Afterwards, Sara didn't cry again.Not even when she was alone.
She slipped into a rhythm of survival—class, library, study, sleep. Every day was lived with mechanical precision, her footsteps memorized by the pavement she walked. Emotions were folded up neatly and placed somewhere unreachable, and what remained was a version of her that moved, spoke, and smiled—but didn't feel.
The people around her learned not to ask questions.She laughed when she had to.Nodded when required.
not even taked to sam and zero, nor they disturbed her.And drifted through the world like a person wearing skin that didn't quite fit.
Every now and then, when silence caught her off guard, she would hear Maera's laughter echo softly in her mind. Familiar. Unwanted.Like a ghost that refused to stay buried.
Each afternoon at exactly five, she visited Alexa.Never empty-handed.Always with a bouquet of pink and yellow roses.
She would sit with her for a while—sometimes talking, sometimes not. Just being.Alexa was still in coma, but this time doctor said that she showed signs of movements,
After that, she'd head to the café, as she always had, and return to the dorm late, long after most students had turned in for the night. She ate alone. Cup noodles, every single time. She never complained.
Sara's life had become a clock.Ticking. Turning. Repeating.And if there was anything left inside her worth saving—it stayed silent, buried beneath the noise of routine.
_________________________________________________________________
Maera had barely stepped into the apartment when she realized it was empty. The layers of dust on the furniture were proof enough—Sim hadn't been staying here for a while. The silence was suffocating. Maera stood in the middle of the living room, staring at her own trembling hands, whispering to herself, "I've lost everything… not hers, not mine. What do I do now?"
She didn't wait long. She turned around and left—out the door, into the street, chasing the one thing she still had a chance to reclaim: Sim.
She knew Sim's Saturday routines too well, and headed straight to the mall she often visited. The food court was crowded, but Maera spotted her instantly—seated with Dan, laughing, chocolate ice cream on her lips. Dan was smiling too, leaning closer to wipe it off. That was the final crack in Maera's composure.
She stormed over and grabbed Dan's wrist midair.
"How dare you touch her?" she growled.
Dan smirked and replied coldly, "And who the hell are you to ask? You have no idea how many times I've touched her."
Sim glanced up—hesitant, surprised—but not denying it.
Maera's fury burned through her throat. "I'm her wife," she declared through clenched teeth. "By law. By faith. I have every right to take her with me."
She reached for Sim's hand, threw money on the table, and shoved the ice cream in Dan's face. Before Sim could react, Maera pulled her away.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Sim shouted as they reached the parking lot, yanking her hand back. "Are you insane!?"
But Maera didn't stop. She was silent, determined, furious. She dragged Sim back to their home, slammed the front door shut, and pushed Sim back against the wall.
"Have you ever lied to me?" she demanded.
Sim froze. The rage in Maera's eyes was terrifying.
"Answer me!" she screamed. "Did you sleep with him?"
Sim's lips quivered. No words. Just the faintest nod.
"Aghhhh!" Maera cried out, stumbling back in anguish. "Why, Sim?! Why would you do this to me?"
In a blind storm of pain, Maera picked up a vase and hurled it to the ground. It shattered. Blood from her palm smeared the floor.
Sim rushed to her, crying, "Maera, your hand… what are you doing…?"
Maera jerked away. "Does it hurt to see me like this? Then tell me—was I not enough? Did you stop loving me? Are you in love with him now?"
Sim cupped her cheeks, trembling. "No, Maera..it was..just a mistake..... I'm so sorry…"
Maera's eyes softened for a second—but only a second. She pulled away, grief flaring into defiance. "You were going to move in with him. You were ready to leave me. This house… it's no longer a home, Sim, if you relly love him then you can just tell me, i will leave you and won't ask a word, why did you go to such lenghts??. "
Sim sank to the floor, sobbing silently.
Maera turned away, walked into the kitchen, opened the cabinet, and pulled out a bottle of wine.
"Let's drink, then," she said. "One last time. For our farewell."
She uncorked it, raised it to her lips, and downed it in one go.
