A strange friend

The scene was tense, but somehow, they had managed to escape immediate danger. Luna, still feeling her body slightly tense but aware that she needed to stay calm, looked at Donan. He was beginning to recover from the shock, his mind still processing what had happened. She knew they weren't out of danger yet, but there was something different in the air—a sense that, maybe, this time, they could take the next step safely. 

They had crossed a good portion of the forest and were now near the exit. But then, a colossal figure appeared before them. A gigantic gorilla, more imposing than anything Luna had ever seen. She froze, her eyes locking onto the animal as panic began to take hold of her. Her fear of gorillas, a deeply rooted and secret burden, surged to the surface. 

Her body trembled, her legs weakened, and her breathing grew heavy. It was as if the ground beneath her feet had disappeared. But then, Donan, as always, stepped forward without a moment's hesitation. He didn't share her fear. Instead, he seemed to feel something else—a need to protect her, to ensure nothing happened to her. 

The gorilla raised one of its massive hands as if to strike, and Luna was certain this was the end. But then, Donan shouted something unexpected, something that made the gorilla pause for a moment. Before Luna could grasp what was happening, the gorilla enveloped her in a warm embrace, leaving her utterly bewildered. 

"This is Bongo Mongo!" Donan said, laughing, as the gorilla, in a playful gesture, hugged him tightly. 

Luna stood frozen, staring at them. What? A gorilla that seemed like a force of destruction was now acting like an overgrown, affectionate pet? 

"Come here, you'll like him," Donan said, gently guiding Luna toward the gorilla. 

At first, Luna was disoriented, her body still reeling from the fear she had felt. But when Donan spoke, a small smile broke through. She realized this was a rare opportunity. She needed to confront her fear, and Donan was there to support her. 

"He's my friend," Donan said, smiling at Luna. "Bongo, this is my dear friend, Luna." 

The gorilla made a sound of approval, thumping his chest with a deep, resonant noise. Luna, her heart still racing, extended her hand hesitantly. Then, Bongo did something even more surprising. He gently touched her hand, as if offering a gesture of genuine friendship. And with that simple act, Luna felt a profound sense of relief, a weight lifting from her shoulders. 

She smiled shyly, still unable to fully comprehend what had just happened, but she knew this was her chance to make peace with her fear. And she was willing to try, with Donan and her new friend Bongo by her side. 

"I... I don't know what to make of this, but thank you," she said, still somewhat stunned, but beginning to understand the bond between Donan and the gorilla. 

And so, with Donan and his unexpected ally, Luna overcame one of her greatest phobias. The forest, once threatening, now seemed a little less daunting. The three of them moved forward together, ready for the next challenge, sharing a newfound confidence. 

The scene unfolds before Luna's eyes, witnessing Donan's reunion with his parents and the police officers who had tirelessly searched for him. The relief on his parents' faces is palpable.

Donan's mother, her eyes brimming with tears, embraces him tightly, as if holding him to her chest would ensure he never leaves again. His father, with a stern yet relieved expression, quickly dismisses the officers, who begin organizing the arrest of the bandits that had attacked them in the forest. Luna, her heart heavy and her gaze fixed on the scene, feels invisible.

The moment belongs entirely to them, and somehow, she feels like she no longer belongs.

She stands still, observing the scene, until her uncle appears. "Luna!" he exclaims, his eyes wide with relief. "You're here? You're alive?"

She looks at him, unable to say anything, but a simple nod suffices for her uncle to pull her into a tight embrace. He leads her aside, but Luna remains distant, watching Donan's parents' reunion. What did she feel for him? Now it seemed distant, and a sense of inadequacy engulfed her.

The scene shifts to the moment the bandits are finally captured. The police efficiently load the criminals into their cars, the sirens fading as they head toward the station. Luna, still in shock, stands beside her uncle, feeling uncomfortable and out of place, though he continues to guide her calmly.

Soon, Donan is escorted to his parents' car. They surround him with such affection that Luna feels like a silent observer, watching from the outside.

She feels like a shadow, an irrelevant figure, as Donan's parents claim all his attention. With her body tense and her eyes glued to the scene, Luna feels the weight of the situation.

Inside Donan's parents' car, Luna looks out the window, unable to shake a sense of unease. "How is this possible?" she thinks as she takes in the luxury surrounding her. "I thought he was just another lost boy in the forest, but he… he's different. He's something else."

