Aliya had an early dinner with her mother the next day just before she went home. She again reassured her mom that she is fine with her relationship with Dr. Ahn, well, Uncle Rae as he said she should call him. 

"Thanks for understanding Aliya." Her mom told her daughter. "You know, I was thinking about what Mrs. Min said last night." Great here we go Aliya thought holding her breath. "I did remember seeing you dance with Yoongi at the wedding. I think he likes you."

"Mom!" Aliya's voice was louder than she hoped and she felt her cheeks burning. 

"What? I just said I think he likes you, what's wrong with that?" So-Young laughed as she watched her daughter's face turn more flushed. "And why are you reacting that way? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No." Aliya said quickly. She wished that she wouldn't blunder with this lie. She felt sorry for lying to her mom but she can't know what kind of relationship she has with him. "He just likes a lot of women, he doesn't want a relationship so don't keep your hopes up." Now that part is a fact.

So-Young looked slightly surprised. "Really? So he just hooks up with them?"

"Mother, seriously? You're using that term?" 

Her mom scoffed "I am old but not that old dear. I hear and know things from the staff in the hospital. Going back to our topic, I don't want you to be just one of his girls. You deserve to be treated better." There goes the line again that her daughter has heard not just once.

I'm sorry mom but I am just one of his girls. Aliya said quietly as she looked up at her mother who was looking at her too closely. She sighs before hugging her daughter. "I don't want to see you getting your heart broken anymore Aliya because it breaks my heart too."

"Don't worry mom, I'll be fine and you won't see me with my heart broken anymore. Taehyung will be the first and last." She replied.

Aliya left to drive back to her place soon after their conversation. Her mom sent her a lot of her cooked meals and side dishes which was large enough to share with her friends. She knew Jimin and the other comes to her place often to eat so she wanted to make sure she made enough for everyone. She spent the rest of the time thinking about what her mom said, it made her wonder if she sensed anything from her reaction about Yoongi. Hopefully not. In all honesty, Aliya isn't sure how long this so called relationship she had with Yoongi will last. Will she be fine with that? Yes she would be, she'll miss having sex with him because that is the baseline of how everything started with them. Will she try to hook up with someone else after? She doesn't think so. Why? Well, she doesn't know the exact reason but maybe because she's tried it and it made her experience a different level of pleasure but it's not for her.

*********************************************************

Stepping out of the shower later that night, she back read through their gc as everyone started discussing about their trip at the lake house since Taehyung and Jia were back. Aliya didn't receive any text from Taehyung that they've returned. He usually texts her whenever he comes back from a trip whether it's business or pleasure. But then, he is married now so things are different. She shouldn't expect anything. Her doorbell rang and she smiled thinking it's Jimin. He texted her earlier asking if she brought some food back. When she went to check the monitor, her breath hitched and her whole body turned cold as she found out her who her guest is.

Aliya's legs felt like it had heavy weights on them as she made her way towards the door. She took one deep breath before finally opening it. Her eyes met his and for her, it felt time stopped as her heartbeat's rate doubled, is this what a person feels before having a heart attack? She tried to smile but her face was frozen. Her mom's words came to her, act like she normally would. Easier said than done. She did managed to nod her head and step back from the door, so he'd come in. He made his way inside her house, normally, he'd just key in her code and enter, he didn't do that today.

With her hair still, wearing her old pajamas, she felt self conscious. He's seen her looking much worse than this before and they did grow up together so he literally had seen her in different states. She turned to Taehyung expecting him to be sitting on the couch, but she bumped straight to his chest instead because he turned to face her rather than take a seat. She stepped back so quickly as if she just had an electric shock, mumbling her apology.

"Iya, relax." He said softly putting both hands on her shoulders. He kept her an arms distance from him, bending his head so he could have a look at her face.

Aliya's emotions were a mess. Seeing him again made her feelings for him surface no matter how she pushed it away. She promised she'll end it, but it sure isn't easy. "Why are you here?" She managed to say.

"To talk. Besides, I always visit you after I get back from a trip." He replied.

"B-but Jia, does she know you're here?" Aliya asked.

"Yes."

"Does she know why?"

"Yes, in fact she's the one who said I should go see you." Was his answer again.

"Oh god." Aliya mumbled chewing on her lower lip unconsciously as she was starting to get stressed. 

"Jia is an amazing woman, she understands everything and I want to make it clear that she isn't upset with you. She knows how much I love her to remain in doubt about anything." Taehyung replied.

Aliya felt as if she was just punched in the gut. She nodded her head as tears started to pool in her eyes but she refused to let them drop. "Ok, glad to hear that." She said a bit sarcastically as her real feelings showed. She stepped back, wanting to put some distance between them, but he held her arms to keep her still.

"Listen Iyah, I didn't know how you felt about me until that last time we saw each other. I'm sorry I didn't speak after because I honestly didn't know what to say. I felt angry at myself for being insensitive to you and it's bothered me so much Jia sensed it too." He paused as if he was contemplating on the words he was to say next. Aliya could see the muscles on his jaw tensing before he continues to speak. " What I'm trying to say is that... you know, I love you too. I've never been vocal about it, and I am saying this to you now. I always say that you're like a little sister to me and it's not a sibling kind of love, it's something special. But..."

Aliya couldn't help reacting. "I knew that there's a but coming. Do you know the saying that every word that comes before the word "but" is bullshit because it loses its meaning?"

"Let me finish and please listen. The kind of love I have for you is special. It's something I can't give to Jia or anyone else because it's just for you." Taehyung explained trying to keep an eye contact with Aliya, but she couldn't look at him because she knew the tears she's been holding back will start to break loose.

"And you can never be in love with me, I know that Taehyung. I've known that since the day you told me you're marrying Jia. Don't sugarcoat it, I am a big girl, and I can accept the fact that I can never be anything more than your best friend." Aliya's voice trembled as she spoke, the tears she's been holding back started to fall down her face. She thought she won't cry anymore but apparently, she is wrong.

"Please don't cry." He pleaded as he tried to pull her close to him.

"I want this to be the last time I'll be crying over you Tae, but I don't know if I can keep that promise." Aliya said burying her face in her hands as she cried. "You broke my heart, and I don't know how I will get it back together in one piece."

Taehyung wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry for hurting you Iya. You know I will never do anything to intentionally harm you. Just tell me how do we get this problem fixed because I can't bear having the thought of you in pain because of me."

"It's not your fault Tae, it's mine. Maybe I should've kept it to myself and just let it pass. It was me who fell in love with you. It's just that I didn't know until that day you told me you're proposing to Jia. Maybe I should just stay away from you until I am ok."

"Stop it, don't blame yourself. We can't really control who we should or shouldn't love. I understand, and that's what I'm trying to tell you now. I had to keep my thoughts together before speaking with you. I miss you a lot Iya. We haven't been speaking since that day when we last saw each other and it hurts me so much too because you've been a part of my life. I don't want you to go away, my life won't be the same." Taehyung cups Aliya's face with his hands, wiping her tears.

Aliya felt the sincerity in his words. They shared a bond that each touch or a simple word, can relay the true message one wants to send. When she went to the States for college, he'd visit her or she comes home as often as they could. It is true, each one is a part of their lives now. She reached out to touch the side of Taehyung's face and she was surprised to find it wet, he was crying too...he turned to kiss her hand.,

"I missed you so much too Tae." She said in between sobs as she saw the tears that were flowing from Taehyung's eyes too. She couldn't bear to see him cry. She moved towards him and hugged him. He hugged her back so hard, but she didn't care. He stepped back and looked at her in her eyes "I love you Iya." He lowered his head and gave her a soft kiss on her mouth.