The room fell silent as the door closed behind Minji.
"Come soon, okay?" she had said while leaving.
Zoya only nodded.
The moment the footsteps faded, the strength she had been holding onto shattered. She quickly locked the door from inside… and slid down against it, collapsing onto the floor. Her hands covered her face as the tears finally broke free.
She cried without sound at first.
Then her shoulders began to shake.
She didn't know how long she sat there… until a faint movement caught her eye.
Near the bed, from a large drawer left slightly open… something moved.
Bamson.
He slowly climbed out, as if that drawer had become his little home. He walked toward her, then stopped at a small distance and sat down—quietly, patiently—looking at her.
Zoya let out a broken breath.
"So… you came again to listen to me?"
She wiped her tears, but they kept falling.
"How do you always know… that there's no one else to listen?"
Bamson didn't move.
Just like that day in the hostel… the first day she had spoken to him without fear… pouring out everything inside her heart while crying endlessly.
Today was the same.
Zoya.Bamson.An empty room.And tears… all over again.
"You must be thinking… I cry too much," she whispered. "But you know, these tears won't stop anymore. Even if they do… they'll stay trapped in my eyes."
She leaned her head back against the door and stared at the ceiling.
"I know your father has found out… that I was the girl on the plane. I know he understands… that it was me who called Jea and told him about you."
Her voice trembled.
"Bamson… can I tell you something?"
She moved closer, sitting cross-legged in front of him.
"I think I'm crazy. No… not crazy. Foolish."
A faint, broken smile appeared.
"I thought… I would meet him easily. And yes… I met him. But maybe this journey… was only meant to end here."
Her words kept flowing. She wasn't speaking to Bamson anymore.
She was emptying her heart.
"I have to end everything now… but how?"
The thought broke her again. She pressed her hand over her mouth so her sobs wouldn't escape the room.
"Outside… he belongs to a different world. I don't fit there."
She sat up straight and looked at Bamson carefully.
"Tell me honestly… do I look good with your Jeon.J?"
A bitter laugh escaped.
"No, right? Even you would say no."
Her eyes softened.
"And look at me… I'm comparing myself to him."
She swallowed.
"That's why I told Minji… and anyway, she likes him a lot. They look good together. They match. She's good… and he's good too."
Silence.
"I have to leave this place… but where will I go? I can't even go back. Everyone there is mine… but maybe… Zoya doesn't exist in their lives anymore."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Bamson… do you think he read that letter?"
Bamson tilted his head slightly—looking at her, then toward the window.
Zoya slowly removed her shoes.
Then her coat.
She walked toward the washbasin.
The Mirror
The light came on.
She looked at herself.
Her eyes were swollen, red… hurting from crying.
For a moment, she just stared.
Then she folded her sleeves.
Turned on the tap.
Cold water touched her hands.
And something inside her shifted.
She whispered:
"Bismillah…"(In the name of God.)
For her, this wasn't just washing.
It was returning.
Washing the Hands
She washed both hands up to the wrists three times.
With each wash, she felt as if the weight of what she had held onto… was being released.
Let go…
Rinsing the Mouth
She took water into her mouth three times.
As if cleansing the words she wished she had never spoken… and the pain she could never express.
Cleansing the Nose
She gently rinsed her nose three times.
Breathing out slowly.
Let the heaviness leave.
Washing the Face
Then she lifted water to her face.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The tears mixed with the water.
It felt like she wasn't just washing her skin…
She was washing sorrow.
But in truth—
It was emotional purification. A reset of the soul.
Washing the Arms
She washed her right arm to the elbow three times. Then the left.
Every movement is slow. Intentional.
As if saying:
I surrender my struggles.
Wiping the Head (Masah)
With wet hands, she gently wiped over her head once.
A moment of calm.
A moment of surrender.
Then she wiped her ears.
Listen only to what brings peace.
Washing the Feet
Finally, she washed her feet—right, then left—three times each.
As if preparing herself to walk a different path.
A lighter one.
A stronger one.
Spiritual Moment (Universal Feel)
Water kept flowing.
The sound filled the quiet.
For anyone watching, it would look like a religious act.
But what was really happening—
She was grounding herself and slowing her breathing, and releasing emotional overload. Reclaiming control.
By the time she finished…
Her face was still tired.
Her eyes were still red.
But her breathing was steady.
Her heart…
Softer.
Quieter.
And for the first time since Minji left—
Zoya didn't feel completely alone.
_________
After leaving the room, he didn't go toward the dining area.
Instead, Jeon.J walked straight to the kitchen.
