Yoongi blinked a few times, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes as the sunlight flooded the room. He groaned softly, wanting to turn away from the light and steal a few more moments of rest. But as he shifted, he felt an unfamiliar weight on his left hand.

His brow furrowed in confusion, still half-asleep, as he glanced over. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw you, his little sister, curled up on the floor, clutching his hand tightly as if it was your lifeline.

"Y/N...?" he whispered, more to himself than to you, still trying to process the scene before him.

You were sound asleep, your face resting on his hand, tear stains faintly visible on your cheeks. The sight stirred something in Yoongi's heart—concern, mixed with a protective instinct. He carefully shifted, trying not to wake you, though his mind was racing with questions. What could've happened for you to end up like this, sleeping on the cold floor next to his bed?

"Y/N..." he whispered again, more tenderly this time, not wanting to disturb you but feeling an urgency to understand what had happened. His thumb lightly brushed over your hand, offering comfort even in your sleep.

Yoongi's worried eyes softened as you slowly stirred awake at the sound of his whisper. He watched as you groaned, your sore eyes barely managing to open. His heart sank, seeing the exhaustion and the remnants of your tears from the night before.

"Come here," he said gently, his voice still heavy with sleep but laced with care.

Without a second thought, you climbed up onto the bed, moving as if on autopilot. You nestled into his lap, resting your head there like you used to when you were younger. His warmth brought you a sense of peace, easing the tension that had built up overnight.

Yoongi's hand automatically found its way to your hair, stroking it gently, offering silent comfort. The room was quiet except for the sound of your breathing and the distant hum of the morning outside. For a while, neither of you said anything. He knew better than to press you for answers right away. Sometimes, the silence and presence were enough.

"You, okay?" he finally asked softly, continuing to comb his fingers through your hair. His voice carried a protective tone, but it was gentle, waiting for you to share when you were ready.

You closed your eyes, letting out a deep breath. You didn't answer right away, still processing everything. But at that moment, you felt safe. You knew that with Yoongi, you didn't have to explain it all immediately. He would be there, no matter what.

The moment Yoongi's soft, caring voice reached your ears, the tears you had been holding back started to well up again. You bit your lip, trying to keep them from falling, but the gentle concern in his eyes made it harder to hold everything in.

"I... I don't even know where to start, Oppa," you whispered, your voice cracking.

Yoongi's expression shifted from confusion to deep concern. He stopped stroking your hair for a moment, placing his hand gently under your chin, lifting your face so he could meet your teary eyes.

"Hey... What's wrong, Nini? Tell me, "He encouraged softly, his voice a soothing balm.

You closed your eyes, trying to gather your thoughts, but the weight of the past night—Namjoon's drunken words, the memories of rejection, the confusion—crashed into you like a tidal wave. Without thinking, you buried your face in his lap again, letting out a shaky breath as the first few tears slipped down your cheeks.

Yoongi's hand returned to your hair, his touch calming as ever. He didn't push for more, just sat there with you, letting you cry in the comfort of his presence.

"Take your time," he whispered. "I'm here."

And in that moment, his quiet strength was all you needed.

You buried your face in his stomach, hiding it so he couldn't see your expression.

"I-I just got a terrifying nightmare," you murmured, silently hoping he would believe your lie.

Yoongi frowned, knowing immediately that something was off.

'Why are you lying, Y/n?' he thought.

"Y/n... I know that's not true," he said gently, massaging your scalp. You closed your eyes, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over you for being caught in your lie.

"The fearless lawyer Min Y/N got scared by a nightmare? Do you really want me to believe that?" His voice remained soft, but his words pierced through your weak defense.

You slowly looked up, meeting his concerned eyes, and sighed.

"I-I'm sorry..." you whispered, feeling a lump form in your throat.

"No, Nini..." Yoongi said softly, his hand gently resting on your head. "I know you like to deal with your problems on your own, but just remember, you're never alone. Me, our parents—we're always here with you."

He kissed your forehead, his words filled with warmth and sincerity.

Unknowingly, your eyes filled with tears. You held them back, forcing a solid smile.

"Thank you, Yoongi oppa," you whispered, hugging his waist tightly and pressing a soft kiss to his tummy, making him chuckle.

"Alright, now get up. We've got work to do," he said, smiling at you.

You smiled back and got up, feeling lighter somehow.

Frustration bubbled up as thoughts from the previous night swirled in your mind, overwhelming you. With a heavy sigh, you rested your head on the desk, feeling drained and down.

You couldn't bring yourself to confide in your brother. To explain everything, you'd have to start from the beginning, and that was too much. The only person you felt could help was Jackson—your best friend. But of course, to your dismay, he wasn't in the office, even though it was already noon.

"Jax seems to be really distant these past few days..." you thought to yourself. "I'll talk to him today..."

Tired of waiting for Jackson, you rang the desk bell to call Mark, hoping to get some answers.

"Yes, madam?" he responded promptly.

"Mark, did Jackson inform you that he wouldn't be coming today?"

"Why would he, madam? He's actually sitting in the lounge outside, busy with his work."

His words hit you like a wave of shock. Jackson had arrived but hadn't even bothered to greet you?

"Oh... I must've been too busy with work to notice. When did he arrive?"

"An hour ago, madam," Mark replied, leaving you feeling even more unsettled.

