GUNS & ROSES | ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ

xviii. ✓

𝒙𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊.

Seokmin and Seungkwan drove me back to my condominium, and as we arrived, I saw all my belongings neatly stacked in front of the door, the boxes forming a small mountain.

Inside the unit, my mom was already waiting. As our eyes met, I couldn't resist the overwhelming surge of emotions, and I ran into her open arms, surrendering to the tears that flowed freely.

Mom held me tightly, comforting me with her soothing words until exhaustion took over, and I fell into a deep slumber.

And so, two weeks passed.

During that time, I mostly secluded myself in my room, shutting out the world. Yet, even in my isolation, Jangmi's words echoed in my dreams, urging me to return, insisting that Seungcheol needed me.

A knock on my bedroom door jolted me from my thoughts. I turned my head towards the sound, finding my mom standing there. A small smile graced her lips as she entered and handed me a pamphlet.

"What's this?" I asked, flipping through the pages. It was a school pamphlet—Soyeon Academy.

"I thought you might want to resume your studies soon. We're already halfway through the semester. You need to catch up," she explained, taking a seat at the edge of my bed.

"But isn't Soyeon Academy located outside the city?" I questioned, studying her face. I had been wanting to ask her about Dad and Mrs. Lee, but fear held me back. Mom hadn't asked me anything about what happened at Sakura High either, but I had a feeling she was aware of the situation.

"Well..." She hesitated, sighing softly. "It's safer for you to be away from Seoul, sweetheart. I'm sure your father would have wanted that too."

A sense of unease crept through me.

Why was Mom suddenly bringing up Dad?

"Mom, you know something, don't you?" I pressed, narrowing my eyes at her. "You know something about that island, don't you?"

There was a momentary pause before she replied.

"It's a long story."

It felt as though a colossal rock had been dropped on me.

I knew it. I knew Mom had been keeping something from me.

Rising from her seat, Mom took hold of my hand. "But first, let's get you out of this room. You need some fresh air."

🌸

"Where are we going?" I asked as Mom drove through the city streets.

"Somewhere," she replied tersely, and I settled back into my seat, crossing my arms and gazing out the window.

It had been a while since I had seen the bustling city, considering I had been confined to an island under lockdown just two weeks ago.

The car ride was filled with silence, a familiar occurrence. Mom wasn't the type to engage in idle chatter while driving; she could easily get lost in her own thoughts if you tried to strike up a conversation.

As I busied myself with observing the sights outside, a glimpse of a familiar car caught my attention through the side rearview mirror. I turned my head for a better look, only to find a different vehicle behind us.

"What is it?" Mom asked, seemingly aware of my distraction.

"Nothing," I replied, although my mind was still occupied with thoughts of the car I had glimpsed earlier.

That car looked eerily similar to the one Seokmin and Seungkwan always drove.

A few minutes later, Mom made a sharp turn at the curb and parked in front of a white-brick wall.