––——
Jin increased the speed of his bike as he moved through the silent roads of the cloudy night. The streets were unusually empty, and the sky above him was heavy with dense clouds that seemed ready to collapse at any moment. He kept driving without slowing down, his eyes focused ahead as if trying to reach a place before something caught up to him.
Jin muttered under his breath, "Where did you go?"
A raindrop suddenly struck his face, cold and sharp enough to pull him slightly back into awareness. He clicked his tongue in irritation and increased his speed even more, as if trying to outrun the weather itself. The rain had only just begun, falling lightly for now, but the atmosphere suggested it would soon grow heavier and more relentless.
---
Meanwhile, inside the cinema hall, Alan and Ellie were seated next to each other in the middle rows. The dim glow of the screen reflected in their eyes as the movie played in front of them, filling the quiet hall with soft sound and shifting light. Ellie occasionally reached into the popcorn bucket and took a few pieces while sipping her cola, clearly enjoying the moment more than the film itself.
She glanced at Alan and spoke softly, careful not to disturb the people around them. "Hey Alan, are you lost in the movie or something? You haven't even touched your food."
Alan blinked once and slowly shifted his gaze toward her before looking at the popcorn bucket. He then responded calmly, "Ah, yeah, I was. My bad."
He rubbed the side of his head lightly, showing no real change in expression, then returned his attention forward.
Ellie chuckled softly and leaned back into her seat. Her eyes drifted slightly upward toward the row above them, where Daniel and Daisy were sitting together. They appeared relaxed, sharing the experience of the movie like a couple enjoying a quiet night out.
Ellie spoke again in a low tone, more to herself this time. "Looks like they are also enjoying themselves."
Alan followed her gaze and noticed the same thing. He observed them for a moment and then replied simply, "They sure are."
He took a sip of his cola afterward and returned his attention to the screen.
---
When the movie eventually ended, the crowd began to leave the hall in waves. The soft hum of conversations filled the cinema lobby as people stretched and adjusted themselves after sitting for so long. Alan, Ellie, Daniel, and Daisy met outside the building under the dim evening lighting.
Daniel stretched his arm and looked up at the sky. "It's going to rain soon. We should leave before it gets heavy."
Daisy frowned slightly and crossed her arms. "What? I thought we would have more fun tonight."
Daniel gave a faint, tired laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. "We already did. Better not get caught in the rain now."
Ellie nodded in agreement, glancing at the sky. "He's right. We should go. It's not like we came here by car anyway."
Daisy sighed but accepted it. "Fine, fine. Me and Daniel came by bus anyway, but now we'll probably have to take a taxi back."
Daniel nodded. "Yeah, that sounds right. Alan, Ellie, we'll see you tomorrow at school. It was fun."
They waved at each other before Daniel and Daisy turned and walked toward the direction where taxis usually passed.
Ellie waved energetically behind them. "Take care and go home safely."
She lowered her hand and turned toward Alan with a light smile. "Well, shall we get going before the rain starts?"
Alan nodded once. "Yeah. Let me get my bike."
---
Alan walked toward the parking area and returned shortly with his bike. Ellie sat behind him as soon as he stopped, and the engine came to life with a steady sound that blended into the quiet night road. They moved forward through the streets, the wind growing slightly colder as clouds thickened overhead.
---
Meanwhile, Lily was walking alone through another road when she noticed that the rainfall had already begun. It was light at first, but the sky suggested it would not stay that way for long. She looked around quickly, realizing there was no proper shelter nearby.
She raised her arm slightly as another car passed by, its headlights briefly illuminating her face before disappearing into the distance. The road ahead was almost empty, with only faint sounds of tires and rain beginning to fill the space.
A jeep suddenly passed by her at speed, its horn echoing loudly through the street as it crossed her. The bright headlights briefly blinded her, forcing her to shield her eyes with her arm.
When she lowered her arm, she noticed that the jeep had stopped ahead in the middle of the empty road. The rain had started to increase slightly, making the atmosphere feel heavier and more suffocating.
Lily stared cautiously as the doors opened and several men stepped out. There were six of them in total, all dressed in black jackets and black jeans, their faces hidden in the dim light. Only one of them stood slightly apart from the rest, wearing a black hat and holding a cigarette between his fingers.
