Zoya and Minji stopped outside the Admin Office.
Minji knocked gently before pushing the door open.
"May we come in?"
The office was unusually quiet.
Only one staff member sat behind the front desk, calmly sorting through a stack of documents.
Before Zoya could say anything, Minji stepped forward politely.
"Excuse me, sir. We were told to report to the Admin Office."
The man adjusted his glasses, glanced at the attendance sheet in front of him, then looked at Zoya.
"Ms Zoya?"
"Yes, sir."
He tapped the paper lightly with his pen.
"Only your name is listed here."
He paused.
"The Dean's Office is expecting you."
Nothing more.
His attention had already returned to the documents on his desk.
The corridor outside felt strangely quiet.
Minji looked at Zoya.
"I don't think they'll let me inside."
Before she could say anything else, Zoya answered almost immediately.
"Please come with me."
There was an urgency in her voice that Minji hadn't expected.
"If they ask why you're there... just tell them you came because I requested it."
Minji studied her for a moment.
Zoya looked calm.
Too calm.
Only her tightly clasped hands betrayed the nervousness she was trying so hard to hide.
"Alright," Minji said quietly.
"I'll come."
The two continued down the long corridor toward the Dean's Office.
With every step...
Zoya felt her heartbeat growing louder.
Why would the Dean call me?
Her thoughts refused to stay still.
Did something happen...?
No...
Stay calm.
Since the day Bamson had left...
she had convinced herself that everything was over.
No evidence.
No messages.
No photographs.
Nothing connected her to him.
Yet...
the uneasy feeling in her chest refused to disappear.
They stopped outside a large wooden door.
Dean's Office.
Zoya drew in a slow breath.
Then knocked.
"May I come in?"
A calm voice answered from inside.
"Come in."
She pushed the door open.
And froze.
The room was far from empty.
A long conference table occupied the centre, surrounded by several senior faculty members.
Mrs Yoon Hye-jin, the Hostel Warden.
Professor Lee Byung-ho, Head of Student Affairs.
Dr Park Min-seok, Dean of the Faculty.
Mr Kang Dae-hyun from Public Relations.
Professor Choi Hyun-woo.
Professor Aamir Rehman.
And sitting quietly against the wall...
Ji-won.
The moment Zoya saw her...
something inside her sank.
Her heartbeat stumbled.
She didn't need anyone to explain.
She already knew.
This is about Bamson.
The realization hit her so suddenly that she almost wished she hadn't insisted on bringing Minji with her.
The room fell silent.
Every eye turned toward the doorway.
"Ms. Zoya?"
"Yes... sir."
The Dean's gaze shifted toward Minji.
Before he could ask, Zoya spoke first.
"Sir... she's with me."
Her voice was respectful, but there was quiet desperation behind it.
"If possible... I'd like her to stay."
The Dean looked at the others for a brief moment.
No one objected.
He nodded once.
"Very well."
"You may both take your seats."
A single chair waited in front of the conference table.
Zoya sat down carefully.
Minji took the seat beside Ji-won.
Neither of them spoke.
Mrs Han leaned forward first.
"Ms Zoya..."
"Do you know Ji-won?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Zoya nodded politely.
"We lived in neighbouring hostel rooms before moving into a shared house."
"We?" Mrs Yoon Hye-jin asked.
"You're not living alone?"
"No, ma'am."
"There are five of us altogether."
"My two roommates..."
"...and Minji with her roommate."
Mrs Yoon Hye-Jin gave a small nod before turning toward the Dean.
"I think we can proceed."
The Dean folded his hands together.
"Zoya..."
His tone remained calm.
"Do you know Bamson?"
The question echoed through the room.
For a split second...
Everything inside Zoya went still.
So it really is about him.
She swallowed before answering.
"...Yes, sir."
The answer had barely left her lips when Minji stood up.
"Sir..."
She looked toward the Dean respectfully.
"If you don't mind..."
"I think I should explain everything first."
The Dean exchanged a glance with the others.
Then nodded.
"Go ahead."
Minji took a slow breath.
She explained everything from the beginning.
How the five of them had found Bamson frightened and alone.
How they had secretly brought him into the hostel through the window.
How they had taken turns feeding him, hiding him, and looking after him for nearly two weeks.
She admitted every mistake without trying to excuse it.
Finally, she reached the day Bamson disappeared.
"Last Friday..."
"The four of us went shopping."
"Only Zoya stayed behind."
"When we returned..."
"...Bamson was gone."
She paused.
"We searched everywhere."
"We thought he'd slipped out through the door."
Her voice softened.
"After that..."
"Mr Jea arrived."
"And the rest..."
"...you already know."
Silence settled over the room.
