Tomorrow, they would move into the share house.
The belongings of four of them had already been moved.
Only Zoya's things remained.
Tomorrow, once they officially shifted, they would return for the rest of her luggage—and, of course, Bamson.
There were still a few formalities to complete before leaving the hostel, so Minji had suggested that they go to the hostel head office one by one and finish everything.
Sophia stayed with Minji.
Hana and Ruhi had agreed as well. They already had the money needed for the monthly rent, so their decision hadn't caused any difficulty.
But Zoya...
Zoya was still sitting exactly where she had been.
Silent.
After Ruhi, Hana, Minji, and Sophia had gone through their formalities, it was finally Zoya's turn.
Yet she didn't move.
Minji noticed.
"Zoya, it's your turn now."
She paused.
"Actually, you're the last one left. You need to go and complete the hostel-leaving formalities."
Zoya didn't even raise her head.
She was sitting at her study table.
Bamson wasn't lying beside her today either.
He stood a little distance away, watching her quietly.
Usually, Zoya would have noticed.
Usually, she would have smiled at him or said something.
Today...
Nothing.
She wasn't frightened.
She wasn't irritated.
She wasn't angry.
She was simply...
quiet.
"Zoya?"
Minji called her again.
No response.
"Zo..."
This time, Sophia called softly.
But before she could say anything else, Zoya finally spoke.
"You all go."
Her voice was low.
"I'll stay here. I'm fine."
She paused.
"Please don't force me."
The four girls exchanged glances.
"No," Minji said immediately. "We can't just leave you here."
She stepped closer.
"We're friends. We decided we'd move together. That was the plan."
Her voice softened.
"Don't start again from where you stopped, Zoya."
"We're friends."
Zoya's eyes remained lowered.
"Yes..."
She gave a faint, almost tired smile.
"But we're not such best friends that we can't leave one another."
The words were quiet.
Yet they hurt more than an angry reply would have.
"Please."
She finally looked at them.
"I'm requesting you."
"Don't force me."
"I'm fine here."
No one knew what kind of war was taking place inside her.
No one knew how she had reached this point.
How much she had already been broken.
How many people she had once called her own...
and how easily they had turned away from her.
There was still a huge debt hanging over her.
And Zoya had never broken a promise.
Not once.
That was something she had learned from her father.
She never spoke about herself.
Never explained what was hurting her.
Never allowed people to see how frightened she really was.
But sometimes...
that fear escaped despite her.
It appeared in the silence between her words.
In the way she woke at the slightest sound.
In the way she struggled to trust unfamiliar faces.
Because deep inside, Zoya knew one thing.
Only Allah could hear the things she could never say aloud.
Only Allah knew what frightened her.
And only Allah could either remove that fear...
or give her the strength to survive it.
"You..."
Minji started, but Ruhi stopped her with a single look.
Don't.
Not now.
Minji fell silent.
For a few moments, the room remained completely still.
None of them knew it yet...
but the atmosphere inside that dorm was about to change.
Their lives were about to move in directions none of them had imagined.
Especially Zoya's.
Because the very fear she had been desperately trying to escape...
was already moving toward her.
Closer.
And closer.
__________________________________
After arriving in Busan, Jeon J had finally decided to speak publicly about Bamson's disappearance.
Until now, he had remained silent.
He had been on tour.
He didn't want his personal problems to affect his fans or the concerts he had promised them.
But he couldn't remain silent anymore.
So he went live.
And for the first time, he openly asked the world for help.
If anyone had seen Bamson...
If anyone knew anything about him...
They were asked to contact the number provided.
He requested everyone to inform him.
Please.
Just let him know that Bamson was safe.
Within minutes, the entire internet seemed to be talking about one thing.
Bamson was missing.
___________________________
Back at the National University hostel, four girls stood outside the dorm room, still trying to convince Zoya to come with them.
An hour had passed.
And Zoya still hadn't changed her mind.
One by one, the girls had eventually stopped arguing.
They were tired.
They were worried.
And yes...
they were hurt.
But they couldn't force her anymore.
"Zoya, come with us," Hana said gently.
