Chapter 1 –
The evening was calm in the big city. The sun was slowly going down behind the tall buildings. The sky was painted with soft orange and pink colors. Cars moved on the busy roads, and people hurried to reach their homes after a long day of work.
In the middle of this busy city, a young man named Ran was walking slowly on the sidewalk.
Ran was tall and quiet. His face looked calm, but inside his heart there were many thoughts. He had been living in this city for many years. From the outside, his life looked perfect. He had a good job, a nice apartment, and a stable life.
But deep inside his heart, there was a memory he could never forget.
A memory connected to someone very special.
Her name was Mariya.
Ran had not seen Mariya for many years. Life had separated them a long time ago. Still, sometimes her memories suddenly came back to him.
Tonight was one of those nights.
Ran stopped near a streetlight and looked at his watch.
"I'm late again," he whispered quietly.
He worked at a large company in the city center. His job was demanding, and most days he stayed busy until evening. Work helped him forget many things… but not everything.
Some memories were too strong to disappear.
Ran started walking again. The cool evening wind touched his face.
As he walked, his mind slowly began to drift into the past.
He remembered the days when life felt lighter.
Days when he laughed more.
Days when Mariya was still part of his life.
But suddenly, a loud sound broke his thoughts.
A car passed quickly beside the road, and Ran looked up.
At the same time, a young woman was walking quickly from the opposite side of the street. She looked like she was in a hurry. She was holding several files and papers in her hands.
The wind suddenly became stronger.
A few papers slipped from her hands and fell on the ground.
"Oh no…" the woman said softly.
She quickly bent down to pick them up, but the wind kept moving the papers across the sidewalk.
Ran saw this and immediately walked toward her.
"Let me help you," he said kindly.
He bent down and started picking up the scattered papers.
Within a few seconds, he gathered them all and held them out to the woman.
"Here," he said.
The woman reached for the papers.
As she lifted her head, their eyes met.
For a moment, time seemed to stop.
Ran froze.
His heart suddenly started beating faster.
His eyes widened with shock.
"M… Mariya?" he said softly.
The woman stared at him.
Her expression slowly changed from confusion to surprise.
"Ran?" she said quietly.
Both of them stood there in silence.
It had been many years since they had last seen each other.
Neither of them expected to meet like this… in the middle of a crowded city street.
For a moment, the noise of the traffic and the people around them seemed to disappear.
Only the two of them existed in that moment.
Ran looked at Mariya carefully.
She had changed a little. She looked more mature now. Her hair was slightly longer, and her style was different.
But her eyes were exactly the same.
The same warmth.
The same deep emotions.
Memories from the past suddenly rushed into Ran's mind.
College hallways.
Long conversations.
Shared laughter.
And then… the painful day when everything ended.
Mariya looked down for a moment, as if she didn't know what to say.
"You… live here?" she finally asked.
Ran nodded slowly.
"Yes. I've been living here for years."
Mariya looked surprised.
"I didn't know," she said.
Her voice was calm, but there was something hidden inside it.
Maybe sadness.
Maybe regret.
Ran took a small breath.
"What about you?" he asked.
Mariya adjusted the files in her hands.
"I came back to the city a few months ago."
Ran was a little surprised.
"You left this city back then," he said.
"Yes," Mariya replied quietly.
There was a short silence between them again.
Both of them knew there were many things they wanted to ask.
But neither of them knew where to begin.
Cars continued to pass by them.
People walked around them.
But Ran and Mariya still stood there like two people caught between the past and the present.
Ran finally spoke again.
"It's been… a long time."
Mariya nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Another soft wind passed through the street.
Mariya gently moved a strand of hair away from her face.
Ran noticed something in her expression.
Something familiar.
But also something distant.
Something had changed between them over the years.
And both of them could feel it.
After a few moments, Mariya looked at her watch.
"I should go," she said softly.
"I have a meeting soon."
Ran nodded.
"Of course."
But before she turned to leave, Mariya looked at him again.
"Ran…"
"Yes?"
"Maybe… we'll meet again."
Ran gave a small smile.
"Maybe."
Mariya nodded and slowly walked away.
Ran stood there watching her leave.
Step by step, she disappeared into the crowd of people on the busy street.
Ran didn't move.
He kept looking in the direction where she had gone.
After a while, he slowly took a deep breath.
"Mariya…" he whispered.
He never imagined that after all these years, he would see her again like this.
But he had no idea…
That this unexpected meeting was only the beginning.