Mrs Yoon Hye-Jin adjusted her glasses.
"Ms Minji..."
"Did you ask Zoya how Bamson escaped?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Minji nodded honestly.
"She told us she had gone to the hostel store for a few minutes."
"When she came back..."
"...Bamson wasn't there anymore."
"She thought maybe the door hadn't closed properly..."
"...or someone had seen him and taken him away."
There wasn't the slightest hesitation in Minji's voice.
She repeated exactly what Zoya had told her.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
The Dean remained silent for a moment.
Then his gaze slowly shifted toward Ji-won.
"Ms Ji-won..."
"Please tell us your side."
Ji-won slowly rose from her chair.
For a brief moment, she remained silent.
Then she looked at the Dean.
"Sir... on Friday morning, Zoya came to my room."
"She said her SIM still wasn't active and asked if she could borrow my phone for an urgent call."
"I didn't think much about it."
"So... I gave it to her."
The Dean nodded.
"And then?"
"She stepped outside with my phone."
"She was gone for several minutes before returning it."
Ji-won's expression remained composed.
"At that time, I didn't suspect anything."
She paused.
"I simply placed my phone on the table and went back to my work."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the chair.
"But after she left..."
"I don't know why..."
"...something felt strange."
A quiet silence settled over the room.
"I checked my phone."
"I opened the recent calls."
Her voice grew quieter.
"There was a number I didn't recognize."
"I was about to ignore it..."
"...but then I remembered."
Her eyes lifted toward the Dean.
"The same number had been circulating on social media for days."
"The one people were calling if they had any information about Bamson."
A few people around the table exchanged glances.
Ji-won continued.
"I looked more carefully."
"The call had lasted for almost five minutes."
"I was shocked."
"I'd been trying to reach that number myself."
"...but I never managed to get through."
She lowered her gaze.
"And yet..."
"...someone using my phone had spoken to them."
A faint bitterness crept into her voice.
"I realized that someone was Zoya."
The room remained silent.
"I immediately deleted the number from my call history."
She stopped herself for a second before correcting her words.
"I..."
"I didn't know what to think."
"Just then..."
"...someone knocked on my door."
"I quickly put my phone aside and pretended to continue working."
"It was Zoya."
"She looked nervous."
"She told me Jeon J's personal assistant had arrived downstairs."
Ji-won's brows drew together.
"I couldn't understand why she seemed so anxious."
"So after she left..."
"I quietly walked over to the room next to mine."
She looked toward Zoya.
"I tried opening the door."
"It was locked."
"I couldn't see inside."
"So I went back."
She lowered her eyes again.
"I told myself I was probably overthinking."
A brief silence followed.
"That evening..."
"My phone rang."
"It was Mr Jea."
The atmosphere inside the room changed instantly.
"He asked..."
"'Are you the one who called about Bamson?'"
Ji-won gave a small, humourless smile.
"I didn't even understand what he was talking about."
"I told him I had never called."
She inhaled slowly.
"Then everything suddenly made sense."
"The call..."
"The unknown number..."
"Zoya borrowing my phone..."
"...and Mr Jea arriving at the hostel."
She looked at Zoya.
"That was when my suspicion became certainty."
"I realized..."
"...Bamson had been with her."
After a brief pause, she added quietly,
She faced the Dean once more.
"Sir..."
"I'm not accusing anyone."
"I'm only telling you exactly what happened."
The room fell silent.
Slowly...
Every pair of eyes turned toward Zoya.
Even Minji looked at her now—
hoping...
praying...
that Ji-won's conclusion was somehow wrong.
Zoya slowly lowered her eyes.
Her fingers tightened around each other.
For several long moments...
she couldn't bring herself to speak.
Then...
very gently...
she nodded.
"Ji-won..."
Her voice was barely audible.
"...is telling the truth."
The words settled over the room like a heavy weight.
Minji's breathing stopped for a moment.
She stared at Zoya.
Not with anger.
With disbelief.
As though waiting for her to smile and say it had all been a misunderstanding.
But she didn't.
Zoya gathered the little courage she had left.
"I saw Jeon J's post that morning..."
"The number for reporting information about Bamson was written there."
"My phone wasn't active yet..."
"...so I borrowed Ji-won's phone."
She paused.
"I called Mr Jea."
No one interrupted.
"I told him..."
"...that Bamson was here."
Her eyes remained fixed on the floor.
"I also requested one thing."
"My name..."
"...and the phone number I used..."
"...shouldn't be shared with anyone."
Professor Lee frowned slightly.
"Why?"
Zoya answered honestly.
"Because I didn't want attention."
"I wasn't doing it because I was Jeon J's fan."
"I simply believed..."
