The next morning, YN walked into school, her backpack slung over one shoulder. But almost immediately, a cold, piercing silence met her. Dozens of eyes were fixed on her, some with shock, others with amusement, whispers following her every step. It felt like the world had tilted and left her exposed.
YN (thinking, panicked): What… what did I do? Why is everyone staring at me like I'm… I don't even know… a joke?
Suho's hand brushed lightly against hers, his calm but worried eyes scanning her face.
Suho (concerned):
"YN… are you okay? You look… off."
YN (voice trembling, looking around):
"Yah… what happened? Why is everyone staring at me like this?"
Before Suho could answer, a group of girls approached. Their smirks were sharp, their laughter like a blade cutting through YN's nerves.
Girl 1 (mocking):
"Come on… we just want to see your real face. Is it really as plain as everyone says?"
YN tried to step back, her chest tightening. Her heart pounded like a drum.
YN (voice shaking):
"Leave me alone!"
Suddenly, one of them grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the bathroom. Panic surged through her. Why… why would anyone do this?
Then—like a shadow crossing the sun—Kim Taehyung appeared. His eyes, sharp and unwavering, landed on the girls. His jaw tightened. His normally calm face had transformed into something fierce.
Taehyung (firm, dangerous):
"Stop. Right now. Get away from her."
The bullies froze, sensing the storm in his gaze.
Yunah (smirking, holding up her phone):
"Seojun… I mean, look at her. She's not what she seems."
Taehyung glanced at the photo for only a moment. His stomach churned. The girl in the picture… it was her. The same YN who had once smiled at him so effortlessly, who had once unknowingly stolen his heart. His pulse quickened, but not with happiness—fear, frustration, and helplessness all collided in a chaotic storm inside him.
Taehyung (voice low, protective):
"She's… she's prettier than you'll ever be. Now step aside."
Yunah's eyes widened, but before she could say anything, Taehyung's hand shot out. With a swift motion, he snatched the phone and flung it across the room. It smashed against the wall.
Taehyung (shouting, furious, almost trembling):
"One more word, and I won't stop at the phone!"
The girls stumbled back, fear finally breaking through their arrogance. Taehyung didn't wait a second longer. He stepped forward and guided YN away from the chaos. His hands brushed hers for just a heartbeat, and she felt the warmth, the unspoken care, but also the silent sorrow behind his gaze.
YN (softly, voice quivering):
"Taehyung… you… you don't have to—"
Taehyung (interrupting, quiet but firm):
"I can't… I can't just watch them hurt you. Not you."
Suho arrived just after, seeing the tension in the air. He had pieced together what had happened from whispered rumors and his own observations.
Suho (concerned, stepping closer):
"Taehyung… it's okay. I know who's behind this—Tina, Yunah, and their gang. I'll handle it."
Taehyung's fists clenched at his sides. He wanted to speak, to yell, to grab Suho by the collar, but he restrained himself. He couldn't… not here, not in front of YN.
Taehyung (thinking, voice barely audible to himself):
I should be the one protecting her… always. But… he's always there. Every time I try… he's there first. And she… she smiles at him like she forgets I even exist.
He took a deep breath, letting his fingers relax. The truth was heavy. Watching YN lean on Suho, seeing her laugh with him, felt like someone had taken a knife and twisted it in his chest. Every step she took beside Suho was a reminder that this… this love he carried alone could never reach her in the way he wanted.
Suho gently guided YN toward the exit.
Suho (softly, reassuring):
"Come with me. You'll be safe."
YN looked back at Taehyung. His posture was rigid, his jaw tight. His eyes didn't soften as they usually did when they met hers. There was nothing but a storm behind them, a silent scream that only he could feel.
YN (thinking, confused): He saved me… but why does he look like he's in pain? He's not… he's not angry at me, is he?
Taehyung's gaze lingered for a fraction of a second longer than necessary. He wanted to say something—anything—but the words stuck in his throat. His chest ached.
Taehyung (thinking, bitterly):
I could have been the one… I should have been the one. But she's… she's never mine. Never me.
He turned abruptly, forcing himself to walk away. His steps were heavy, but his pride, or maybe his broken heart, wouldn't let him linger.
YN walked with Suho, safe now, yet her heart felt conflicted. Who… who is my hero? The one who stands beside me, silent and unwavering, always there… or the one who risks everything in a heartbeat, carrying his pain alone, just for me?
Even as she tried to focus on Suho's warmth, she couldn't shake the memory of Taehyung's stormy eyes, the way his fingers had brushed hers, the silent ache in his posture. She felt guilt, confusion, and a strange, burning ache deep in her chest.
Later that evening, Taehyung sat alone in his room. The lights were dim, and the air was heavy. He pulled out his phone, staring at YN's face in the pictures he had taken when she laughed with him long ago, before she had ever noticed Suho.
Taehyung (thinking, voice trembling):
Every smile… every laugh… I've carried them with me. I've protected her, even from shadows she didn't see. And yet… she chooses him. She always chooses him. I should hate him. I should… but I don't. I can't.
His eyes watered, but he didn't allow a single tear to fall. Not now, not ever. He clenched his fists, pressing them to his chest as if he could crush the pain away.
Taehyung (softly, whispering to himself):
I'll protect her… even if she never sees me the way I see her. Even if it kills me inside.
Outside, the city hummed quietly, unaware of the storm brewing in the heart of one boy who loved too deeply and could never claim the one he adored.
YN lay in bed that night, tears silently streaking her face. She couldn't stop thinking about the contrast—Suho's steady support and Taehyung's silent, aching presence. Her heart ached with confusion.
YN (thinking, softly):
Who… who is my true hero? The one who saves me in a single moment… or the one who has been saving me all along, even when I didn't know it?
And somewhere far away, Taehyung whispered into the dark:
Taehyung (softly, painfully):
Never me…