I didn't know whom to trust.
Alya said everything was fine. Nara said Alya was hiding something. Meanwhile, the figure I'd seen that night kept appearing in my thoughts. I tried to find an explanation. But the more I searched, the more questions arose.
Nara finally told me everything. Three years ago, Naya had known Alya. They'd been friends. But then an accident occurred, causing Naya to disappear from my life.
“She left you to protect you,” Nara said.
“Protect me from what?”
“Someone.”
“Who?”
Nara looked at me.
“From Alya.”
I let out a bitter laugh.
“Don’t joke around.”
“I’m serious.”
According to Nara, Alya wasn’t the woman I thought I knew. She had a secret about the past—one connected to Naya.
I didn’t want to believe it. Because all my memories with Alya felt real. Her smile was real. Her laughter was real. Her touch was real.
But the following night, I found an old letter. The letter had been written by Naya. It contained only a few sentences.
“Raka, if you ever meet a woman named Alya, don’t trust her right away. She’ll make you feel loved. But don’t forget that love doesn’t always come to save us.”
My hands trembled. I read the letter over and over.
Then Alya arrived.
“What are you reading?”
I hid the letter.
“Nothing.”
Alya smiled. But for the first time, I felt afraid of her.
“You’ve changed,” she said.
“Maybe.”
“Because of Nara?”
I fell silent.
Alya moved closer.
“Raka, don’t let her destroy us.”
“Who are you, really?”
Her smile slowly faded.
“I’m the person who loves you most.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Alya looked at me. Then she said,
“Then prepare yourself to learn the truth.”