"...a lost dog deserved to return home."
A deep silence followed.
She continued quietly,
"Bamson missed his family."
"He waited at the door every day."
"He wasn't happy."
A faint smile appeared before disappearing just as quickly.
"I knew..."
"...someone must have been waiting for him too."
She swallowed.
"So when everyone went out..."
"...I opened the door."
"I let him go."
"He ran straight to Mr Jea."
"The rest..."
"...you already know."
No one spoke.
Professor Choi finally broke the silence.
"Ms Zoya..."
"If you believed you were doing the right thing..."
"...why didn't you tell your friends?"
Zoya closed her eyes for a brief second.
"When people love someone..."
"...letting go becomes difficult."
"I knew they loved Bamson."
"And I knew..."
"...they would try to stop him from leaving."
She looked down again.
"So..."
"I decided alone."
"I thought..."
"...it would hurt them less if they believed he had simply escaped."
Her voice broke.
"I didn't realize..."
"...my decision would hurt them even more."
Those words lingered in the room.
Minji slowly looked away.
She couldn't bring herself to look at Zoya anymore.
Her trust hadn't been broken because Bamson had gone home.
It had broken because Zoya had carried the truth alone.
Without saying a word.
Minji closed her eyes for a brief moment.
Then she turned respectfully toward the Dean.
"Sir..."
"If you'll excuse me..."
"...I'd like to leave."
The Dean studied her expression for a second before giving a quiet nod.
"You may."
Minji bowed politely.
Without another word...
She walked toward the door.
She didn't look back.
The soft click of the closing door echoed through the room.
Zoya remained seated...
staring silently at the floor.
For the first time...
She realized that sometimes the hardest part wasn't making the right decision.
It was living with the pain that decision left behind.
The room remained silent after Minji left.
No one spoke for several moments.
The Dean finally broke the silence.
"Zoya..."
She slowly raised her head.
"Yes, sir."
Dr Park folded his hands on the table.
"Yesterday evening, I received a personal call from Mr. Jea."
Zoya's eyes lifted in surprise.
"He explained the entire situation."
"He made one request."
The Dean looked around the room before continuing.
"He asked that neither you nor your friends face disciplinary action."
"He said Bamson was returned safely."
"And that your intentions were never malicious."
Mr. Kang nodded in agreement.
"According to him, the five of you protected Bamson when no one else could."
Mrs. Yoon sighed softly.
"That doesn't excuse breaking university rules..."
"...but it does explain why you did it."
Professor Lee leaned back in his chair.
"Mr. Jea also requested that this matter remain confidential."
"No unnecessary attention."
"No rumours."
"No publicity."
Professor Choi looked directly at Zoya.
"So let me ask you one final question."
"If you had the chance to make the same decision again..."
"...would you do it differently?"
The question caught her off guard.
Zoya remained silent for a long moment.
Then she answered honestly.
"I would still send Bamson home."
A faint smile appeared before fading again.
"But..."
"...this time..."
"...I would tell my friends the truth."
Silence filled the room once more.
The Dean gave a slow nod.
"I believe that is the answer we needed."
He closed the file.
"As far as the university is concerned..."
"This matter ends here."
"No disciplinary action will be taken."
"But consider this your first—and last—warning."
"Do not break university regulations again."
Relief washed over Zoya.
She immediately stood and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, sir."
"Thank you... everyone."
As she turned to leave, the Dean spoke once more.
"And, Zoya."
She stopped.
"Mr Jea asked me to tell you something."
Her heartbeat quickened.
"He said..."
"'Thank you for bringing Bamson home.'"
For the first time since entering the room...
a genuine smile appeared on Zoya's face.
Small.
Quiet.
But real.
She bowed once again before walking out of the Dean's Office.
The smile disappeared the moment she stepped into the corridor.
The hallway was empty.
Minji...
was nowhere to be seen.
The Dean's words landed like a slap.
"Mr Jea personally requested that no disciplinary action be taken."
Ji-won's expression didn't change.
But her nails dug into her palm.
He didn't trust me...
He trusted her.
Her eyes slowly turned toward Zoya.
There wasn't disappointment in them anymore.
Only hatred.
Who are you...?
I've waited for years just to be noticed...
And you walked into his life for a few days...
...and became someone worth protecting.
Her jaw tightened.
He ignored me...
But he called the university for you.
A cold smile flickered across her face.
No, Zoya...
You won't get away with this.
From today onward...
I'll make sure you regret ever crossing my path.
Zoya quietly stepped out of the Dean's Office.
The corridor felt unusually silent.
She looked around.
"Minji...?"
No answer.
A few steps ahead, Minji stood beside a large window, watching the snow fall outside.