"Today we're together, but later we won't be."
She looked toward the others.
"Once we're living separately, we can't just come outside whenever we want."
"So let's go together now."
"Bamson is resting. We can go out, get whatever we need, and come back."
During their discussion, Bamson had quietly returned to his mattress.
He was lying there again.
Zoya glanced toward him.
"You all go."
Her answer remained the same.
"I'm here with Bamson."
"You all go."
Silence.
None of them understood what had happened to her.
Why was she refusing everything?
Why did she suddenly want to remain alone?
Or...
had she always been like this?
They hadn't known her for long.
Maybe there were things about Zoya they had never even begun to understand.
Finally, one by one, they left.
But none of them felt good about it.
_____________________________
Whenever they went outside, one of them usually stayed behind with Bamson.
They had been extremely careful about keeping him hidden.
If all of them needed to leave, they locked the room.
After the first day, they hadn't stolen food from the mess again.
Most of the time, Minji and Sophia had spent their own money on Bamson.
They were determined to prove that they were truly Jeon J's best fans.
Hana and Ruhi had tried to contribute too, but Minji and Sophia had stopped them because they knew about their financial struggles.
And Zoya...
Zoya still hadn't recovered from the guilt of sacrificing her snacks and biscuits for Bamson on the very first day.
Even now, some part of her was quietly wondering...
What will I have to sacrifice next?
Once the room was empty, Zoya locked the door.
She turned around.
Bamson was still lying on his mattress.
She slowly walked toward him.
Then she sat down beside him.
For a while, she said nothing.
She simply looked at him.
Then, in a voice that barely sounded like her own, she whispered,
"Bamson..."
"Do you know what it feels like..."
"To be away from the people you love?"
Her lips trembled.
"I know it too well."
She lowered her eyes.
"So many children leave their homes and travel to other countries for their studies."
"They survive."
"They adjust."
"They make friends."
"They eventually go back home."
A broken smile appeared on her face.
"But..."
"I don't think everyone breaks the way I did."
Bamson remained still.
Zoya swallowed hard.
"You know, Bamson..."
"Living for the people you love isn't difficult."
"The real pain begins when..."
Her voice cracked.
"...when you're no longer a part of their lives."
She stared at the floor.
"When even their prayers have no place left for you."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"My heart hurts, Bamson."
She tried to laugh it away.
But the sound broke before it could become a laugh.
"My heart..."
She pressed a hand against her chest.
"It feels so full of pain."
She looked at him.
"Bamson, look at me."
Her tears finally began falling freely.
"I feel like I'm breaking apart."
"Like..."
She struggled to breathe.
"...like there's no one left for me here."
Her mind returned to the same question again and again.
How can someone remove you from their heart so easily?
How?
How could a person who once loved you...
simply decide that you no longer belonged there?
Zoya moved slightly closer.
She looked directly into Bamson's eyes.
Then whispered the question that hurt her the most.
"How can a mother..."
Her voice almost disappeared.
"...remove her child from her heart?"
For a moment...
Zoya thought she saw something change in Bamson's eyes.
As though they had filled with tears.
She blinked.
No.
Maybe she was imagining it.
But then another thought came quietly into her heart.
No, Zoya.
You're not completely alone.
You still have him.
This little soul...
who understood pain even if he couldn't understand her words.
"Whether you understand what I'm saying or not..."
She wiped her tears.
"...you understand my tears."
And that was enough.
Zoya slowly lowered herself to the floor.
She rested her head beside him.
And finally...
she stopped trying to hold herself together.
Her sobs filled the quiet room.
She cried as though every emotion she had buried for years had finally found a way out.
She didn't know what would happen next.
She only knew one thing.
Trusting people in a foreign country was difficult.
And somehow, Allah had blessed her with such good friends so quickly...
Only for them to leave too.
But what Zoya didn't know...
was that the girls outside were not simply discussing a move.
They were discussing her.
And they had begun to realize that there was far more to Zoya's silence than they had ever imagined.
_______________________________
Meanwhile...
The four girls had barely walked a short distance away from the hostel when Sofia finally broke the silence.
