_______________________
"Where is he?"
Naresh asked without looking up, his voice cold and deliberate as he drew slowly from the cigar between his fingers.
Kelvin, his right-hand man, stood stiffly at his side. "Algarah," he replied, head bowed. Carefully, he placed a tablet on the table and slid it forward.
The screen lit up.
Noah. With a girl. Hand in hand. Laughing. Walking the streets like nothing in the world could touch them. Another image followed—sharing food, standing too close, too intimate. Not a distraction. Not a fling.
A choice.
Naresh's jaw tightened.The tablet flew from the table, shattering against the floor. "That ungrateful brat," Naresh growled, rising to his feet. The room seemed to shrink under the weight of his fury. "He's forgotten what happens when someone disobeys me."
The men around him stiffened, not daring to breathe."I thought he was just playing around," Naresh continued, his voice low—dangerously calm now. "But he's exactly like his father." A bitter smile curled his lips. "Weak when it matters. Ruled by emotion."
He took one last drag from the cigar, then crushed it beneath his shoe."I've been too lenient," he said coldly. "It's time I remind him who he belongs to." His gaze hardened, sharp as a blade."Make him remember fear."
****************
On the way to Algarah, Serena's scooty jerked once—then died in the middle of the road. She cursed under her breath, yanking off her helmet as she climbed down.
"Damn this cheap scooty…"
She kicked the side of it in frustration, the metal rattling uselessly. One glance at the time made her swear again. She had to reach the playground—Yunah would already be there, and the reunion party was right after. With clenched fingers, she dialed the mechanic.
Nearly twenty minutes later, a pickup truck pulled over. The mechanic hopped out, wiped his hands on a rag, and crouched beside the scooty, inspecting it in silence.
"Well?" Serena snapped, arms crossed. "What happened? And how long will this take?"
He straightened up. "Fuel system blockage," he said calmly. "It'll take about an hour. We'll need to take it to the garage."
"One hour?" Serena's voice shot up. "I don't have an hour."
She paced a few steps, running a hand through her hair, frustration sharp in her eyes. Then she stopped abruptly, decision made.
"Fine. I'll pay extra," she said firmly. "Take the scooty to your garage yourself. I'll come pick it up tomorrow—or the day after. Is that clear?"
The mechanic hesitated for half a second, then nodded. "Alright, ma'am." He loaded the scooty onto the pickup, handed her his contact details, and drove off—leaving Serena standing alone on the roadside, helmet dangling from her fingers, eyes fixed in the direction of Algarah.
She exhaled sharply.
She was already late.
She stood stranded on the roadside, the sun blazing mercilessly above her. Sweat clung to her skin, her patience thinning by the second.
A car passed.
Didn't stop.
Another followed—ignored her frantic wave.
Then another.
Her jaw clenched. "Unbelievable."
Finally, at the edge of her patience, she stepped straight into the middle of the road.
A black Mercedes screeched to a halt inches from her. She didn't flinch.
The driver's door flew open.
"Hey! Are you insane?" Eren shouted, stepping out, fury flashing across his face. "Do you have a death wish?"
"Maybe," Serena shot back, fanning herself with her hand. "Because this sun and the idiots who won't stop for me are driving me crazy."
Eren stared at her, stunned. "Move. Now."
"No." She planted her feet. "Either you give me a lift, or you can run me over and go. Your choice."
Inside the car, Nerav let out a quiet laugh, amused despite himself."Crazy…" he murmured.
"You—" Eren began, but a calm voice cut through him.
"Let her in."
Eren froze. "Sir—"
"That wasn't a suggestion," Nerav said coolly.
Serena didn't wait for a second invitation. She darted to the front passenger door, flung it open, and climbed in with a victorious huff. Eren exhaled sharply and returned to the driver's seat, clearly regretting his life choices.
"Thank you very much, mister," Serena said, turning around to face the man in the back seat.
And froze.
He was… unreal. Sharp features. Perfect posture. Calm, controlled—every detail screaming power, wealth, and authority. He didn't try to dominate the space. He simply owned it. And oddly enough… he felt familiar.
Behind his composed expression, Nerav had already recognized her. It's her, he thought—the girl he had bumped into at the hospital entrance while visiting Noah.
"No problem," he said politely, giving nothing away as he looked out the window.
Serena turned back to the front, her heart beating just a little faster than before.
The Mercedes pulled back onto the road.
Silence settled inside the car—but it wasn't empty.
It was charged.
*****************
At the playground, Yunah and Noah wandered through the crowd, sharing cotton candy as laughter and music filled the air.
Then Yunah stopped.
Her gaze drifted towards the corner—where the shooting game booth stood, rows of tin cans stacked neatly, colorful prizes hanging above. Among them, a large, fluffy Shin Chan soft toy swayed gently in the breeze.
Before she could even think twice, she grabbed Noah's arm and dragged him closer. Noah followed without protest, already knowing.