The man in the hat spoke first, his voice calm but firm as he exhaled smoke slowly. "You have to come with us. We won't make things difficult if you cooperate."
Lily immediately stiffened but held her ground. "Who are you? And why would I go with strangers like you?"
The man in the hat exhaled another stream of smoke before glancing at his group. Without responding to her question directly, he simply raised his hand. In response, the other five men pulled out pistols from behind their backs and aimed them at her.
Lily's breath caught in her throat. Her body froze for a moment as the reality of the situation sank in. She had never been in a situation like this before, where escape or logic seemed impossible.
She forced herself to speak, though her voice was unstable. "What are you doing? Do you want me to call the police?"
The man in the hat tilted his head slightly and interrupted her. "Do you really think you are in a position to reach for your phone right now?"
He glanced around casually before looking back at her with a faint smirk. "We don't really need you. But through you, we can reach what we came for. So tell me, are you coming quietly, or do you want to see how a real gun behaves?"
Lily swallowed hard, trying to think of a way to stall or escape. Her mind raced, searching for any possible interruption or help.
"What do you mean by that? What are you trying to get through me?" she asked, trying to gather information.
The man smirked slightly. "You are not as clueless as you look."
Before he could continue, Lily's expression shifted slightly as she began to piece things together. "I see… so you are not actually here for me. I am just a connection."
The man's smile widened slightly. "Correct."
He raised his hand again. "Enough talking. End it."
One of the men responded immediately. "Understood, boss."
He aimed his gun directly at her and prepared to pull the trigger.
---
At that exact moment, the sound of an engine roared through the road, cutting through the tension like a blade. The bright light of a motorcycle headlamp flooded the scene from behind Lily, forcing the men to briefly shield their eyes.
A black bike slid into view, kicking up light smoke as it stopped sharply behind her.
Lily turned her head and saw Jin stepping off the bike. For a moment, she could not speak, still shaken by what had just happened.
Jin spoke calmly as he approached. "It's fine. You don't need to say anything. Just hide behind the bike."
Lily hesitated and immediately warned him. "Wait, they have guns. Are you sure? We should—"
Jin cut her off without raising his voice. "Just hide. Don't worry about it."
Lily reluctantly moved behind the bike, still watching him with concern.
The man in the hat observed Jin carefully, his cigarette still burning between his fingers. He exhaled slowly before speaking. "Well, this is unexpected. My name is Thomas, and we are here for you."
Jin looked at him directly. "I don't know why you are looking for me, but if you want something, we can talk it out."
Thomas chuckled softly, as if amused by the suggestion.
---
At the same time, elsewhere in the city, Alan and Ellie were riding through the rain on Alan's bike. The rain had grown heavier, and the roads were now wet and reflective under the passing streetlights.
Alan suddenly slowed down and came to a stop in the middle of the road.
Ellie leaned forward slightly. "Alan, what's wrong? The rain is getting heavier. We should keep moving."
Alan stared ahead for a moment before responding. "Yeah, but I think we need to deal with something unexpected first."
Ellie's expression shifted in confusion as she looked ahead.
In front of them, six men stood blocking the road. All of them were dressed in black and holding 9mm pistols, aimed directly at them.
Ellie's eyes widened. "Alan… what is this? They have guns?"
Her voice carried fear, but Alan calmly placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Find somewhere safe. Get out of here if you can. I'll handle this."
Ellie hesitated but obeyed, moving behind the bike since there was nowhere else to hide.
Alan stepped forward toward the group.
He narrowed his eyes slightly as he analyzed them. "An ambush. So it's already started. Judging by your stance, you are not here to talk."
---
Back with Jin, Thomas smiled faintly as the rain continued to fall around them.
"Of course, Jin," he said. "We are here for you."
At almost the same moment, Alan and Jin both stood in front of their respective groups, the rain falling harder now as tension reached its peak.
Alan spoke first.
Jin spoke almost simultaneously.
"You're here to kill me."
The words aligned across distance and circumstance, as both scenes mirrored each other under the same storm.
---
To be continued.