CHAPTER 83: FRIENDS DON’T LOOK AT EACH OTHER LIKE THAT[JUNE’S POV]

The rain hadn’t stopped. If anything, it was louder now, like the sky was angry too. Ian’s wipers fought to keep up, but they kept losing.

We’d been driving for five minutes. Maybe ten. I couldn’t tell. Time gets weird when you’re panicking and pretending not to.

The car was quiet.

No music.

No talking.

Just rain and windshield wipers.

I sat in the passenger seat, chewing my fingernails. I could feel Ian’s eyes on me. Every now and then, he’d glance my way, like he wanted to say something. But, of course, he didn’t. Because he was Ian.

Finally, he did.

"Are you okay?"

His voice was lower than I expected..

I didn’t answer right away.

"No," I said finally, staring out the window. "I’m not. I’m scared."

He raised an eyebrow, not expecting that.

The silence stretched again.

"I don’t get it. I don’t get any of it. I can barely think. And Ash... he wouldn’t say something like that....he wouldn’t use the word ’kidnapped’ unless he meant it. Unless something’s really, really wrong. And..and this rain, what if she’s out there in this storm? She’s just a kid. What if..."

My voice cracked. I didn’t finish the sentence.

Ian kept his hands on the wheel.

"Calm down," he said, glancing over again. "We’ll figure it out."

I let out a soft laugh. One of those bitter laughs that accidentally slips out when your brain can’t cry anymore.

"Don’t tell me to calm down," I snapped, wiping my cheek with my sleeve. "You don’t get to tell me that."

He sighed loudly.

"I’m not trying to shut you up," he said, staring back on the road. "I’m saying... I don’t think panic’s gonna help right now."

I nodded once, because I didn’t have the energy to argue. I stared out the passenger window, watching the streetlights smear across the glass like gold smudges on a canvas.

After a long pause, I turned back to him.

"I’m sorry," I said quietly. "For earlier. The things I said to you. About you being heartless, and selfish, and... emotionally constipated douchebag."

His eyes flicked to me, then back to the road.

He actually snorted. "You called me that too?"

I nodded. "Technically. Sometimes you act like it."

He burst out laughing. "Bro, I really don’t care what you think about me."

There it was. The signature Ian Han response. Cool, dismissive, cocky as hell.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course you don’t."

We kept driving. Another ten seconds of silence. Another slash of rain against the windshield.

Then, I squinted ahead.

"Wait... pull over."

"What?"

"I said pull over!"

Ian slammed the brakes as I pointed toward the old bus station up ahead. The car slowed, tires hissing on the wet road.

I leaned forward, pressing a hand to the glass.

"Is that Ash?" I asked slowly, immediately I spotted his red hoddie and his blonde hair. "Is he... hugging someone?"

Ian narrowed his eyes. "That’s not just someone."

We both squinted through the rain-blurred window.

"That’s Dominic," he whispered.

There they were. Standing under the crooked metal roof of the abandoned bus stop, soaked from head to toe, wrapped in each other like they forgot the rest of the world existed.

Ash had his arms around Dominic’s waist, and Dominic was holding him tightly, like he wasn’t letting go anytime soon.

Then it happened.

Dominic leaned in and kissed Ash on the forehead....soft, gentle, and way too intimate to be just friends. Then, still holding his hand, they turned and walked toward a black car.

I blinked.

"Since when the hell did that happen?" Ian gasped.

Dominic was holding Ash like he was something fragile. Like he’d fall apart if he let go.

Then, he gently opened the passenger door for him, glanced around like he was making sure no one was watching... and slid into the driver’s seat.

I blinked.

What did I just see?

"I..." Ian burst out laughing beside me. "Oh my god. I really can’t believe what I just saw."

I didn’t say anything. I was still watching them drive off in the rain.

"I knew it," I finally whispered. "I had a feeling something was going on between them."

Ian raised a brow. "You think they’re dating?"

I shrugged. "I don’t think so. If they were... he would’ve told me. I’m his best friend."

Ian smirked. "Haha. I guess your best friend has many secrets he’s hiding from you."

I frowned. "Shut up."

"No, seriously." He looked way too entertained. "Funny enough, I accused him of hitting on Dominic this morning. You think he’s gay?"

I shot him a glare. "Why are you asking me?"

"I don’t know," he said with a mocking shrug, "I guess you don’t even know about that one either."

He was enjoying this too much. The smug grin on his face made me want to slap him.

"And I bet Dominic didn’t tell you either, huh?" Ian added. "I’m sure you don’t even know if he’s gay too."

"Dominic’s not gay," Ian snapped.

