flicker of flame

12. Heartbeats and Heartaches"

Finally, Lena came home and collapsed onto her bed, Vyn's words still echoing in her mind.

"It's so hard," she thought, "when you love someone and can't tell them, and you're forced to act like just a mere acquaintance." She sighed deeply, frustration welling up inside her.

"Fine, I have to pack my things. Fathi will be alright, somehow," she reassured herself, forcing a small smile as she glanced at the poster on her wall, now half-torn. Without hesitation, she ripped down every poster, determined to start anew.

Lena packed her things and eventually fell asleep beside her bags, exhaustion taking over.

As the night wore on, the full moon bathed everything in a soft, silver glow. Vyn's room was steeped in silence, only the weight of his frustration and pain keeping him company. He didn't want anyone else in Fathima's place, and in his desperation, he called the people he'd hired in India. Their response was the same: "We're still searching, sir. We'll let you know as soon as we find her."

Vyn glanced at his diary, feeling utterly lost.

"Dear Diary," he wrote, "I really don't know what's going on inside my mind. I'm half scared and half... I'm really struggling. I can't wait to see her, but at the same time, I don't want to leave Dad in this condition. I just hope she's alright, and that I'll find her."

Meanwhile, Lena woke up in the middle of the night and wandered onto her balcony, rubbing her eyes. The moonlight felt almost too bright, too revealing. She stared up at it and whispered, "I don't want to be like you..."

As she spoke to the moon, the sound of a doorbell echoed through her apartment, making her turn in surprise.

Elsewhere, Ben, Luke, and the rest of the group were working out in the gym.

"Is this really necessary at this hour?" Cole asked, looking tired.

"Yes, it is," Luke insisted.

"I'm so sleepy," Josh complained. "Hyung, do we really have to do this now?"

"We need to practice, but first, we need to strengthen our muscles," Luke replied firmly.

Kai yawned and checked the time. As he shifted, he accidentally sat on the remote, turning on the TV. The news flashed onto the screen, reporting that a serial rapist was roaming the south side of the city.

Luke froze, staring at the TV. Without another word, he grabbed his jacket and sprinted to the parking lot. He drove off in a frenzy, his mind racing with a single thought: "The day we went hiking, I should've been your partner, but I wasn't. I should've carried you on my back, but I missed that chance. Yesterday, I should've been the one to hug you, but I didn't. I don't know why, but since the day I saw you, I've been dying for you without telling my hyungs. God, please... nothing should happen to her."
The doorbell rang again, startling Lena as she moved closer to answer it. "Who could be here at this hour?" she wondered, her voice trembling slightly. As she opened the door, her worst fear was realized-it was the rapist she had just seen on the news. He lunged at her, but Lena, quick on her feet, managed to trick him. Grabbing a vase, she smashed it over his head, causing him to collapse.

In the brief moment of respite, Lena called the cops to report the incident. But before they could arrive, the rapist regained consciousness and lunged at her again. Lena dodged his attack, bending low and sprinting toward the shelves where she had carefully organized her Purple Ocean albums. Desperate, she grabbed one of the posters and swung it at him. When that wasn't enough, she seized the album case and struck him as hard as she could. This time, he stayed down, just as the police arrived to take him away.

Meanwhile, Luke was speeding towards her home, heart pounding in his chest. As he approached, he saw the flashing lights of police cars and an ambulance outside. His heart nearly stopped-fear and dread washed over him. Needing to know if Lena was alright, he stealthily entered the house from the back, climbing up to the balcony and slipping inside.