Y/n's pov :

18 hours had flown by, yet I couldn't shake off that incident from my mind. The taste of his lips lingered, addicting and intoxicating. Oh, Lord, save me from this whirlwind of emotions.

"Y/n?" A touch on my shoulder snapped me out of my daze. I turned to find Jennie standing there, concern etched across her face. She waved her hand in front of my eyes. "Hey, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" I replied, my voice tinged with confusion.

"You're acting strangely today. Can't you see that?" Jennie's words pierced through my haze. I must have appeared distant, lost in my own thoughts. I quickened my pace, heading towards the cafeteria, leaving her bewildered behind me.

---

Taking my seat at the cafeteria, Jisoo joined us, plopping down heavily in her chair and unwrapping her lunch. "Sorry, I'm late," she mumbled.

"It's alright, cutie. I saved a seat for you," I replied with a small chuckle, hoping for a response. Yet, silence lingered. Was it just my imagination, or was Jisoo acting strange?

As Rosé unwrapped her garlic and ginger soup, she shared her frustration. "Guys, my cousin broke my laptop."

Jennie rolled her eyes. "Why would you even let him touch your stuff in the first place?"

"I wasn't home when he came with his parents!" Rosé defended herself, a hint of weariness in her voice.

Lisa made a face of disgust. "Children can be so annoying, can't they?" I chuckled, joining in, "Unfortunately, not much can be done about it."

My gaze shifted to Jisoo, who sat there, chopsticks in hand, lost in her thoughts. Her grip loosened, and the utensils nearly slipped from her grasp. Concerned, Lisa looked up at her. "Jisoo, is something bothering you?"

Jisoo shook her head, her distant expression remaining unchanged. Rosé furrowed her brows, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern. "You're definitely acting strange today."

A sluggish smile was all Jisoo offered in response before she resumed eating. My heart sank at her indifference towards me. Why was she shutting me out?

I mustered the courage to lean closer, placing my hand gently on her shoulder. "Jisoo, is there something wrong? Can you talk to me?"

Suddenly, her body stiffened, and she pushed my hand away with force. "Who said you could touch me?" Her voice held a mix of anger and disgust, causing my heart to skip a beat. What had gone wrong?

Jennie stepped in, pulling me back protectively. "Jisoo, what's gotten into you? You're acting out in public."

Rosé interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "Come on, let's all calm down. We don't need a scene here." Lisa looked on, confusion evident in her eyes.

My gaze remained fixed on Jisoo, silently pleading for her to open up. "Jisoo, did I do something to upset you?" I asked softly, my voice filled with genuine concern. I hoped she would share her feelings, any explanation for her sudden change in behavior.

Jisoo let out a bitter laugh, her eyes narrowing with resentment. "God, Y/n, you're going to act all innocent now? Even the bullies here have more authenticity than your fake persona."

Her words hit me like a dagger to the heart. I felt tears welling up in my eyes, the sting of betrayal burning deep within me. What was she talking about? What had I done to deserve this?

"Listen, Jisoo, I genuinely don't understand what you're talking about," I pleaded, my voice trembling with hurt.

"Oh yeah? You really don't get it?" Jisoo stepped closer, her voice dripping with venom. A malicious smile played on her lips as she continued, "We can talk this out, right? Just like how you talked things out with that girl in the cafeteria, claiming Jin as your boyfriend."

My breath caught in my throat, and a wave of confusion washed over me. "Jisoo, that was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. I didn't mean it. It was to defend myself," I tried to explain, my words coming out in a desperate rush.

A sudden surge of anger took over her, and before I knew it, she forcefully pushed me to the ground. The impact sent a jolt of pain through my body, and I gasped, stunned by her actions.

"What the hell, Jisoo?" I exclaimed, a mix of shock and hurt lacing my voice.

Jisoo's eyes blazed with rage as she looked down at me, her fists clenched tightly. "You think you can just waltz in here and steal Jin away from me? You're nothing but a manipulative liar!"

Tears welled up in my eyes, a combination of physical pain and emotional turmoil. I struggled to find my voice, my words choked with disbelief. "Jisoo, I never wanted to come between you and Jin. I didn't even know how you felt about him. Please, just listen to me."

Suddenly, I felt a strong force pushing me to the ground, causing me to gasp in surprise. I looked up and saw Jisoo, her eyes filled with rage, tears streaming down her cheeks, and her hands trembling with anger.

