courage dear heart | Yuki Ishikawa

41

WARNING: death, suicide... (I'm sorry for the spoiler, but i don't want to trigger someone's trauma)
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Ishikawa's POV

After the interview, we headed straight to the airport to return to the dorms. Nabi had been quiet the entire trip back, her usual energy dimmed. But she stayed close to me the whole time.

The airport was packed—more than usual. Journalists and fans crowded the terminal, some holding cameras, others clutching notebooks and phones, all eager to catch a glimpse. It was chaos, I could feel Nabi's stiffness next to me, her silence saying more than words could.

I kept my arm draped over her shoulders, trying to shield her from the people . She wore a cap with the brim pulled low to hide her face, her hoodie pulled up to add another layer of anonymity. Despite everything, she stuck by my side, moving with me through the crowd, as if nothing else mattered but getting out of there together.

The flashing cameras and murmurs followed us, but all I cared about was getting her through it safely.

When we arrived at the dorm, I let out a sigh of relief. I had never been so happy to return to our place, hidden away from the media.

We got off the bus, and I grabbed our luggage. Before heading to my room, I dropped off her things at her door. "See you later," I said.

She nodded and, without a word, closed the door.

After showering and changing, I went to the break room to wait for her. There weren't many people around since it was Sunday, and most had probably gone out.

Not long after, Nabi, Ran, and Reira arrived and sat down on the couch with me. I left a spot for her, resting her legs across mine while Ran picked out a movie to watch.

When the movie started, she preferred to put me in the corner so she could snuggle up against me.

I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her finally relax into me.

The room was quiet except for the low hum of the TV.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. I glanced over.

A man dressed in an elegant, tailored suit walked in with a stern, almost intimidating expression.

His presence alone seemed to command the room. Behind him, Nabi's manager followed, along with another man in a black suit. The atmosphere shifted instantly, heavy with tension.

I felt Nabi tense beside me, her body stiffening as soon as she saw him.

The man strode purposefully towards us, his steps long and deliberate. Nabi stood up, almost instinctively, when he reached her. There was something in the way he loomed over her that made my chest tighten.

I stayed seated, watching them, feeling the weight of whatever this encounter was going to bring.

He slapped her hard across the face, the sound echoing sharply through the nearly empty room. It was a brutal crack that sliced through the quiet, and I felt my entire body freeze in shock.

Nabi didn't say a word. She just stood there, silent, staring up at him with a calmness that made the whole thing even more unsettling.

Her cheek reddened immediately, but she didn't flinch.

Her manager, clearly distressed, quickly stepped forward, trying to calm him down, murmuring something under his breath, but the tension in the air was palpable.