16

                                    

                                          
The atmosphere in the living room was tense as dinner plates were cleared away and everyone gathered for a post-dinner chat. The soft murmur of polite conversation filled the space, but the underlying tension was palpable. Emma sat on the edge of her seat, her eyes flicking nervously between Harry and Evelyn, who were seated at opposite ends of the room. Lily and James had settled into the sofa, clearly hoping to avoid any more confrontations, but the unease in their expressions showed they weren’t confident that would happen.
Evelyn, still seething from the earlier argument, pulled out her phone, needing a distraction from the thick cloud of tension. As she scrolled through her feed, her face lit up at a new video that had just been posted. Without a second thought, she tapped play, and the sound of cheering filled the room. The video showed Jin from BTS, freshly returned from his military service, embracing fans—ARMYs—with a warm smile on his face. The caption read: *“Jin hugs 1,000 ARMYs in an hour to celebrate his return!”*
Emma couldn’t help but peek over, her heart swelling at the sight of Jin. A small smile tugged at her lips, and for a brief moment, she forgot about the tension in the room. Evelyn noticed Emma’s glance and turned the screen toward her, a grin spreading across her face. “Look, Emma! Jin’s back and he’s already making ARMYs feel special. He hugged a thousand fans! Isn’t that amazing?”
Before Emma could respond, Harry’s voice cut through the room like a blade. “Turn that off,” he said sharply, his eyes narrowing at Evelyn. “We don’t need to hear about your idol worship.”
Evelyn looked up from her phone, her expression hardening. “What’s your problem, Harry? Jin’s just showing his appreciation for his fans. You wouldn’t understand, but this means a lot to ARMYs and to people like me.”
Harry’s jaw tightened, his frustration clear. “It’s not about understanding, Evelyn. It’s about priorities. You waste your time on these celebrities when you could be focusing on something that actually matters.”
Evelyn’s face flushed with anger, her patience snapping. “Oh, like what, Harry? Focusing on your ridiculous rules and control issues? You’re one to talk about priorities! If you hadn’t been so overbearing, maybe I could’ve gone to Seoul University like I wanted. Maybe Emma could have joined me, too. But no, you had to ruin everything.”
Emma’s eyes widened in shock. She had no idea Evelyn had wanted to go to Seoul University, or that she had been planning for them to go together. The revelation hit her like a punch to the gut. She turned to Harry, her eyes searching his face for some explanation, but he only glared back at Evelyn, his eyes stormy.
“What are you talking about?” Harry snapped. “I didn’t ruin anything. You had no right to make plans without discussing them with me first. And Emma,” he glanced at her with annoyance, “has no business being distracted by fantasies about Korea or those K-pop idols. Both of you need to get your priorities straight.”
Evelyn stood up, her eyes blazing with fury. “You think you can control everything, don’t you? You think just because you own the university and you’re older, you can dictate our lives? I wanted to study in Seoul, Harry! I wanted to be in a place where I could thrive, where I could be myself! But you—you’re so obsessed with control, you wouldn’t let me have that. And Emma—” she turned to Emma, her expression softening briefly, “I’m sorry, Emma. I wanted us to have that experience together. But he wouldn’t let either of us go.”
Emma felt tears prick her eyes, a mix of sadness and frustration welling up inside her. She had been so wrapped up in her own issues with Harry that she hadn’t realized how his controlling behavior had affected Evelyn as well. The friendship they had shared was built on dreams and mutual support, and now it was in ruins because of his interference.
Lily and James exchanged a nervous glance, sensing that things were spiraling out of control. Lily spoke up, her voice strained but calm. “Harry, Evelyn, let’s not do this tonight. We came here to spend time together as a family, not to argue. There’s no point in rehashing old issues.”
James nodded, trying to steer the conversation back to safer waters. “We all know how passionate Evelyn is about her interests, and that’s not a bad thing. Let’s focus on the positives and not let this turn into a fight.”
But Evelyn was far from placated. She turned to her parents, her frustration bubbling over. “It’s easy for you to say that. You’re not the ones whose dreams were crushed. You’re not the ones being controlled. I love BTS. I love what they stand for. And if Harry can’t understand that, then that’s his problem, not mine.”
Harry’s face reddened with anger. “I’m trying to look out for you, Evelyn. For both of you,” he said, his voice rising. “BTS, K-dramas, all of it—it’s a distraction. A waste of time. You think I’m controlling? Maybe I am, but it’s because I don’t want to see you throw your life away on nonsense.”
Evelyn’s eyes blazed. “Nonsense? BTS has brought more joy and comfort to people than you ever have, Harry. They’ve inspired millions. They’ve inspired me! You have no right to judge what makes us happy!”
The room fell silent, the tension reaching a boiling point. Emma looked between Evelyn and Harry, feeling caught in the middle of their battle. Her heart ached for Evelyn, for the dreams that had been stolen from her. She looked at Harry, his face a mask of stubbornness and anger, and wondered how things had come to this.
Evelyn’s chest heaved with emotion, her fists clenched at her sides. She took a step back, her voice breaking. “I’ve had enough of this. I’m done trying to get through to you, Harry.” She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, the sound of the door slamming echoing through the house.
Lily and James looked at Harry, their faces a mix of concern and disappointment. Lily sighed, rubbing her temples. “Harry, you need to find a way to make peace with your sister. This tension isn’t good for anyone.”
James nodded in agreement. “You’ve always been protective of Evelyn, but maybe it’s time to let her make her own choices. She’s not a little girl anymore.”
Harry stood there, his hands balled into fists, staring at the door through which Evelyn had left. His anger slowly faded, replaced by a heavy silence. He looked at Emma, who sat quietly, her head down, avoiding his gaze.
“Harry,” Lily said softly, “you need to understand that not everything can be controlled. People need to find their own way, in their own time.”
Harry didn’t respond. He turned away, his thoughts a storm of conflicting emotions. He walked out of the room, leaving Emma with Lily and James, the tension hanging in the air like a dark cloud. Emma watched him go, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew things were far from resolved, and the path ahead would be rocky. But for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of hope, knowing that at least Evelyn was on her side, even if the rest of the world seemed against her.