It took a second for both of us to process what he’d just said.

Yeah... I know Ash is gay. I’ve known for a while. Was that why he came out to me today?

But Ash and Dominic?

That, I didn’t see coming.

No wonder he kept blushing this morning. No wonder he acted weird when I asked him about Dominic.

"How could you know that he’s not gay?" I asked again. "Is he really dating your sister, Nari? Is that what this is about?"

He flinched.

"No," he said quickly. "They’re not dating."

I blinked. "Wait. They’re not?"

He shook his head, eyes still locked on the road. "Dominic and Nari aren’t a thing. Never were."

"But... Nari likes him."

"Ohhhhhh.... Are you gonna tell her? That the guy she likes might be with Ash?"

He paused, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "June... we don’t know that they’re together."

I shot him a look. "Are you serious right now?"

He didn’t answer.

"You saw them," I hissed. "The way Dominic was holding him. That forehead kiss? Holding his hand? In the rain? You think that’s just friendly affection?"

Ian shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Look, some guys are just... affectionate like that. Maybe they were...."

"Don’t," I snapped. "Don’t downplay it. You think he bolted out of the rink and ran into the rain just to play video games with ash? Ash doesn’t even like video games."

He clenched his jaw, and blinked.

"Friends don’t look at each other like that, Ian."

Still, he didn’t speak.

I stared out the window. "People don’t react like that unless they’re scared of losing someone."

Ian still stayed quiet for a long time.

I wonder what was going through his mind.

"You’re right," he finally muttered.

I looked at him, startled.

He kept his eyes on the road. "That’s not how you run out after a friend. That’s how you run after someone you can’t afford to lose."

"Exactly. He didn’t even wait for an explanation. The second I said Ash was out in the rain, he was gone."

The silence between us stretched again.

"But if Ash and Dominic are really together," he added, "Nari’s gonna get her heart broken. And she doesn’t take rejection well."

We both winced at that one. Like saying it out loud made it too real.

I leaned back in the seat. My chest felt heavy, like I’d just admitted something I wasn’t supposed to say.

Ian rubbed the back of his neck. "I’m not going to tell her, she’ll have to figure it out herself."

"Yes, don’t tell her."

"I can’t even believe he would settle for Ash," Ian muttered, shaking his head like the thought physically pained him. "Of all people in Estrella. Ugh."

I jerked my head toward him. "Are you out of your mind?"

He blinked, like he wasn’t expecting me to come for him that fast.

"What do you mean by that?" I shot. "Ash is pretty, he’s smart, he’s talented, and he’s everything you could never be."

Ian let out a slow, mocking whistle. "Damn. Whatever helps you sleep at night, baby girl."

I rolled my eyes and hissed. "Just forget about it. You’re literally the most egoistic human being I’ve ever met."

"Oh, here we go again," he said, smirking.

I crossed my arms tighter and stared out the window. "Honestly? Can’t you just be nice for once? Like, be a decent person without trying to drag someone else down every five seconds?"

He shrugged lazily. "Where’s the fun in that?"

Then, he slowly glanced my way, as his voice dipped into that cocky tone I hated.

"You know, if you weren’t so busy defending your boy Ash, you might’ve noticed you look kinda hot when you’re mad."

My head snapped toward him again. "You’re disgusting."

"Aw, come on, don’t be mad. I didn’t mean to ruin your little Ash-Dominic love fantasy," he teased.

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "Let’s just follow them and get to the hospital. There’s no use talking to you."

I punched the window button down to cool off.

I ignored him. My pulse was already racing too fast.

I stared straight ahead, watching Dominic’s car pull out from the bus stop and merge into the road. Ian followed at a steady distance. It was still raining, but lighter now. Softer.

"So... are we gonna ask them?" I said eventually. "Are we gonna tell them we saw them hugging and kissing in the rain?"

Ian glanced at me. "No, the fuck! We wait."

I raised a brow. "Wait?"

He nodded. "Yeah. We wait until they’re comfortable to tell us. That’s how this works."

I went quiet.

But... why didn’t Ash tell me?

Why didn’t my best friend trust me with this?

I’m his best friend. Best friend. And he didn’t even bother to say there was something going on between him and Dominic?

What else has he been hiding?

And then there’s Ian...

I don’t think he knows if Dominic’s gay or bi or somewhere in between. He looks thrown off, like he’s trying to pretend it’s all chill when really, his ego can’t wrap around it. I just hope he doesn’t go running his big mouth to the entire school.

Because this thing between Ash and Dominic... it’s fragile. And if it breaks before it has a chance to grow?

It might destroy him.