The plane touched down at 6pm and Mahira's gaze drifted slowly to the window, watching Seoul appear beneath her. The city pulled at something in her chest — old memories surfacing quietly, one after another.
A smile crept onto her face.
Then she remembered Czar. And Lia. And the letter.
The smile faded. She exhaled, gathered her luggage and made her way out.
Her soft green abaya brushed the floor as she moved through the airport, green scarf sitting neatly over her head, rosary tucked in her pocket. She scanned for a cab and reached for her phone.
Her thumb hovered over the contacts icon. She found his name and stopped.
"Shall I call Czar?" she murmured to herself.
A second passed.
"Nah — let's give him a surprise on his birthday." She giggled quietly and booked a cab instead.
The cab arrived within fifteen minutes. The driver stepped out and reached for her luggage — and just before she could get in, something made her pause.
A lady stood a few steps away. Something about her presence carried a quiet kind of peace that Mahira could not explain. She looked to be in her mid twenties — tube top, maxi skirt, black leather jacket, hair pulled into a neat ponytail, black heels. She was on her phone,typing instructions about airport security, methodical and focused.
Then the lady looked up and caught Mahira looking at her.
Both of them smiled. Mahira nodded a salaam and the lady returned it.
Mahira raised her hand and gestured toward her. The lady pointed at herself — me?
Mahira nodded.
She came over and dipped her head slightly in greeting.
"Would you like to share the cab, if you don't mind?" Mahira asked.
A brief hesitation. Then a hand signal — okay.
They settled in together. Mahira glanced at her with a neutral expression, then gently patted her shoulder.
"Elaya, right?"
The lady looked at her with a confused face and nodded slowly.
"You know Czar? Czar Warner?"
An immediate nod.
Mahira smiled. "I am his aunt. I saw your sketch under his pillow — your name was written below it."
She turned and looked out the window and said nothing more.
Elaya reached into her jacket pocket, pulled out a folded paper and a pen and wrote carefully before passing it over.
I am actually mute. And yes, I know him. We have met many times.
Mahira read it. Folded it gently and handed it back. She sighed quietly and looked back out at the city passing by.
Thirty minutes of silence sat between them — not uncomfortable, just still.
Then Elaya typed on her phone notes and tilted the screen toward mahira — elaya needed to stop here. A road branched off ahead that connected to the lane leading to Shah house.
Mahira told the driver to stop.
"Allah hafiz," she said softly as Elaya stepped out.
Elaya gave a small nod and slipped away, already texting Ava to come pick her up. Mahira watched her go for a brief moment before the cab continued toward the hotel.
Mahira checked into Seoul Hotel quietly. The driver carried her luggage inside and she thanked him with a warm jazakallah before making her way to the reception desk. Room seventeen, second floor. She took the card, rode the lift up, slid the card into the door and stepped inside.
She set her bag down and stood in the quiet of the room for a moment.
On the other side of the city, Ava picked Elaya up and drove her back to Shah house. Elaya had been quiet the entire ride — a different kind of quiet, not her usual one.
Ava noticed.
She caught Elaya's wrist just as she turned toward her room.
"Is something wrong? We can talk about it if you want."
Elaya looked at her, then sighed and tilted her head toward the room. They both went in and sat on the bed and Elaya told her about the lady in the cab.
Ava listened. Then she went quiet too, thinking.
Why is she sad though? Ava's mind turned it over slowly. Unless — maybe she feels something. Maybe she is worried that why Czar drew her sketch. Does he — like her? I have never seen him look at her that way. And yet — how else do you explain it? Maybe these feelings did not develop on their own. Maybe this is something else entirely. Maybe it is Allah's plan.
Elaya patted her shoulder.
Ava blinked back into the room.
"I am good," Elaya said softly, trying to pull a small smile together. "Let's have dinner and then sleep."
Ava nodded and said nothing more — but she kept thinking long after the lights went out.
After a warm dinner, Ava and Elaya retired to their rooms. Elaya sank gently onto her bed, her hands resting behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling. The silence around her only amplified the noise within.
I'm in trouble.
Her thoughts echoed restlessly.
My mind keeps drifting where it shouldn't… Why am I thinking about Czar? I've been on countless missions, faced danger without hesitation—but never… never have I felt anything like this for anyone.
She exhaled slowly, her chest tightening.
It feels like I'm being trapped. And when I heard that woman talking about him… my heart started racing. Why? This place, this situation—it's all part of the mission. And I hate him… I hate that man's very existence.
Her fingers curled slightly as if grasping for control.
So why does it feel like I'm slowly developing feelings for him? Why now… why all of a sudden? I don't understand…
Her gaze softened, uncertainty clouding her thoughts.
Ya Allah… help me. Help me get out of these troubling feelings.