✧˚ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒍

16

that very morning, y/n sat back in her seat, sinking into the plush leather of the stretch car as it glided down the streets, the gentle hum of the engine doing little to soothe her nerves. she had her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her fingers fiddling anxiously with the edge of her school blazer. her eyes flickered outside the tinted window, watching the buildings pass by, but her mind was miles away.

chewing on her bottom lip, she felt an uneasy knot twisting tighter and tighter in her stomach. she really didn't want to go to school today. the memory of her embarrassing interview was still fresh, and with every minute that passed, it only seemed to sink deeper into her bones. her tearful expression, her awkward stammering, the way she had completely lost composure when they brought up her love life. she could already imagine the whispers in the hallways, the subtle glances, the prying questions. it made her skin crawl. her classmates would be relentless. the idea of facing them— of seeing their judgmental stares— was unbearable.

she couldn't shake the thought.

the longer she stayed quiet, the more it festered, bubbling up inside her. finally, unable to keep it in any longer, she spoke up. "saitō..." she said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. her bodyguard, who had been silently scrolling through his phone beside her, immediately perked up at the sound of his name. he looked at her attentively, his brow furrowing in concern when he saw the troubled expression on her face. y/n hesitated for a moment, biting down on her lip a little harder before she finally met his gaze. "don't you think i can call into school sick today?"

saitō looked at her, his eyes softening with empathy. he knew what she was going through—had been her loyal protector through every difficult moment in the public eye, watching her navigate the highs and lows of fame.

but as much as he pitied her in this moment, he also knew he had a job to do. he couldn't let her avoid school, not when it could have larger repercussions. he sighed, the sound long and drawn out as he carefully considered how to answer her. "miss s/n..." he began, his tone measured but firm. "you've already missed a school day this week, and while that absence was excused, we shouldn't make it a habit. it won't look good on your record." he paused for a moment, his eyes scanning her face. "people may get the wrong idea." he finished.

the words hit y/n harder than she expected. she frowned deeply, her lips pressing together in a pout as she stared down at her hands. she hated the thought of disappointing saitō, but more than that, she hated the idea of having to face the world today.

the stress of her public image, the constant judgment, was starting to feel unbearable. it weighed on her, heavy like a stone pressing down on her chest. saitō watched her carefully, noticing the sadness that crept into her expression, and immediately, a pang of guilt twisted inside him. he hated seeing her like this...to him, y/n wasn't just some celebrity he was assigned to protect—he'd come to care for her deeply over the years. she was more like a daughter to him now, and seeing her so downhearted made him want to fix it, to ease her worries in any way he could. he cleared his throat and straightened up slightly in his seat.