Snow fell heavily outside. The clock showed midnight, and Jeon.J sat silently, his thoughts clouded, while Jea organized the travel papers at the table.
"If we don't reach before the concert, Kim Joon will get really worried," Jeon.J said in a low, tense voice.
Jea nodded quickly. "Yes, Jeon.J. Everything is done. The seat is confirmed."
"Good," Jeon.J replied. "Before we leave, tell the animal tracker to keep searching. If there's any update, he should inform us immediately."
Jea hesitated, lowering his eyes. "Please don't stress too much about Bamson. He will be found. But if you let this disturb you mentally… how will you focus on your work?"
Jeon.J forced a faint, sad smile. "You know, Jea… we've carried our share of pain before too. We worked with empty hearts, hidden tears, and countless sleepless nights. We turned wounds into strength and pushed through storms no one ever saw. That's how we've come this far." He leaned back, his voice quiet but firm. "So don't worry—I'll manage this too."
A silence hung in the air. Then Jeon.J asked, "Now, tell me the flight timing."
Jea checked his phone. "Because of the heavy snowfall, flights are being delayed. Tomorrow looks a little clear, but after that, almost a week of snow is expected...
Jeon.J, though half-asleep, suddenly cut him off. "Jea, just tell me the timing, not the whole weather report."
Embarrassed, Jea lowered his voice. "Sorry, Jeon.J."
"No, buddy, don't apologize," Jeon.J said softly. "Just tell me straight."
"The flight is at 4 a.m."
Jeon.J's head snapped up in shock. "What? That's barely four hours from now. Why are you telling me this so late?"
"If we miss this one," Jea admitted, "I can't confirm when the next flight will be available."
Jeon.J stood decisively. "Then we're leaving right now. There's no point staying here anymore. Bamson will be found."
"Why don't you share about Bamson on social media?" Jea suggested, thinking aloud. "Within an hour, the whole city will be searching for him."
Jeon.J froze, then shook his head firmly. "No, Jea. Only a few people know I'm in Busan right now. If I make an official announcement, the news will spread like wildfire. The media will twist it, reporters will track every step, and strangers will flood the area pretending to 'help.' It won't be about Bamson anymore—it'll be about me. That chaos will only make it harder to find him quietly."
Jea checked his watch anxiously. "We should leave now. The snow will slow us down on the way to the airport."
Jeon.J stretched, trying to shake off his drowsiness, while Jea headed for the door. Suddenly, Jeon.J called after him. "Jea…"
Jea turned. Jeon.J was sitting on the floor, absentmindedly drawing lines with his toe, eyes downcast. A heavy silence lingered before he spoke again.
"Will you do something for me? It's personal. No one should know—just between you and me."
Jea studied him, surprised. After years of working together, this was the first time he had seen Jeon.J was so uncertain. "Tell me."
"The flight we took to Busan," Jeon.J said hesitantly. "Can you discreetly check who was sitting in the seat right in front of me? You understand what I mean…"
Jea exhaled slowly and nodded. "I can. But it'll take some time. Since we're heading back now, it may only be possible once we return. I'll have to do it quietly. If I approach staff directly, they'll recognize me as your PA. At the airport, news spreads fast. One careless move, and the media will know everything within minutes."
The snow outside grew heavier as the two exchanged a look of unspoken trust.
That night, Jeon.J stood at the door of his parents' house, suitcase in hand. The living room was dimly lit, the storm outside echoing the heaviness in his chest. Jea waited silently beside him.
"Jea," Jeon.J said quietly but firmly, "this must stay between us."
"Yes," Jea nodded, serious.
Taking a deep breath, Jeon.J walked toward his parents' room. He knocked softly and stepped inside. His parents looked up, their eyes filled with concern. Bowing slightly, he spoke.
"Appa, please stay in touch with the animal tracker. I'll recheck everything once I return. Right now… I have to go."
His father's voice was heavy, almost apologetic. "Jeon.J… are you upset with us? We couldn't protect Bamson…"
Immediately, Jeon.J shook his head and stepped closer. His tone was gentle but pained. "No, Appa. Don't think like that. This isn't your fault. It just… happened. Bamson will be fine. He'll come back. But tonight, I finally understand Teahun's pain, when he was separated from Hari."
His voice broke slightly. "I remember every little thing about Bamson… the first time he came to me, so small. People may see him as just a dog—but no one knows… he was my son. We raise a child with love, care, and patience. I raised Bamson the same way. And I believe—my heart tells me—he'll come back to me."
Silence filled the room. His parents' eyes softened with tears. Forcing a small smile, Jeon.J bowed his head. "Appa, Amma… we'll go now."
Outside, the snow was falling harder. The family walked together to the gate. The car headlights cut through the storm. Sangho was already at the wheel, the engine running. Gunwoo, the guard, sat in the front passenger seat. Jeon.J and Jea slid into the back seat. The door shut with a dull thud, sealing the moment, and the car pulled out slowly into the snowy night.
The next morning, I woke up a little late. Picking up my phone, I saw that it was still time for Fajr prayer. As soon as my feet touched the floor, I noticed Bamson lying peacefully on the mattress, fast asleep, with a blanket carefully placed over him. That must have been Hana or Ruhi's doing.
"These crazy girls," I thought with a faint smile. "Now even Bamson gets a blanket. Wah, what a scene. Mattress, blanket, and my biscuits, too."
I was about to head toward the washroom when my eyes went back to Bamson. Quietly, I moved closer and sat a little distance away, careful not to wake him. Watching his innocent face, my heart ached.
"Bamson," I whispered. "The one you've been crying for these past few days… I've been crying for him too, but for a much longer time. Now our pain has become one, our sadness is shared."