"Maera, please," Sim whispered, panicking. "Stop… I love you, Maera. Please…"
Maera turned back to her, eyes wild, cheeks flushed. She crossed the room in two strides, grabbed Sim by the shoulders—and kissed her.
Sim gasped, but Maera didn't stop. She kissed her again. And again. Pouring into her all the love, betrayal, desperation she had locked inside.until sim couln't breath, sim pulled meara away and breath hasilty, maera said"what!!, you let him kiss you, but you can't let me kiss you?" maera pulled sim closed once agian and said furiously
"You let him touch you, but not me?"
Sim didn't answer. She just looked at her—torn, aching.
"Let's make this moment ours,.afterall you are willing for dan...so you should be willing for your legal wife too"," Maera whispered against her lips. "One last time. Before I disappear from your life… ."
sim couldn't say a word, she keeps pulling maera away but i was no use, maera was stronger then her, sim was crying silently.
She grabbed Sim and dragged him into the room, threw him onto the bed, took off her coat and shirt and tossed them aside, then climbed on top of her, sim cryied:"mae!!please.....don't....", "shhhh", maera put her index finger on sim's lips, the taste of blood goes into sim's mouth, Then Maera gently caressed Sim's face and leaned down to kiss her. Her kisses grew more intense, and she kept kissing her passionately,And she lay there, motionless like a corpse,Then Maera slowly began to move down, pressing a soft kiss to his neck. She gently unbuttoned his shirt, then tossed it aside and kissed his chest. Slowly, she traced his body with her lips, leaving a trail of warmth as she went. Sim just kept crying in silence; she couldn't utter a single word,
She closed her eyes, her breath trembling as she leaned closer, letting her lips trail slowly over the lines of her body. Sim's voice trembled with fear, but Maera didn't stop. Her touch moved lower, slower, until she reached her waist. When she tugged gently at her trouser, Sim tried to stop her — but she caught her wrists and pinned them above her head against the bed.
In that moment, Sim understood — there was no turning back. She shut her eyes in silent resignation, sorrow and fear welling up inside her. A single tear escaped, slipping down her cheek — a quiet witness to the part of her that still lived beneath the stillness
_________________________________________________________________
Dan slammed his fist on the table."Damn it... the fish was just caught in the net, and now this hook shows up out of nowhere. Everything was going perfectly."
He stood up in anger. Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen — Devil's Birch.He stared at the name for a second before quietly answering the call."Hm?" he said curtly.
On the other end, Georgia spoke, "What's the status of the task?"
Dan clenched his jaw."You never call at the right time, Miss Grave."
Georgia ignored his comment and continued, "The Master said it shouldn't take long. He wants the red target in front of him within the next two weeks. Not a day more. I trust you understand what that means..."
With that, she hung up.
Dan was left speechless. He stared at the dead phone screen in fury, then shouted,"Fuck!!"and stormed off.
______________________________________________
The room was quiet now.
Maera lay beside her, breath uneven, gaze distant, as if even she didn't know what had just happened — or what it meant. Her fingers lingered near Sim's hand, but didn't touch. The silence pressed down like a weight neither of them could carry.
Sim stared at the ceiling. Her body was still, but her mind was a storm of shattered thoughts. She felt raw, like something had been taken from her — not forcefully, but quietly, in a way that made it harder to scream. There was no violence. But there was no safety either.
A dull ache lived in her chest, one she couldn't name. She blinked slowly. Her throat felt tight. She didn't cry — not really. Just that one tear from earlier, still clinging to the edge of her jaw, drying on her skin like an unwanted secret.
She thought about saying something — anything — but what words could carry what she felt? Regret? Confusion? Betrayal?
No. Just silence.
She turned her back to Maera, curled into herself, and pulled the sheet higher. A part of her had gone quiet. A part of her that once believed in trust.
_________________________________________________________________
Sam and Zero sat across from each other, steaming cups of coffee between them. But Sam was more focused on his phone screen than the coffee. His fingers tapped rapidly — probably gaming. Zero, meanwhile, sipped his coffee slowly, eyes fixed not on the cup… but on Sam.
