Sunsun au "Love at first sight [my idol, my lover]"

Chapter 9: A Heart Divided

The days following the concert were a blur for Alli. Between Zildjian's public dedication and Akinoa's emotional confession, his thoughts were a tangled mess. He found himself torn between two people who meant the world to him, unsure of how to move forward without breaking someone's heart.

Alli sat alone in his room, staring blankly at his phone. A message from Akinoa was still unread, sitting at the top of his notifications. He hadn't spoken to him since their conversation in the park, and the distance between them was starting to weigh on him.

I need to fix this, Alli thought, but the question was: how?

Akinoa's Distance

At school, things between Alli and Akinoa had changed. Where once there had been easy laughter and shared moments, now there was an uncomfortable silence. Akinoa still sat with Alli and Ace, but the tension between him and Alli was undeniable.

Alli tried to act normal, but every time he looked at Akinoa, guilt gnawed at his chest. He knew that Akinoa was hurting, and he hated that he was the reason for it.

One afternoon, as they sat together in the cafeteria, Alli mustered up the courage to break the silence. "Noa, can we talk?"

Akinoa looked up, his expression guarded. "About what?"

"About... us," Alli said quietly. "I hate that things have gotten so weird between us. I miss the way we used to be."

Akinoa let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Things can't go back to how they were, Alli. Not after what I told you."

Alli's heart sank. "I know, but... I don't want to lose you. You're one of my best friends, Noa."

"Yeah, well, maybe that's all we'll ever be," Akinoa muttered, his voice laced with frustration. He stood up, grabbing his bag. "I need some space, Alli. Just... give me some time."

Alli watched as Akinoa walked away, his chest heavy with guilt. He had known this wouldn't be easy, but it still hurt more than he had expected.

Zildjian's Concern

Later that evening, Alli met up with Zildjian at their usual café. The atmosphere between them was lighter than it had been with Akinoa, but there was still an underlying tension that Alli couldn't shake.

Zildjian noticed the shift in Alli's mood almost immediately. "You've been quiet today. Is everything okay?"

Alli hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "It's just... complicated," he said finally. "Noa's upset with me, and I don't know how to fix it."

Zildjian nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Because of me?"

Alli bit his lip, not wanting to put the blame on Zildjian. "Not really. I mean, kind of? It's just... Noa has feelings for me, and now things are weird between us. I don't want to hurt him, but I don't want to lose you either."

Zildjian's eyes softened, and he reached out to gently take Alli's hand. "I get it. This situation isn't easy for anyone. But you don't have to figure everything out right now. We can take things slow, okay?"

Alli smiled weakly, grateful for Zildjian's understanding. "Thanks. I just don't want to make things worse."

Zildjian squeezed his hand, offering him a reassuring smile. "You're not making things worse, Alli. Just take it one day at a time. We'll figure this out together."

Alli's Internal Conflict

That night, as Alli lay in bed, his thoughts continued to swirl. He cared deeply for Zildjian — there was no doubt about that. But Akinoa's confession had thrown him into a spiral of guilt and confusion. Could he really move forward with Zildjian knowing how much it would hurt Akinoa?

He closed his eyes, replaying the events of the past few days in his mind. Zildjian's dedication at the concert, Akinoa's pained expression when he confessed, the distance that had grown between them.

Why does everything have to be so complicated? Alli thought, his chest tightening. He wished he could just snap his fingers and make everything go back to normal, but he knew that wasn't possible.

Akinoa's Perspective

Across town, Akinoa sat in his room, staring at his phone. He had thought that confessing his feelings would bring him some relief, but instead, it had only made things worse. Now, he felt even more isolated from Alli than before.

Ace's advice echoed in his head: You'll never know unless you try.

"Well, I tried," Akinoa muttered to himself, his chest aching. "And now I've probably lost him for good."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he glanced at the group photo on his desk — the one of him, Alli, and Ace at the start of the school year. Back then, things had been so simple. He hadn't been in love with his best friend. He hadn't been stuck in the middle of a love triangle. He hadn't felt like he was slowly losing everything that mattered.

A soft knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts, and Kira peeked her head in. "Bunso, everything okay?"

Akinoa forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine, Ate."

Kira stepped into the room, her eyes scanning his face. "You don't look fine. What's going on?"

Akinoa sighed, his shoulders slumping. "It's just... Alli. Things are weird between us right now."

Kira sat beside him on the bed, her expression sympathetic. "Because of Zildjian?"

"Yeah," Akinoa muttered. "I told Alli how I felt, and now he's all confused. But he's clearly into Zildjian, and I don't know how to deal with that."

Kira placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Love isn't always easy, Bunso. Sometimes it hurts. But you've always been strong. You'll get through this."

Akinoa let out a bitter laugh. "I don't feel strong."

"You are," Kira insisted. "And whether Alli ends up with you or not, you'll find a way to move forward. Just don't lose yourself in the process, okay?"

Akinoa nodded, though the weight of his heartache still pressed heavily on him. "Yeah. Thanks, Ate."

As the days went by, the distance between Alli and Akinoa remained, and it became increasingly clear to Alli that things would never be the same. His heart ached at the thought of losing Akinoa's friendship, but he couldn't ignore his feelings for Zildjian.

The path ahead was uncertain, but Alli knew one thing for sure — whatever happened next, he had to be true to himself, even if it meant making difficult choices.