They walked inside with heavy steps.
But the sight waiting for them was enough to shake them completely.
Bamson was standing beside Jea—Jeon J's personal assistant.
And Zoya was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is Zoya?" Minji whispered.
The four girls immediately looked around, their eyes scanning every corner.
Nothing.
Zoya was nowhere.
Despite it being vacation season, the hostel entrance was crowded with students. The moment people had realised Bamson was there, cameras had come out. Students were taking pictures, whispering excitedly, and trying to get closer.
Then—
Hum... hum... hum...
A strange sound came from behind them.
All four girls spun around.
And there she was.
Zoya stood a few steps behind them, breathing heavily, as if she'd just run down several flights of stairs.
The girls stared at her.
Then they looked back at Bamson.
He was still standing beside Jea.
Then back at Zoya.
Nobody understood what was happening.
Before they could ask anything, Jea gently took hold of Bamson's leash and began leading him toward the hostel gate.
The crowd immediately followed.
Students raised their phones, trying to capture every possible moment.
Bamson walked calmly beside Jea.
But just before he disappeared through the gate—
He stopped.
He turned his head.
And looked back.
Straight at Zoya.
Zoya's breath caught.
Her chest tightened.
She didn't need an explanation.
She knew exactly why he had turned.
Their eyes met for one last moment.
Then Jea led him away.
And he was gone.
The crowd slowly scattered.
Leaving behind five figures—
Four self-proclaimed aunts...
and one quiet, teary-eyed mother.
Zoya quickly wiped the corner of her eye before anyone could notice.
When she turned around—
All four girls were staring at her.
Waiting.
They had questions.
A lot of them.
And this time, Zoya knew she couldn't escape.
She took a small breath.
"I know what you want to ask," she said quietly. "But it would be better if we talked in the room."
Without waiting for an answer, she turned and walked away.
The others followed.
Silently.
The moment they entered, Zoya stopped in the middle of the room.
She suddenly felt like a criminal standing before a jury.
The four girls stood opposite her.
Minji folded her arms.
"Okay. No wasting time."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Tell us exactly what happened."
Zoya swallowed.
"I was in the room with Bamson..."
She began explaining everything.
"We always lock him inside whenever we leave."
Minji immediately interrupted.
"That's when all of us leave together. But you stayed behind this time."
Her eyes sharpened.
"You didn't come with us."
A pause.
"Why?"
Zoya's shoulders dropped slightly.
"Because I wanted to stay with Bamson."
Minji's expression didn't change.
"Exactly."
Zoya sighed.
"Then I went to the hostel's small store. Bamson was sleeping, so I thought no one would come into our room. I thought I'd be back in five minutes."
"What did you go there for?"
"Tea biscuits."
Zoya lifted her hands helplessly.
"Mine were finished."
She continued.
"I hadn't even been gone long when I heard shouting outside. At first, everyone panicked because we thought there might be a fire or some emergency."
Her voice became quieter.
"I ran toward our dorm."
"And that's when you saw him?" Hana asked.
Zoya nodded.
"A man was on his knees, hugging Bamson."
Everyone went silent.
"I was shocked. Bamson was supposed to be sleeping in our room. I'd only been gone for a few minutes."
She shook her head.
"I reached the dorm. The door was open."
Minji's eyes narrowed further.
"Open?"
"Yes."
"And what was inside?"
"Everything was exactly where I'd left it."
Zoya's fingers tightened together.
"I went downstairs and looked from the hallway. Bamson looked... happy."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"And then I saw you four entering through the gate."
She looked at them.
"So I ran down."
"And then we saw you," Ruhi finished softly.
Zoya nodded.
"The rest... you already know."
Minji stared at her for several seconds.
Then asked slowly,
"You're saying you locked the door when you left?"
"Yes."
"And when you came back, it was open?"
"Yes."
Minji leaned back slightly.
"There are two possibilities."
Everyone looked at her.
"Either you didn't actually lock the door properly..."
She paused.
"...or someone already knew Bamson was here."
Zoya's heart gave a small jump.
"The first possibility is possible," she admitted.
Then she quickly added,
"Maybe I thought I locked it."
"But if someone knew Bamson was here," she continued, "why didn't they report us to the warden earlier? Pets aren't allowed here. Anyone could have told them."
Hana nodded.
"She's right. If someone knew, why would they wait this long?"
Minji shook her head.
"That's exactly what bothers me."
She began pacing.
"Suppose nobody knew."
She looked at Zoya.
"You left for five minutes."
Zoya immediately raised a hand.
"Minji dear!"
