Stellar Hearts: Lost in Seoul

Chapter 19: "Homeward Bound"

Chiquita's POV

The sound of our footsteps pounding against the pavement feels like the loudest thing in the world as we race toward the ship. I can hear my heart thundering in my chest, my breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. Every second that ticks by feels heavier than the last.

I turn to glance behind us, and I swear I see Ahyeon's furious expression just as the ship's engine roars to life behind me. She's still fighting, struggling to break free from Asa's hold, but she's not coming after us. Not yet, anyway.

"We're almost there," I mutter to Asa, but the words barely leave my mouth before we're both pushed harder into a sprint.

I can feel the sweat beading on my forehead, dripping down the side of my face, mixing with the dirt and grime from the alley. I wipe it away, barely aware of the pain in my shoulder—the bleeding. It's like my body's screaming for me to stop, but I won't. I can't.

We're so close.

The ship looms ahead, a shadow against the city lights, its engines vibrating the ground beneath our feet. I can feel the rush of relief in my veins. We're almost there.

"Come on!" I shout to Asa, urging her to go faster. "We don't have time!"

But then, in an instant, the world shifts. The ground beneath me suddenly shakes as if the universe itself is holding its breath.

And before I know it, I'm airborne.

Asa's POV

One moment, everything is going perfectly. We're running, we're making it. I feel the relief wash over me as Chiquita and I near the ship—our escape. But then, that feeling of triumph is shattered by a violent force.

Before I can react, the ground beneath us trembles violently, and I hear the unmistakable sound of a low, guttural roar—like something's coming at us from below.

I whip around, my instincts taking over as I brace myself for impact.

Too late.

We're thrown off our feet, and everything goes black for a moment as I feel myself lose control. I land hard on the pavement, the wind knocked out of me. My heart races in panic as I scramble to get back up.

Chiquita!

I force myself to move, my body screaming in protest, my head spinning from the impact. I see her on the ground, a few feet away, her arm clutched against her side.

"Chiquita!" I shout, pushing myself forward. The pain in my body is almost unbearable, but I can't stop.

Not when she's here.

I reach her, lifting her up with every ounce of strength I have left, but the moment my hands touch her, I see the blood—more blood than I expected. Her shoulder's torn, her skin pale from the pain, and my stomach lurches in horror.

"Chiquita... no..." I whisper, my voice breaking as I struggle to hold her steady.

She opens her eyes, just a sliver, and smiles weakly at me. "It's... nothing."

I nearly collapse from relief, but then I hear the sound again. A low growl. Something primal, something huge—and this time, I see it.

Ahyeon.

She's standing there, her eyes dark, her expression twisted with rage. She's walking toward us, her pace slow but determined, as though she knows we're out of time.

"No..." I whisper under my breath, but the words don't help. "No, no, no..."

"We have to go now," Chiquita breathes, her voice pained but urgent. "We can't—she's not stopping."

I look over my shoulder. The ship is still there, but it's too far. Ahyeon's henchmen are closing in. And we're caught in the middle.

I glance down at Chiquita's bloody arm and then back at Ahyeon, her eyes burning with malicious intent.

"We don't have a choice," I say. And before I can second-guess myself, I pull Chiquita up, half-carrying her toward the ship, toward safety, toward home.

Chiquita's POV

The world is spinning. It's like I'm floating, but I'm not really sure if I'm still conscious or if this is some sort of dream. The pain in my shoulder is unbearable, but I can't focus on it. All I can think about is the way Asa's hand feels holding mine, pulling me toward the ship.

"We're almost there," she says, but I can barely hear her over the roar of the engine. Her voice sounds far away, but I know she's still here. I know she's still fighting for us.

I want to tell her to stop, to rest. But there's no time. Not now.

I blink a few times, trying to clear my blurry vision. The world is hazy around me, the lights of the city blurring into streaks of color. I feel the weight of my body dragging me down, and it's hard to keep going.

But I won't stop.

I can't stop.

Asa keeps pushing me forward, her movements quick but careful, making sure I don't fall behind.

"We're almost there, Chiquita. Don't give up."

I want to say something back. I want to tell her that I'm fine, that I'm not giving up, but my words are stuck in my throat.

I can't think straight anymore. My body's on fire, my arm throbbing with every step, but we're so close.

Then, I hear a voice. A voice I recognize.

"Stop right there, you two."

It's Ahyeon.

I turn my head slightly, my vision blurry, and I see her standing in the middle of the path, her eyes gleaming with triumph. Her henchmen are behind her, blocking the way to the ship.

"No..." I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper. "No..."

I can feel Asa's grip tighten around me, and for a moment, we just stand there, frozen, facing Ahyeon and her army.

And then, out of nowhere, Rora's voice cuts through the tension.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Ahyeon."

Rora steps forward, her stance firm, her eyes narrowing at Ahyeon. Ruka's right behind her, and I can see that she's ready to fight too.

"Rora..." I whisper, the fog in my mind starting to lift slightly.

"We've got you covered," Rora says, her voice full of confidence. "You two go. I'll handle this."

Chiquita and I both look at her, both realizing the weight of the situation. Rora's right. We can't fight this battle. Not now. We have to go.

I glance at Chiquita, who nods slowly, her expression fierce.

"Go," she says, a faint smile breaking through her pain. "We're almost there, right?"

"Right," I answer, my voice stronger now.

And with that, we break into a sprint once more, leaving Rora and the others to hold off Ahyeon and her henchmen. Every step is agony, but I know it's worth it.

The ship is in sight.

Asa's POV

I push through the pain in my legs, my body screaming for rest, for relief—but we're so close. Every step is like the last, but this time, I'm determined to make it.

I pull Chiquita closer, trying not to look back. I don't want to see what's happening behind us. I can't afford to.

And then we reach the ship.

I slam my hand against the door, and with a hiss, it opens. The interior is lit with soft blue lights, and I hear the familiar hum of the engines as they roar to life.

We're here.

We've made it.

But Ahyeon's still out there.

I glance at Chiquita one last time, her face pale but determined. We've made it. And that's all that matters now.

"Let's go home," I say, my voice steady.

And with that, the doors close behind us.