The Forbidden Love - between a fangirl and idol (Jungkookff)

Chapter 14: Dissonance

The next few days were a blur of confusion and inner turmoil for Y/N. After that emotional evening with Jungkook, her mind became a battleground between her heart and logic. On the surface, their love seemed perfect, but beneath it, there was an undercurrent of tension. She could feel it, growing with every stolen moment, every hidden glance.

At work, things were no better. The gossip had taken a life of its own. Y/N noticed the sideways glances, the hushed conversations that abruptly stopped when she walked by. The office, once her sanctuary, now felt suffocating. Even Adhi had grown distant, as if sensing that she was keeping something from him.

As she sat at her desk one afternoon, staring blankly at her screen, Kim Yerin walked over. The cheerful Korean colleague had always been kind to her, and for a moment, Y/N hoped for a bit of respite.

"Y/N, want to grab lunch?" Yerin asked with a bright smile.

Y/N nodded, grateful for the distraction. "Sure, that sounds nice."

They walked to a nearby café, chatting about work and mundane things, but the weight on Y/N's chest didn't lift. When they sat down, Yerin noticed her mood and frowned.

"Are you okay?" Yerin asked, concern lining her voice.

Y/N took a deep breath, wondering if she should confide in Yerin. Maybe telling someone would help, someone who might understand. But the fear of Jungkook's secret getting out stopped her.

"Just stressed," Y/N replied with a forced smile. "Work has been intense."

Yerin studied her for a moment but didn't push. Instead, she switched the topic to something lighter, and for a while, Y/N could almost pretend that things were normal.

That evening, back at her apartment, Y/N found herself unable to focus. Her phone sat beside her on the couch, and despite her better judgment, she unlocked it and opened her messages. Jungkook hadn't texted all day. Normally, they exchanged messages throughout the day—small updates, sweet nothings, little reminders that they were thinking of each other despite the distance. But today, there had been nothing.

Her mind raced. Was he busy? Had something happened? Or was he pulling away, just like she feared?

She didn't want to seem clingy, but the silence was eating at her. So, after a few minutes of staring at her phone, she typed out a simple message.

Y/N: "Hey, everything okay?"

The minutes ticked by with no response, each one feeling like an eternity. She tried to distract herself, scrolling through social media, but everything felt hollow. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Jungkook, to the weight of their last conversation.

Just as she was about to give up and put her phone away, it buzzed.

Jungkook: "Hey, sorry. Just finished rehearsals. It's been a crazy day."

Relief washed over her, but it was quickly replaced by another wave of anxiety. His reply was short, curt. Not like the usual warmth she had come to expect from him. She wondered if he was still upset about their conversation, if he was beginning to feel the same doubts that plagued her.

She typed and deleted several responses before finally settling on one.

Y/N: "I miss you."

This time, the reply came quicker.

Jungkook: "I miss you too."

But that was it. Nothing more. No plans to meet, no promises of seeing each other soon. Just a simple acknowledgment of their feelings, with nothing to hold onto.