...After few days...

-----Y/N's pov------

I have been maintaining distance from Taehyung after that incident. Somedays I felt like he was improving but that scene always comes in front of me and also I don't want to get into all this dramas. Moreover he is a jerk..😤

Whenever I see him he is either with a girl or all girls are drooling over him.. I don't understand why these girls behave this way for the boy who just know how to flirt with random girls...heartless creature ... don't, these girls have their self respect.

Let it be I just need to focus on my studies and pass out with good grades and have a stable job to support my mom..

....

"Are you sure, Emily will help us?" Taehyung questioned

"Yes buddy she will... she was easy to talk to, so she understood the case and I am sure she will help..."

"Okay, as you say Jimin."

...After school...

"Hello Guys..." Emily greeted

"Hey Emily..." we said in unison

"I heard about the scenario from Jimin, so guys let's think what should we do."

"Yeah and that's why we are gathered here!!" Taehyung said

...After few minutes of silence...

"I have an idea!!!! , Emily exclaimed
Day after tomorrow we have inspection, so I guess tomorrow we have to stay after lectures so..
..................
............."

"Great plan Emily ...well done." Taehyung and Jimin said simultaneously with an impressed look

"Let's execute our plan tomorrow." Taehyung said determined

"Yess!!" (Said in unison)

After doing our group cheer ..we parted our own ways

...Next Morning...

"Today I'll be late mom, I need to stay back for tomorrow's inspection..."

"Okay baby ...take care and call me when you are leaving..."

"Okay mom... Bye .. Take care "

While walking towards the college ...
I'll just message them ..That I won't be able to join at work today .. nor they'll get worried why I am not coming yet..

......

....After lectures....

"As you all know we have an inspection tomorrow so we have to get ready with it .. all the materials required are kept in the art store room and there are teachers who will guide you... Any issues come to me or any teacher you know. Students let's get started." Sir announced

We started with our work...
Everyone was busy doing something or the other ...somewhere making placards, putting charts on the soft board...and so on ..

...At 6pm...

"Y/N can you bring the pins from the art store room please.." Emily requested

"See there, in that box, is that empty??"

"Yeah it's empty. Umm.. I would bring it myself ..but gotta finish this work in my hand!"

"Ohkay! No issues! Emily I'll bring ..." saying that you left ..

It was already evening ......and we are still remaining with few more things pending. Gotta do the things faster .. or it'll take night to finish it off ...
And I ran towards the room to get the pins swiftly.

I entered the already lighted store room.. and started searching for the pin's box.

While I was searching for the box. I heard someone enter the room, not caring much I continue doing my work..

Finally I got the pins ...but it was on the top of the shelf ...
"Arghh!!!!...why it has to be kept that high..."
I was jumping and trying to get it when I felt someone near me. By the scent I recognized him, his hand taking the pins from there and giving it to me ...And that's when I heard the door closed...taking the pins, I pushed passed away Taehyung and ran towards the door...
A groan was heard from the other end..

------Taehyung's pov------

I saw Y/N struggling with the pins...as it was planned...I stood behind her and took the pin box and handed to her...

"I'm Sorr.."

Before I could finish my sentence she pushed me and ran towards towards the door.

"Ahhh!!!! My butt!!!"

...

"How it got closed....its locked ...no no ...this can't be!!! Now what we are going to do ...?" she kept saying..

Getting up I dusted my cloth.. "Aissh!!!! my butt!! It hurts ..." How can she not bother even if she has pushed me😑

She kept on banging the door after a lot of tries. She sits on a small wooden box...while fidgeting the pin box with fingers.

Does she dislikes me this much that she can't stay with me in a closed room... Its my turn now .. For how long I kept on apologizing to her even if it was not my fault. But she never tried to.. atleast a little appreciation... she didn't thought to give to me, I went her home, then shop, class, and now this .. Did I ever bully her! Am I that disliked as a person by her ... Why she can't listen to me!!!

Today she has to endure me ...

-----Y/N's Pov-----

Arghh... what should I do now...mmm
I was in my thoughts when I heard Taehyung humming a song...

.....

