HOMECOMING AND THE FIRST NIGHT
By the time they arrived home, evening had fallen over Istanbul. Murat sat in the back seat nearly fully transparent — only his silhouette, like a smear of soot on the glass. Kerem had moved to the front beside Selin. Both were quiet. "He spent a lot of himself at the mall," Selin murmured, tilting her head slightly back. "There were too many people today." Kerem nodded, drumming the steering wheel. "I understand. Tomorrow let's plan something quieter. But mate," — he glanced at Murat's almost-vanished silhouette in the rear-view mirror — "I need to say something about today. You did well. I mean it." Murat's voice seemed to come from very far away, like a whisper through smoke. "I'm tired, Kerem. But yes… it was good." When they got inside, Kerem sat briefly and then stood. "I'll leav
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