He couldn't help it.
"Hey, Sam," Zero finally said.
"Hm?" Sam responded distractedly, eyes still glued to the screen.
Zero hesitated, then spoke thoughtfully. "Have you noticed? Sara's… different these days. She used to barely talk to anyone. But now… she actually speaks when someone starts a conversation. She even smiles in the hallway. She never used to do that."
Sam glanced up from his phone, brows furrowed slightly. "Maybe she's trying to change. After everything that happened… and now with Alexa in a coma, maybe she's figuring herself out. We probably shouldn't interrupt her transformation. Maybe she just needs space."
Zero nodded. "Yeah… maybe."
But then Sam looked at him more closely, a teasing glint in his eyes. "But you? You're the one who's acting different lately."
Zero blinked. "W–What do you mean?"
Sam smiled slyly. "You used to ignore girls completely. And now you're actually talking to… what's her name again? Amaya?"
He leaned forward, playful yet observant, eyes locking with Zero's. "What's going on?"
Zero was caught off guard. How could he explain that he was only doing it to stay away from Sam? His words fumbled.
"I… I mean… I'm just talking to her. It's nothing."
Sam raised an eyebrow but smiled, though something about it didn't feel genuine. He leaned back, his tone light. "Bro, I'm actually starting to expect a sister-in-law at this point…"
Zero laughed nervously, trying to change the subject. "Sam… it's almost class time. Exams are in ten days. Let's go."
He stood up quickly, but before he could take a step, Sam grabbed his wrist, stopping him in place.
Zero's heart skipped a beat. Slowly, he turned back.
Sam's expression had changed — the teasing gone. He looked serious now, his voice low. "Are you avoiding me on purpose, Zero? Because I know you're not interested in Amaya. When she gave you that love letter, you ignored her. You even lectured her. So why are you doing this?"
Zero stared at him. That gentle grip on his wrist made his chest tighten. Slowly, he said, "Sam… don't ask strange questions. I'm just talking to her. I'm not in love or anything. Love only happens with one person. And I… I can't love two people at once."
He walked away before Sam could speak. Out into the corridor.
But Sam wasn't done. He ran after him, grabbing his arm again, stopping him with a breathless urgency.
"Then why won't you answer me? Who's the one person you love so much?"
Zero snapped, eyes wide, frustrated and cornered. "It's you, Sam! I love you!"
Sam froze, stunned. "W-What? You… love me?"
Zero looked at him for a long moment. Then suddenly burst into laughter.
"You idiot! I scared you, didn't I?" he laughed. "Sam… I don't like guys. I was just messing around. Come on, stop looking so pale."
Sam stared at him, confused, unsettled.
Zero smiled brightly, too brightly. There wasn't a trace of a tear in his eyes. Sam couldn't see anything behind that perfect act.
Sam stepped closer, cornering him against the wall. His voice was firm. "Zero… you played that joke on me. Don't even think about trying that with anyone else."
Zero looked at him, laughing nervously. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Let's go to class. I'll even treat you to ramen today."
Sam narrowed his eyes. "You? Treat me? The guy who's never taken a coin out of his own pocket?"
Zero chuckled. "Well, you've done a lot for me. And you're going back to your home soon. Let me do something for once."
Sam rolled his eyes and laughed. "The end is near, people! It's the last day of Earth! Samael is giving treats!"
"Shut up, idiot," Zero said, tackling Sam playfully as they both laughed.
Then Zero leaned in and whispered, "We'll go out tonight, okay?"
Before Sam could respond, he saw her — Elina, walking toward them, his girlfriend of almost a year. He straightened immediately.
"What's up, Elina?" Sam asked softly.
She smiled sweetly. "Can we go shopping today, Sam? I want to pick something for my birthday party."
She looked at him like she already knew the answer she wanted.
Sam hesitated. On one side was friendship. On the other, his girlfriend.