"Are you out of your mind?!" the girls shouted at Jisoo, rushing to help me up. But before I could fully process what had just happened, another unexpected presence entered the chaotic scene.

It was Jin, towering above us all, his face a mix of concern and fury. His gaze locked onto Jisoo, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Who the fuck allowed you to touch my girl?"

Jisoo's glare intensified in response, her fists clenched tightly. Without a word, she turned on her heel and ran out of the hall, the three girls following closely behind her. I watched their retreating figures, my mind spinning with confusion. What had caused this outburst?

Jin extended a hand to help me up, his touch gentle and comforting. As he brushed my hair away from my face, I met his gaze, feeling lost and bewildered. "What went wrong, Jin?" I asked, my voice weary and filled with uncertainty.

He caressed my cheeks, his eyes filled with understanding. "There's nothing for you to be sad about, Y/n," he reassured me, his voice soothing. "Let's focus on us, okay?"

I sighed, allowing Jin to wipe away my tears and brush the hair out of my face. Everything had happened so quickly, and I struggled to process it all. The cafeteria had emptied out, leaving only a few lingering onlookers who seemed more interested in the spectacle than in our well-being.

Realizing that I had psychology class next, Jin suggested he would walk me there. His arm wrapped securely around my waist, offering me support both physically and emotionally. I nodded in agreement, feeling a mix of comfort and confusion in his presence.

"If anyone dares to speak bullshit to my girl, I want to know about it, alright?" Jin leaned down to my level, his eyes searching mine. I blinked, momentarily taken aback by his intensity, before quietly uttering a barely audible "yes."

A warm smile graced his lips, and he started walking, guiding me towards the corridor. As we moved together, I couldn't help but admire his striking features and the way he made me feel emotions that no one else had before. Yet, the complexities of our relationship left me questioning what we truly were to each other.

"Seokjin, please don't complicate things further," I silently pleaded within myself. But just as I turned around, Lisa approached me, her voice filled with urgency. "Y/n, you must realise that Jisoo likes Seokjin."

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, adding another layer of complexity to an already tangled web of emotions. Why am I stuck in this love triangle?

---

As I dialed Jisoo's number, my heart raced with apprehension. I knew I needed to clarify the situation and explain my actions to her. After a few rings, Jisoo's voice came through the line.

"What do you need-?"

"Jisoo, I need to talk to you," I began, my voice tinged with regret. "I'm really sorry about earlier, but I think there's a misunderstanding. Seokjin and I are not actually dating."

There was a brief pause, and Jisoo's voice held a mix of surprise and confusion. "What? But you were together, and he said you're his girlfriend."

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "I know it seemed that way, but it was all part of a plan. Seokjin and I decided to pretend to be in a relationship to protect me from the bullies. We thought it would make them back off if they believed I was with someone."

Jisoo's voice grew softer, filled with understanding. "I had no idea, Y/n. I thought... I thought he had moved on, and it hurt to see you two together."

"I'm so sorry, Jisoo. I didn't realize the impact it would have on you," I replied, my voice filled with remorse. "I never wanted to come between you and Seokjin or hurt our friendship."

There was a moment of silence as Jisoo processed my words. "I understand now. I'm sorry for overreacting and assuming the worst. It's just that I've liked Seokjin for so long, and seeing you with him made me feel... jealous."

My heart went out to Jisoo, realizing the pain she must have felt. "I understand how you feel, Jisoo. But please know that Seokjin and I are only pretending. There are no real romantic feelings between us."

Jisoo sighed on the other end of the line. "I appreciate your honesty, Y/n. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. Our friendship means a lot to me, and I don't want it to be strained because of this."

A sense of relief washed over me, grateful that Jisoo was willing to listen and understand. "Thank you, Jisoo. I feel the same way. I value our friendship too, and I want to find a way to move past this."

Jisoo's voice softened. "Let's meet up and talk, just the two of us. We need to clear the air and find a way to rebuild our bond. I miss our friendship, Y/n."

A smile crept onto my face, grateful for the opportunity to mend things with Jisoo. "I'd like that, Jisoo. Let's meet up and have an honest conversation. I want to make things right between us."

With our plans set, we said our goodbyes, both hopeful for the chance to repair our friendship and put the misunderstandings behind us. It was clear that communication and honesty were the keys to overcoming this obstacle, and I was determined to rebuild the trust and connection I once shared with Jisoo.

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