Because very soon, Ran and Mariya were going to discover a dangerous secret hidden inside the city.
A secret that had been buried for many years.
And once the truth started coming out…
Their lives would change forever.
Ran stayed there for a few seconds after Mariya left.
The street was still busy. Cars were moving, people were talking, and the city looked the same as always.
But for Ran, something inside had changed.
Seeing Mariya again after so many years felt strange. His heart was still beating faster than usual.
He slowly started walking again.
But now his mind was full of thoughts.
"Why did she come back to this city?" Ran wondered.
Years ago, Mariya had left suddenly. She did not even say a proper goodbye. After that day, Ran never heard anything from her again.
At first, he tried to contact her.
He called her phone many times.
He even went to the places where they used to meet.
But Mariya was gone.
It was like she had disappeared from his life overnight.
After some time, Ran stopped trying.
He told himself that it was better to forget the past.
But forgetting Mariya was never easy.
Even now, after many years, just one meeting had brought back all the memories.
Ran reached a small coffee shop near the corner of the street.
This place was quiet compared to the busy road.
He entered the café and sat near the window.
The warm lights inside the café made the place feel peaceful.
A waiter came to his table.
"What would you like, sir?" the waiter asked politely.
"Just a coffee," Ran replied.
The waiter nodded and walked away.
Ran looked outside through the window.
People were still walking on the sidewalk.
Some were laughing with friends.
Some were talking on their phones.
Everyone seemed busy with their own lives.
But Ran's thoughts were somewhere else.
His mind slowly went back to the past.
Back to the days when everything was different.
He remembered the first time he met Mariya.
It was during their college days.
Ran had just joined the college.
He was new and didn't know many people there.
One day, while he was walking in the college library, someone accidentally bumped into him.
Books fell on the floor.
"I'm so sorry!" a girl said quickly.
Ran bent down to help pick up the books.
When he looked up, he saw Mariya for the first time.
She looked embarrassed but also friendly.
"It's okay," Ran said.
That small moment had started something special.
From that day, they started seeing each other more often.
Sometimes in the library.
Sometimes in the college cafeteria.
Sometimes during group projects.
Slowly, they became good friends.
They talked about many things.
Dreams.
Future plans.
Favorite movies.
And sometimes even their fears.
Mariya was cheerful and full of energy.
She always made Ran laugh.
Ran, on the other hand, was calm and thoughtful.
Their personalities were different, but somehow they understood each other very well.
Days turned into months.
And their friendship slowly became something deeper.
But then…
Something happened.
Something that changed everything.
Ran suddenly stopped thinking.
The waiter placed the coffee on the table.
"Your coffee, sir."
"Thank you," Ran said.
He took a sip of the coffee.
The warm drink helped him relax a little.
But the memories were still there.
He remembered the last day he saw Mariya in the past.
That day had been strange.
Mariya looked worried.
She was quiet and distracted.
Ran had asked her many times what was wrong.
But she kept saying, "Nothing."
Later that evening, she suddenly told him she was leaving the city.
Ran was shocked.
"Leaving? Why?" he asked.
But Mariya didn't give a clear answer.
She only said that she had to go.
And after that day… she disappeared.
Ran never understood the real reason.
Even today, that question remained in his heart.
Why did Mariya leave?
Ran finished his coffee slowly.
Outside, the sky had become darker.
Night lights started glowing across the city.
Ran stood up and walked out of the café.
The cool night air touched his face.
He started walking toward his apartment.
But something strange happened at that moment.
As he passed a narrow street near the café, he noticed something unusual.
A black car was parked near the corner.
Inside the car, someone was sitting.
The person seemed to be watching the street carefully.
Ran didn't think much about it at first.
But then he noticed something else.
The person inside the car was looking in the same direction where Mariya had gone earlier.
Ran slowed down his steps.
Something about that situation felt… strange.
The car's windows were dark.
It was difficult to see the face of the person inside.
After a few seconds, the car engine started.
The black car slowly moved forward and disappeared into the traffic.
Ran stood there quietly.
"Was that just a coincidence?" he wondered.
Or was someone actually watching Mariya?
Ran shook his head slightly.
"Maybe I'm thinking too much," he said to himself.
But deep inside, a small feeling of uneasiness appeared.
He had no idea…
That this small moment was actually the first sign of a hidden danger.
A danger connected to Mariya.
And also connected to a secret buried deep inside the city.
Very soon, Ran would realize that Mariya's return was not just a coincidence.
And the truth behind her past…
Was far more dangerous than he ever imagined.
To be continued…