"Uff... thank God."
Ruhi dropped onto her single bed with a long, exhausted sigh.
"What a tiring day," she groaned, stretching her arms. "It's only six in the evening, and I'm already feeling sleepy."
For a brief moment, the share house fell silent.
Then Ruhi turned her head toward the others.
"I wonder what Bamson is doing right now."
A faint smile appeared on Hana's face.
"You know..." she said softly, "if Bamson were still with us, Minji would probably be sitting beside him right now, making him watch videos of his father, Jeon J, on YouTube."
She chuckled.
"Because by this time, you, Ruhi, and Zoya would all be at work."
Sophia smiled as she imagined the scene.
"I can actually picture that."
The five girls had finally settled into their new share house.
It wasn't a proper apartment—just one large hall—but it was spacious enough for all five of them.
Each girl had arranged a single bed in her own corner.
At Zoya's request, the bed beside the window had become hers.
A large wardrobe stood against one wall, and they divided it equally, giving each girl her own section for clothes and personal belongings.
Beside every bed was a small drawer where they kept their everyday essentials.
The kitchen already had a few basic utensils.
Whatever was still missing...
They decided they would buy little by little.
It wasn't luxurious.
It wasn't perfect.
But somehow...
It already felt more like home than the hostel ever had.
Five girls.
Five different countries.
Five different cultures.
Different languages.
Different traditions.
Different ways of dressing.
Different food habits.
Even different religions.
Yet fate had brought them all beneath the same roof.
Now, the real journey was about to begin.
Would these five completely different souls become a family...
Or would their differences slowly pull them apart?
Only time would answer that question.
After spending nearly two hours arranging their new place, none of them had the energy left to cook.
So they decided to order dinner instead.
While everyone was scrolling through food apps, Zoya suddenly spoke.
"I think we should buy a dining table."
Everyone looked at her.
"There isn't enough space for five separate study tables," she explained. "A dining table would solve both problems. We can eat there... and use it for studying too."
"Hmm..." Sophia nodded thoughtfully.
"That's actually a good idea."
"Let's look for one tomorrow," Hana suggested.
"But first..."
Sophia dramatically rubbed her stomach.
"...someone please tell me the food is already on its way."
Everyone laughed.
"Yes," Ruhi replied.
"We've already placed the order."
Sophia looked toward Zoya.
"And you?"
Zoya shook her head.
"I didn't order anything."
Minji silently glanced at her but didn't say a word.
Sophia frowned.
"Then why didn't you tell us earlier?"
Zoya smiled faintly.
"It's okay."
She walked toward the kitchen.
"I'll just make some tea."
Then she lifted a packet from the shelf.
"I still have one pack of noodles."
"That's enough for me."
As Zoya reached the kitchen, she suddenly stopped and turned back.
"One more thing..."
Everyone looked at her.
"Now that we're living together..."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"...please don't ask me certain questions."
Her voice was calm, but serious.
"There are some things I won't be able to answer."
For a second, the room fell silent.
No one knew what she meant.
Before anyone could respond, Minji finally spoke.
"Zoya's right."
Everyone turned toward her.
Ever since Bamson had left, Minji had been unusually quiet. No one had disturbed her because they all knew how attached she had become to him.
She slowly looked at each of them.
"If we keep questioning one another about everything, living together will become difficult."
She smiled faintly.
"We're all different."
She gestured around the room.
"Different countries."
"Different cultures."
"Different families."
"Different religions."
She looked at Hana.
"Hana and I are Korean."
"Our parents follow different religions, but neither of our families forces us to choose one."
She shrugged lightly.
"They simply taught us to respect humanity first."
Her eyes shifted toward Ruhi.
"Ruhi..."
Ruhi immediately understood the unfinished question.
"I'm Sikh," she replied with a smile.
Minji nodded.
"I thought so."
Then she looked at Sophia.
"And you and Zoya are both Muslim... right?"
Sophia blinked.
"Wait a second."
She laughed.
"I'm not Muslim."
"I'm Christian."
The room instantly fell silent.
Everyone stared at her in surprise.
"You are?" Hana asked.
Sophia nodded.
