was gone.

Jungkook turned away, gunning his engine. In a cloud of exhaust and the screech of tires, the group roared out of the parking lot, leaving Lisa standing alone in the cold night air.

As the sound of motorcycles faded into the distance, Lisa felt her world crumbling around her. What had happened to Jungkook? What had Minho done? And most importantly, was there any hope of getting back the boy she'd fallen in love with?

With tears streaming down her face, Lisa knew one thing for certain – this was far from over. She would fight for Jungkook, no matter what it took. But first, she needed answers, and she had a feeling those answers lay in the dark world Jungkook had just rejoined.

As she turned to head back to her dorm, determination setting in alongside her heartbreak, Lisa couldn't shake the feeling that she was about to enter a dangerous game – one where the stakes were higher than she could have ever imagined.

The showcase forgotten, her dreams of dance fading into the background, Lisa set her jaw. She would uncover the truth, save Jungkook from whatever hold Minho had on him, and fight for the love they had found.

But little did she know, the real battle was just beginning...

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