Before he could speak, Zero stepped in. "It's okay, Sam. Take her. We'll have dinner together tomorrow."
He smiled.
Sam smiled too, and walked away with Elina.
Zero stayed behind, watching them go.
And once again, he broke — silently.
The tears he had hidden so skillfully began to slip down his cheeks the moment Sam was out of sight. He wiped them away, as if erasing a part of himself. There was no space for feelings. There was no place for what he wanted.
And one thing became painfully clear to him —Whatever this was with Sam, it could never become anything more than friendship.
So Zero chose friendship. He fixed his expression. And in a second, he was back to his usual self — his armor of playfulness perfectly in place.
He walked alone toward class.
After a while....
All the classes had finally ended.
As usual, Sam made his way to the vending machine — their spot. The one where he and Zero always ended the day together, grabbing coffee before heading home. It had become a ritual. A quiet corner of the day that belonged only to them.
But today… something felt off.
Zero wasn't there.
Sam glanced around, puzzled. He remembered seeing Zero rush out of class the moment it ended — not unusual, honestly. Zero always made his exit like a prisoner escaping a cell. But still… he was always at the vending machine before Sam. Always.
Not today.
Sam waited.
Maybe Zero got held up. Maybe he was just running late.
Five minutes passed.
Ten.
No sign of him.
Sam frowned, finally pushing himself off the wall and heading outside. On the way, he ran into Tom, one of their classmates.
"Hey, Tom," Sam called out. "Did you see Zero?"
Tom nodded casually. "Yeah, he left right after class. Like, immediately. Didn't even wait for anyone."
"Oh… okay. Thanks," Sam said, trying to hide the confusion rising in his chest.
He left without telling me?
Sam reached for his phone, unlocking it to call Zero, but just then —
"Elina!" her voice chirped behind him.
Sam turned, surprised. He instinctively locked his phone and slid it back into his pocket.
"Hey… you're here," he said, forcing a small smile.
"Let's go to my place first," Elina said briskly. "I need to grab a few things and drop off my bag. Then we can head to the mall."
Sam nodded. "Sure."
She reached out, and he took her hand — walking beside her, just like any other day.
But something in him felt detached. Half-present.
As they walked off together, a part of Sam's mind stayed behind… near the vending machine, near the silence Zero had left him with.
And he couldn't shake the quiet thought:Why didn't you wait for me today…?
Zero stood outside the dimly lit bar, hands shoved into his pockets, his gaze fixed on the glowing red neon sign that read Hot Night. He didn't know exactly what he was thinking — or maybe he did, but there were no words big enough to hold what he felt.
He used to say coffee solved everything. No matter what kind of hell he and Sam were going through, a warm coffee at the vending machine fixed it all.
But tonight, for the first time, Zero was standing outside a bar instead — lost, quiet, aching.
He didn't think twice.
He pushed the door open and walked in.
Inside, the music was loud, the lights were dim and dancing, flashing over bodies swaying in rhythm. Boys and girls moved to the beat — some were celebrating life, others desperately trying to feel like they were living.
Zero made his way through the crowd and sank into a chair near the counter.
And then came a familiar voice.
"Hey Zero! Long time no see, bro!"
Zero turned. A wave of surprise hit him. "Jacob?! Damn, bro—what the hell! You're here?"
Jacob grinned. "This is my place. My bar. And I'm also the bartender here now."
Zero gave a real smile for the first time that day. Jacob had been Sam's old friend since high school — always a little reckless, always obsessed with the idea that pain could be numbed with the right drink.
"Wait—your bar?" Zero asked.
"Of course, man. Welcome to Hot Night. Now tell me… who broke your heart? Where's Sam?"
Zero slouched forward. "Ugh… I'll tell you everything. But first, make me something strong."
Jacob laughed. "You got it."
As Jacob prepared the drink, Zero stared ahead, his mind playing scenes he couldn't pause.
"Jacob," he said finally, "I'm exhausted. I've been running so far for so long… and now I just can't anymore. I'm done."
Jacob placed the drink in front of him. "You look broken, man. What happened?"