"Yes."
Then she laughed after noticing everyone's expressions.
"I know what you're thinking."
"Because I'm from Morocco."
Everyone nodded awkwardly.
Sophia smiled warmly.
"Morocco is a Muslim-majority country..."
"But not everyone there is Muslim."
"And names don't always belong to one religion."
"My parents chose my name because they loved its meaning."
"So..."
She spread her hands playfully.
"Surprise."
Everyone burst into laughter.
"I honestly had no idea," Ruhi admitted.
"Neither did I," Hana added.
Minji smiled before speaking again.
"See?"
"This is exactly what I mean."
"We're all different."
"But our friendship doesn't have to change because of that."
She looked at each of them one by one.
"If we respect each other's beliefs..."
"...care for one another..."
"...avoid unnecessary questions..."
"...and stand beside each other in both happy and difficult times..."
"Then I don't think anything can break this friendship."
She slowly extended her hand toward the center.
"So..."
"What do you all say?"
For a brief second...
No one moved.
Then Ruhi placed her hand over Minji's.
"I agree."
Hana smiled and joined them.
"So do I."
Sophia placed her hand on top of theirs.
"I'm in."
Finally...
Zoya looked at their hands.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
Without saying a single word...
She placed her hand over everyone else's.
The five girls smiled at one another.
It wasn't just a promise.
It felt like the beginning of a new family.
Just then—
Knock... Knock...
Sophia immediately looked toward the door.
"Our food is here!"
She almost ran to open it.
Zoya laughed softly.
"You guys eat."
She walked toward the kitchen.
"I'll make my noodles."
As Sophia collected the food, Zoya quietly filled a pot with water and switched on the stove.
Soon...
The room was filled with two different aromas.
Freshly delivered food...
And instant noodles.
Zoya quietly walked into the kitchen and placed the kettle on the stove.
The share house felt unusually peaceful.
No one spoke.
Everyone was busy scrolling through their phones, yet all of them were looking at the same thing.
Bamson.
Photos...
Videos...
Headlines announcing that Jeon J's beloved dog had finally returned home.
For a while, the room remained silent.
Then Sophia broke the silence.
"I never thought I'd actually miss a dog."
Ruhi smiled faintly.
"I know."
Hana leaned back against her pillow.
"The room feels... empty somehow."
Minji didn't say anything.
She simply continued staring at one of Bamson's pictures on her phone.
It was a photo Jeon.J had uploaded only a few hours ago.
Bamson was sitting comfortably beside him, wearing the same sweater...
The sweater the five girls had carefully washed and dried.
Minji smiled unconsciously.
"He looks happy."
Zoya, who was stirring her noodles, quietly glanced at the phone screen.
A small smile appeared on her face.
Yes...
He's home.
The noodles were finally ready.
Zoya poured them into a bowl and carried them back to her bed.
Sophia looked at her.
"Are noodles really enough for dinner?"
Zoya smiled.
"They're enough for me."
Ruhi frowned.
"But you only had tea this afternoon."
"I'm fine."
"You always say that," Hana muttered.
"I'm serious."
Minji finally looked up.
"No."
Everyone turned towards her.
"If we're going to live together..."
She paused.
"...then no one eats alone."
Zoya looked at her in surprise.
Minji continued calmly.
"We all agreed a few minutes ago that we'll respect each other."
She pointed at Zoya's bowl.
"But respecting someone doesn't mean ignoring them."
"It means noticing when they're pretending to be okay."
The room became quiet.
Zoya lowered her eyes.
She didn't know what to say.
Sophia immediately opened one of the takeaway boxes.
"Come here."
"Hmm?"
"Take some."
"No."
"Zoya."
"I'm really full."
Ruhi sighed dramatically.
"You haven't even started eating yet."
Hana laughed softly.
"She got caught."
Even Minji smiled a little.
For the first time since Bamson had left...
The heavy atmosphere became lighter.
Zoya finally gave up.
"Fine."
Sophia placed a piece of chicken onto Zoya's bowl.
"There."
Ruhi added some rice.
"And this."
Hana quietly placed a few vegetables beside them.
"A balanced meal."