A tear slipped from my eye, falling onto the floor and catching the dim light of the room before fading. I glanced toward Hana and Ruhi—thankfully, they were still asleep. Gently, I got up and went into the washroom to perform wudu.
When I came out, I picked up the prayer mat and stepped into the corridor. I offered my prayer, and after finishing, I raised my hands for dua. My heart felt empty. There was so much I could ask for, yet the one dua I always made after every prayer didn't carry the same feeling today. Still, I prayed for everyone else, said Ameen, and returned to my room.
Since there was still some time left, I opened my favorite Surah—Surah Ar-Rahman—on the Qur'an app. There is no doubt the entire Qur'an is guidance for us, but my heart is especially attached to this Surah. In a low voice, I began to recite, reading each ayah with its translation and tafseer.
Surah Ar-Rahman – First Five Ayahs
الرَّحْمَـٰنُAr-RahmanTranslation: The Most Merciful.Tafseer: This begins with one of Allah's most beautiful names, showing His boundless mercy that covers every creation—believers and non-believers alike.
عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ'Allamal Qur'anTranslation: He taught the Qur'an.Tafseer: Out of His mercy, Allah did not leave mankind in ignorance. He taught the Qur'an, the ultimate guidance and cure for hearts.
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَKhalaqal InsanTranslation: He created man.Tafseer: Allah reminds us that He is our Creator. From nothing, He shaped us with wisdom, giving us both body and soul.
عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ'Allamahu Al-BayanTranslation: He taught him eloquence (speech and expression).Tafseer: The ability to speak, express feelings, and communicate ideas is a unique gift to mankind from Allah.
الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍAsh-Shamsu wal Qamaru bihusbaanTranslation: The sun and the moon move by precise calculation.Tafseer: The universe is in perfect balance—nothing is random. The order of the sun and moon shows Allah's power and precision in creation.
After reciting and reflecting on these verses, tears welled up in my eyes again. I whispered, "Ya Allah, I love You deeply… I love Your name Ar-Rahman more than I can explain."
I closed the app, placed the phone aside, and leaned back on my bed. Slowly, my eyes grew heavy, and I drifted into a short sleep.
I woke up when Hana shook me. "Zoya, get up! We'll be late for the mess. Today is busy—I need to submit my assignment."
Still half-asleep, I sat up. Ruhi was already climbing down from her bed."I don't have an assignment," I said, "but I do have typing work from our seniors. They gave it to us instead of ragging, remember? I need to return it today. Honestly, after yesterday, I don't even know how I'll manage. Maybe I'll ask for one more day."
"Then tell Minji," Hana teased. "She'll straighten them out for you."
I gave her a look. "No, I'll manage on my own. They gave work to Minji and Sofia, too. Let's see what happens."
I quickly changed into a simple dress, frock, joggers, a long coat, and warm trousers underneath. It didn't feel awkward since the frock covered half my legs. Hana wore pants, a shirt, and a warm coat. Ruhi dressed the same.
Just then, Sofia and Minji came in. Minji went straight to Bamson."How's Bamson? Did he sleep well? You checked him, right? He didn't feel cold?" She bombarded me with questions as she sat beside him, stroking his fur.
I narrowed my eyes at her, amused. Hana was about to answer, but held back when she saw me speak."No, Minji," I replied. "We were asleep. And yes, Bamson also slept fine. After all, he had a mattress and a blanket. And don't worry, we didn't check him every second—but now that you're here, go on, check your 'nephew' yourself while we head to the mess."
Minji bent down, stroking Bamson's fur, and suddenly blurted out, "Stop calling him my nephew. I want to be his amma!"
For a moment, I froze, my lips parted in disbelief. Inside, my heart was burning, but on the outside, I kept my face straight. Quietly, under my breath, I muttered, "Ya Allah, give me patience."
I couldn't even react properly—no one knew what storm was going on inside me, and I didn't want to show it either. Just as I was about to reply, Ruhi jumped in.
"Okay, leave it. One of us has to stay with Bamson while the others go to the mess. But whoever stays will need food too… and Bamson also needs to eat. The problem is, mess food isn't allowed to be taken outside, and right now we don't have time to go out of the hostel and buy something for him. So…" She lowered her voice dramatically, "…someone will have to steal it."
My eyes widened. "Steal? Are you out of your mind?"
Minji shrugged casually. "So what? What's wrong with stealing food?"
I shot back, "Meaning, for your so-called nephew, now we'll become thieves too?"
"Stop, Zoya! He's not our nephew," everyone shouted together.
I nearly jumped from shock. Ya Allah, they'll strangle me someday if I say one more word wrong."Okay, okay!" I raised both hands. "Your idol's son is fine. Happy now?"
They all narrowed their eyes at me like detectives catching a liar.
"Fine!" I sighed dramatically. "I'll stay in the room. You all go to the mess, steal food, and do whatever you want. Just bring me some breakfast, too."
"Whatever we bring will be stolen food," Minji snapped, glaring.
"That's fine," I shrugged. "As long as you do the stealing, I'll do the eating. I don't care how you bring it."
Sofia burst out laughing, clapping her hands.
The girls started heading toward the door when I suddenly stopped them."Wait—first tell this nephew of yours… I mean, idol's son… to behave properly until you come back."
I looked at Bamson, still sleeping innocently. "He's smarter than all of you anyway."
Hana shook her head and walked out. My jaw almost dropped."Now he's smart too? If he was really that smart, why did he lose his way home? Wah! We're about to steal food for this 'genius,' and he's the one who created all this mess in the first place."
I muttered to myself, throwing my hands in the air.
To be continued....
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