The party dissolved the way all glamorous things eventually do—slowly, reluctantly, as if even the chandeliers were tired of pretending. Outside the venue, the once-roaring crowd thinned into scattered pockets of lingering fans and exhausted reporters. Camera flashes flickered sporadically instead of violently. Barricades stood abandoned like forgotten stage props. Word had travelled fast—Kai Arden had already left.
That single sentence was enough to drain the chaos. Security teams relaxed their shoulders. The final news vans packed cables into trunks. Autograph posters were folded with defeated sighs. The air shifted from frenzy to ordinary night.
Underground, in the dimly lit parking structure, the echo of footsteps replaced applause. Kai stood beside his car, jacket draped over one shoulder, expression composed but quieter than usual. The earlier laughter had faded, replaced by that familiar calm—though something about him still felt lighter.
Ryan approached, keys in hand, speaking in his usual half-exasperated tone. "I'll drop you home," he said, glancing at the remaining security detail stationed near the pillars. Two bodyguards still stood alert, scanning the near-empty lot as if danger might emerge from concrete.
Kai's brows drew together faintly. "Why are they still here?"
Ryan blinked. "Because you exist."
"The crowd's gone," Kai replied, gesturing subtly toward the empty exit ramp. "Everyone went home. They have the right to go home, too."
"It's your safety."
"I'll take care of that."
Ryan hesitated. "It's protocol."
"See what time it is," Kai said calmly but firmly. "Send them back." There was no arrogance in his tone, just a decision.
Ryan exhaled. "Fine."
He walked toward the guards, speaking briefly. The men nodded respectfully and dispersed, their footsteps echoing away into the concrete distance. For the first time that night, the underground lot felt still. When Ryan returned, Kai was leaning lightly against the side of the car, hands in his pockets, gaze unfocused as if thinking.
"Let's go," Ryan muttered, sliding into the driver's seat and shutting the door.
Kai stepped forward and knocked lightly on the window.
Ryan rolled it down, puzzled. "What?"
"Drive safely," Kai said evenly. "And drop her home safely."
Ryan frowned. "Drop who—?"
He turned instinctively toward the passenger seat. Maya was already sitting there, buckled in, scrolling through her phone as she had always been.
Ryan jumped slightly. "When did you come?"
She didn't look up. "I was already sitting here. Even before you came."
Kai's expression didn't change. He simply tapped the roof of the car once, a silent cue.
"Wait—just get in," Ryan insisted. "I'll drop both of you."
Kai shook his head. "No need. There's a car over there." He nodded toward a darker vehicle parked a few spaces away. "I'll go by myself. Just drop her home safely."
Ryan looked like he wanted to argue, then gave up. "Fine."
Kai gave a faint half-smile and stepped away as the engine started. The car pulled out of the lot.
Outside, the venue had nearly emptied. The barricades were half-removed. Streetlights cast long golden pools across the pavement, stretching shadows thin and fragile. The air cooled the chaos of the evening had dissolved into quite a hum.
Alina stood near the curb, phone in hand, waiting for her cab. Her heels were finally beginning to protest. The adrenaline of earlier had faded, leaving her in thoughtful stillness. The night felt unfinished somehow, like a sentence left mid-word. Her phone buzzed. It was Kai.
"Wait there," he said the moment she answered.
"That sounds like an order."
"It is."
She rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see it. "I'm not going anywhere."
He ended the call without another word. She exhaled sharply. She was standing outside the main gate when she noticed her near the far edge of the entrance steps, beneath one of the dimmer lights, a small figure sat alone. A little girl, no older than four or five years old, was clutching a folded banner tightly to her chest. Her legs dangled from the stone ledge, tiny shoes brushing the air. Her shoulders were slumped in defeat.
No one else was near her. Alina frowned slightly. She looks familiar... where did i saw her?
She walked toward the girl, heels clicking softly against pavement. As she approached, she slowed, lowering her posture instinctively so she wouldn't seem intimidating.
"Hey, little one," Alina said gently. "Are you alone?"
The girl shook her head faintly. "No."
Her voice was small and sounded tired. Alina crouched down onto her toes so they were at eye level. "What happened?"
The girl stared at her banner in her lap and said nothing. Alina glanced around, confused, and then she noticed a man standing a few steps away, pacing slightly while speaking on his phone. His suit was slightly wrinkled, his tie was loosened, and his expression stressed.
Alina looked back at the girl. "Is that your dad?"
The girl nodded. Alina stood slowly. And something about the situation irritated her instantly. She walked toward the man, her heels sharper now.
"Are you out of your mind?" she snapped.
The man turned, startled, phone still pressed to his ear. "Sorry?"
"Your daughter is sitting alone over there waiting for you," Alina said, anger rising in her voice. "And you're here attending business calls?"
The man blinked, confused, then quickly ended the call. "I'll call you in ten minutes," he muttered before slipping the phone into his pocket.
"It would've been good if she were waiting for me," he said carefully. "But that's not the case."
Alina's anger paused mid-breath. "What?"
"She's waiting for Kai."
"…Kai?"
He nodded with a tired smile. "Yeah. I was at work when she called me earlier. She heard he was coming here tonight, she wanted to come here to meet him, and I promised I'd bring her." His voice carried quiet guilt. "But I got late. By the time we arrived, most of the crowd had already left. And the security guard said everyone left, there is no one inside."
Alina's irritation softened into something else.
"She refuses to leave," he continued. "She says she won't go home until she meets him."
"Can't you tell her—?"
"I tried. She thinks I broke my promise."
He ran a hand through his hair. "I was even looking around for someone who resembled him. An impersonator so that she could smile and go home."
Alina's chest tightened slightly.
"Oh," she murmured.
The phone rang again in his hand, and he stepped aside to answer it. Alina turned back towards the little girl, thoughts racing. What on earth is this…She glanced at the girl again—still clutching that banner, eyes stubbornly fixed on the entrance.
The man walked back to her daughter, crouching down. "Sweetheart," he said softly, patting her hair back. "You remember that transforming car you wanted? I'll buy it for you."
She shook her head firmly. "I want to meet him." Her voice cracked slightly.
The helplessness on the father's face did something to Alina, and that was when something sparked in Alina's mind. She pulled out her phone.
Kai answered almost immediately. "Where are you?"
"At the parking underground."
"Come to the main entrance."
"Why?"
"Just come."
And she ended the call before he could argue. Her pulse quickened slightly. She walked toward the little girl again, kneeling once more. "What's your name?"
"Anya."
"Anya," Alina said softly. "What would you say if he came back?"
The girl looked up at her with wide, doubtful eyes. "Will he?"
Alina smiled faintly, glancing towards the entrance doors. "He's very bad with timing," she said quietly, she said quitely "But sometimes... he fixes."
And that night, which had felt unfinished, finally held its breath