"Zoya has decided not to come with us."
Her voice carried worry.
"We'll have to shift without her."
Hana remained quiet for a moment before speaking.
"As far as I've observed..."
"She's scared."
The others turned toward her.
"She doesn't trust people easily."
"And I think she's afraid of being alone here."
Minji's expression changed immediately.
"How can you say that?"
Her tone was irritated.
"She's a modern-day girl. She came all the way here alone."
"If she was really that scared, how did she even come to Korea?"
Hana looked at Minji.
There was no anger in her eyes.
Only sadness.
Because Minji's words sounded harsher than she intended.
"I've seen her."
She spoke quietly.
"I've seen her scared."
"I've seen her crying at night."
The others fell silent.
"Yes, we haven't known her for very long."
"But I've been watching her."
"And these past few days have shown me enough to know that something is wrong."
Hana took a breath.
"She's dealing with something different from what we're dealing with."
"And she isn't telling us..."
"Because she doesn't trust anyone yet."
She looked at each of them.
"But that doesn't mean we should leave her alone."
Minji frowned.
"But if she doesn't trust us..."
"How can we take her with us?"
Hana immediately cut her off.
"She doesn't trust us."
"But now we know her."
Her voice became firmer.
"After knowing all this, won't we feel guilty if we leave her behind?"
Minji had no immediate answer.
Hana continued.
"She won't technically be alone. New roommates will come."
"But that's exactly the problem."
"She doesn't know them."
"She wakes up at the slightest sound at night."
Minji's expression slowly changed.
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Hana's voice softened.
"Even the smallest noise wakes her."
"Sometimes we think she's asleep..."
"But she isn't."
"She's lying awake beneath that blanket."
"Watching."
"Listening."
"Because she doesn't trust the people around her enough to completely let her guard down."
The girls exchanged uneasy glances.
"And now..."
"Since yesterday, she's been crying constantly."
"Didn't you notice?"
Hana's eyes became moist.
"She wants to stay with us."
"But she can't afford the share house."
"And if we keep helping her financially..."
She paused.
"...we'll hurt her self-respect."
No one answered.
The words settled heavily between them.
Then suddenly—
"Oh no!"
Ruhi's voice broke through the silence.
Everyone turned toward her.
She was staring at her phone.
"Look at this!"
They immediately moved closer.
Ruhi turned the screen toward them.
And the moment they saw it...
Their expressions changed.
A video was playing.
Jeon J had publicly announced that Bamson was missing.
The screen showed him in a simple hoodie and cap.
There was nothing dramatic about his appearance.
But his eyes...
His tired, sleepless eyes...
said enough.
"Hi, everyone..."
He paused.
For a moment, it seemed as though he was struggling to find the right words.
"I wanted to talk to you all today because..."
He lowered his gaze.
"...I can't stay silent anymore."
A beat of silence.
"Bamson is missing."
The comment section exploded.
Thousands of messages appeared almost instantly.
Fans were asking what had happened.
Where was Bamson?
When had he disappeared?
Was he safe?
Jeon J slowly exhaled.
His shoulders looked heavy.
"I was on tour."
"I was working."
"But inside..."
His voice faltered.
"...I was dying every second knowing he wasn't home."
The girls remained completely still.
"I know you support me."
"But today..."
He looked directly into the camera.
"I need your help as just..."
He paused.
"...a person."
"A son."
"A friend."
"Please."
His voice shook.
"If anyone..."
"Anyone at all..."
"...has seen him, please contact this number."
"Just let me know he's okay."
"I promise..."
He swallowed.
"I'll handle the rest."
His eyes had become glassy.
"Bamson isn't just a pet."
"He is my family."
"Please help me bring him home."
The video ended after his final words came out almost like a prayer.
"Come back soon, Bamson."
"Please."
The screen went dark.
For several seconds...
Nobody moved.
Then Sophia whispered,
"This is everywhere."
Ruhi looked down at her phone again.
"People are already sharing it."
Hana's face had gone pale.
"This news..."
She swallowed.
"...is three hours old."
Everyone looked at her.
"Three hours?"