Everyone looked at her.
"I said five minutes casually. Why are you calculating it like you're investigating a murder?"
Minji didn't even smile.
"I want every minute accounted for."
Zoya's smile disappeared.
"This isn't funny."
Her tone became serious.
"I need to know whether someone already knew Bamson was here."
Zoya slowly exhaled.
Then started again.
"When I left, Bamson was sleeping."
She thought carefully.
"I stayed in the store for around five minutes. I checked the shelves, picked up the biscuits, and paid."
Minji watched her closely.
"In total..."
Zoya hesitated.
"Maybe ten or fifteen minutes passed before I heard the noise."
"Ten or fifteen?"
Minji immediately caught the difference.
Zoya closed her eyes briefly.
"Okay."
She surrendered.
"Fifteen minutes."
Minji nodded as if she'd just confirmed another piece of evidence.
"That's what I thought."
Hana looked between them.
"Minji..."
She gently touched her arm.
"What's actually bothering you?"
Minji turned toward them.
"If someone already knew Bamson was here, they could still report us."
She began counting on her fingers.
"But think about the timing."
Her voice became more serious.
"Jeon J announced Bamson was missing publicly around eleven this morning."
Everyone listened.
"We were still here when he went live. Later, around two, we watched the video at the restaurant."
She looked at Zoya.
"Then we came running here."
Her expression hardened.
"And Jea was already here."
Silence.
"Do you understand?"
Minji's voice dropped.
"Someone couldn't have discovered Bamson fifteen minutes ago, contacted Jea, and somehow brought him here that quickly."
She shook her head.
"This information had to exist before we even arrived."
Zoya's heart pounded.
Oh Allah...
She's calculating every single minute.
Please save me.
If she ever finds out that I was the one who called Jea...
She swallowed.
I'm already half dead.
Minji continued.
"Someone knew."
She looked around the room.
"Someone entered this room, found Bamson, and contacted Jea."
Zoya lowered her gaze.
Please don't look at me.
Please don't look at my phone.
Please, Allah...
Ruhi gently placed a hand on Minji's shoulder.
"Minji."
Minji turned.
"Bamson is safe now."
Ruhi smiled softly.
"That's what matters."
"We should have gotten a chance to say goodbye..."
Her voice became slightly emotional.
"...but at least he's finally home."
She looked toward the empty mattress.
"And honestly, we should be proud."
A small smile appeared.
"We protected him when he needed us."
Then she laughed softly.
"Even if Jeon.J never finds out."
Zoya's eyes flickered.
She quickly looked away.
Minji suddenly stood.
She walked toward Zoya's study table.
"Where are your things?"
Zoya's eyes widened.
Not again.
"Please..."
She muttered under her breath.
Then louder,
"I've already packed everything."
Minji turned.
"Already?"
"Yes."
Zoya nodded.
"After you all left, I thought I couldn't stay here alone."
She looked around.
"And I definitely couldn't live with new roommates."
"So I packed."
She paused.
"Then I sat with Bamson for a while."
Her expression softened.
"We talked."
Hana smiled.
"Of course you did."
Zoya ignored her.
"He eventually fell asleep. I started scrolling through my phone..."
A tiny pause.
"And then I went to get the biscuits."
She didn't mention the video.
The video that had changed everything.
The live announcement.
The one that had made her heart race.
The one that had pushed her to make that secret call.
Minji still looked suspicious.
But eventually, she let it go.
Sophia spoke gently.
"Did you complete your hostel leaving formalities?"
"Yes."
"Everything?"
"Everything."
"One minute!"
Minji suddenly turned back.
"When?"
Zoya blinked.
"When did you do that?"
Her voice sharpened.
"You never mentioned going to the hostel office."
Zoya sighed.
"Minji, I did it before packing!"
Minji stared.
Zoya's patience finally cracked.
"Are you seriously doubting me?"
She threw her hands up.
"You all know I'm not even a fan of Jeon.J!"
A beat.
"I wasn't sitting around watching his videos!"
Oh Allah...
Just don't ask to check my phone.
What have I gotten myself into?
Hana finally intervened.
"Okay. Enough."
She looked around the room.
"We stayed here tonight because of Zoya and Bamson."
She pointed toward the empty mattress.
"Now Bamson is home."
Then toward Zoya's luggage.
"Zoya has packed."
She smiled.
"So... should we leave?"
Ruhi nodded.
"Yes."
Zoya looked around the room one last time.
"Okay."
Then she lifted her chin.
"But there's one thing I want to make clear."
Everyone looked at her.
"I'll contribute."
