Daniel was running again.
He didn't even feel the limp.
The streetlights buzzed above them like angry wasps, the city too quiet, too empty, too wrong. Sunny was ahead, sprinting like his life depended on it—because maybe it did. Isac was silent beside Daniel, footsteps calm, steady. Like a machine.
They turned a corner.
The convenience store was dark. Locked. Closed.
The shutter halfway down, the lights off.
Sunny didn't stop. He slammed his fists against the shutter.
"LEHYA!" he shouted, voice cracked. "Pick up the damn phone!"
Nothing.
He pulled out his phone, hit call again. And again. And again.
No answer.
"Sh*t," Sunny whispered, trembling. "Sh*t sh*t sh*t—"
Daniel stood behind him, chest heaving. His heart was hammering so hard it felt like it was trying to claw its way out of his ribs. Isac stepped forward, trying to look around, eyes scanning the streets like a soldier on patrol.
"We don't know where she is," Daniel said quietly.
Sunny didn't reply. His hand was shaking as he dialed again.
And again.
And again.
TWO HOURS EARLIER – LEHYA'S POV
"I have to go to this damn karaoke party or they'll keep calling me a ghost," Lehya muttered, dragging her feet toward the building with the glowing neon sign. "F**k's sake, what a pain..."
She walked inside, pulling her cardigan tighter around herself. Music blasted from the private booths. Colored lights flashed. The air stank of cheap perfume and soda syrup.
Inside their room, it was chaos. Girls yelling into mics. Guys pouring soda. Everyone pretending they were having the best night of their lives.
Three girls, including Lehya. Four guys. A blind date night. Her first.
She slid into the booth, forcing a smile. "So who's mine?"
One of the guys raised his hand, cocky grin already in place.
"Name's Venny," he said, voice smooth. "What about you?"
Lehya blinked. "...I'm Lehya. Nineteen."
"Oh damn, I'm eighteen," he said with a smirk. "Guess I gotta be on my best behavior."
She laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes.
They made small talk. Favorite foods. College courses. He said he liked music. She said she liked art.
She hated this.
An hour passed. Two of the girls got up to leave early.
Just Lehya and her friend Sarah remained. The guys? Still there. Louder now. Drunker, even though no one was supposed to be drinking.
That's when Venny pulled a bag up from under the table.
Clink.
"What's that?" Lehya asked sharply.
Venny pulled out two cans of beer. A flask. A bottle of something that looked expensive and illegal.
"We're not 21," she said, voice dropping. "You'll get us banned from the place—what are you doing?"
Venny just laughed. "Relax. It's just a little fun."
Lehya stood up. "I'm leaving."
But then—
"Stop right there."
She froze.
His voice was lower now. Cruel. Sharp like ice.
"You're friends with that cute cashier guy, right?" Venny said, eyes narrowing. "The one with the golden hair?"
Lehya's heart dropped.
Sunny.
"Sit down," Venny said. "Unless you wanna get hurt."
Sarah was already shaking. She hadn't said a word in ten minutes.
Lehya slowly sat back down, her eyes fixed on Venny's face. "...You're insane."
He leaned in, eyes glinting with something sick. "I'll let you go. Just tell me where he lives."
Lehya stayed silent.
Not a word.
Venny's smile twitched. Then he grabbed the alcohol bottle, smashed it against the floor.
CRASH.
Glass exploded everywhere. The room fell silent.
He held the broken neck of the bottle in one hand. Sharp, jagged. A weapon now.
"Tell me. Right now," he growled. "Or I'll cut you up so bad no one will wanna look at you again."
Lehya's breath hitched. She could barely hear her own thoughts through the sound of her blood pounding.
Daniel. Sunny. She remembered the day in the store. Venny had seen them. That's how he knew.
"JUST TELL ME!" he roared.
His phone buzzed.
He cursed and turned away, storming to the corner to answer the call.
Lehya's hands were shaking.
But she pulled out her phone.
Typed fast.
Three messages.
help.
pls.
im scared.
Then deleted the thread and slid the phone under the table.
BACK TO THE BOYS
Daniel was pacing now. The sidewalk was too quiet. Every second stretched like gum under a shoe.