Luna turns her face toward Donan, sitting beside her, and watches him with a challenging look, a mixture of anger and disappointment. What was he doing here with his parents? He had all this wealth and said nothing to her?

Doubt grows within her, and she feels a pang of betrayal. Why hadn't he told her how rich he was? How had he lived all of this without revealing his true identity?

"Hey, Uncle," she asks, her discomfort evident in her tone. "Do you have the client's information for the job we're about to do?"

Her uncle glances at her with a sly smile. "You were with him the whole time and didn't know?" he asks, letting out a low laugh.

Blushing, Luna feels shame wash over her. She lowers her head, lost in her own thoughts. How had she not realized it? How could she have been so naive?

The car moves toward Donan's parents' mansion, and Luna grows increasingly uneasy. With each meter closer to the grand entrance gate, she feels the widening chasm between her and Donan's world.

A world that seemed unreachable. A world of wealth, luxury, and things she could never have imagined. How could she possibly fit into someone's life like that? How could she be part of such a distant reality?

When the car finally stops in front of the mansion's massive gates, Luna feels a tight knot in her chest. She looks at Donan, but he, his eyes fixed on his home, seems oblivious to the turmoil inside her. She gives him one last glance, her face full of contradictions.

While part of her longs to protect him, she doesn't know if she can remain close to him in this new world.

The car door opens, and Donan's parents step out first, followed by Luna and her uncle. They stop before the mansion's imposing gate, which seems to shut the world inside and leave Luna outside.

She takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling of inadequacy that floods her. But it's futile. The mansion's gate closes behind them, and Luna stands there, her heart heavy, wondering how she ended up here and what the future holds for her.

 The Butler's Arrival

The sound of firm footsteps echoed down the grand mansion corridor, breaking the tension in the air. Malik, the butler, entered like a storm, his presence dominating the room. Dressed impeccably in a suit and standing with rigid posture, he scanned the room with a look of disdain, asserting his authority as if it were second nature. His gaze landed on Donan, and a look of disapproval crossed his face.

"What happened to you, Donan?" he asked, his voice cold and unyielding. "You weren't like this. What is going on?" His eyes swept the room, finally settling on Luna. A crooked smile formed on his lips.

Donan, who had been silent until then, quickly turned toward Luna. His eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath, seemingly trying to steady himself under the pressure. Malik noticed Donan's look and approached Luna with long strides, his threatening presence filling the space.

"And this girl? What is she doing here?" Malik shouted, his voice sharp. "What are you all doing here? Have you ruined our boy? What have you done?"

Luna's uncle stepped forward, trying to diffuse the situation, but Malik seemed unwilling to listen. The atmosphere grew tense, and Luna felt the weight of the moment. She had never faced someone so imposing, so full of power, but something inside her stirred.

As Malik prepared to shout again, a firm hand appeared on Luna's back. It was Donan. He stepped forward, placing himself between Malik and her. "Step away from my friend," he said, his voice deep and authoritative.

The air grew heavy. Malik, momentarily taken aback by Donan's boldness, glared at him, his eyes beginning to blaze with anger. Donan didn't hesitate to take a firmer stance, and that's when Malik, furious, pulled a gun from his jacket pocket and aimed it directly at Donan's chest.

Luna saw the gun, her eyes wide with shock, but she had no time to hesitate. In a swift, precise motion, she stepped forward. Before Malik could react, she grabbed his arm and immobilized him with strength, wrapping her hand around his neck. She squeezed, and the gun fell from Malik's hand, rendering him momentarily powerless. "What is going on here?" Luna demanded, her voice cold, full of determination, yet tinged with incredulity.

At that moment, three burly men, Malik's known "henchmen," appeared in the doorway, ready to attack. But Luna, agile and fearless, prepared herself for another threat. Malik, for his part, struggled to break free, but Luna didn't let go. The fight had become a matter of survival.

Donan, stunned by Luna's speed and strength, watched his friend act like a true heroine, and a sense of admiration washed over him. The situation intensified. He didn't understand how Malik had orchestrated all of this, but slowly, the butler's plan began to reveal itself.

Before being subdued by Luna, Malik had exposed his true intention: he had planned Donan's accident, hoping to remove the boy from his parents' home to seize the family's wealth. Malik had been manipulating everything for years, and the only obstacle in his path was Donan. With Donan gone, everything would have been easier.