{Flashing Lights}
The night air outside was cold compared to the suffocating heat of the burning hall.
Sirens wailed in the distance as firefighters rushed toward the building.
"Mom, let's go to our car. Tyla said.
Her mom nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
Before they could reach the parking area, a loud murmur rose from the crowd.
"Wait—is that him?
"ian !"
Phones suddenly lifted into the air.
Bright flashes exploded around them.
İan didn't waste a second.
"Come on," he said quickly, his voice low but firm.
"My car is this way They won't be able to go there."
His car was on the second floor of the parking lot. The fans couldn't get there, but Tyla's mom's car was on the first floor.
"They won't leave us. Come with me," he said.
Tyla didn't know what to do with all those people around them,
so she just nodded.
Tyla held her mother's arm as they hurried across the street.
Her lungs still burned from the smoke, and her heart hadn't slowed down yet.
Within seconds, people started rushing closer.
"Mr. Ian !
Are you okay?"
"Did you escape the fire inside?
"Sir, what happened in the hall tonight"?
Cameras clicked rapidly, and microphones were pushed forward.
İan's jaw tightened.
Of course this would happen.
Being a famous YouTuber meant he was recognized everywhere but right now was the worst possible moment.
Tyla froze for a second as the bright lights flashed around them.
The noise,
the crowd,
the attention
it was overwhelming.
Ian noticed immediately.
Without hesitation, he stepped in
front of her, placing himself between Tyla and the cameras.
"Please step back," he said
sharply to the reporters.
Another flash exploded.
"Sir! Was it an accident or an attack?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he moved quickly, guiding
Tyla and her mother through the
crowd. His hand stayed firmly around Tyla's wrist, protective and steady.
"Just keep walking,"he whispered to her
Tyla's heart skipped slightly.
Not from the cameras.
From the way he shielded her from them.
His jacket brushed against her shoulder as he blocked the flashing lights with his body.
For someone who seemed so cold before, he was surprisingly careful.
They finally reached a sleek black car parked a little away from the crowd.
Ian quickly opened the door.
"Get in," he said.
Tyla helped her mother into the back
seat before sliding in beside her. Ian jumped into the driver's seat and locked the doors immediately.
Outside, reporters were already running toward the car.
"Mr. Ian ! One comment please!"
He started the engine.
The car pulled away just as the crowd reached them.
For a moment,
silence filled the car except for the distant sirens fading behind them.
Tyla watched the burning building disappear in the side mirror.
Her chest was still tight.
Slowly, she turned her head toward him.
The glow from the dashboard lights touched his face,
highlighting the tension in his expression.
"ian …" she said quietly.
He kept his eyes on the road.
"Yes?"
She hesitated before asking.
"Who is really after you?"
The car remained silent for a few seconds.
Too silent.
Finally, he exhaled softly.
"You know how it is," he said calmly. "I'm famous. I have millions of followers online. When you're that visible… you attract all kinds of people."
Tyla frowned slightly.
"People?"
"Obsessed fans," he continued. "Crazy ones. People who think they know you. Some of them hate you for no reason. Some of them love you too much."
His voice stayed steady.
"There are always people who want attention… even if it means hurting someone."
Tyla looked down at her hands.
It made sense.
He was famous after all.
But something about his answer felt… incomplete.
Still, she didn't push further.
Instead, she glanced at him again.
The way he had run into the fire.
The way he shielded her from the cameras.
The way he kept checking the mirrors as if expecting danger at any moment.
He wasn't just a famous YouTuber.
There was something else about him.
Something he clearly wasn't saying.
A small, confused smile touched her lips.
Maybe she had judged him too quickly.
İan noticed her looking at him from the corner of his eye.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," she replied quickly, turning her
gaze toward the window.
But deep inside,
curiosity had already begun to grow.
İan I still can't believe you she said
Who are you really?
Ian tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
Because the truth…
was far darker than she could imagine.