Babymonster One Shot

Stolen Glances (1) | RUPHA

Ruka sat at the edge of her bed, her fingers absently tracing the frayed edges of her comforter, lost in thought. The room was dim, the soft light from her bedside lamp casting long shadows that seemed to mirror the turmoil in her mind. From the room next door, faint sounds drifted through the thin walls-laughter, intimate whispers, quiet conversations. It was Niki and Pharita.

Every sound twisted a knife deeper into her chest. It was a routine she had grown familiar with, yet each time, it left her feeling raw. Ruka hated that she couldn't tune it out, hated even more that she was jealous. But the truth she kept buried beneath layers of denial was that Pharita had somehow stolen her heart, even though she had no right to it.

Ruka clenched her fists, trying to swallow the bitter taste of her emotions. Pharita wasn't hers. She was Niki's girlfriend, his love, and Ruka had no place in that equation. But despite everything, Pharita's laughter made Ruka's heart race, and the way she moved so effortlessly through the world left Ruka breathless. It was infuriating-how much one person could affect her.

Ruka had tried, in her own way, to hide how she felt. She had withdrawn, treating Pharita with cold indifference. She'd offered short, clipped answers when spoken to, ignored her entirely when possible. Maybe, if she pushed Pharita away hard enough, her feelings would disappear. Maybe if she acted distant, Pharita would stop looking at her with those curious eyes, wondering why Ruka seemed so unreachable.

But it hadn't worked. Instead, Ruka had overheard Pharita complaining to Niki. She remembered the hurt in her voice like it had just happened.

"Niki, why does your sister hate me?" Pharita's voice had been soft, almost pleading.

Ruka had frozen where she stood, her heart lurching painfully in her chest as she waited for Niki's response.

"She doesn't hate you," Niki had replied with an easy chuckle, though Ruka could hear the confusion in his voice. "Ruka's just... like that. She keeps to herself."

But that wasn't true. Ruka wasn't like that with everyone. She wasn't cold to Niki, or to their friends. Only Pharita made her shut down, made her act like someone she didn't recognize. Because only Pharita stirred something in her that she couldn't control, something dangerous.

Tonight, the sounds from Niki's room felt like a weight pressing down on her chest. Ruka stood abruptly, her body tense. She needed to get out. She couldn't stay in that room, couldn't listen to them any longer. As she stepped into the hallway, hoping to find solace in the quiet of the kitchen, she nearly collided with the very person she was trying to avoid.

Pharita stood by the counter, cradling a cup of tea between her hands. Her long hair was slightly mussed, her expression relaxed, and she was wearing one of Niki's oversized shirts. The sight of her made Ruka's breath catch in her throat, her heart lurching painfully.

"Ruka?" Pharita's voice was gentle, but there was a question behind it. "Can we talk?"

Ruka froze, her instincts kicking in. She immediately adopted her usual cold facade, a shield to protect herself. "About what?" she asked, her voice flat and distant.

Pharita set her cup down and stepped closer, her eyes soft and searching. "Why have you been avoiding me?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "Did I do something wrong?"

Ruka averted her gaze, staring at the floor as a familiar tightness settled in her chest. Of course, Pharita would think it was her fault. She was always so kind, so thoughtful, never considering that the problem might be Ruka herself.

"No," Ruka replied tersely, her tone sharp. "You didn't do anything."

Pharita flinched, the hurt in her eyes clear. "Then why do you act like I don't exist? Why do you push me away every time I try to talk to you?"

Ruka clenched her jaw, her grip tightening on the counter. She could feel the walls she'd so carefully built starting to crack. "Maybe I just don't need friends," she muttered, knowing it was a lie.

Pharita wasn't deterred. She stepped closer, her voice soft but firm. "That's not true. You're not like this with anyone else. Just me."

Ruka's silence was heavy, the air between them thick with unspoken tension. Being near Pharita was unbearable, a constant reminder of what Ruka could never have. She wasn't supposed to feel this way. She wasn't supposed to want someone who belonged to her brother. But she did, and it tore her apart.

"Do you hate me?" Pharita's voice broke through the silence, her vulnerability laid bare.

Ruka's heart twisted painfully, but she couldn't bring herself to answer. She didn't hate Pharita. She hated how Pharita made her feel-how she made her want something impossible.

Pharita's expression softened, her eyes filled with confusion and concern. "Then why are you doing this? Why are you pushing me away like I'm the problem?"

Ruka's breath hitched, her carefully constructed defenses crumbling under the weight of Pharita's words. She gripped the counter tighter, her knuckles white. "Because it's easier," she whispered, barely audible.

Pharita blinked, her brow furrowing. "Easier than what?"

Ruka's chest tightened, the truth clawing its way to the surface. She couldn't keep it buried any longer. "Easier than dealing with the truth," she said, her voice breaking.

Pharita's eyes widened slightly, confusion flashing across her face. "What truth?"

Ruka finally looked up, meeting Pharita's gaze. Her heart was racing, and she could feel the tension building in her throat. "I can't stand being around you because... you're not mine," she confessed, the words spilling out before she could stop them.

The silence that followed was deafening. Pharita's eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat as she processed what Ruka had just said.

"Ruka..." Pharita whispered, her voice soft with disbelief. "What do you mean?"

Ruka cursed under her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. The truth was out now-there was no taking it back. "I can't stand seeing you with Niki because I-" She hesitated, the weight of her feelings suffocating. "Because I want you, Pharita. I've wanted you for so long, and it's killing me."

Pharita's eyes widened further, her hand trembling as she reached out, her fingertips brushing against Ruka's arm. "I didn't know..." she whispered, her voice laced with shock and confusion.

Ruka laughed bitterly, her heart aching. "Of course, you didn't. How could you? You're with him. What was I supposed to do? Tell you that I'm in love with my brother's girlfriend?"

Pharita's touch lingered on Ruka's arm, sending an electric current through her, but Ruka pulled away, stepping back.

"You don't have to pretend anymore," Pharita said softly, her voice filled with an emotion Ruka couldn't place.

"But pretending is all I have," Ruka replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because you're not mine. And you never will be."

Pharita's heart ached at the pain in Ruka's voice, torn between loyalty to Niki and the undeniable pull she felt toward Ruka. She didn't know how to respond, how to bridge the chasm that had opened between them. "Ruka... you're important to me too. You matter."

But Ruka shook her head, a hollow laugh escaping her lips. "It's not the same," she said, her voice filled with resignation. "I can't be just important to you, Pharita. Not like this."

Pharita opened her mouth to say something-anything-but the words caught in her throat. She wanted to comfort Ruka, to offer her some semblance of peace, but the truth was too complicated, too messy.

Ruka turned away, her heart heavy. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she walked out of the kitchen, leaving Pharita standing there, her heart torn between two impossible choices.