"Thanks," you gave Mark a weak smile before stepping out. An unsettling feeling crept in, tightening in your chest. Something was off. You and Jackson had been best friends for eight years, and never had he acted this distant. But over the past few days, he seemed to be deliberately avoiding you, using work as an excuse.

Determined to confront him, you stood up abruptly and headed to the small lounge just behind your office. The sight that greeted you only confirmed your suspicions—Jackson was lounging on the couch, grinning at his phone, clearly engaged in a lighthearted chat.

So this is his 'work,' you thought, sighing as you watched him, probably texting someone.

"Jackson," you called out, your voice firm but laced with frustration.

He glanced up, his expression turning indifferent as he met your frown. "What?" he replied carelessly, barely looking away from his phone.

His dismissive tone stung. "That's it? 'What?' After you've been ignoring me for days?"

Jackson sighed, putting his phone down. "Y/N, I've just been busy, okay?" he said, but it lacked sincerity.

"Busy? You've been sitting here, chatting, while avoiding me like the plague. We need to talk, Jackson. What's going on with you?" You crossed your arms, not willing to let this slide.

"None of your concerns Y/N" he snapped back

 "I'm just trying to say we have a lot of work to catch up on. Plus, I need to talk to you about something personal," You replied softly 

"What do you think I am? Your personal diary? Your emotional punching bag?" He shot back, frustration bubbling to the surface. His rudeness caught you off guard.

"Seriously, what are you talking about, Jackson? I'm just asking you to stop grinning at your phone for a minute. We have more important things to focus on," you snapped, your irritation intensifying as you thought about everything else happening in your life.

"Ziona was right; you're just jealous of my happiness!" he yelled unexpectedly, and your anger flared.

"Are you kidding me? What does Ziona have to do with this? Why would I be jealous of you?" You couldn't believe he was throwing such a ridiculous accusation at you. "This isn't about her, Jackson!"

"You have feelings for me, don't you? That's why you always glare at me and Ziona when we meet, right?!"

That was it. You could feel your blood boiling.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, WILL YOU SHUT UP?! First of all, I'm here to take you to work because we have a hearing coming up in three days. And second, you're my best friend, which is why I trust you with personal matters and....where did you learn thinking like that Jackson?"

Jackson's expression shifted as he realized the weight of his words. The heat of the moment seemed to drain from him, and he took a step back, clearly caught off guard by your outburst. You could see the realization dawning on him, and for a moment, it felt like the air had thickened between you two.

"I... I didn't mean it like that," he stammered, his tone softening as he ran a hand through his hair, frustration giving way to regret.

He was texting his girlfriend while she constantly filled his ears with manipulative thoughts about you. For weeks now, Ziona had been planting seeds of doubt in his mind, and you could see how it affected him.

The reason was obvious: she was insecure. Insecure about the bond you and Jackson shared, the friendship that felt almost like siblinghood. She couldn't shake the feeling that you were more beautiful, more successful, and more integral to Jackson's life than she was.

You had even made it clear during a meeting with her that she didn't need to feel threatened. You assured her that you and Jackson were like twins—inseparable and deeply connected. But Ziona didn't trust your intentions, and her overthinking created a deep rift between two best friends who vowed to stick together until the end.

"I can't believe this, Jackson. A girlfriend of just a few months over a best friend of eight years..." you said, your voice trembling with disbelief.

He opened his mouth to say something, but you raised a hand to stop him. "No. Just think about what you're saying. You're letting her manipulate you into believing that I'm the enemy."

Jackson's expression wavered, torn between the friendship you'd shared and the new relationship he felt obligated to protect.

"I-it's not like I was pressuring you to choose between me and your girlfriend... I-I just wanted to talk like best friends do," you stammered, a tear of frustration slipping down your cheek.

Before he could respond, you quickly wiped your eyes and walked out of the lounge, feeling the weight of your emotions bearing down on you. Each step felt heavier, as if the tears you held back were dragging you down.

As the door closed behind you, you heard Jackson's anguished voice, "I fucked up." You could picture him fisting his hair, a mix of regret and confusion flooding his expression.

Inside, you felt your heart shatter a little more, knowing that the bond you once shared was now tainted by misunderstandings and misplaced accusations. You needed a moment to breathe, to gather your thoughts, and to figure out how to fix this mess.

"What a pretty eventful day you had today, Min Y/N," you thought sarcastically. "First, your ex-crush basically confessed to you yesterday. Then there's the massive case hanging over your head. And now, instead of being supportive, your best friend is just another source of frustration." With a heavy sigh, you slammed your head softly against your desk, wishing for a moment of peace.

Just then, Mark, your intern, stepped inside, breaking your moment of solitude.

"Ms. Min, there's a man outside who's been waiting for about 15 minutes. He says he knows you very well. Should I send him in?" He looked at you expectantly.

"What's his name?" you asked, bracing yourself for yet another complication.

"Kim Namjoon."

You felt your heart drop. "Oh, hell no," you groaned, slamming your head against the desk again in frustration.

"Am I allowed to breathe today!? "

_________________________________________

TBC

Uri Kim Namjoon-ie is here woo-hoo!!

Thank you, guys, so much for reading!! ♥️♥️♥️

Keep voting and commenting 🔥

Special thanks to these people who voted on my last chapter ...

💜💜💜💜🛐

And we got 1k reads .... I'm over the moon right now 

🥺🥺🥺

Just keep reading my book like this may nam-jesus bless y'all 😭😉👍

Shout out to my new followers' thanks for following me 🛐😜