The Secret Heart|Jisoo|Haein|Taehyung

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ 25: GOᑎE

"Kelan, it's not about that! It's something else entirely! I'm so troubled, I can't even bring myself to talk to my other friend, Clover! She's already on edge because she missed Elena's call that night!" Erica confided, her eyes glistening with tears. Kelan cleared his throat upon hearing the name Elena.

As he watched Erica's anxious eyes, Kelan thought in silence, "She couldn't be talking about my Elena, right? It can't be her!"

"Elena?...is she the friend who pushes you into these relentless diet regimes?" Kelan asked, his discomfort evident in his tone.

"Kelan.....for the umpteenth time, she doesn't force me......she just tries to encourage me to make better choices with my meals....even if she can be a bit tough on me at times!" Erica clarified, folding her hands together. Kelan smiled in response, a soft hint of disbelief flickering across his face.

"Right!...you may see it that way, but to me, it seems like a dictatorship over your lifestyle. And a harmful one at that, if you ask me!" Kelan expressed without hesitation.

"I'm concerned about her! It's been a week and we haven't seen her.....we have no idea where she is! She won't even answer our calls!" Erica uttered, a tear slipping down her cheek. Kelan felt a pang of guilt for his harsh words, seeing Erica's evident distress over her friend.

"Erica, I'm sorry....I shouldn't have said that....you know I only want the best for you....but...if there's anything I can do to support you!" Kelan offered, attempting to console her. However, she shook her head in response.

"Thanks....but....don't worry...I'll do my best to find out what's going on with my friend! It's just so strange and worrying that she hasn't shown up for work! That's completely out of character for her....she wouldn't just disappear like this! I'm terrified that something might have happened to her!" Erica uttered before breaking down in soft sobs. She couldn't contain her emotions any longer. Kelan sighed in sympathy for his friend and reached out, taking her hands and giving them a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't entertain those dark thoughts! I'm positive your friend is okay....maybe she just took a spontaneous trip and forgot to mention it to anyone!" Kelan offered optimistically, gazing into her eyes. Erica shook her head, giving him a solemn look in return.

"You don't understand...." She retorted in a tone of slight annoyance, then swiftly turned and walked away. Kelan was taken aback by her reaction. It was evident that Erica was deeply troubled about her friend, and he couldn't fathom the reason behind it. Without a second thought, he dashed out of the restaurant to catch up with her.

"WAIT, ERICA!" Kelan shouted, reaching out and grasping her arm before she could step into the street.

"Listen, I'm sorry....I wish I knew how to comfort you....and I'm truly sorry..." he murmured softly, his gaze locked with her sorrowful eyes.

"You just don't know her like I do! She's been through so much and is still fighting demons from her past....." Erica replied, her gaze steady.

"Alright, I'm sorry...please forgive me!" Kelan insisted, holding her close. Erica took a step forward and embraced him quickly.

"Just tell me one thing....other than her not showing up to work, why do you think she might have harmed herself?" He inquired, still holding her in his arms.

"Because, Elena has battled drug addiction in the past!" Erica revealed, stepping back and noticing the concern slowly creeping into his expression.

"Elena never suspected me of knowing this because she only confided in Clover with her secret.....she kept her struggles hidden from me because she knew how much I looked up to her! She didn't want to let me down with such news....." Tears welled up in her eyes once more, his gaze locked on her face as he processed her words.

"I...I'm genuinely sorry for everything I said about your friend! I must have sounded like a complete jerk, speaking ill of her like that! I realize the gravity of the situation now!" Kelan expressed, reaching his hand towards her left cheek and gently brushing his fingers along her jaw.

"Please...try not to cry, stay strong," Kelan murmured softly as he continued to stroke her face. However, Erica was feeling increasingly unsettled about the situation with Elena.

"The last we heard from her was a missed call on Clover's phone! And now Clover thinks Elena might have been reaching out for help...it was late at night....I'm so overwhelmed by all of this, Kelan!" She cried out to him, clutching onto his shirt.

"Have you already been to her house?" Kelan inquired. Erica nodded anxiously in response.

"Yes....we've been going to her house every day....but it's empty! We're too scared to approach her parents because it would cause a huge scene! And Elena wouldn't want that at all....especially with her father's temperament!" Erica explained, walking back and deep in thought. Kelan sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. It was daunting how he had become entangled in the mission to locate Erica's friend.

"But...that's far too serious to keep to yourselves! If you believe your friend could be missing or at risk of relapsing into addiction......you need to inform her parents! Who are they that you and your friend are so fearful of approaching them!?" Kelan questioned, giving her a look of disbelief.

"Kelan...we're talking about the McLains here!! They're not just anyone! You have no idea how much Elena has struggled to meet her father's expectations in everything! This would devastate her if we took that step!" Erica tried to explain, justifying their reluctance. However, as soon as he heard 'the McLains', his eyes widened in shock, catching her off guard.

"Mclains? So her full name is Elena Lila McLain? And she's your friend?" He asked, his expression showing a hint of strain. She nodded quickly, prompting a swift response from him.

"Elena, is the one who's missing? My Elena!?" He muttered, the pain evident in his troubled eyes.