Stellar Hearts: Lost in Seoul

Chapter 14: "Race Against Time"

Chiquita's POV

My heart is hammering in my chest, and my mind is spinning like a hamster wheel gone berserk. What just happened? One moment, we're talking about life, and then—bam—Rora bursts through the door like a tornado and suddenly everything is on the brink of chaos.

Ahyeon's bringing reinforcements?

My stomach twists at the thought. It's like some twisted game of cat and mouse, and I don't know if I'm ready for this kind of danger. But Asa's holding my hand like she's afraid I might slip away from her, and I can't afford to let that happen. Not now. Not when everything feels so fragile.

Rora's voice rings out in the hallway, sharp and urgent. "Move, move, move! We've got no time to waste!"

I glance at Asa, who's already grabbing her jacket and heading for the door, her eyes focused, her movements sharp. There's a certain calm in her that I can't quite place—it's almost like she's used to running from trouble. I guess, in a way, she is.

We don't have time to think. We don't have time to question what's happening. We just have to follow Rora.

I reach out and grab Asa's arm before she can get too far. "Wait, hold on! What's going on with Ahyeon? Why would she bring reinforcements?"

Asa looks at me, her expression conflicted. She opens her mouth to say something, then closes it, her jaw tightening. "Ahyeon knows too much. She's dangerous, Chiquita. And now she's bringing more people into this mess. We need to get to the ship before they corner us."

I blink at her, confused. "The ship? You mean, your ship's still around?"

Asa nods, her eyes flashing. "It's hidden for now, but it's the only way I can leave this world. If Ahyeon finds it first..."

I don't need her to finish that sentence. I already know the answer.

She's not just talking about her safety. She's talking about her survival.

I swallow hard, trying to steady my racing pulse. "Okay, let's go."

Rora's voice comes again from the hallway, sharper this time. "You two coming or what? Because I'm not waiting for you to pack your bags!"

Asa gives me a small, tight smile. "We don't have time for that. Come on."

Asa's POV

Rora is a whirlwind—always moving, always thinking ahead—and right now, that's exactly what we need. Her urgency is infectious, and for the first time today, I feel a flicker of hope. It's not much, but it's something.

Chiquita, however, still looks like she's processing everything way too fast. I can see the worry in her eyes, the uncertainty in her stance, but she's not backing down.

She's scared, and I can't blame her. This is all happening way too fast, but she's here, with me. And as long as she's with me, I have something to fight for.

We dash down the stairs, through the building's front lobby, and out into the street. It's dark now—darker than it should be for this time of night—and the world feels... off. Like something's closing in around us, pressing in from every direction.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Chiquita mutters, keeping pace beside me. "I'm running through the streets of Seoul, in the middle of the night, trying to outrun... what exactly?"

"Ahyeon," I say flatly, not missing a step. "She's got people who can track us. We have to be faster."

"I'm starting to think I signed up for a sci-fi thriller and not... whatever this is," she says, trying to lighten the mood, but her voice is still laced with concern. "You're really from another world, huh?"

I nod, not bothering to explain further. It's too complicated, too risky to explain everything now. All I need is for her to trust me. To trust that I'll do everything I can to get us out of this.

We turn down an alley, and suddenly, the tension in the air grows thick. I can feel the change—the shift in energy as we move deeper into unfamiliar territory. It's as if the world itself knows we're about to enter dangerous ground.

Chiquita looks up at me, her brows furrowed. "What's going on? You're acting like you're sensing something."

I glance around, my senses on high alert. "I'm not sure. But I have a bad feeling about this."

Just then, a shadow moves in the distance—a figure in the dark. My instincts go into overdrive, and before I can react, I pull Chiquita close to me, shielding her behind me.

There's a soft crack, and I instinctively move to the side, pulling Chiquita with me just as something heavy slams into the pavement where we were standing.

"What the hell?" Chiquita gasps, her eyes wide. She's trying to see through the dark, but it's almost impossible.

A voice calls out, low and menacing. "You're not getting away that easily, Asa."

I freeze.

It's her. Ahyeon.

She steps into the light, flanked by two tall, menacing figures. Her smile is wicked, confident—like she's already won.

I turn to Chiquita, my heart racing. "Get ready to run," I whisper, my voice tight.

Chiquita nods, her eyes flashing with determination. But there's something else in them, something that scares me more than any of this danger. She's not backing down.

We're not backing down.

Chiquita's POV

There's no time to think, no time to process the situation. It's like everything just exploded into chaos, and I'm struggling to catch up. I'm used to living in the moment, to taking things as they come, but this? This is different.

I'm facing a woman who knows exactly what she wants—and right now, she wants us. I don't know if I can outrun her or outsmart her, but I'll be damned if I let her hurt Asa.

Asa grips my hand tightly, her knuckles white. I can feel the tension radiating off her, the fear bubbling under her calm exterior. I know she's not just scared for herself. She's scared for me, too. And it kills me that I don't know how to fix this.

I take a deep breath and square my shoulders. "We're not going anywhere. You're not taking her from me."

Ahyeon's smirk grows wider. "You think you can stop me? You're not even half as clever as you think, Chiquita." She steps closer, the two figures beside her closing in.

There's no room to run. No time to strategize. Just me, Asa, and a whole lot of trouble.

I glance at Asa, who's still holding onto me. "What now?" I whisper, my voice steady despite my nerves.

"We fight," she says, her voice unwavering.

And for a moment, I believe her.