"Could you please stop this ....its irritating now ..instead of wasting time... think a way of escape." she said in an irritated manner

"Ohh...why should I, when I don't have any problem. You have an issue, so do it yourself... if you get one then tell me till then I can take a nap.." he said nonchantly

"Arghh...such a apathetic person...reckless!!" I said while gritting my teeth

"Excuse me to whom you said apathetic reckless...huh...?" he said

"Golden words are not to be repeated, for your kind information..."

"Huh..."(Smirked and scoffed)

"What is that smirk on your face, huh!!?"

"Sorry, Ms. But I don't talk to obscure people.." he said

"You are telling me, as if you are such a prestigious person.."

(While doing proud action) " I am! Didn't you see everyone following me ...girls drool over me and.."(cut off)

"Always bunking class, standing outside the principal's office, scolded by teachers...getting punishment...I see you are such a prestigious person that even the prestigious word would feel shameful for being described to such a creature ..."(scoffed)

"Yaahh!!!!"

"What can we do, truth is always bitter?" I replied back

"Till now no one dared to me call me like this. Such... a arrogant person I have ever seen in my life. Your name should be Ms. Arrogant."

"Oh hello ...I am not arrogant, you are! Mr. Annoyin.."

The light goes off..

-----Taehyung's pov-----

She stopped in the middle... there was a complete dead silence for a moment ...
(scoffed) "Huh..? what happened Ms. Arrogant, are you out of your words??"(Smirk).

I clapped my hands, "Ms. Arrogant what happened now ... Are you scared .." (smirk)
..
..

My smirk changes to worry when I heard no response.. instead, the box dropped and little sobbing could be heard.

"Y/N.." (no reply)
..
..

Wasting no time I tried to reach to my phone to on the torch.. but I didn't found ... Ohh shit its in the locker ... Huff!! Moving my hands ... I tried to reach to her ...

I could feel something shaking I forwarded my hands and there she was on her knees ...crying and blabbering something...
"No No .. don't!!!, I did nothing, Pleeeasseeee leeeaavvvveee meeee allllloonnneee.. Please ..."

Her state, made my enraged self to zero level. A sudden feeling of empathy rushed through my veins ... making me to comfort her..

Not thinking much, I took her soft hands in my hands... At first she was protesting but slowly and eventually she didn't give in to my action ...and I am glad for that but now I was worried... why she is behaving like this?? what made her feel like this ??.. I was just in my thoughts when I felt something crash against my chest, looking down I saw her head resting on my chest......

"Plee..assee... ta..ke this daa..rkn..ness away from m..eee. plea..se.." she said while crying and trembling, her tiny shaking sobbing figure..

I couldn't take it anymore when I wrapped my arms around and securing her and stroking her head.
At that moment I understood that her weakness was darkness... I wonder why is she so scared of darkness...

I felt really bad for her ..it was my mistake that she was in this state.....this stupid plan...
Oh shit! Our plan!! Aissh!! I was supposed to apologize, and not to put a fight...arhh!! I ruined it all .

I was out of my thoughts when I heard her saying "Pls! Save me." clutching my t-shirt even tighter.. with her hand.

"Shh...shh...don't cry Y/N...its okay, Shh...shh.. I am here, no one can harm you Y/N" she was still trembling and I can feel her heart beat raised.

While stroking, her head
"Okay Y/N, listen ... let's breathe together Y/N.... breathe in ....... breathe out........" Again at first she didn't followed what I was trying to do ... Later ..after more politely saying and convincing for a few minutes we both did slow breathing together...

Now I can feel her heart rate normalizing slowly.

After a few moments of silence..., when i felt she stopped sobbing I spoke

"Y/N, you know..

I tried speaking but I didn't get any response but still I felt she is listening to me

When I was young, I was too, scared of the dark, I used to start crying like a baby ..worse than you... and someone told me that..

"Living with fear is like being followed by a voice. It knows all your insecurities and uses them against you.
It's like in the dimly lit corridors of the mind, fear slides like a shadow, an unseen companion with a voice.

Its cunning tendrils slowly and steathly wrap around your mind and soul, it knows the soft spots where courage becomes weak.

And as you navigate through your own thoughts, fear becomes the orchestrating a symphony of self-doubt.