"Do you want it?" he asked, glancing down at her as she nibbled on the cotton candy.
"No," Yunah replied quickly, smiling as she shook her head. But her eyes betrayed her—fixed on the toy, sparkling with unmistakable want.
Noah scoffed softly, reaching out to tap her nose. "Liar." He handed his cotton candy to her and stepped forward, leaving Yunah blinking in confusion as he picked up the air gun from the counter.
"You don't have to do this, Noah," she said quickly. "I really don't want it."
Noah didn't answer. Instead, he calmly loaded the plastic bullets and looked at the stall owner.
"How many cans do I need to knock down to win that Shin Chan?" he asked, voice relaxed—almost bored.
The shop owner smirked. "All of them." He leaned back, eyeing Noah with amusement. "That toy's not easy, kid. Careful—you might embarrass yourself trying to impress a girl."
Noah's lips curved faintly as his words felt like insult to him.
"I was only aiming for that toy," he said, raising the gun casually. "But now…" His eyes narrowed just a little. "I want everything."
The trigger clicked.
One can fell.
Then another.
And another.
Perfect shots. No hesitation. No misses.
Yunah's mouth fell open, cotton candy forgotten in her hand as she stared at him in pure awe. A small crowd began to gather, murmurs rising with every clean hit.
The shop owner's smile vanished, replaced by visible panic as the cans collapsed one by one.
"Woah—"
"Is he a professional?"
"That's insane!"
Girls whispered, eyes glued to Noah—his calm focus, effortless precision.
"Stop! Stop!" the shop owner finally barked, waving his hands. He snatched the Shin Chan toy and shoved it towards Noah. "Take it and go. And don't come back!"
Yunah burst out laughing at the man's defeated expression.
Noah accepted the toy, turned, and handed it straight to Yunah before reclaiming his cotton candy from her hands.
"Happy now?" he asked, studying her face.
"Hmm." Yunah nodded eagerly, hugging the Shin Chan close, her smile wide and glowing. "Thank you."
She walked ahead, clutching the toy like a treasure—while several girls stared after her, envy written all over their faces. Noah watched her go, a small smile tugging at his lips.
***********
Yunah and Noah settled onto a nearby bench, the noise of the celebration humming around them. Yunah hugged the Shin Chan toy against her chest, still smiling faintly.
Unnoticed by her—but not by Noah—someone lingered at the edge of the crowd.
Watching.
Noah's eyes flicked towards the reflection in a stall mirror. Same man. Same distance. Too careful.
Noah stood abruptly."Di, wait here. I'll be right back—I need to use the washroom," he said casually.
Yunah looked up at him, still wrapped around the toy. "Okay. But don't take long."
"Hmm." Noah nodded, already turning away.
The moment he stepped into the crowd, his gaze locked onto the stalker.
The man noticed. And panicked.
Noah changed direction—straight towards him.The stalker backed away, then turned and ran.
Noah didn't hesitate.
He broke into a sprint, cutting through the crowd with sharp precision. Vendors shouted as the stalker shoved past stalls, knocking over baskets and crates in a desperate attempt to slow him down. Apples scattered. A flag stand collapsed.
Noah didn't slow.
Not once.
At same moment, black Mercedes rolled past the edge of the chaos.Eren glanced out the window. "Isn't that Noah?"
Nerav leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. Who's he chasing?"
Serena looked up, curious. "You know him?"
Before either man could answer, the stalker bolted across the road— Straight into the path of the car.
"Shit!" Eren swerved too late.The car struck the man, sending him crashing onto the asphalt. Before anyone could react, Noah was there—hauling the man up by his collar and slamming him back down.
The crowd gasped. Phones came out. Whispers spread like wildfire. Independence Day celebrations froze in place.
"What were you thinking?" Nerav snapped, throwing his door open. "Did I gave you permission to interfere, Eren?"
"I—I thought you'd wanted to help your brother," Eren stammered.
Nerav shot him a warning glare and stepped out of the car. Serena followed, unease creeping into her expression.
Noah dragged the man forward, his grip vicious, eyes burning with a rage that promised no mercy. He looked ready to finish this somewhere quiet.
"Enough."
Nerav's voice cut through the chaos—cold, commanding."Noah," he said again, stepping closer. "Let him go."
Noah turned sharply. "Stay out of my business," he snapped, fury crackling in his tone.
His gaze flicked past Nerav— And landed on Serena. For a split second, something shifted in his expression. Unease. Recognition.
Then—
"Noah!"
Yunah's voice broke through. She hurried towards them, confusion and fear written across her face as she took in the scene—Noah gripping a stranger by the collar, people staring, tension thick in the air.
Her heart sank.
"You said you were going to the washroom," she said, breathless. "What is this?"
Noah froze.
His fingers loosened around the stalker's collar as reality slammed into him. The fury drained just enough to make room for something worse.
Panic.
Nervousness.
Fear—not of the man in his grasp…
But of the girl standing in front of him.