Zero took a sip — it burned. He liked it.
"In these past few days, I've gotten used to him. The more I try to keep my distance, the closer he feels. There's no future for us — none. But I can't even breathe without him sometimes. I want him beside me every moment."
A tear slipped from his eye.
He looked down at the drink and murmured, "I never understood why Grandpa used to drink this bitter stuff. But he always said, 'One day, kid, you'll drink this and it won't taste bitter at all — not compared to the truth.'"
He downed the rest in a single gulp.
"Shots," he said quietly.
Jacob lined up a few.
Then, hesitantly, he asked, "Zero… who is it? Who do you love so deeply you can't even exist without them? Is it someone… close?"
Zero nodded slowly. "Very close," he whispered, tapping his chest. "He lives right here."
Jacob watched him with growing concern. "Do they know?"
Zero looked at him, eyes hazy, lips curling in a broken smile.
"It's Sam."
Jacob's eyes widened. "Wait—Sam?! You're in love with Sam?!"
Zero raised a finger, signaling he needed another shot. Then he chuckled.
"Yeah. It's Sam. But he doesn't know. He's busy building his beautiful future with his beautiful girlfriend. He's probably out shopping with her right now… and I'll be the one dancing at their wedding. The good friend. The bystander."
Jacob blinked, shaken. "You're telling me you're in love with your best friend — and he's in a committed relationship with someone else?"
Zero nodded again. "Yep."
Jacob leaned forward, furious now. "Then what about you? What the hell happens to you, Zero?"
Zero laughed, hollow. "I stay by his side. Always. As a good friend. Because if I ever told him the truth… I'd lose him. And I'd rather live with the pain of silence than live in a world where Sam hates me."
Jacob slammed his hand on the counter. "You're insane! You're just going to keep hurting like this?!"
"Yes," Zero said quietly, eyes glassy. "Because at least this way… I don't lose him."
Jacob went silent.
Zero kept drinking.
Shot after shot after shot.
He was completely drunk now. The music around him blurred into a low hum. His head spun, but his heart felt heavier than ever.
And somewhere inside him, the truth echoed again and again:You'll never have him. But you'll always love him.
The mall was bright, lively, and full of noise — couples laughing, children tugging shopping bags, and the soft echo of music from every corner.
Sam and Elina walked hand in hand, perfectly in sync — a picture-perfect couple. She leaned against him as they moved from shop to shop, and Sam carried most of the shopping bags without complaint, helping her choose outfits, holding things up, offering opinions with that soft smile of his.
Elina beamed. "Sam, let's eat something first. I'm starving."
"Sure, my dear," Sam said gently, placing a kiss on the back of her hand. He always was the gentleman.
They made their way to the food court and found a small table in the corner. Sam set the bags down and had just sat down when his phone buzzed.
He frowned. "Who's calling me now…"
He took out his phone and saw an unknown number.
Curious, he answered, "Hello?"
Elina glanced up from the menu, eyes on him.
A man's voice responded, urgent and strained."Is this Sam?"
"Yes," Sam replied, suddenly formal. "Who's this?"
"It's Jacob… from Hot Night."
The name hit him like a lightning bolt.
"Jacob?!" Sam repeated, sitting up straight.
"Yeah, bro.
, I'm sorry to call like this out of nowhere, but…" Jacob's voice dipped slightly. "It's Zero. He's here. And he's… not okay."
Sam sat up straighter. "What do you mean not okay?"
"He's wasted, man. Like really out of it. And he's been saying things I don't think he meant to say out loud."
"What kind of things?" Sam asked, already standing.
Jacob hesitated. "The kind that'll break your heart if you're not ready to hear them."
Sam felt a chill rush through him.
"I'm coming."
He ended the call abruptly.
"Elina—" he started, already halfway out of his seat.
"What happened?" she asked, worried.
"I—I'll explain later. I'm sorry."
And he ran — weaving through the crowded mall, phone clenched in his hand, a strange dread tightening around his ribs.
TO BE CONTINED....