Chapter 25: bound by secrets and past

In a dimly lit coffee shop, the air heavy with the scent of roasted beans, Yihwa sat by the window, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. The sun streamed through the glass, casting a warm glow on her face—a face that had once been familiar to Ai, the man who had vanished from her life without a trace.

Ai stepped inside, his presence commanding attention. His dark eyes swept the room, locking onto Yihwa. She hadn't expected him to return, not after two years of silence. But there he was, the villain of her past, the man who had once been her confidante, her partner in mischief.

He approached her table, his footsteps deliberate. Yihwa's heart raced. She had left him behind in the UK, their friendship severed by distance and time. And now, fate had brought them face-to-face once more.

"Yihwa," Ai said, his voice a low rumble. "You didn't think you could escape me forever, did you?"

She stood, her knees trembling. "Ai," she whispered. "You're back."

He pulled out the chair across from her, his gaze unyielding. "I heard about your marriage," he said, his lips curving into a bitter smile. "Congratulations."

Yihwa's breath caught. She hadn't told him. How had he found out? "Thank you," she stammered. "It was sudden."

"Sudden?" Ai leaned back, studying her. "You never mentioned it. Not a word."

"I—" Yihwa hesitated. "I didn't think you'd care."

He chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth. "You're right. I don't."

But Yihwa knew better. Beneath the anger in his eyes, there was hurt—a betrayal that cut deeper than any blade. She had kept her marriage a secret, not realizing that Ai had always been more than just her best friend. He was the darkness lurking in the corners of her life, the one who had disappeared without a trace.

"Why are you here, Ai?" Yihwa asked, her voice trembling. "After all this time?"

He leaned forward, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. "I came back for answers," he said. "Answers about why you left me behind, why you chose a life without me."

Yihwa's heart pounded. "You vanished," she whispered.

"And you moved on," Ai replied, his eyes narrowing. "Marriage, a new life. But you forgot one thing—I'm not the forgiving type."

He knew that she recognised him,the nightmare from her past life.

She swallowed hard. "Ai, I—"

"No," he interrupted. "Don't apologize. It's too late for that."

Yihwa glanced around the coffee shop, aware of curious glances from other patrons. They had no idea that the man sitting across from her was the villain of her past, the one who had once held her heart.

"You're dangerous," she said, her voice barely audible. "Why did you come back?"

He leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. "Because, Yihwa," he murmured, "I've always been drawn to chaos. And you, my dear, are the most chaotic thing in my life."

As the bell above the door tinkled again, Ai stood, leaving her with a promise that hung heavy in the air. "We'll meet again," he said. "And next time, secrets won't save you."

And with that, he vanished, leaving Yihwa torn between the love she had lost and the darkness that had returned.

In that coffee shop, amidst the scent of coffee and the hum of conversation, their destinies collided once more—a villain and his unsuspecting best friend, bound by secrets and a past that refused to stay buried.