The noise of traffic on the roads was gradually fading. Yet the city around them was glowing endlessly beneath countless lights. Headlights from passing cars and the soft shimmer of street lamps spread across the streets, announcing the arrival of night. Between the towering buildings, the sky slowly deepened into a rich shade of blue.
Coffee shops, restaurants, and stores were becoming busier as people continued to come and go. The aroma of delicious street food drifted through the air from roadside stalls. Every now and then, a gentle melody could also be heard. A group of young tourists played music on their guitars.
Standing beside the road, Elizabeth listened with fascinated eyes and a satisfied smile. Her eyes sparkled with admiration while a sweet smile lingered on her lips. Swaying gently to the rhythm, she clapped softly along with the music.
Takbir returned from a nearby stall carrying two cups of tea.
Elizabeth's trance broke.
With a polite smile, she accepted the warm paper cup from his hand.
A gentle smile curved Takbir's lips.
"Shall we walk?"
Elizabeth smiled brightly and nodded.
The couple continued walking side by side with slow steps. Silence settled between them.
Elizabeth seemed lost in an ocean of thoughts. Despite her radiant appearance, her face remained expressionless.
Takbir noticed.
Clearing his throat, he tried to grab her attention.
"Ahem."
Elizabeth blinked and looked at him.
"Hmm?"
Takbir narrowed his eyes slightly.
"What are you thinking about so deeply, hmm?"
The last word came with a raised eyebrow.
Elizabeth laughed softly.
"So now I'm not even allowed to think in my own mind?"
Takbir immediately replied,
"No, not like that. You can think. Just... not about the past. Think only about the future."
He paused, gazed thoughtfully at the sky, then continued in a serious tone,
"Like which brand makes better products, what new movie has been released, where the newest restaurant in town opened, which sunscreen is better... things like that."
He bit his lip and laughed.
Elizabeth looked at him with a warm smile.
How could this man think about her feelings all the time?
Despite having every right over her as her husband, he never imposed that authority on her. Instead, he gave her freedom like a bird soaring through the sky.
She released a long breath.
"I don't want to remember the past either. But does the past leave us that easily? Even now, whenever I think about those poisonous days, dark clouds gather in the corners of my mind."
She took a deep breath after finishing.
Takbir stopped walking.
His voice became serious as he turned toward her.
"Crying isn't a sign of weakness. It proves that you still have feelings inside you. It means you're alive and still capable of feeling, Elokeshi."
"Then what should I do with all the tears I've buried inside?"
Takbir smiled softly.
He gently tapped his cup against hers.
Startled, Elizabeth moved back, thinking the hot tea might spill on her.
But nothing happened.
Takbir's firm voice followed.
"It's not good to store sadness in the corners of your heart. You have to learn how to let it drift away with the steam of your tea."
He continued,
"Then you live each moment of life anew. Fill it with laughter. Because when people nurture their sorrows for too long, their hearts turn to stone. Their tears dry up. One day their emotions silently fall away, and every trace of tenderness disappears."
Elizabeth stared at him silently.
Then she asked,
"Who taught you to speak so beautifully?"
A faint smile appeared on Takbir's lips.
But it vanished almost instantly.
A shadow of sadness crossed his face as he looked toward the star-filled sky.
In a calm voice, he answered,
"Life taught me."
Elizabeth's curious eyes widened.
"Did something happen in your life too—"
Takbir interrupted her before she could finish.
"Your crooked little smile alone is enough to stir a storm inside my broken heart."
His gaze remained fixed on her.
"That smile tears apart every emotion I try to hold together. It shakes my entire soul. Understand, girl?"
His emotional words completely buried her curiosity.
Instead, she asked,
"Your broken heart?"
"What's that in your coat pocket, Elokeshi?"
Elizabeth frowned.
Confused, she reached into the pocket of her overcoat and pulled out a small card-like object.
The moment she brought it under the light, her eyes widened.
She immediately looked at Takbir.
He was smiling while biting his lip.
Her voice trembled.
"T-This is a Black Card."
"Mm."
"What do you mean, 'mm'? How did this get to me?"
"It walked there."
Takbir burst into laughter.
Elizabeth's mood instantly heated up.
"Stop joking. Tell me."
Takbir took a few steps forward and stood beside her.
He gently enclosed the card between both of his hands and hers.
Then he spoke softly.
"Learn to live on your own terms. Learn to walk with your own freedom."
His eyes softened.
"And if you stumble and fall, I'm here to offer my hand."
Emotion filled Elizabeth's eyes.
The wrinkles on her forehead disappeared.
She was about to say something when Takbir's phone suddenly vibrated.
Like always, they were wearing matching overcoats.
Takbir took out his phone.
The moment he looked at the screen, anger flashed across his face.
The warmth disappeared from his features, replaced by blazing fury.
"Elokeshi, it's an emergency call. One minute, okay?"
Elizabeth nodded.
Takbir stepped away to a more secluded spot.
His nostrils flared with rage.
He dialed the unknown number.
Just like every other time, the same automated voice responded:
"The connection cannot be established."
For the last two days, the same thing had been happening.
An unknown number kept sending mysterious messages.
And whenever he called back, the connection became unavailable.
Takbir quickly typed a message.
Unknown Sender:
"A simple minister owning four houses in a country as big as America. Wow, man... wow."
Takbir:
"If you have courage, come and say it to my face. Let's see how much guts you really have."
After sending the message, Takbir immediately calmed his expression and returned to Elizabeth.
But she wasn't there.
His heart nearly stopped.
A strange fear gripped him.
Anxiety flooded his dark eyes.
Like a madman, he began searching everywhere.
"Elokeshi! Elokeshi! Elokeshi!"