Moonlight

A loud engine roared could be heard as Ibrahim increased his motorcycle speed. He's going faster than the speed limit, but he doesn't seem to care about it. He has no idea why his frigid heart started to beat again. It is an agonizing feeling, not a happy one. He tried everything he could to forget his past. Why did that girl seem to be rubbing salt on his wound? He sought to shield himself, thinking that no one could hurt him if he did, but he was mistaken. He is still in pain, even now.  

Ibrahim kept riding his motorcycle at high speeds and drove up in the middle of the cold night. It's autumn, and winter is on its way, but the cold seems insignificant in comparison to the wound inside his heart. He needed something to divert his attention away from his own thoughts. He knew he couldn't keep bothering Alan, and unleashing his rage on celerity was the only thing that came to mind. He has no idea how far he has traveled on his motorcycle. He doesn't care if he gets fined for going over the speed limit. He simply desired to forget everything, even if it's only for a brief moment.

He came to a halt near a bridge and sat on his motorcycle, looking out over the river. He could see the moonlight and stars up in the night sky. What an irony. He hasn't seen her in a year and still didn’t seem to get over her. He promised himself not to be weak, so why couldn't his heart be as tough as his brain? He could control his mind and forget the past, but he couldn't lie to his heart about how much its hurts. He looked at his watch, which read one o'clock in the morning. It's no surprise that the road has become so quiet. He decides to return home.

He walked as slowly as he could to avoid making any noise. It was two in the morning when he came home and he didn’t want anyone to wake up because of him. He went directly to his room, where he saw his wife sleeping. He approached her and gently brushed her hair, taking care not to wake her up.

“I am so sorry, Anna. I always hurt you knowingly or unknowingly.” He muttered.

He exited their room and entered his study room. He didn't even bother to turn on the light as it was so dark. The only light he had was the moonlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling window. The moonlight shone so brightly that he thought it was mocking him for his sadness. He walked over to his piano and sat down. He can tell it's dusty because he hasn't touched his piano in a long time. He has always enjoyed classical music, and piano is one of his favorite instruments. It is the only thing in his life which provides him peace.

He gently touched the piano keys, his fingers were beginning to dance around while pressing the keys without his knowledge. He won't bother anyone because his study room is soundproof. A lovely song was played, and it was the only way he could express his grief. He could feel the pain and hoped that this would at least temporarily distract him from his pain. He had no idea that he hadn't properly locked the door, it was slightly open ajar.

Anna was unable to sleep, the previous scene was still vivid in her mind. She had no idea how late it was until she heard the sound of the door opening. She was able to hear his footsteps coming towards her. He is finally home, she reasoned. She decided not to approach him, as much as she wanted to. Anna is well aware that his mind may still be clouded by the anger, and she does not wish to add more pressure to it. In the end, she just closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She could hear him approaching the bed and feel his hand on her head. She heard him muttering something, but it was so soft that she couldn't prick it. After some time, she listened to his retreating footsteps and the door closing. Anna opened her eyes again, but there was no sign of Ibrahim.

“Where is he going again?” she asked herself.

She jumped out of bed and exited her room. As she walked down the hall, she could hear the sound of piano echoing from the room in the corner. Even though the sound isn't very clear, it's so quiet but it reaches her ears in a soothing way. As she approached the room, she realized it was Ibrahim's study room. Inside the room, she could see the man she referred to as her husband. She peers through the small gap from the door as it is slightly opened. She has no idea why, but her heart broke when she saw Ibrahim's painful expression. The melody seems to swing along with his sadness, as if she can feel his pain. For a brief moment, she believes the melody is familiar. It appears that this isn't the first time she's heard that song. She made every effort not to make a sound when she entered his study room, as she didn't want to disrupt his play. Anna approached him and took a seat beside him.

When he sensed someone's presence, Ibrahim's finger stopped playing with the keys. He turned to the side, and saw it was Anna. Despite the darkness, he can see her face through the moonlight. He has nothing to say but stare deep into her eyes. He wouldn't lie to himself about Anna's beauty, and her innocence made him feel so bad for dragging her into his dark world.

“Keep going. Why did you stop?” Anna inquired, breaking the silence. She had no intention of preventing him from playing. The melancholy may sound gloomy and disheartening, but she couldn’t deny that he played it so well.

Ibrahim returned his attention to his piano keys. He ignores her and continues playing until the song is finished. It's as if he's trying to channel all of his pain into the song, and it's strange that she can feel his misery, sadness, and heartbreak. When Anna looked at Ibrahim’s painful expression, she could feel her heart racing. She began to wonder if it was simply empathy or if she had gradually developed feelings for this man. The more time they spent together the more she got to know about him.

“This melody is sad and beautiful at the same time.” Anna stated. She spoke so softly and with such a weak voice that it sounded more like a whisper to him.

Ibrahim understands how she felt. The song is depressing, and it is far too strenuous for him. He felt a little bit of happiness inside his heart when he saw her. “It's Clair….” he was about to tell her the name of the song, which he adored. No one, not even Natasha, had listened to him playing this song.

“Clair de lune,” she says, interrupting him. She has no idea how she knows about this. Anna has no interest in classical music, but this piece sounded so familiar to her that she immediately recognized the title. “It's Claude Debussy's.”

Ibrahim's lips curved into a soft smile. It is a well-known song that took Debussy fifteen years to write. He is not surprised if she is aware of the song, it is the most beautiful song ever written. “It's referring to moonlight. It tells the story of the moon's sad and beautiful light.” He responded in his hoarse voice.