Her voice was firm.
"Rent, food, everything. I'll pay my share."
She folded her arms.
"I don't need anyone's sympathy."
The girls exchanged a smile.
Minji's expression softened.
"We know."
Meanwhile...
Jeon J had been waiting restlessly ever since Jea had received the call about Bamson.
Jea had gone to bring him.
And Jeon J was waiting at his parents' house.
Every minute felt endless.
His fingers kept playing with Bamson's little toy ball as his eyes remained fixed on the door.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Praying.
Since the missing announcement had gone public, millions of fans had flooded social media with messages, prayers, and warm wishes.
Jeon J had read more of them than he wanted to admit.
His heart felt heavy.
But strangely...
It also felt warm.
"They're amazing," Gunwoo said quietly.
Jeon J looked at him.
"Your fans."
Gunwoo smiled.
"They cried for Bamson like he was their own dog."
He shook his head in amazement.
"They prayed for him in so many languages."
Jeon J leaned back.
A tired smile touched his face.
"Yeah."
He looked down at the toy in his hand.
"I've never felt this much love."
His voice softened.
"Sometimes I think..."
He paused.
"...I'm only who I am because of them."
Gunwoo smiled.
"They love you."
A beat.
"And you love them."
"That's why they trust you with their hearts."
Before Jeon J could answer, the door opened.
Jea entered.
He looked exhausted.
"Last call of the day."
He rubbed his forehead.
"I'm honestly drained."
Gunwoo laughed.
"From answering fan calls?"
Jea nodded.
"During every call, my cheeks started hurting from smiling."
Everyone laughed.
"They're your fans, Jeon J. I have to sound happy!"
Gunwoo shook his head.
"We're all exhausted."
Then he smiled.
"But you have to admit..."
"We're stronger because of them."
Jeon J's tired expression softened.
"We can't disappoint them."
He looked toward the phone.
"An idol only shines because his fans choose to keep him shining."
He smiled faintly.
"That's why we answered every call with a smile."
Even the audio calls.
Everyone became quiet.
Then Jea's phone rang again.
The final call.
He answered.
"Hello?"
A woman's nervous voice came through.
"Mr. Jea?"
"Yes. Please tell me why you're calling."
Zoya's heart was practically beating out of her chest.
Why am I doing this?
Why didn't I just hang up?
She swallowed.
"I wanted to ask..."
She suddenly panicked.
"Sorry!"
A pause.
"Wrong number."
Jea frowned.
"Hello? Wait—"
The voice returned.
"Actually..."
She took a breath.
"I'm calling to tell you about a dog."
Jea straightened.
"A dog?"
"Yes."
Another nervous pause.
"I mean..."
She corrected herself quickly.
"There's a dog here."
Jea's expression changed.
"A dog?"
"Yes. He looks exactly like the one in the picture you shared on social media."
Jeon J immediately looked up.
Gunwoo and Jea exchanged a glance.
The room fell silent.
The woman continued quickly.
"Please come and take him."
Her voice became defensive.
"And please bring his father too."
Jea blinked.
"His... father?"
The woman sounded annoyed.
"I can't take care of him anymore."
Jeon J almost smiled despite himself.
"I've already fed him two of my favourite snack packs..."
She paused.
"...and one biscuit pack."
Everyone in the room stared at the phone.
"But I can't keep him."
She lowered her voice.
"And if possible, please don't reveal my name or number to the media."
A beat.
"I'm not your fan."
Jeon J's eyebrows lifted.
"I just saw him and informed you."
She rushed through the rest.
"So please come and take your dog."
Jea finally smiled.
"Ma'am..."
He glanced at Jeon J.
"His name is Bamson."
A tiny silence.
"Oh."
Her voice became softer.
"Okay."
Jea smiled.
"And thank you."
He added warmly,
"You fed our Bamson. He must have enjoyed those snacks."
The woman went quiet.
Then,
"Fine."
Click.
The call ended.
Everyone stared at the phone.
Gunwoo was the first to speak.
"What... was she?"
Jea laughed.
"I have absolutely no idea."
He immediately stood.
"I'm going."
Gunwoo followed.
Jeon J remained on the sofa.
His eyes had already become wet.
It still wasn't certain.
Maybe it was Bamson.
Maybe it wasn't.
But for the first time in fifteen days...
He allowed himself to hope.
His fingers tightened around Bamson's little toy.
He lowered his gaze.
And whispered,
"I'm coming for you, my boy."
A small smile trembled across his lips.
"Just wait for me a little longer."
To be continued...
Regards,
ZK 💌