Zoya stared at the bowl.
Her eyes suddenly became watery.
She quickly looked away before anyone noticed.
Softly...
Almost like a whisper...
She said,
"Thank you."
None of them replied.
Because they knew...
Sometimes friendship didn't need words.
It only needed people who quietly filled the empty places in your heart.
_______________________________________________
News of Bamson's return quickly spread across social media. Pictures of him with Jeon J flooded every platform.
The five girls saw the posts...
But no one said a word.
For only two weeks, Bamson had become a part of their everyday lives.
They had stolen food for him.
Taken turns looking after him.
Laughed because of him.
Argued because of him.
Now, seeing him safely back with his owner brought relief...
Yet somehow, it also left an emptiness behind.
Zoya quietly stared at one of Bamson's pictures.
Slowly...
Her thoughts drifted away.
The present faded.
And the memories of that morning returned.
That morning...
After everyone left for the restaurant, silence settled over the room.
Only Zoya and Bamson remained.
Bamson lay stretched across his mattress, his chin resting on the floor and his front paws extended lazily.
When he noticed Zoya standing up, he slowly lifted his head and looked at her.
Zoya sat on her bed, hugged her knees to her chest, rested her forehead against them...
and burst into tears.
"Bamson..."
Her voice shook.
"They've all gone..."
She forced a weak smile through her tears.
"But how am I supposed to stay here?"
She wiped her cheeks, but the tears refused to stop.
"I told you before... I'm scared of meeting new people."
She looked at him quietly.
"When I first met Hana, Ruhi, Minji, and Sophia..."
"I was scared of them too."
"I couldn't sleep at night."
"I used to hide under my blanket."
"They thought I was sleeping..."
"...but I stayed awake the whole night."
She laughed bitterly.
"I know it sounds silly."
"But that's just how I am."
"I get scared."
"I overthink everything."
"And I never tell anyone."
Her voice became softer.
"Because once people discover your weakness..."
"They either pity you..."
"...or use it against you."
The room fell silent once again.
Only the sound of her quiet sobs echoed through it.
After a long moment, she suddenly wiped her tears and picked up her phone.
"No."
She took a deep breath.
"I'll go with them."
"I'll manage my expenses somehow."
"I have to start living for myself."
"Why should Zoya always be the one to sacrifice?"
A determined look appeared in her eyes.
"Not this time."
She immediately dialed Hana's number.
The call failed.
She frowned.
"Oh..."
"I forgot."
"I never recharged my phone."
Then she remembered something.
"I followed everyone on Instagram."
"I'll message them there."
She opened Instagram.
The very first video that appeared was Jeon J's latest live.
He was talking about Bamson anymore.
Even though he tried to smile...
The sadness in his eyes was impossible
to hide.
Zoya watched the video in complete silence.
Something inside her heart shifted.
Without thinking any further...
She paused the video.
Copied the contact number displayed on the screen.
Then quietly walked out of the room.
Zoya walked to the room next door and knocked softly.
"Come in."
She slowly opened the door.
A girl sitting at her study table looked up from her laptop and smiled politely.
"Hello."
"Hello..."
Zoya returned the smile nervously.
"Can I ask you a favor?"
"Sure."
"My phone has no balance, and I need to make an urgent call. Could I please borrow your phone for just a minute?"
"Of course."
Without hesitation, the girl unlocked her phone and handed it over.
"Thank you."
Zoya stepped into the hallway, took a deep breath, and dialed the number she had copied.
The call didn't connect.
She tried again.
Nothing.
Again.
Still nothing.
Minutes passed.
She refused to give up.
Nearly fifteen minutes later...
The phone finally began to ring.
Her heartbeat instantly quickened.
Please answer...
Please...
Click.
"Hello?"
A calm male voice answered.
Zoya swallowed nervously.
"Mr. Jea?"
"Yes, speaking."
"I'm calling from the National University Hostel."
"Yes, ma'am."
His voice immediately became serious.
"Please tell me."
Zoya's throat suddenly went dry.
What am I doing...?
Why don't I just hang up?
"I... I wanted to ask—"
"I'm sorry."
Jea interrupted politely.
