Jeon J had to take Bamson to the care center that day.
After lunch, everyone was sitting together in the practice room, discussing where they should go next.
The room was relaxed again.
Everyone was talking.
Everyone except Jeon J.
He sat quietly among them, absentmindedly drawing straight lines on the floor with his finger.
He looked like he was listening.
He wasn't.
His mind was somewhere else.
Just then, Jae walked into the room.
"Jeon J."
Jeon J looked up.
Jae gave him a small signal.
It was time.
Jeon J nodded, picked up his phone from the floor, and stood.
"There's no more practice, right?" he asked Kim Joon. "I need to take Bamson to the care center."
Kim Joon looked at him.
"But we were supposed to go somewhere."
"I have to take him."
"You're leaving?"
Jeon J nodded while putting his phone and wallet into his bag.
"I'll come back later."
Minji immediately looked up.
"I'll go with you."
Jeon J paused.
"We'll drop Bamson at the care center and come back."
She smiled faintly.
"Today is the only day everyone is free. After this, you'll all get busy again."
Her voice sounded casual.
But the reason was different.
She simply wanted to spend a little more time with Jeon J.
For the past few days, every attempt she made to bring their old friendship back seemed to push him farther away.
He wasn't the same anymore.
Maybe that was what growing up did.
When they were teenagers, everything had been easy.
Now...
Even sitting in the same room felt different.
Jeon J looked toward her friends.
"You stay here."
Minji frowned.
"Why?"
"Your friends might feel awkward if you leave them."
Minji glanced at Ruhi, Hana, and Sophia.
All three were completely comfortable.
They had already blended into the group as if they had known everyone for much longer.
She looked back at Jeon J.
But he had already turned away.
He walked out with Jae.
Minji watched him disappear through the doorway.
Then she lowered her eyes.
"What happened to you, Jeon J?"
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"You were never like this."
Outside the Studio
The moment they got into the car, Jae looked at Jeon J.
"Why did you ask me to announce that in front of everyone?"
Jeon J didn't answer.
Jae started the engine.
"I could've taken Bamson myself. You could've stayed with your friends."
Nothing.
Jae glanced at him again.
Still nothing.
He finally sighed.
"Fine."
He pulled the car out of the studio parking area.
For a few seconds, they drove in silence.
Then Jeon J suddenly said,
"Take a right."
Jae frowned.
"Right?"
"Yes."
"But your house is on the left."
Jeon J continued looking at his phone.
"The care center is also on the way."
"We're not going home."
Jae looked at him.
"But Bamson is at home."
"I know."
"Then why are we turning right?"
Jeon J finally lifted his eyes.
"Just do what I said."
Jae stared at him for a second.
Then quietly turned right.
Something was definitely going on.
He just didn't know what.
Back at the Studio
Jinhan walked toward the glass window near the practice room to grab a bottle of water.
He looked outside casually.
A car was leaving the studio.
He recognized Jae behind the wheel.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"Wait..."
That wasn't the direction of Jeon J's house.
The car reached the intersection.
Instead of turning left—
it turned right.
Jinhan stared after it.
"Bamson is at home."
He frowned.
"Then why are they going right?"
He picked up his phone.
Something about it didn't make sense.
Jeon J had said he was taking Bamson to the care center.
His house was on the left.
The care center was also on the left.
So where were they going?
Jinhan quickly opened the map.
His eyes moved across the screen.
Then stopped.
The Central Mosque.
It was roughly twenty to twenty-five minutes from the studio.
And it was...
on the right.
Jinhan slowly lowered his phone.
He looked toward the road again.
The car was already gone.
His expression changed.
"Why would you go there, Jeon J?"
"Jinhan?"
Teahun's voice came from behind him.
Jinhan turned.
He placed the water bottle back on the table.
"I'm fine."
Teahun looked at him suspiciously.
"You don't look fine."
Jinhan gave a small smile.
"Just thinking."
"About?"
Jinhan looked toward the window again.
"Nothing."
But he knew that wasn't true.
Something had been strange about Jeon J for days.
Maybe since Minji and the girls arrived.
Or maybe...
Since Zoya came into their lives.
And now Jeon J had suddenly gone to the mosque.
Without telling anyone.
Jinhan's suspicion only grew.
The Mosque
The car finally stopped.
Jae looked through the windshield.
Then slowly turned toward Jeon J.
"Why have we come here?"
Jeon J didn't answer immediately.
Jae looked outside.
