My Dear Lunar

22 - RISE ♫

-♫-

After the heartfelt session, the group suddenly realized how late it had gotten. The night enveloped them as they gathered around the dining table, the warm glow of the overhead lights creating a cozy atmosphere. They engaged in light-hearted banter, the aroma of dinner mingling with the lingering tension from earlier discussions. But then Emir broke the momentary levity. "How did you guys find out about Lunar?" he asked, his curiosity genuine but unwittingly piercing through the fragile peace they had built. Instantly, the trio froze, exchanging wary glances as they weighed whether to reveal the truth.

Emir sensed the unease hanging in the air, an instinctual feeling that something wasn't right. "Did something happen?" he pressed gently, concern threading through his voice. Silence enveloped them, heavy and thick, before Emir let out a sigh, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on his shoulders. "If anything happens, you can always tell me. I'm ready to help," he reassured them, trying to instill confidence that they could share whatever burden was weighing them down.

His words prompted a tentative nod from each of the brothers, a silent agreement forming between them. Finally, Moon spoke up, his voice steady but laced with hesitation. "Actually, Papa, Lunar is one of the students at my faculty." Emir's heart skipped a beat, a flicker of excitement igniting in his chest. "Did you meet him?" he asked, his eagerness palpable. He could almost visualize his son, so close yet so far. "Always, like every day," Moon replied, but the change in his tone was immediate and unsettling, flat and devoid of the earlier enthusiasm.

Confusion washed over Emir as he picked up on the drastic shift. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern deepening. It was Sky who finally broke the silence, his voice heavy with regret. "We're sorry for figuring this out so late. If we'd been earlier, we could have prevented him from being a sex slave." Emir felt the ground drop beneath him, his breath hitching as the reality of Sky's words crashed over him like a wave. Speechless, he grappled with the shocking revelation. How could this happen to his child? Curses for Ivy and the circumstances flooded his mind, anger and despair intertwining as he struggled to process the betrayal that had affected Lunar.

As the brothers began to share the entire story, the words flowed like a torrent, revealing the tangled web of encounters and missed opportunities that had led to this point. They spoke of how they had first noticed Lunar, the subtle signs that had gone unnoticed until it was too late. Moon recounted the moments when he had seen the weight of the world resting on Lunar's shoulders, while Sky added details of their attempts to reach out, only to be met with resistance.

Emir's heart ached as he absorbed each revelation, a mixture of guilt and determination igniting within him. "We have to do something," he finally said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. They nodded, a shared resolve forming in the room. This was more than just a family dinner; it was a commitment to fight for Lunar, to help him find his way back from the darkness that had ensnared him. As they finished their meal, plans began to take shape, a unified front ready to reclaim the light that had been dimmed. Together, they would do whatever it took to ensure that Lunar knew he was loved and worthy of a better life.

As for Star, back in his room, he felt the weight of the world pressing down on him. He collapsed onto his bed, the familiar comfort of his surroundings doing little to ease the turmoil churning inside him. The earlier confrontation replayed in his mind like a relentless loop—his rage had taken control, and now he was left to grapple with the aftermath.

What had he done? He could almost hear the whispers of the students, the way they would piece together the events of that day. The thought of being unmasked as the one who released the footage filled him with nausea. The realization that students would soon connect the dots haunted him. He had always been the quiet one, the moral compass of the group, standing on the sidelines as the rest took charge.

But now? Now, he felt like a fraud. The 'angel' in the group, they called him. If they only knew the truth—that beneath his calm exterior lay a storm of insecurities and impulsive decisions. He had always shied away from the darker aspects of their antics, choosing instead to maintain a facade of purity and virtue. The betrayal he felt towards himself was even more crippling than any external judgement.

Star rolled onto his side, staring blankly at the wall, the weight of his actions pressing heavily on his chest. How could he reconcile the image he had built with the reality of what he had done? Would they ever see him the same way again? The thought of their disappointment was unbearable. In that moment, he longed for the innocence of his earlier days, when friendships felt uncomplicated and loyalty was unwavering. But the world around him had shifted, and now he had to face the consequences of choices he never thought he would make.

The sound of the notification from his phone startled him up. He took his phone, and his heart raced as he stared at his phone screen, the message glaring back at him like a taunting reminder of the chaos he had unleashed. The unknown number—it sent a chill down his spine. He read the message again, his eyes scanning the words, trying to find some semblance of disbelief. But it was real, and there was no denying it.

'Hey, Star. I heard you had fun on releasing those footage. Well, shouldn't it be more fun if they know who did it? Don't you think so? HAHAHAHAHA.'

The mocking laughter at the end was like a knife twisting in his gut. His palms grew sweaty as he gripped the phone tighter. Panic surged through him. 'Who else knew?' His mind spiraled, trying to piece it together. 'It can't be the brothers.' he thought, pacing in his room as if movement could somehow bring clarity. Sky, Moon, and even Blue—there was no way they'd betray him. They were angry, sure, but not like this. They wouldn't toy with him. 'Then who?'

"Wai..." The name came to him, and a wave of dread followed. Could it be Wai? Had he told someone? Maybe he was getting back at him for their previous altercations. Or maybe Wai wasn't working alone. Star's head buzzed with possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. 'How did they find out?'

His legs felt weak, and he slumped onto the edge of the bed, gripping his hair as anxiety clawed at his chest. Every nerve in his body screamed for him to run, to get as far away from this as possible, but there was no escape. The walls seemed to close in, suffocating him under the weight of his own fears.

The thought of everyone discovering that he—Star, the so-called "angel" of the group—was behind it all was unbearable. His carefully crafted image would be shattered in an instant. The trust he had worked so hard to maintain, the façade of staying above the darker side of things, would be ruined forever. He felt like he was losing his mind, his thoughts running wild, careening out of control. What if the unknown person had already told others? What if the whole campus knew by tomorrow?

What am I going to do?

-♫-