My Dear Lunar

30 - MESS 🔪

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As the day turned to night and darkness enveloped the house, Emir finally arrived home, feeling the usual sense of relief. However, as he stepped through the door, the scene that greeted him was unlike anything he had expected. He paused, shock overtaking him as his eyes swept over the disheveled group seated in his living room.

Sky, Blue, Jewel, Wai, and Lunar looked battered and bruised, their clothes torn and streaked with blood, save for Moon and Star, who were in slightly better condition. Cuts and scars marked their skin—signs of the battle they had endured earlier in the day. The intensity of what he was witnessing hit him hard, but nothing could prepare Emir for the shock of seeing a familiar figure among them.

His gaze locked onto Lunar, and for a moment, it was as though time had stopped. There, in front of him, stood his long-lost child—his youngest, whom he hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity. The years hadn't dulled his memory; he recognized Lunar immediately, even though Lunar had grown so much.

Lunar, too, was stunned at the sight of Emir. The moment their eyes met, his mind was flooded with old, forgotten memories—fleeting but precious moments he had shared with his father, even though they had been few. Without saying a word, Lunar rose from the sofa, his legs moving on their own accord, taking slow, measured steps toward Emir.

Emir mirrored Lunar's movement, closing the distance between them. And then, as if drawn together by an invisible force, they embraced. Tears spilled from both of their eyes, unrestrained, as years of separation, longing, and unanswered questions finally crumbled away in that single, raw moment.

"My little princess, Papa missed you so much," Emir whispered, his voice choked with emotion. He clung to Lunar as though he feared losing him again. "My princess has grown so much... but you're still just as beautiful as you were before." His voice cracked slightly as he caressed Lunar's face, his eyes filled with both sadness and joy.

Lunar sobbed harder, his body shaking uncontrollably in his father's arms. The weight of their separation, the pain he had buried for so long, was now too much to contain. He couldn't speak—he could only cry, unable to form words through his anguish. The others watched in silence, their hearts swelling with relief. Lunar had finally found his way back to his father after years of being lost.

After what felt like a lifetime, their embrace finally broke. Emir took a step back, wiping away the tears from his face. He glanced around the room, his joy slowly giving way to concern as he took in the disheveled appearance of the rest of the group. Their clothes were torn, bloodstains splattered across their bodies, and exhaustion was etched into their faces. "What's going on with you guys?" Emir asked, his tone now laced with concern. "Care to explain?"

The silence in the room was palpable. The group exchanged uneasy glances, none of them wanting to be the one to break the news. They were still processing everything themselves, and the weight of what they had done felt like a storm gathering in the air around them. Emir's eyes narrowed, and his tone hardened. "What's with the blood and the scars? I'm not asking again."

Finally, Sky, the oldest and the one who always took on the role of responsibility, stepped forward. He swallowed hard before speaking, knowing full well the gravity of what he was about to say. "Papa, it's... complicated. A lot has happened. It started with Lunar's life at the nightclub and the footage that got leaked..."

Sky took a deep breath and began recounting the entire ordeal—from Lunar's life at the club, to the viral footage that had been secretly recorded of Lunar and Wai, to the harassing messages Star had been receiving. He explained how Star, out of jealousy over how close Lunar and Moon had become, had intentionally shared the footage, hoping to get some sense of control over his emotions. But once the footage spread like wildfire and chaos ensued, Star regretted everything.

"And then, there was this person—someone who found out that Star was the one who leaked the footage. They've been tormenting him, Papa," Sky continued. "Whoever it is, they've been threatening Star, blackmailing him. They've even said they'd ruin his family. Star's been dealing with this alone, scared out of his mind." Emir's face tightened as he listened to the story unfold. His gaze shifted to Star, who was trying his best not to break down again.

Sky pressed on, his voice growing heavier as he spoke about the protest that erupted in the wake of the footage, how it escalated into a battle in the courtyard. "Things got out of hand. The students were coming after us, demanding Star's withdrawal, and we... we fought back. It turned into chaos. A lot of people got hurt, and now the chancellor's involved. It's bad, Papa. Really bad." The room fell silent after Sky finished speaking, the air thick with tension.

Emir let out a long, exhausted sigh, rubbing his temple. "First of all," he began, his tone low and serious, "this entire situation is a disaster. From the very beginning." His gaze turned to Lunar, who hung his head, knowing full well that the start of this all revolved around him. "Second," Emir continued, shifting his focus to Star, "what on earth made you think that sharing that footage would fix your jealousy? You're smarter than that, Star." His words hit Star like a slap. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he tried to hold them back, not wanting to break again.

"And third," Emir's voice rose, his frustration evident, "what possessed you to get into a battle on campus grounds? Couldn't you have stopped to think about the consequences before swinging rods and boards around like it's the end of the world?" The tension in the room was palpable. Sky, Blue, Lunar, Jewel, and Wai stood in silent shame, knowing they had let things spiral out of control. Emir paced back and forth, his hands on his hips, clearly trying to figure out the next steps.

"Do you understand the mess you've made? The chancellor's involved now! You didn't just stir up some campus drama—you've brought down the entire administration on your heads!" His voice echoed throughout the house, the weight of the situation crashing down on everyone. "But Papa—" Sky started, but Emir cut him off. "No buts. You're lucky none of you were arrested on the spot! We're talking about serious consequences here—expulsion, criminal charges. And this isn't just about you anymore. This affects the whole family." The room fell silent once again, as the reality of what they had done settled in. All they could do was wait for whatever came next, hoping there was still a way out of the mess they had made.

In the dimly lit confines of his room, a person leaned back in his chair, a manic grin plastered across his face. The distant sounds of chaos from the campus echoed like music to his ears, each shout and curse reinforcing his sense of power. He reveled in the turmoil he had orchestrated, fingers steepled under his chin as he replayed footage of Star's mistakes on his screen.

"Star, you fucking bitch. It's finally my time to shine after all those years," he sneered, clutching an old photograph of Star. The faded image served as a reminder of the envy that had festered in his heart for too long. "Now you'll feel what I've felt—what it's like to be at the bottom of everyone's contempt."

Laughter erupted from him, a chilling sound that filled the room. With a few calculated moves, he had twisted the narrative, turning Star into a pariah while he lurked in the shadows. His malicious commentary had poisoned the minds of the students, inciting protests and turning friends against Star.

"This is what you get for messing around with me," he spat, savoring the taste of revenge. As he typed out more incendiary messages, ensuring Star's further ruin, a gleam of madness sparkled in his eyes. In that moment, he was no longer just a rival; he was the architect of Star's downfall, a puppet master pulling strings from behind the curtain. The night was still young, and he was just getting started.

His name? Leo Channarong.

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