It All Started With A Creepy Mail ⚊ Yang Jungwon [#4]

✗ thirty two ✗

⚊ chapter thirty two

I could barely hear the muffled thrum of the music as I left the stage, my heart pounding in my chest. The entire setup had been a whirlwind of emotions: the anticipation, the song, the faces staring at me, and then Jillian’s eyes, looking straight at me, full of expectation.

I had prepared everything, practiced the song until I knew every note by heart. But now, with everyone’s eyes on me, I froze.

Confessing in front of so many people was one thing. Singing about my feelings was one thing. But when it came to actually saying the words to Jillian, it was a different story.

I had hoped the song would do the talking, that it would bridge the gap between us, but as I faced her, the fear of rejection took over.

My hands trembled slightly as I walked away from the stage. It wasn’t just about Jillian; it was the same paralyzing fear I felt when I was younger.

I’d always been overshadowed by my sister in my parents’ eyes. No matter how hard I tried, she was always the favorite, always the one they cheered for.

I didn’t want to be vulnerable and risk that same kind of rejection from someone I cared about.

As I headed toward the back of the stage, trying to escape the suffocating atmosphere, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Ni-ki and Sunoo were right behind me, their faces a mix of concern and curiosity.

“Hey, Jungwon, where are you going?” Ni-ki asked, his voice a mixture of urgency and worry.

“I just need some air,” I mumbled, not meeting their eyes.

Sunoo, who was usually laid-back, looked at me with an intensity I wasn’t used to. “Come on, man. You can’t just leave like this. What happened up there?”

I didn’t have an answer right away. The pressure to explain was overwhelming, and I was afraid of admitting how much I had messed up. They followed me to my car, their presence unwavering. I knew I couldn’t keep avoiding the truth.

Sitting inside the car, I finally turned to them, my voice heavy with the weight of my confession.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to tell Jillian. It’s just... I was terrified. I thought I could handle it, but when I saw her there, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’ve always been afraid of rejection. My parents—” I paused, struggling to find the right words. “They always favored my sister. No matter what I did, I felt like I was never good enough. I thought if I could just get the words out in front of everyone, it would be okay. But then, standing there, I felt like a kid again, scared of being pushed aside.”

Ni-ki and Sunoo exchanged glances before Ni-ki spoke up. “Jungwon, it’s okay to be scared. It’s normal. But running away isn’t going to help. You’ve got to face it, face her.”

Sunoo nodded in agreement. “We’re here for you, man. You’ve got to go back and talk to her. It’s not going to be easy, but avoiding it will only make things worse.”

Their support was a balm to my frayed nerves. It wasn’t easy to admit my fears, but having my friends rally behind me made me feel a little more courageous. “Thanks, guys. I know I messed up, but I’ll try to fix it. I just need to find the right moment.”

With their encouragement, I took a deep breath and prepared to go back to the party.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but maybe, just maybe, I could make things right.

⚊

I leaned against the wall of the farthest bathroom, letting the muffled sounds of the party fade into the background. Everyone seemed to be moving toward the back of the house, chasing whatever excitement awaited them.