"Yes."
She slowly raised her eyes.
"From the time we were in the dorm with Zoya."
Her voice became uneasy.
"And Zoya is still in that dorm."
A silence.
"The university is closed because of the snowfall."
"Most students didn't go home because they still have work and assignments."
Ruhi frowned.
"What are you saying?"
Hana didn't answer immediately.
"Speak louder."
Hana looked at Ruhi.
Then at Minji.
And the moment her eyes met Minji's...
She froze.
Because just behind Minji...
A small camera was watching them.
A single red light blinked.
Hana's heart dropped.
She stood up so quickly that her chair scraped against the ground.
Minji turned around.
"What?"
Hana didn't answer.
She was staring at the camera.
"What happened?" Minji asked again.
Hana's breathing became faster.
"If..."
She swallowed.
"If what I'm thinking is true..."
She looked toward the hostel.
"...Zoya may never be able to stand confidently again."
"What are you talking about?"
"Hurry!"
Hana suddenly ran.
Sophia, Minji, and Ruhi stared at her for a second before rushing after her.
Minji caught up and grabbed her arm.
"Hana!"
"What happened?"
Hana stopped.
She bent forward, hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.
Tears had gathered in her eyes.
"She was right."
Minji frowned.
"Who?"
"Zoya."
Hana looked up.
"We should have handed Bamson over to the police."
"They would've handled everything properly."
"But we..."
Her voice cracked.
"We cared more."
Minji's irritation returned.
"Hana, please."
"Not this again."
But Hana grabbed both of Minji's arms.
"No."
"Listen to me."
Her voice trembled.
"That day..."
"The day we brought Bamson inside through the window..."
"Did we ever check whether there were CCTV cameras around that street?"
Minji's expression changed.
Hana continued quickly.
"The street was completely open."
"There were houses on both sides."
"What if..."
She pointed back toward the hostel.
"What if the CCTV from the last house covered the window?"
Minji stared at her.
For a second, she couldn't answer.
Then—
"Okay."
"We didn't check."
"But..."
She frowned.
"What exactly are you worried about?"
Ruhi suddenly called out.
"Minji!"
They all turned.
Ruhi was staring at her phone again.
"Look."
Minji stepped toward her.
Ruhi showed them the post.
Jeon J hadn't only announced that Bamson was missing.
He had also mentioned the date.
The exact date.
Sophia's eyes widened.
"Oh God..."
She finally understood.
"Jeon J's fans..."
Her voice became quieter.
"They're going to search everywhere."
Hana nodded.
"Not just the places around the hotel."
"Everywhere."
"The older fans will start checking everything."
"CCTV footage."
"Photos."
"Videos."
"Anything that could tell them where Bamson disappeared."
Sophia's breathing quickened.
"And if someone finds CCTV footage from that street..."
"They'll know."
Ruhi looked at her.
"Know what?"
"The window."
Sophia's eyes filled with fear.
"They'll trace the window."
"Even if our faces aren't clear..."
"They'll know someone brought a dog into that room."
"And once they find the room..."
She stopped.
Nobody needed her to finish.
Because they all knew.
There was only one person's luggage left inside.
Only one person was still in that room.
And Bamson was there too.
Their voices came together in horror.
"Zoya!"
The realization hit all four of them at once.
They ran.
They were at a mall near the hostel, and at first they didn't even think about taking a taxi.
They simply ran.
But the distance was too much.
They stopped, flagged down a taxi, and climbed inside.
The entire ride...
No one spoke.
Not one word.
They simply sat there.
Praying.
Please.
Let everything be fine.
Please let them be wrong.
Please let Zoya be safe.
The taxi finally stopped outside the hostel.
All four girls got out.
Their hearts were pounding.
They hurried inside.
The corridors felt strangely quiet.
Every step toward the dorm made their fear worse.
Then they reached the room.
The door was open.
They stepped inside.
And stopped.
Completely.
Their blood ran cold.
Bamson was standing there.
Beside Jea—Jeon J's PA.
But...
Zoya...
was nowhere to be seen.
To be continued...
Regards,
ZK💌