The Golden Road: The Pentakill Prince

Chapter 11: Hidden Secrets

Noel woke up early on Thursday, the dim morning light filtering through the blinds. His thoughts immediately turned to the team's scrims, but there was an unsettling feeling gnawing at him, one that had been growing since yesterday. Eryn had already left for work, leaving him in the silence of the apartment. He got up, feeling the weight of the day ahead pressing on his shoulders. But today, his instinct would say otherwise.

He grabbed his keys and decided to make a quick stop by GG!, Dalynn's café, to pick up some drinks for the team. They'd been scrimming hard all week, and a little treat from Dalynn's place might just help lighten the mood. She always knew how to make everything feel a little better.

Sliding into his GT86, he drove down the familiar streets, passing the old landmarks that reminded him of his history with Dalynn. He smiled, knowing those were happy times. But those memories were back in his high school days. As he pulled up in front of the café, he felt a strange sense of unease. The place looked the same, but something in the air felt different.

He entered the café to be greeted by a tired-looking Dalynn. Normally, she would have greeted him with a wide smile and a joke or two. But today, she barely looked up from behind the counter. Her usual vibrant energy was missing. Instead, she was slouched, wearing a hoodie that swallowed her small frame, the hood pulled low over her face.

"Morning, Dalynn," Noel said softly, trying to sound upbeat despite the knot in his stomach.

She gave him a weak smile. "Morning, Noel." Her voice lacked its usual warmth.

Noel studied her for a moment, something felt off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew something was wrong. "You okay? You look.. tired."

Dalynn shrugged, clearly trying to brush it off. "Yeah, just a rough night. Too much to do around here."

Noel wasn't convinced. As he approached the counter, his eyes caught something—just a glimpse of her hand as she reached for a cup. Bruises marred her knuckles, dark and unmistakable.

"Are those bruises on your hand?" Noel asked, his concern evident.

Dalynn flinched slightly but quickly hid her hand under the counter. "Oh, this? It's nothing, really. Just a little work injury. I'm fine."

Noel's brow furrowed. Dalynn was the last person to hide things. She was strong, independent, and always straightforward with him. The fact that she was trying to brush it off like this felt... wrong.

"You sure? You don't look fine," he said, his voice gentle but insistent.

Dalynn hesitated, then forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine, Noel. Really."

Noel didn't buy it. But he knew pressing her now wouldn't help. He paid for the drinks and grabbed the cups, the unease lingering in his gut. As he stepped out of the café and back into his car, his mind kept returning to the bruise. Something wasn't right, and he couldn't ignore it.

At the ROG headquarters, Noel was distracted. His mind kept wandering back to Dalynn and the strange feeling he had about her. During the scrims, it was obvious to everyone that he wasn't performing at his best. He missed crucial moves, his focus wavering. He had to admit it to himself—he was worried about her. That was why he couldn't focus. That was why he felt so off today.

Charles, ever the observant one, was the first to speak up after the match. "Alright, man. Spill. You've been off all day. Even though we won the scrims, it was kinda tough trying to pull your weight. No Offence." He said, putting his hands up as if to say 'I don't mean it in a bad way.'

Noel rubbed his face, frustrated with himself. "I don't know. I stopped by Dalynn's café earlier, and something felt... off."

Grace, who had been quietly analyzing their performance, overheard and looked up. "What do you mean? Is she okay?"