"I think you've called the wrong number."
Zoya quickly pulled the phone away from her ear.
"No..."
She whispered to herself.
"I've come this far."
"I can't back out now."
She placed the phone against her ear again.
"Hello... please wait."
"There... there's a dog here."
"A dog?"
"Yes..."
She panicked.
"I mean..."
"My friend's nephew—"
She immediately closed her eyes.
What am I even saying?
"Nephew?"
Jea sounded completely confused.
Zoya took a deep breath.
"No... I'm sorry."
"I'm nervous."
"There's a dog here who looks exactly like the one in the pictures you've shared on social media."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then Jea's voice changed instantly.
"Where?"
"National University Hostel."
Zoya continued quietly,
"Please come and take him."
"And..."
"If possible..."
"Bring his father too."
"I can't look after him anymore."
A faint smile appeared on her lips despite the tears in her eyes.
"I've already sacrificed two packets of my favorite snacks..."
"...and an entire packet of biscuits for him."
"So please..."
"Come quickly."
Jea couldn't help smiling.
For the first time in days...
Someone had given him hopeful news.
"I understand."
"We'll leave immediately."
Zoya nodded even though he couldn't see her.
"And one more thing..."
"I don't want my name or phone number shared with anyone."
"I'm not doing this because I'm your fan."
"I simply saw a lost dog..."
"...and thought he deserved to go home."
Jea's voice softened.
"Thank you."
"It means more than you know."
"Oh..."
"And his name isn't just 'dog.'"
"It's Bamson."
A tiny smile escaped Zoya.
"Right..."
"Bamson."
There was a brief silence.
Then she whispered,
"Take care of him."
"I will."
The call ended.
For several seconds...
Zoya simply stood there, staring at the blank phone screen.
Then she closed her eyes and released a long, shaky breath.
She had done it.
There was no turning back now.
She returned the phone to the girl with a grateful smile.
"Thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
Zoya quietly walked away.
Before the others returned...
There was still one last thing she needed to do.
Before returning to her room, Zoya walked to the hostel office and quietly completed all the checkout formalities.
Since the winter vacation had already begun, leaving the hostel a day earlier didn't raise any questions.
Everything was done within a few minutes.
When she stepped back into the room...
Bamson was exactly where she had left him.
He was sitting quietly, facing the door.
As if...
He had been waiting for her.
A faint smile appeared on Zoya's face.
"You didn't even move."
She placed her shopping bag on the table before pulling out her suitcase from beneath the bed.
Slowly, she began packing.
Every book...
Every piece of clothing...
Every small belonging...
She folded them carefully and placed them inside her suitcase.
The room, which had once felt so lively, now echoed with silence.
Within 15 minutes, everything was packed.
Only Bamson's mattress and food bowl remained in their places.
Zoya zipped up her suitcase and pushed it gently against the wall.
Then she picked up her handbag and placed it beside it.
For a moment...
She simply stood there, looking around the room.
So many memories...
All created in just two weeks.
She smiled sadly.
Then, without thinking, she walked over to Bamson and slowly sat down on the floor beside him.
This time...
She wasn't afraid.
She had read somewhere that dogs could sense human emotions.
They weren't Bamson's family.
But after spending two weeks together...
Maybe...
Just maybe...
He would understand her too.
She cleared her throat.
It still hurt from crying.
"Bamson..."
He immediately looked at her.
"I did something today."
She lowered her eyes.
"I don't know whether it was right or wrong..."
"But I followed my heart."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I called your father."
She smiled awkwardly.
"I mean..."
"I couldn't talk to Jeon J himself."
"I spoke to his personal assistant, Jea."
"They're coming to take you home."
Her voice cracked on the last word.
"You must think I'm a terrible friend."
"But I couldn't keep you here anymore."
She gently stroked the fur around his neck.
"I saw how broken your father looked."
"He misses you."
"And..."
She looked into Bamson's eyes.
"I know you miss him too."
"You've been living with us..."
"But this was never your home."
"You belong with him."
She took a deep breath.
"I don't know who will reach first..."
"Your four aunts..."
"...or Jea."
"But I'm praying Jea gets here before they do."