A large gate stood in front of them.
He didn't need to read the name.
He knew exactly what kind of place it was.
His eyes returned to Jeon J.
"Jeon J..."
No response.
Jeon J pulled a mask over his face and adjusted his woollen cap, making sure his hair and most of his face were covered.
Jae stared at him.
"Jeon J."
This time, Jeon J looked at him.
"It's getting late."
He glanced toward the gate.
"There aren't many people around right now."
Then he turned back to Jae.
"Park the car somewhere away from the entrance."
Jae's expression immediately became serious.
"What are you planning?"
"I'll message you when I need the car."
Jeon J reached for the door.
Jae caught his arm.
"Wait."
Jeon J stopped.
"Whether there are ten people here or a hundred, if someone recognizes you..."
Jae shook his head.
"You know what will happen."
Jeon J looked at him quietly.
Then, instead of answering, he asked,
"Jae."
"Hmm?"
"What was the name of the girl sitting ahead of me on the Busan flight?"
Jae froze.
"What?"
Jeon J waited.
Jae stared at him.
He had thought the Busan incident was over.
Bamson had been found.
Everyone was safe.
So why was Jeon J still thinking about that flight?
And why now?
"You asked me that this morning too," Jae said slowly.
Jeon J said nothing.
"Why are you still thinking about her?"
A brief silence.
Jae searched his face.
There was something different in his expression.
Not curiosity.
Not exactly.
It looked more like he was trying to confirm something he already suspected.
"Jeon J..."
Jeon J interrupted him.
"Never mind."
He opened the door.
"I'll find out myself."
He stepped out.
Then looked back.
"Just park the car."
The door closed.
Jae remained frozen in his seat.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
Then he exhaled.
"What's going on with you?"
He started the car and moved away from the entrance.
But his mind was already racing.
Because today wasn't normal.
Not even close.
Inside the Mosque
"I was almost..."
Zoya's voice broke.
She couldn't finish the sentence.
Her hands moved over each other again and again.
They were already clean.
She knew that.
Still, she couldn't stop rubbing them.
As if she could somehow erase the fear from them.
Finally, she pulled her knees toward her chest and lowered her head.
Mr. Donghyun sat beside her.
"Zoya."
She didn't look up.
"My daughter, look at me."
Zoya shook her head.
"No..."
Her voice trembled.
Mr. Donghyun waited.
Then gently said,
"Look at me."
Slowly, Zoya lifted her head.
Her eyes were swollen and red.
She had been crying for nearly two hours.
At first, Mr. Donghyun had let her cry.
Sometimes the heart needed that.
But now he was worried.
"You are okay."
Zoya looked at him.
"You didn't eat it."
Her lips trembled.
"But I almost did."
"I know."
His voice remained calm.
"But you didn't."
Zoya looked down.
Mr. Donghyun continued,
"Allah protected you before you even realized you were in danger."
Zoya's eyes filled again.
"Now take a deep breath."
She tried.
Once.
Then again.
"Good."
He smiled gently.
"Go wash your face."
Zoya nodded.
"And make wudu."
She stood quietly.
"It's time for prayer. We can talk afterward."
He paused.
"Everything else can wait."
His voice softened.
"But your salah should not."
Zoya suddenly realized.
She hadn't prayed.
Not because she didn't want to.
She had simply been so shaken that she had forgotten the time.
She immediately went to make wudu.
She stood on the prayer mat.
But her mind wouldn't settle.
The moment she began praying, the same thought returned.
What if Hana hadn't stopped me?
Her eyes filled with tears again.
She finished her salah.
Then raised her hands.
"Ya Allah..."
Her voice trembled.
"Forgive me."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I didn't know."
Another tear fell.
"How could I be so unaware?"
She covered her face.
"Ya Allah, forgive me."
Again.
And again.
Mr. Donghyun watched her quietly.
He didn't interrupt.
He simply let her speak to Allah.
After a while, his expression softened.
What a rare heart, he thought.
She is not crying because someone blamed her.
She is crying because she fears having displeased Allah.
He lowered his gaze.
Then silently prayed for her.
May Allah protect this heart.
May He remove this fear from her.
And may He give her peace before He gives her anything else.
Zoya remained with her hands raised.
Outside, the evening continued quietly.
Inside—
Two people sat with two completely different thoughts.
One was searching for an answer.
The other was searching for peace.
And neither of them knew how closely those two searches were about to meet.
To Be Continued.....
Regards
ZK💌