Everyone else was busy eating.
No one noticed him.
The kitchen lights were dim, quiet compared to the soft noise of conversation coming from the dining area.
He went to the drink section.
Opened the cabinet.
Took out a bottle.
For a moment, he just stood there… staring at it.
Then he picked up a glass.
One glass.
He drank it slowly.
Then another.
And then a third.
The liquid burned its way down, but his expression didn't change.
He wasn't drinking for taste.
He wasn't drinking to relax.
He was trying to end something inside him.
Something restless.
Something unfamiliar.
Something he couldn't name.
And that was the problem.
Even he didn't understand what he was trying to silence.
After a few moments, he placed the glass down and exhaled slowly.
He stood there for a while, letting the tension inside him settle.
Letting his face return to its usual calm.
To his usual control.
Then he turned.
And walked back toward the dining area.
When he returned, the conversations were still going on.
He pulled a chair and sat beside Jinhun.
Jinhun glanced at him.
"Minji? Zoya?"
Before he could say more—
Jeon.J picked up the ladle and began pouring soup into his bowl without looking at him.
"They'll come."
Just two words.
Flat.
Short.
Jinhun stared at him for a moment, clearly noticing the tone.
There was something off.
Something cold.
But he didn't say anything.
Instead, he quietly looked at him once more… and let the matter go.
_________
When Zoya returned to the room, Bamson was still there.
He was sitting near the bed, quietly watching her—as if he had been waiting.
She reached up and slowly removed the woolen cap from her head. Her hair, slightly damp from wudu, fell over her shoulders. Standing near the sink, she gathered them together, braided them neatly, then took a hair tie from her bag and secured it.
For a moment, she looked at herself.
Then she picked up her coat and wore it again.
She didn't have a scarf, but the coat wrapped around her and the cap earlier had given her a sense of cover… a small protection from the outside world.
She walked to the door and unlocked it.
Before leaving, her eyes moved around the room.
It was empty.
Just a bed.A sofa.And built-in wardrobes along the wall.
She left her bag and phone behind.
Without wearing her shoes, she opened the door and stepped outside.
The floor was cold.
But the coolness didn't bother her.
It felt calming… like the cold was absorbing the heat of her restless heart.
Slowly, she walked toward the dining area.
Dinner had already started.
Some had finished eating and were talking casually. Others were still busy with their plates.
Minji's chair was there.
Empty.
On its left sat Hana.
And directly in front of it—sitting with Jinhun—was Jeon.J.
The moment Zoya entered the dining area—
He saw her.
Before anyone else.
His chair moved back.
He stood up.
Zoya stopped walking.
The conversations around the table slowly faded as one by one, everyone noticed the silence… and followed his gaze toward her.
Jeon.J stepped away from his place.
And began walking.
Toward her.
Zoya didn't understand.
Why was he coming this way?
He looked at her carefully.
She was still wearing Ji-ho's coat earlier, her appearance simple, guarded. Tiny drops of water were still falling from her face—she hadn't dried it completely after washing.
His eyes lingered on her.
For a moment, it felt like he was going to stop right in front of her.
But then—
He turned.
Walked past her.
And stopped behind Minji's chair.
His hand rested on the back of it.
Before facing forward, he threw one last glance at Zoya.
Everyone was watching now.
Something unusual was happening.
Jeon.J stood behind Minji.
A few steps away from him, Zoya slowly walked forward and came toward the table.
When she reached closer, everyone noticed her properly.
Her eyes were swollen.
She had been crying.
But that wasn't the only thing drawing attention.
It was Jeon.J's cold expression.
And the way he was standing near Minji.
His eyes looked slightly heavy… distant.
As if he had been drinking.
"Why did Jeon.J drink right now?" Jinhun muttered under his breath.
But even he looked confused.
His gaze shifted—from Zoya… to Jeon.J… then toward the dining room entrance.
Near the doorway, Bamson had quietly followed and was sitting there.
Minji, however, wasn't confused at all.
Seeing Jeon.J standing so close to her—
Her face lit up.
"Zoya, come… sit," Yomin said gently, pointing toward the chair beside Minji.
But before Zoya could move—
"I'm sitting there."
Jeon.J's voice came.
Calm.
Cold.
"Sit somewhere else."
The table fell silent.
Everyone stared at him.
The words sounded harsh. Out of character.
And from Jeon.J—it felt even more shocking.
Yomin immediately stood up."It's okay, you sit here," he said, offering his own seat.
But Jeon.J looked at him.
