It was the first summer vacation of your university life, the first MT trip, and the first time you went travelling with Taehyung. The two of you had only started dating since the start of the semester that just passed after getting to know each other through the painting club.  

“Shall we go to the gardens nearby first? Then maybe we could head to the lake in the afternoon to catch the sunset?”, you suggested.  

The club members were split into small groups and each was tasked to come back with at least two paintings of places of interest near the little town. Your group of three people were none other than Taehyung, Jihyun and yourself. You were not entirely thrilled by this arrangement – Jihyun was Taehyung’s best friend since high school and her constant presence has been encroaching upon the personal space you shared with Taehyung, but this was an MT and not a date or anything, so you couldn’t really protest.  

“I don’t think we need the whole day to do this. There’s this café nearby, let’s go grab some food and chill. We can head to the garden and the lake both in the afternoon.”, Jihyun was her usual vocal self.  

“It’s hard to get around this town, we have to cater for travelling time, let’s just finish the paintings early and we can come back to chill if you want then?”, you were never very confrontational but somehow you just didn’t like Jihyun to have her way.  

Jihyun sighs, “Y/N, why are you always so uptight? This is just an MT, it’s not like it’s even a graded course? Right, Tae?”  

“I know it’s not graded but since we are here why not make the best of it?”, you rebutted.  

“And in my view the ‘making the best of it’ is having some chill time first before going to the lake, anyway you wanted to catch the sunset there, what’s with starting a little later?”, Jihyun wasn’t one to back down from what she wanted.  

You looked towards Taehyung, hoping that he will lend some support. Jihyun does the same.  

“I really don’t mind it either way. You girls can decide, I’ll just go with your decision”, he smiles at the both of you.  

For some reason, you felt like you lost.  

Maybe you were just feeling upset that he didn’t take your side. But somehow the lack of support from him made you feel like you already lost the fight and when Jihyun insisted again on going to the café first, you didn’t have the strength to object again.  

—

It was two weeks after the MT trip, school had resumed.  

This time Jihyun and you were arguing over which movie to catch after club activities ended. You wanted to see the latest release while Jihyun insisted on seeing an indie movie that may stop showing soon.  

“I am fine with both though, why not the two of you play scissors-paper-stone and we’ll go with the winner’s choice?”, Taehyung broke the argument.  

The air around Jihyun somehow exuded the vibe of victory, while you felt like you lost some ground.  

“I don’t get it, why can’t we just watch the indie movie, the one Y/N wants to watch will still be showing for a while anyway..”, Jihyun was as usual, stubborn. 

“It’s ok, let’s just go with Jihyun’s choice, we can watch the other movie next time”, you conceded, you hated feeling like a petty girlfriend.  

—

“Are you upset about something?”, Taehyung asked you carefully on the way home.  

“Not really…”, you answered coldly.  

“Mmm… that’s very convincing…”, he turns to you and hummed sarcastically.  

“This is gonna sound so stupid… but I don’t understand why you can’t just support me whenever Jihyun is arguing with me over something”, you closed your eyes while saying it quickly, even you felt ashamed of this silliness.  

Taehyung’s concern builds up, “Y/N, you are my girlfriend and she’s my best friend, is it that important to you that I have to pick a side over something like this? You know I don’t like picking sides…”

“Yea yea I know, that’s why you are so popular with everyone… Diplomat Tae”, you acknowledged, sulking.  

He sniggers at your pouty face and pinches your lips between his fingers, “Aigoo, look at this pouty duckling. Alright, next time, the next time I will take your side, ok?”, and he ends off his promise with a soft peck on your lips.  

—

It was just after the mid-term break.

“Have you seen this video? Daebak. Look at these high school girls… omg look… she just slapped her so hard… omg now she’s making her kneel down”, Jihyun and her other friend were gasping at what was obviously a school-bullying video.  

You were unfortunately sitting behind her because that was the seat Taehyung had saved for you. You looked up upon hearing their fussing and you felt like the blood in you turned cold.  

“Wow… wonder if Jinyoung and the rest saw this, gonna send it to them.”  

As Jihyun tried to forward the video to her friends, you walked over and put your hands over her phone, pushing it down, stopping her from doing what she intended.  

“Can you not? Can’t you tell this is sensitive stuff, what joy do you derive from spreading this around?” Jihyun was stunned by the confrontational tone of your voice.  

“What has it got anything to do with you, Y/N? I’m doing it so that more people can know about what’s going on in high school nowadays… with all these school violence going on”, Jihyun regains her characteristic assertive presence almost instantly.

“Have you thought about how the people in the video would feel if they saw the video being shared everywhere?”, you questioned her solemnly.  

By now Taehyung had also stood up, listening to what was going on.  

“Hey Y/N, can’t you see that the victim’s face is blurred out, and in any case she should be happy that we are sharing this video to help create more awareness for her.”  

“What if that is not what she wants?”, you asked.  

She rolled her eyes ever so slightly. “I’m not sure why you always have a bone to pick with me”, Jihyun said innocently, “… is it because I’m close to Taehyung?”

It didn’t really involve Taehyung up to this point, but now that she has mentioned him…  

“It has nothing to do with him, I’m just saying that you shouldn’t go around sharing such videos without knowing the full context”, you blurted out.  

“Since when was sharing a video like this a problem? You are obviously picking on me because you don’t like me…”, she suddenly turned really pitiful-sounding. 

“Jihyun stop it. You too Y/N. Aren’t both of you over-reacting?”, Taehyung’s strong voice came from behind you.  

There it is again, that stupid diplomatic move he pulls every single time. At this point, was it just the damned pettiness or were you actually entitled to feel hurt? 

Without another word, you stormed out of the room.  

—

You hid in the washroom for what felt like eternity, fighting away the feelings and thoughts that shrouded your very existence. You were over-reacting to some extent, and you knew why. But for once you really needed Taehyung to trust that you were not arguing with Jihyun for no reason, to help you overcome her assertiveness, or to just take you and walk away from her. But he always chose to remain neutral, to not hurt anyone’s feelings, or so he thought.  

The tap was running outside the cubicles and a voice suddenly said, “Y/N’s so strange, she’s over-reacting over such a small thing. Maybe you are right that she doesn’t like you.”  

You hear another girl sigh.  

“Don’t feel bad about it Jihyun, even Taehyung didn’t take her side…”, her voice faded away as they walked out from the washroom.  

The tear that you tried so hard to hold back eventually escapes your eye.  

—

“There wasn’t even a right or a wrong, why do I have to choose a side?”, Taehyung shouted as he ran after you.  

“There never is always a right or wrong, Taehyung-ah. But I’m tired of constantly fighting her, she’s way more confrontational and I needed your support but there was none, maybe you just didn’t trust me enough to take my side?”  

“Are you breaking up with me just because I didn’t side you over Jihyun, are you serious?”  

“I must sound like that kind of petty girlfriend now, don’t I? I’m sorry”, you were genuinely feeling apologetic towards him. In the end, you only amounted to this much, but it would be a lie if you continued to pretend that your heart was big enough to let it go every time.  

He glares at you, frowning.

“Do you not see that I didn’t take her side either?”

Your smile was exhausted and defeated, and tears formed again in your eyes, “I saw. But sometimes, when you choose not to pick a side, you have essentially picked a side.”