"You should keep your distance from Taehyung."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. Silence enveloped us, and I could feel the weight of her warning pressing down on me. My mind raced, trying to understand why she would say something like this. Emily's eyes never left my face, studying my expression, sensing the emerging turmoil within me.

"Y/N, don't get me wrong." she began softly, her voice with concern. "I want you to be safe. I wouldn't have told you this, but after today's incident, I couldn't stay silent any longer."

She paused, giving me a moment to absorb her words. "I feel like today's incident was planned. You think so too, right?" Emily asked, searching my eyes for confirmation.

I hesitated before giving a slight nod.

"The dressing table wouldn't have been used so carelessly during rehearsal." she continued, her voice growing more urgent. "Someone skillfully loosened the mirror in such a way that when you sat and moved, it would fall on you."

Her concern was evident. "You could have been hurt, Y/N.
And this was done, to get you out of the role."

Her words were striking me. She was right. The whole situation felt deliberate, but...

"Emily, it's not his fault," I protested, unable to contain myself. "I understand your concern, but it's the low mentality of some girls that should be blamed, not Taehyung."

Emily sighed, a mixture of understanding and insistence in her eyes. "I know, Y/N, but this isn't about Taehyung himself. It's about the chaos that seems to follow him. Our lives were simpler before he started spending time with us. We've been through a lot, especially you. Remember Nana? She was relentless. And now, I think it might be her again."

Her words brought back a flood of memories. Nana had been ruthless in her obsession, making me trip to burning my hand.

Emily took a deep breath, her expression softening. "I just think the best way to protect ourselves is to, distance from those who attract this kind of trouble. Especially those obsessed girls."

She looked at me with pleading eyes. "Will you, Y/N?"

Before I could respond, our teacher entered the room, halting our conversation.

----Flashback Ends----

....

...At present...

Emily's words echoed in my mind, causing a whirlwind of emotions. I knew she was right to some extent, but those words were unsettling me. Her concern was genuine, and her logic made sense, but my heart resisted. Taehyung wasn't the problem, and distancing myself from him felt like a betrayal.

Yes, we had been through a lot. But it was Taehyung who had handled the Nana situation, ensuring she never pulled those tricks on me again. He had always been kind and generous, a true gentleman amidst the chaos.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead. I couldn't deny the truth in Emily's words, but I also couldn't abandon Taehyung.

I was lost in my thoughts when Mom suddenly entered my room. Instantly, I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep.

She chuckled softly, a sound like a gentle breeze, and I felt her sit beside me, her fingers tenderly brushing through my hair.
"What's troubling you, dear?" she asked.

Here is my mom, with her uncanny ability to read me like an open book. She always finds out the truth behind my eyes. But, I still acted as if I was sleeping.

...

...There was silence, and like a small child, I opened one eye to see if she was still there. And there she was, standing and looking at me with that knowing smile.

"Stop acting, Y/N!" she said softly.

I knew I couldn't fool her. I opened my eyes completely and shifted to make room for her to sit.

"Why did you come here, mom? Did you need something?" I asked, hesistently.

"No, just thought to talk with you." She said with a soft smile.

"Oh..."

"So tell me, what's troubling you?" She asked

"Uh? It's nothing," I replied.

She caressed my face. "You know, sharing your problems might not solve them, but it can lessen the burden. Tell me, Y/N. I might help you.
It seems there is something off."

I knew I couldn't escape her gaze. Taking a deep breath, I conceded, "Okay, I can never win over you." She smiled, and I continued, "Mom, it's about my friend. She is facing a problem."

"Okay..." She nodded, encouraging me to go on.

I started telling her the whole story, changing the names and pretending it was about my friend, not me.
"...
  ...

So, my friend is in turmoil. She values her friend's support, but her bestie advised her to distance herself from him. She's confused, unsure of what to do."

Mom listened intently, her eyes never leaving mine. When I finished, she was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Hmm, I understand. In my opinion, your friend shouldn't distance herself from her friend."

"Really?" I asked, my heart lifting a little.

"Yes," Mom said, her voice gentle but firm. "True friends are rare. If this friend of hers has been supportive and kind, then it’s worth fighting for that relationship. Sometimes, advice from others can cloud our judgment, but deep down, we know what feels right. She should trust her instincts, what her heart says and value the people who have been there for her."

I nodded, a weight lifting off my shoulders. Mom's words, as always, brought clarity and comfort. "Thanks, Mom," I said, hugging her tightly. "I'll tell her this tomorrow and I think my friend will be okay."

"I'm sure she will," Mom replied, her arms wrapping around me warmly. Giving a knowing smile...
"And so will you, my dear. So will you." She whispered.

We then talked a little about my days in college and her work.

Caressing my hair and making me sleep. And I slept.

She kissed my forehead.
"Goodnight, my little princess," she murmured, and got up, while whispering something I couldn't hear properly.

("You still behave like your childhood self, always telling the problem as if it’s your friend’s when it’s actually yours. Well, you are still my little princess. My life.")

She then slowly closed the door and left .

...

I turned my side and thought...
Mom is right, true friends are rare and Taehyung  is a very good friend. He always understood me without words, like today when he took a walk with me, sensing my stress after the incident. How could I distance myself from such a good friend? Distancing meant being rude, breaking the bond of friendship we had built. That wasn’t what friendship was about.

Taehyung had done so much for us. The thought of treating him coldly was unbearable. It wasn't his fault that some girls were obsessed with him, making his life difficult. He didn’t deserve to be blamed for their actions.

Emily meant well, but she didn't see the full picture. Taehyung wasn’t the problem; the people who targeted him were. Keeping my distance from him wouldn't solve anything. It would only hurt someone who had always been there for me.

As I mulled over Emily's advice, I realized that true friendship meant standing by each other, even in tough times. And I wasn't about to abandon Taehyung because of other people's pettiness. He deserved better than that, and so did our friendship.

And with that comforting thought, I drifted off to sleep, feeling more at peace with my decision.

I hope everything turns out well!!

~~~~~~🪻💜(⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)💜🪻~~~~~~

Sorry for a short update 😅
But then the next one will be a longer one✨🫶 Promise💌

Stay tuned for the next episode....✌️

Till then enjoy your life to your fullest!! Be happy, safe and keep smiling! It looks pretty on you🌟!
Borahae💜🩷<3

See you soon ✨