"Because if they see you leaving..."
"It'll break their hearts."
She smiled through her tears.
"And honestly..."
"It'll break mine too."
She took a slow breath.
"Bamson..."
Her voice was hoarse after crying for hours.
"I did something today... I don't know whether it was right or wrong."
Bamson quietly looked at her.
"I called your father... I mean, Jeon J."
She lowered her gaze for a moment.
"I couldn't talk to him... but I spoke to Jea. He'll come here to take you home."
A faint smile appeared on her face, though her eyes had already turned red.
"I know these four have taken good care of you... but no one can take your father's place."
She paused for a few seconds before continuing.
"So... when Jea comes..."
She looked straight into Bamson's eyes.
"...go with him."
"And don't stop because of us."
Bamson blinked once.
Zoya let out a quiet sigh.
"I don't know if you'll understand what I'm saying..."
"...but let's try something."
She pointed towards him.
"Bamson..."
"Stand up."
For a second, she wasn't sure anything would happen.
Then Bamson slowly stood up.
A small laugh escaped her lips.
"Good."
"Now listen carefully."
"When Jea arrives, I'll distract everyone outside."
"The moment you see him..."
"...just leave with him."
"Don't come looking for me... Hana... Minji... Ruhi... or Sophia."
"Just go home."
She looked away for a moment before adding softly,
"That's where you belong."
Then she carefully opened the small inner pocket stitched inside Bamson's sweater.
With trembling fingers, she folded the letter neatly and slipped it inside.
After a brief pause, she quietly took out one more small thing from her pocket.
She looked at it for a few silent seconds...
hen placed it beside the letter.
Without another word, she buttoned the tiny pocket carefully.
After that, she fastened the sweater buttons one by one, making sure everything was secure.
She stepped back and looked at Bamson.
"Hmm..."
"Now it's fine."
Bamson tilted his head slightly.
Zoya smiled faintly.
"You don't need to know."
She picked up the biscuit packet from the table.
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
She walked towards the door.
Just before leaving, she turned around one last time.
Bamson was still standing exactly where she had left him.
For a brief second...
their eyes met.
Then Zoya quietly closed the door behind her.
But in her hurry...
She never noticed that the lock hadn't clicked properly.
She walked towards the hostel store and bought a packet of biscuits.
As she stepped back into the corridor, a black car stopped outside the hostel entrance.
Her heartbeat quickened.
"They're here..."
Without wasting another second, she hurried upstairs.
Instead of entering her own room, she knocked on the room next door.
The same girl was still sitting at her study table, typing on her laptop.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," Zoya said, slightly out of breath. "I just saw Jea... Jeon J's personal assistant... downstairs."
The girl instantly looked up.
"Really?"
"Yes... I don't know why he's here. This morning Jeon J was live talking about—"
Before Zoya could even finish, "Yes... I was the one who called them, "she said.
Zoya admitted quietly.
Ji-won stood up and walked toward the door.
Zoya frowned in confusion. She couldn't understand Ji-won's reaction and watched her leave, puzzled.
Before she could think much about it, Ji-won had already disappeared outside.
Zoya exhaled quietly.
"One down..."
She immediately knocked on another nearby room and repeated the same thing.
Within moments, the news spread through the hostel like wildfire.
Girls rushed out into the corridor, calling their friends, grabbing their phones, and running downstairs.
Soon...
the entire hostel hall was crowded with excited students.
Zoya stood among them, trying to control her racing heartbeat.
(If Minji sees me here, she'll definitely start another investigation...)
Just then...
she saw Jea walking out.
And beside him... was Bamson.
For a moment, time stood still.
Zoya blinked once.
Then again.
Yes...
It was really him.
Without thinking, she ran back towards her room.
She pushed the door open.
The room was empty.
Only Bamson's food bowl remained on the floor.
A small smile appeared on her lips despite the tears gathering in her eyes.
"It worked..."
She whispered.
When she stepped back into the corridor once again...
Bamson turned around for a brief moment.
Their eyes met.
And somehow...
Zoya felt as if he was saying—
"I understood."
To be continued....
Regards
ZK💌