The room felt colder after that.
Not physically—
But something had shifted.
Luna stood still, her thoughts racing faster than she could control.
Someone else…
That one detail refused to leave her mind.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" she asked quietly.
Ethan didn't respond immediately.
He walked toward the window, hands in his pockets.
Distant again.
"It wasn't necessary," he said.
Luna let out a dry laugh.
"Not necessary?"
She stepped closer.
"You just told me there was someone else with me that night, and you thought that wasn't important?"
Ethan's jaw tightened slightly.
"It wouldn't have changed anything."
"It changes everything," she snapped.
Silence.
For a moment—
It felt like they were standing on opposite sides of something invisible.
"You're hiding something again," Luna said, softer this time.
Ethan looked at her.
Long.
Carefully.
"Yes."
That answer—
Caught her off guard.
Her brows furrowed. "Then why not just tell me?"
"Because," he said slowly,
"If you remember everything at once… it won't be good for you."
"That's not your decision to make."
"No," he agreed.
"It's not."
But he still wasn't telling her.
That was answer enough.
Luna exhaled sharply and turned away.
"Fine."
She walked toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Ethan asked.
"To think," she replied.
"And maybe remember without you controlling the story."
She left.
And this time—
Ethan didn't stop her.
The hallway felt longer than before.
Quieter.
Heavier.
Luna walked slowly, her mind replaying everything again.
Rain.
Road.
Voice.
Hand.
And now—
Another presence.
She stopped.
A strange feeling crept up her spine.
Like someone was watching.
She turned.
Nothing.
Empty hallway.
Still—
Her heart didn't calm down.
"…I'm overthinking," she whispered.
But the feeling didn't go away.
Later that night—
Sleep came again.
And with it—
The memory.
This time—
Clearer.
Rain poured heavily.
The road was slippery.
Cold.
Young Luna stood there again.
Frozen.
"Come on!" the voice said, holding her hand.
"Don't stop!"
She tried to look at the face—
But it was still blurred.
"Who are you…?" she asked again.
No answer.
Then—
A sound.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Not running.
Not rushing.
Walking.
Behind them.
Luna turned in the dream.
And this time—
She saw something.
Not a face.
Just a shadow.
Tall.
Still.
Watching.
Her chest tightened.
"That's him…" she whispered.
The shadow didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just stood there—
Like it was waiting.
Suddenly—
The hand holding hers tightened.
"Don't look at him!" the voice said urgently.
"Run!"
But Luna couldn't move.
Her feet felt stuck.
The shadow took one step forward.
And that's when—
Luna woke up again.
Gasping.
Her heart slammed against her chest.
"That wasn't just a dream…" she whispered.
This time—
She remembered more.
There were two people.
One saved her.
And one…
Was watching her.
A sudden sound broke the silence.
Click.
Luna froze.
That didn't come from her room.
It came from outside.
Slowly—
She got up.
Walked toward the door.
Her hand hesitated on the handle.
Then—
She opened it.
The hallway was dark.
Too dark.
"Hello?" she called softly.
No answer.
But then—
At the far end of the hallway—
She saw it.
A figure.
Standing still.
Watching her.
Her breath stopped.
"…Who's there?" she whispered.
No response.
The figure didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just stood there.
Exactly like the shadow in her dream.
A chill ran through her entire body.
"Ethan—" she started.
But before she could call him—
The lights flickered.
And in that one second—
The figure was gone.
Just gone.
Like it was never there.
Luna stood frozen.
Heart racing.
Mind blank.
Because now—
She knew one thing for sure.
This wasn't just her past coming back.
Something from that night....
Had followed her.
And it had just found her again.