"We have no leads," he muttered. "She could be anywhere—"
"I see someone!" Sunny said suddenly.
A girl was walking toward the store. Short hair, pink bag. Lehya's friend. Daniel had seen her once or twice.
Sunny rushed up. "Hey—you know where Lehya is?!"
The girl blinked. "Oh—yeah. We went to this karaoke thing together. 'Let's Go Karaoke!' on 5th Avenue. Why?"
Sunny's face went pale.
"She hasn't come home. Did she leave alone?"
"She… I think so. I left before her. Sarah stayed, though."
Sunny didn't wait.
He was already running again.
Daniel and Isac followed, feet slamming the pavement, blood boiling.
The karaoke building was up ahead.
Ugly neon light flickering like it was nervous.
The glass door hung half-open.
Daniel saw it first.
"Stop."
Sunny skidded to a halt beside him. "Why—"
"Listen."
Inside—
A voice.
"Not telling me? How much do you want to die?!"
That voice.
That tone.
Venny.
Sunny clenched his fists so tight his knuckles cracked.
Daniel scanned the ground. Then spotted it:
A loose rock. Fist-sized. Sitting by the gutter like fate left it there.
He grabbed it.
"We need to distract him," Daniel muttered. "We can't just run in. He's got her."
Isac nodded. Calm. Ready. Sunny didn't say a word. His chest was rising like a storm.
They crept forward.
One karaoke booth had its door open.
Inside:
Lehya on the floor.
Tears in her eyes.
Face bruised. Hands cut.
Venny behind her.
Arm tight around her neck.
Broken bottle raised.
He looked like a demon in a cheap t-shirt.
"You," he growled, eyes snapping to Sunny. "You're the blond f*ck, aren't you? The one she likes?"
Sunny didn't answer.
He just stared.
Eyes burning.
"She wouldn't tell me sh*t," Venny laughed. "Had to scare it outta her. But she's stubborn. I like 'em stubborn."
Daniel stepped forward, slowly.
"Let her go," he said, voice firm but quiet. "You don't want this."
Venny laughed again. "You again? You still alive? I thought you'd offed yourself by now."
Daniel didn't flinch.
He just raised the rock.
And chucked it.
CRACK.
It slammed straight into the speaker above Venny's head—
BOOM!
A shriek of static exploded through the room.
Venny flinched—instinctively ducked—his grip loosened just for half a second—
That was enough.
Sunny MOVED.
Full sprint.
No hesitation.
No warning.
He punched Venny so hard his entire body flew back into the wall.
The broken bottle skittered across the floor.
Venny groaned, dazed. Tried to move.
Too late.
Isac was already there.
Two steps.
One kick.
CRACK.
Rib. Broken.
Then he grabbed Venny by the collar and slammed him down like trash.
Daniel rushed to Lehya, kneeling beside her.
But she wasn't looking at him.
She was crawling toward—
Sunny.
She threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest, sobbing.
"I—I didn't know what to do—I was so scared—"
"I know," Sunny whispered, holding her tight. "It's over. You're safe now. I swear."
Daniel turned to look at Venny. The boy was coughing blood, curled on the ground like a kicked rat.
Venny looked up at him, still trying to smile.
"You're still weak," he spat. "Still a pathetic—"
Daniel walked over.
And kicked him in the mouth.
Not hard. Not angry.
Just enough to shut him up.
"You got no idea who I am anymore," Daniel said softly.
Back at Isac's place—
They cleaned Lehya's wounds. Wrapped her palms. Gave her water.
She curled up on the couch, still trembling.
Sunny sat beside her, protective.
She leaned on him again. Her head on his shoulder. Their fingers laced.
Daniel stood by the kitchen. Watching. Quiet.
Jaw clenched.
Eyes still burning from what they saw.
Sunny looked up at him.
"We were late..."
Daniel nodded once. "Yeah, but she's safe now, that's all that matters."
Sunny looked down at Lehya, asleep on his arm.
"I meant it earlier," he said quietly. "If that bastard ever touches her again…"
Daniel cut him off.
"I know, I know."