"You're becoming too kind, Yomin."
His tone was flat.
"The chair next to Jinhun is empty."
Now the confusion deepened.
What was happening tonight?
Since evening, everything had felt strange… one unusual moment after another.
Jinhun frowned, staring at Jeon.J, then gestured to Zoya to sit in the chair beside him—the one Jeon.J had just left earlier.
Zoya quietly sat down.
She was still silent after a few minutes,
She picked up a piece of chicken and placed it on her plate.
Just as she was about to continue—
"I need to say something."
Jeon.J's voice cut through the room.
Everyone looked at him.
Zoya's hand froze over her plate.
And slowly—
She looked up at him.
"Minji…"
The voice came again.
Everyone paused.
Jeon.J was looking at her.
Minji blinked in surprise. There was something strange in his tone. Something heavier than before.
All eyes turned toward him again.
He straightened in his chair.
For the first time, he looked… uncertain.
His fingers moved slowly. He placed the chopsticks down on his plate.
Across the table, Teahun was watching the movement carefully.
"Jeon.J, just finished what you want to say," Teahun said lightly."Why do you look so confused?"
Jeon.J took a breath.
"I think…"
His eyes moved to Minji.
Then—without meaning to—they shifted.
Toward Zoya.
She had just lifted a piece of chicken on her fork and was bringing it toward her mouth.
"I think… we should start dating."
The words froze the air.
Zoya's hand stopped mid-air.
The fork didn't move.
Slowly—
She raised her eyes.
Jeon.J was looking at her.
Not Minji.
At her.
A cold gaze.
And a faint, almost sarcastic smile.
The fork trembled slightly in her hand.
Around the table—
Shock exploded.
"What? Wow… what a surprise!" Hosu was the first to react.
"I knew this would happen," Minjo said proudly.
Jeon.J looked away from Zoya.
His attention returned to the table.
"Jeon.J, I think you should think again," Teahun teased Minji."Minji is fine… but her friends are like sisters? Uff. Think carefully."
"I can't believe this," Yomin said, shaking his head."I feel like yesterday we watched Jeon.J grow up."
Jeon.J gave a small smile.
"I'm not that young anymore. You all just treated me like a kid… so you still see me that way."
From the other side, Kim Joon laughed.
"I told you all. Out of everyone, Jeon.J would be the first to get married."
"Wait, wait!" Minji quickly said, her face glowing."Where did marriage come from? We're just dating. We'll think about marriage later."
The table was filled with smiles and laughter.
Ruhi and Sophia were still in shock.
"Pinch me," Hana said dramatically."I'm going to become Jeon.J's sister-in-law!"
Teahun immediately pinched her.
"Ahhh!"
Everyone burst out laughing.
"That was too hard!" Hana complained.
"You wouldn't come back to your senses otherwise," Teahun replied.
"Minji, we're so happy!" The girls jumped excitedly, their loud cheers making everyone cover their ears.
The table was full of energy.
Full of noise.
Full of happiness.
But not everyone was celebrating.
Jinhun was quiet.
Very quiet.
He was watching Jeon.J.
Every movement.
Every expression.
And then—
His eyes shifted.
Toward Zoya.
She was trying to steady her hands.
Her fingers were trembling slightly.
Her head was lowered.
She hadn't eaten a single bite.
Jinhun had been observing both of them.
Something didn't feel right.
"Why did this happen?"
His voice was low.
Only she could hear.
Zoya looked up, startled.
She hadn't realized he was watching her.
For a moment, she didn't understand.
Jinhun was looking straight at her.
The others were still teasing Minji loudly. Their voices covered everything.
This conversation existed only between the two of them.
"Jinhun… you—" she tried to speak.
He cut her off quietly.
"I don't know what I know," he said slowly."But what just happened… was unexpected for me."
His eyes moved briefly toward Jeon.J.
"It would have been expected… if you had never met us."
Zoya frowned slightly.
She didn't understand.
Was he hinting at something?
Was he questioning her?
Or him?
Her lips moved slowly.
"This journey… ends here."
She gave a small smile.
At the same time, a tear escaped.
She wiped it quickly.
Across the table—
Jeon.J saw it.
He noticed everything.
The tear.
The smile.
The stillness.
And for a brief moment—
Something inside him shifted.
But then reality returned.
What had he just done?
He didn't understand it himself.
He looked away.
Toward Minji.
She was still smiling brightly while Teahun continued teasing her.
And the table remained filled with laughter—
While three people sat in silence, no one else could see.
To be continued....
Regards
ZK