As she sat closer to him, Anna dared herself to close the gap between them. “How come it sounds more like two people who met again after separating from each other?” Her gaze pierced into his lovely, small eyes as she inquired.

Ibrahim would not deny that what she had just said was erroneous. Every melody in the song represents a person's sadness, misery, and heartache.

Anna has no idea how she got the bravery to reach his cheeks. Her palm caresses his swollen cheek, as if she tried to let him share his anguish with her. “It's okay to not be okay. I don't know about your past, but you can share your pain with me. I'm not going to judge you for it. I'll try to figure it out with you.” She said it to him with sincerity. Could she really tell him how much she despises seeing him like this? Like a shattered glass. She'd rather argue with him than see him so upset.

For a brief moment, he felt as if the ice that had encased his heart was melting in front of her. The warm hands that cover his cheeks comfort him. Her words demonstrate the sincerity that is melting his cold heart. His past was so painful that he told himself that he was not going to fall in love with any woman. However, it appears that this woman in front of him is piercing the shield he had built to protect his wounded heart from further harm. He wanted to believe her.

“It's too exhausting to fight alone. The burden you bear may be too heavy for you. If you ever need someone to share your weight, I'll be there to support you from behind.” She continued. She wanted to reassure him that he’s never going to get hurt again.

Ibrahim couldn't take it any longer and drew her into his embrace. He encased her in his embrace, as if she were a prisoner. Pull her so close, he didn't want to let go of her. While his hands circled tightly around her waist, he hid his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. The strange feeling returns. Isn't it strange that he wanted to keep her by his side? He desired to be with her and protect her, he craved to be the only man she wanted. When she was in his arms, all his pain and sorrow seemed to fade away. When he felt her hands circling his waist, another spark ignited in his little heart.

“Ibrahim.” She called, he cupped her face and she felt an electric jolt. Their faces are only a few inches apart, and the space between their bodies has long disappeared. She's never been this close to him before.

Before Anna could say anything, she felt his lips brush against hers. For a while, her world seemed to be frozen. She felt as if time had stopped when his wet lips touched hers. She could feel how gentle his kiss was. She felt his hand move slightly to her neck, as if he was attempting to deepen the kiss. A soft moan escaped her lips, and it feels like his man hormones are kicking around inside his body, ready to burst. As his lips continued to play with hers, his tongue danced inside hers. She has no idea, but she seemed to enjoy every minute of his kiss. Her hand moved, encircling his neck, drawing him closer as she craved his lips like a thirsty man craves water. This may be too abrupt, but she wanted to be selfish for a moment. She doesn't care about the rest of the world because all she wants right now is him. Every second they spent together seemed so precious that neither of them wanted to break the kiss. It was scorching. The kiss was nothing like the one they shared on their wedding day. She could feel the love, care, and warmth in this kiss, whereas on their wedding day the kiss felt more forced.

She could feel his lips moving slowly to her neck, sending shivers down her spine. This is not acceptable. Before taking this big step, they should learn more about themselves. Even though she enjoys every touch he gives her, she is not yet ready to push the boundaries. Not before knowing every detail about him. She pushed him with all of her strength at the time, attempting to free herself from him.

Ibrahim could tell she was pushing him. It's a sign she wanted him to stop. Despite the fact that she is his wife and they are married, he should respect her decision, and this is a wake-up call for him. He came to halt as he turned away from her. Trying to keep his rapid breathing under control. He desired to hold her in his arms. He wanted to feel every inch of her skin. What makes her so appealing? He has always told her that he does not want her to fall for him, so why does it appear that he is the one falling into his own trap? He's not sure if he's started to like her, but he remembers the agony he felt seeing her helpless in the hospital bed, the agony he felt when she raged about wanting to see Kai, and the regret he felt for being late in saving her. Could his heart endure another love?

“It's getting late. Aren't you tired?” Ibrahim asked, sensing her discomfort— she's holding her breath now.

Anna exhaled softly when she heard what Ibrahim said. His tone conveyed concern to her. “Are you going to be, okay?” She asked, she didn't want to leave him alone anymore.

Ibrahim gave a nod. Even if he wasn't, he wasn't going to say he wished for her presence. “I'll always be fine. I've always been.” He responded.

Anna reached for his hand and gently squeezed it. “I know you're hurt, and it's obvious from your expression. Everyone in the world deserves happiness, I know your cold and rude personality is just a shield to protect yourself, but please, I don't want you to torture yourself any longer.” It hurts to see his anguished expression.

Ibrahim gave her a sly grin. What exactly did she say? Happiness. Does he deserve it?

“I’m not a greedy person. I will do my best as long as you are willing to try. You can have me as long as your small heart is willing to love me back.” She mumbled. Why did she suddenly feel compelled to give this marriage a shot?

Ibrahim looked at Anna, speechless. What did she say? Is she saying she wants to give this marriage a chance? She desired for him to love her. Can he? “I don't know if I can. My heart is too broken to love once more.” He lacks confidence in himself.

Anna dared to cup his face so that he could look into her eyes. She could hear the hesitation in his voice and was determined to persuade him. “If a broken crayon can still color, then a broken heart can love as well.”

He wished he could believe her. He itched to hold her close in his arms. Why does it feel like he's the one who can't be trusted? He had faith in her, but not in himself. How can he do this while dragging her deeper into his sinister world? Even if she begins to fall for him, how will he tell her that their entire marriage is a sham? What is causing everything to become so complicated for him?