XI.

                                    

                                          

CHAPTER ELEVEN
Face the Truth | 진실을 직시하다
⚘( ၴႅၴ
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"I am in no position to be facing this with (Your name), it is just what I've heard, and I don't want to assume things. I also don't want you in trouble as well, so I want you to be careful."
Daniel's eyes lingered on Vasco, feeling the weight of the conversation pressing against his chest. The words were heavy, like stones sinking into his heart, but Vasco was right. This wasn't something he should dive into recklessly. He didn't know enough yet to form any conclusions, but the tension in the air suggested that whatever was going on was serious.
Daniel nodded, though it didn't feel like he was in agreement with anything Vasco had said. His mind, clouded with confusion, raced, desperately trying to make sense of the strange, fragmented pieces of the situation.
(Your name)... one of Goo and Gun?
The thought spun through his mind like a tornado, scattering his rational thoughts in every direction. Could it really be true? Was she involved with people like that? He had always seen her as the kind-hearted girl who stood up for the underdog, someone he could trust. But now, this new information felt like an unexplainable gap, one he didn't know how to cross.
His gaze drifted toward the stage where  (Your name) was standing. She looked so happy. The smile on her face was bright as she sang alongside Zoe, her voice carrying a sweet melody into the night. From a distance, she seemed untouchable, untroubled by anything that could shake her.
But then, the knot in his stomach tightened. Was it really her? Could it really be the same girl he'd spent time with—the same one who had opened up to him? He had seen the depths of her kindness, the way she always tried to protect others, especially the vulnerable. Could someone like that truly be tangled up with people like Goo and Gun?
Daniel's pulse quickened as Vasco's voice broke through his thoughts again. "If you have a problem, just call me, friend."
The offer was kind, but Daniel wasn't sure if it was enough. He didn't want to drag Vasco into whatever this was. It wasn't just about the situation with  (Your name); it was about his own growing uncertainty. What was he supposed to believe?
The truth was, Daniel was terrified. He had developed feelings for  (Your name)—feelings he wasn't sure how to handle. But at the same time, those feelings were tied to a deeper, more complex connection. He didn't want to lose her, not to the mystery surrounding her. Not to the suspicion of her involvement with people who made him feel uneasy. He didn't know if he had done something wrong to cause her to act distant, but this felt too big to ignore. The uncertainty gnawed at him, and every passing moment felt like a weight, too heavy to bear.
Vasco left, sensing that Daniel needed time to sort through his tangled thoughts.
As Vasco's retreating footsteps faded into the distance, Daniel found himself alone with his thoughts once again. His eyes returned to  (Your name), who was still singing with Zoe. The carefree joy that radiated from her only made the confusion in his heart grow stronger. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted to believe the best in her. But something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut.
While  (Your name) continued to sing, her gaze shifted, and for the briefest of moments, she looked past the crowd, her eyes locking with someone in the distance. It was Crystal.
The sight of Crystal standing in the doorframe sent a shiver down  (Your name)'s spine. Crystal's expression was unreadable, but there was something about the way she stood there—her posture tense, her eyes sharp—that made  (Your name) feel a sense of unease. It was as if Crystal had always been able to read her, and in that moment, it felt as though she was dissecting  (Your name)'s every move.