_______________________
"See? I told you it would be worth the climb," Yunah said, a triumphant note in her voice. She leaned against the railing, propping her elbows on the cold metal as she sipped her tea.
The sun had fully crested the horizon now, bathing the world in a brilliant, clear light that turned the valley below into a masterpiece of greens and golds.
Noah didn't look at the valley. He stood beside her, leaning his back against the railing so he could face her, his own cup held loosely in his hand. He watched her with a soft, unguarded smile, his gaze tracing the way the morning breeze caught her hair, whipping it messily across her face.
In that moment, 'the younger brother' mask slipped. Noah's eyes darkened with a sudden, overwhelming urge to touch her. He reached out, his hand moving through the air toward a stray lock of hair near her temple—he wanted to tuck it behind her ear, to feel the warmth of her skin, to claim a piece of this moment.
His fingers were inches away when Yunah suddenly turned toward him, her cup still raised to her lips. Noah's heart hammered against his ribs. He froze mid-air, his reflexes kicking in just in time to jerk his hand back and spin around. He leaned over the railing, staring intensely at the horizon as if he had just discovered something fascinating in the trees. His pulse was racing; he had come dangerously close to breaking the boundary.
"What's wrong?" Yunah asked, her eyes narrowing. She felt a shift in the air, a sudden spike of electricity she couldn't quite name. "You're acting... strange."
"N-nothing," Noah stammered, his voice a pitch higher than usual. He took a long, hurried gulp of his tea, refusing to meet her gaze. "Just... caught a glimpse of something in the distance."
Yunah glared at the side of his face for a long beat, her intuition screaming that he was hiding something. She studied the way his jaw was set and the slight flush on his neck. But then, she let out a quiet breath and let it go. She turned back to the view, letting the peace of the morning settle over her again.
---------------
Downhill at the campsite, the morning was beginning to stir. Sharon had been the first to rise; after a quick call from his mother the night before regarding some "urgent family business," he had already packed up and disappeared, eager to avoid whatever lecture awaited him at home.
Soon after, Preeti and her husband emerged, retreated into the van, and began the domestic ritual of brewing tea for the group. One by one, the rest of the campers stumbled out of their tents, blinking away sleep and settling into folding chairs with heavy eyes.
Serena was mid-yawn, her hair a chaotic nest of morning curls, when Nerav dragged a chair over and sat beside her with effortless poise.
"I have to hand it to you," Nerav whispered, his voice low enough to stay beneath the crackle of the morning air. "I'm impressed. You actually managed to keep the entire herd from moving."
"Of course I did," Serena whispered back, not even dignifying him with a look as she tried to wake her brain up.
"How? When did you even find the time to lobby the troops?" Nerav asked, leaning in closer. He found himself amused by her "messy morning" look.
"It wasn't that hard," Serena murmured, finally turning to him. She gave him a quick, smug rundown of her handiwork. "I texted my mom and told her to call Sharon with an 'emergency.' As you saw, he bolted. Meena was even easier—I just told her the truth, that Noah and Yunah needed the time alone, and she agreed instantly. I thought Preeti and her husband would be the hurdle, but they actually admitted they were too lazy for the climb anyway." She leaned in a fraction closer, her eyes sharpening. "The path is clear. But I hope you haven't forgotten our little arrangement."
Nerav let out a quiet, confident chuckle, his pride as a businessman shining through. "I'm a man of my word, Serena. I don't forget debts. So, what is it? A car? A career? Name your price."
Serena took a cup of tea from Preeti with a polite, "Thank you," before turning back to Nerav. She blew on the steam, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I'll think about it and let you know when the time is right."
Nerav accepted his own cup from Ivan, nodding in approval. "Take your time," he replied, his tone laced with a hint of playful challenge. "I'm not going anywhere."
--------------------
At the viewpoint, the golden peace of the morning was shattered by the buzzing of a phone. Yunah looked up, bag in hand, as Noah's expression instantly flattened into something unreadable. He walked several paces away, putting distance between them. This time, Yunah didn't pry; she simply set her bag back down and began taking selfies against the backdrop of the valley, giving him his space.
Noah shot one final glance over his shoulder to ensure Yunah was out of earshot before sliding the thumb across the screen. His innocent boyishness vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, sharp-edged hollow.
"Hello," he said, his voice dropping into a low, icy register.
"Where are you?" His grandfather's voice crackled through the line—dark, dangerous, and dripping with the weight of an unspoken threat.
"You already know where I am," Noah replied, his eyes narrowing. "That dog you sent to track me? He's been reporting every move, hasn't he?"
The old man let out a dry, rasping scoff. "So you recognized him? And yet you still had the audacity to go hunting for him."
Noah's grip tightened on the phone, the plastic creaking under his strength. "Of course I did. He disturbed my peace. If I had caught him, he wouldn't be breathing right now. You were smart to take him away before my men reached him."
A chilling laugh erupted from the other end. "My goodness. You're still a monster at heart. I was worried for a moment—I thought you'd gone soft after meeting that girl. I thought you were turning into your father."
At the mention of his father, Noah's entire body began to shake with a suppressed, violent fury. He eclipsed the sun with his own shadow. "Don't you ever mention my father to me again," he warned, his voice vibrating with a lethal edge.
"Whatever. Be home tomorrow. We have business that requires your... specific touch."
"And if I refuse?" Noah challenged.
There was a calculated silence. "Then don't blame me for whatever happens to that girl of yours—"
"Don't you dare!" Noah roared, his composure finally snapping. "If you so much as scratch her, I swear to God, I'll forget that we share the same blood. Touch her, and I'll burn everything you've built to the ground."
The grandfather went silent. He had raised this monster, and he knew better than to pull its chain too hard when it was cornered. "Fine. If you want her kept safe, be here tomorrow."
"I'll be there. But stay away from her," Noah hissed, slamming the 'end call' button.
He stood there for a second, his chest heaving as he tried to pull the "Noah" mask back over the "Monster." But the silence of the viewpoint was suddenly pierced by a scream.
"AHHHHH!"
The sound shattered Noah's heart. He spun around, adrenaline surging through his veins like fire. "Yunah?" The space where she had been standing was empty. Her bags were still there, abandoned on the cold stone floor, but she was gone. The wind was the only thing that answered him.
"DI! DI!" he screamed, his voice cracking with a desperation he had never felt before. "YUNAH! YUNAH, WHERE ARE YOU?"