Zoya stopped behind her.
"I'm sorry..."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
Minji didn't turn.
"I know."
A long silence followed.
"I wanted to tell you."
"I really did."
"But I couldn't."
Minji slowly faced her.
Her eyes held disappointment more than anger.
"I would've helped you..."
"If you'd trusted me."
Zoya lowered her gaze.
"I know."
"You decided everything alone."
"You didn't even let us say goodbye to Bamson."
"I wasn't trying to hurt anyone."
"I know."
Minji nodded faintly.
"That's why I'm not angry he went home."
She paused.
"I'm angry because you never let us stand beside you."
Zoya's eyes filled with tears.
"I was afraid you'd stop me."
"Maybe we would've."
"Maybe we wouldn't."
"But that choice should've been ours too."
Zoya couldn't answer.
Outside...
the snow continued to fall.
Between the two friends...
the silence felt colder than winter itself.
For another moment...
neither of them spoke.
Then Minji took a slow breath.
"Come on."
She glanced toward the window.
"The snowfall is getting heavier."
"If we don't leave now, it'll be difficult to get home."
Zoya quietly nodded.
The two walked out of the university building together.
Neither of them spoke during the journey.
Only the sound of snow crunching beneath their footsteps filled the silence.
By the time they reached home, Sophia had already logged into the online lecture.
Ruhi and Hana were attending theirs from the other side.
The apartment was unusually quiet.
As soon as the door opened, Sophia looked up from her laptop.
"There you are."
Her smile appeared for only a second before fading.
She noticed the silence between them immediately.
Neither Minji nor Zoya said anything.
Minji simply walked to her room and opened her laptop.
The online lecture was still in progress.
Without a word, Zoya sat down beside her own desk and logged in as well.
The professor's voice echoed through her headphones...
But her mind was still trapped inside the Dean's Office.
On the other side of Busan...
Night had quietly settled over the city.
Inside the small house, Jeon J sat on the edge of the couch while Bamson rested comfortably beside him.
Tonight, he had to leave for Seoul—a trip that couldn't be postponed. As always, there was no question of leaving without Bamson.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Come on, Bamson..."
He gently scratched behind the dog's ears.
"Let's get you changed."
Carefully, he began unfastening the tiny sweater around Bamson's neck.
Halfway through, his fingers paused.
Something felt different.
Hidden beneath the fabric, near the inner seam, was a slight bump.
Bamson wagged his tail, nudging the sweater with his nose as if he had been waiting for this very moment.
Jeon J frowned.
He turned the sweater inside out.
There...
carefully tucked into the stitching...
was a tiny folded piece of paper.
His movements slowed.
With unexpected care, he peeled it free and unfolded it.
The moment his eyes fell on the writing...
his brows drew together.
The letters were unlike anything he had ever seen.
Elegant.
Flowing.
Beautiful.
But completely unfamiliar.
He turned the paper over.
Nothing.
His gaze returned to the front.
"What language is this...?"
he murmured under his breath.
Whoever had written it...
had clearly meant for him to read it.
Yet he couldn't understand a single word.
After another quiet moment, he carefully folded the paper again and slipped it into the inner pocket of his coat.
"I'll get it translated later."
Without another thought, he placed Bamson's sweater beside him.
Completely unaware...
that it still held one more hidden secret.
Across the city...
Zoya sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at another blank page.
Several crumpled sheets lay scattered around her feet.
She had written.
Stopped.
Crossed out another sentence.
Tore the page.
Started again.
Nothing felt right.
Some emotions refused to become words.
After a long silence, she closed her eyes.
This time...
she stopped thinking.
She simply let her heart speak.
Line after line...
she wrote everything she had never been able to say aloud.
Her gratitude.
Her prayers.
Her silent wishes.
She wrote every word in Urdu—
the only language that could carry the weight of her heart.
When she reached the final line, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"This one..."
she whispered.
She carefully folded the letter.
Then reached for Bamson's tiny sweater.
Gently, she slipped the folded note into a small hidden opening she had stitched inside the fabric.
For a moment, she simply looked at it.
Then...
after a brief hesitation...
she picked up something else.
Something much smaller.
She quietly placed it inside another hidden pocket...
smoothed the fabric with her fingertips...
and stitched the opening closed.
No one would notice it.
Not unless they knew exactly where to look.
She held the little sweater against her chest for a brief moment before placing it beside Bamson.
"I hope..."
she whispered softly,
"...you reach home safely."
Somewhere in Busan...
Jeon J carried a letter he couldn't read.
And somewhere within Bamson's tiny sweater...
another secret still waited...
for the day it would finally be found.
To be continued...
Regards
ZK💌