In the crowded theater of the mind, fear takes center stage, casting a spotlight on vulnerabilities and flaws. It becomes the loudest voice in the room, drowning out reason and drowning you in an ocean of fear, anxiety. It gets to the point when it's the loudest voice in the room and the only one can hear and that is you.

Its voice, a haunting melody, echoes through the chambers of your consciousness, drowning out the quieter whispers of resilience and strength.

Yet, in this internal drama, you hold the script. The pen is in your hand, and the power to rewrite the lines lies within you. You stand at the crossroads of choice.

To silence the haunting voice of fear requires courage.
It's like the canvas of your existence awaits the strokes of your determination. Will you be the artist who paints over the fears with strokes of resilience, or will you let the shadows consume the masterpiece of your potential?

But it depends on you how you handle it...you can either kill it or let the fear kill you, its your choice .."

...(silence)...
...
..

"Then what happened after that ..did you overcome your fear?" she said in a very feeble voice

Hearing her say that I felt relieved and glad that she was interested what I was saying...

"Umm...at first I was too afraid to try it ...but slowly and steadily I overcome my fear ...by taking deep breaths, reminding myself that I can pass through this ...and finally I did it and you know ...somehow, that only when it is dark enough, you can see the stars" I could feel her smile crept across her face, against my chest...

"and you know what was the funny part... my dad used to say...

When he was young he was afraid of the dark and now when he gets his electric bills he is afraid of light ..."

We both laughed...I felt content when I heard her laughing.. though it was feeble but I felt heartwarming after hearing her..

"Y/N.." (though I couldn't see her face, I managed to bring my palms against her cheek...to hold her face) a slight moons light was falling on us through the hole with that I could see her eyes ... dark brown iris, light red eyes, wet eyelashes..

"I always used to say to myself, whenever I feel low ...

"I will breathe, I will think of a solution, I will not let my fear control me, I will not let my stress level break me, I will simply breathe and it will be okay Because I don't quit.." Henceforth, you will too do this and not let your fear control you .. Understood!...now promise me Y/N you'll do it .."

Surprisingly She hugged me and said ..

"I promise you Taehyung!"

"Great!!" and hugged her back

For the first time I was unable to describe this new feeling, say it feeling of content, heartwarming but yes there was an inner happiness.. which warmed my heart

....After 1.5 hour ....

The door opened....

"Buddy!!..."

"Shhh... She is sleeping.." I actioned him

...(Whispering)...

"Okay..got it"

"Where is Emily?"

"Oh! She went home."

"Home?"

"Yeah!! She was on the phone and then she went somewhere.." ,

"Umm...now who will drop Y/N?"

"We'll drop ...simple..." Jimin said as if it's so easy

"Ohh is it that simple ... At night we two boys dropping a sleeping girl at home moreover do you know her address?"

"Yeah that's true .. But you said you went to her house"

"That's true... But I was very engrossed in my thoughts and conversing with Emily .. So I am not exactly aware of her house"

" As expected ... But I am called smart for some reason. I knew that would be the question you would ask so I took a look on the register and found out her address..."

"Woohaa Jiminahh!! First time you used your brain in right direction.."

"Hey!!!you!"

"Shh...Okay! Okay! ...I get it , now keep quiet nor she'll be awake ..Everyone left?"

"Yes..only Professors are present. We can go home now."

"Okay! Let's go then..."
...

Carefully Taking her in bridal style and making her head resting against me ...we walked towards the parking lot.

Taehyung: (in mind)

I saw the girl sleeping peacefully..in my arms. There were dried marks on her cheeks. She was so fragile at that moment... I wonder what made her react in this way ...she was damn scared in the dark.

...what past does she holds....?

~~~~~~🪻💜(⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)💜🪻~~~~~~

'Fear', a small word but capable enough to make a huge impact on someone's life!!🥺

Let me know in the comments about your thoughts on this chapter and do vote🫶❤️🤗

Always remember "You are strong and you can achieve anything if you really want that 💗"

Stay tuned for the next episode....✌️
Till then Be safe, happy and keep smiling !!!🤗💜
See you soon .....