Chapter 30
“There are words you think you’re ready to hear until you finally do.”
Aika’s POV
---
The sky turned grey before I even realized it.
The letter from Julius stayed in my hand the whole night. I read it three times. No—five. Maybe more.
And every time, it felt different.
At first, I was angry. The kind of anger that feels cold. Quiet. Not loud like shouting, but heavy like drowning.
Then I felt confused. Why now? Why those words?
And then… I just felt tired.
Like everything inside me had been drained out.
I sat by the window, legs curled up on the seat, staring at nothing. Just the wet road, the soft drizzle still falling, and my thoughts that wouldn’t stop spinning.
Julius's words kept echoing in my head.
> "If you're reading this, then maybe I'm not too late."
"Maybe you'll hate me. Maybe you already do."
"But I did it to protect you. To protect everyone. Especially you."
"I was never supposed to fall for you, Aika."
"But I did. And that was the biggest mistake I could’ve made.”
He wrote it like a confession and a goodbye at the same time.
He didn’t explain everything. Not directly. Just small hints, scattered like puzzle pieces. He mentioned Ethan. Liam. Even Noah.
But what confused me the most—was the way he wrote about himself.
Like he was running from something bigger. Like he wasn’t the real enemy at all.
Like all this time… he was hiding more than just feelings.
---
When I came downstairs, the house was quiet. June had left a note on the fridge.
Mia and I went to get breakfast. Want some pancakes? Text us.
—June
I didn’t text back.
I grabbed a hoodie and walked out. I needed to breathe. To move. To feel something that wasn’t guilt or sadness or this weird weight in my chest.
My feet led me to Ferris Park. Of course.
The festival stage was already being cleaned up, and the workers were folding chairs, packing up lights, and mumbling jokes to each other.
It felt weird seeing it so empty now.
Just a few nights ago, everything was loud. Bright. Alive.
Now it was just… quiet.
Kind of like me.
I walked past the old carousel and sat on the same bench where I first met him.
Noah.
He wasn’t here now. But I remembered that night clearly. His calm voice. His steady eyes. The way he listened when no one else did.
I closed my eyes and leaned back.
Everything was connected. Somehow.
Julius. Noah. Liam. Ethan.
They all knew something I didn’t.
They were all part of something I still didn’t understand.
---
“You look like someone who just lost a battle,” a voice said beside me.
I opened my eyes—and there he was.
Noah.
Again. Like he always shows up when I least expect it.
“And you look like someone who always appears out of nowhere,” I replied.
He smiled, slipping his hands into his pockets.
“Want to talk?” he asked.
“No,” I answered. “But I think I have to.”
He sat beside me, quiet. Waiting. No pressure. Just there.
I held the letter in my hand.
“He said… he loved me.”
Noah didn’t say anything.
“He said it like it was a mistake. Like he wasn’t supposed to.”
Still, no words.
“He knew everything. About the situation. About whatever this mess is. He knew and he kept me in the dark.”
“He didn’t want you to get hurt,” Noah finally said.
I turned to him.
“And what about you, Noah? What are you hiding from me?”
He didn’t flinch. But he did look away.
“I didn’t lie to you, Aika.”
“But you didn’t tell me the truth either.”
“That’s because it’s not mine to tell.”
I laughed softly, but it wasn’t funny. “That excuse is getting old.”
He stayed silent again.
“I’m tired, Noah,” I said. “I’m tired of guessing. Of being the last one to know. Of being protected like I’m some fragile thing that will break the moment I hear the truth.”
“You’re not fragile,” he said, firm this time. “You’re just… cared for.”
“That’s the problem,” I whispered. “I’m not asking to be cared for. I’m asking to be trusted.”
We both sat there, and the silence between us grew heavier.
Finally, he spoke.
“There’s going to be a meeting,” he said. “Soon. A real one. With everyone involved. You’ll get your answers then.”
I turned to him sharply. “A meeting?”
He nodded. “Julius set it up. Before he disappeared. He wanted you to know the truth… when you were ready.”
“And who gets to decide that? Him?”
Noah didn’t reply.
I stood up, holding the letter tightly.
“I don’t want to wait anymore.”
He looked at me. “Are you sure?”
“No,” I admitted. “But I’m done being unsure. I’m done being the girl who just stands at the side waiting for someone to drop answers in front of her.”
He smiled faintly.
“There’s a place,” he said. “You’ll get an invitation.”
“Invitation?” I raised an eyebrow. “What is this, a secret club?”
“Kind of,” he said with a grin.
“Wow. So I’m dating someone from a hidden underground group now?”
“Technically, you’re not dating anyone,” he pointed out.
I squinted. “Do you want to be punched in the face today, Noah?”
He laughed, genuinely this time.
It made me smile, even just a little.
---
Back at home, Mia and June were waiting.
They looked nervous when I stepped in, holding the letter in my hand.
Mia opened her mouth first, but I raised a hand. “It’s okay,” I said. “I know everything… or at least, enough.”
“I’m sorry,” Mia said, tears already gathering again. “We didn’t mean to hide—”
“I know,” I cut her off gently. “You were trying to protect me.”
June walked closer. “So… what now?”
I looked at both of them.
“I want to know everything. The whole truth. Even if it hurts.”
They both nodded.
“And also…” I paused. “You both owe me one thing.”
“What?” they asked.
I raised an eyebrow.
“An entire tub of ice cream, unlimited fries, and a K-drama night where I get to pick the series.”
Mia’s face twisted. “Even if it’s a sad one again?!”
“Yes,” I said proudly. “Especially if it’s a sad one.”
June groaned. “You’re evil.”
I grinned. “Maybe.”
We all laughed.
And for the first time in a while… it felt real.
It didn’t erase the pain. It didn’t solve anything yet.
But it reminded me that even in the middle of everything—truths, lies, heartbreaks—there were still people who stayed.