Just as Ria opened her mouth to question Taehyung, the door swung open with a sudden creak.
The sound was sharp, breaking the quiet tension in the room. Mr. Choi, Jimin, and Mr. Park entered, their faces a blend of relief and anticipation.
Mr. Choi wasted no time. He leaned slightly forward, his voice gentle but probing. "Ria, tell me... who am I?"
Ria blinked, her gaze steadying on him. "Uncle Choi," she said, her voice soft yet confident.Mr. Choi straightened, momentarily taken aback.
"What?" he muttered under his breath, uncertainty lacing his tone.
Before he could ask further, Mr. Park stepped closer, his expression intense but laced with a hopeful spark.
"Sparkles," he said, his voice a little shaky, "tell me... what's my nickname?"
A faint chuckle escaped Ria's lips, breaking the heaviness in the room for a moment. "Captain Dadcle," [(Uncle + Dad)] she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Mr. Park froze, his jaw dropping in exaggerated shock. "She remembers!" he declared, his voice a mix of triumph and disbelief.
The room seemed to collectively exhale for a second before Mr. Choi's voice cut through again, this time more serious. "Ria, what's the last thing you remember?"
Ria's face shifted, her smile fading as her eyes grew distant, as if pulling memories from deep within. "I..." she started, her tone trembling. Her gaze flicked back to Mr. Choi, panic flickering in her expression.
"Uncle Choi... where was he? Is he okay? He had wounds all over his body!"
The room stilled. Mr. Choi exchanged a quiet, meaningful look with Mr. Park and Jungkook. The air grew heavier, the unspoken tension swirling like a stormcloud.
Mr. Choi stepped closer, lowering himself to her level. His tone was measured, as though each word weighed a ton. "Who, Ria?" he asked, his voice soft but deliberate. "Who are you talking about?"
Her lips trembled, her breath quickening as her eyes darted around the room. Her hands clutched the blanket as if anchoring herself to the present. "He... he was hurt," she stammered. "I couldn't stop him... I couldn't-"
Before she could finish, the door opened again, and the rest of the group-Namjoon, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, and Mrs. Choi-filed in.
Their faces carried the same mix of unease and longing, their presence adding weight to the already suffocating room.
Mr. Choi leaned closer, his voice steady but probing, like he was navigating a delicate web. "Who is it, Ria?" he asked again, carefully watching her every expression.
Ria's lips quivered, her eyes darting between the faces in the room. Her voice, soft and trembling, broke the silence. "It's... Dad," she whispered.
The weight of her words sank into the room, pulling everyone into a hushed stillness. Mr. Choi's brow furrowed, his tone more deliberate now. "I need a name, Ria, tell me his name."
YOU ARE READING
Darkness Between Us
Fanfiction"I thought I was content-proud of my achievements. But deep down, there was a void. An emptiness that no amount of success could fill. The loneliness was my only constant companion. My conversations were superficial, my connections fleeting. I was s...
