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... ────୨ৎ────...

Time Skip .・。.・゜✭・

Ji-won reached home, softly closing the door behind her. The house was quiet.

She placed the shopping bags carefully on her bed and sat down beside them, removing her earrings.

Her brows slowly furrowed as she saw that bag

"When did I even purchase this...?"

Still confused, she changed into her comfy clothes, tying her hair into a loose bun. She climbed onto her bed and began checking each item she bought that day.

One by one, she opened the bags, folding each item neatly and smiling at some of them.

Then she picked up that bag.

She tilted her head slightly before opening it.

Her fingers paused mid-air.

Her eyes widened.

"What...?" Ji-won whispered under her breath.

She pulled the item out slowly, staring at it in disbelief.

"I didn't buy this...for sure!!" she gasped

Her heart started beating faster.

"How is this even possible...?"She sat frozen for a moment.

Then suddenly

"Chawoon...?"

The thought of him popped into her head. Her lips fell open, and her cheeks instantly flushed a deep shade of pink.

"Awww... Chawoon..." she mumbled shyly, hugging the gift to her chest.

She fell backward onto the bed and kicked her feet in the air like a child, rolling from one side to the other.

She buried her face in the pillow to hide her smile.

"He really did this...?!!"

Her room filled with her soft giggles.

At Chawoon's House

Kim Min-kyu sat on the edge of his bed, leaning back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling with a soft smile playing on his lips.

For the first time, he had gathered the courage to secretly give her something.

His fingers tapped lightly against his knee as he imagined her reaction.

"I wish I could see her face..." He whispered and smiled wider.

Just then, Chawoon passed by his room and noticed that unusual expression.

He slowly leaned against the door frame.

"Bro..." he said suspiciously. "Why are you smiling like that? Did you finally purchase something you wanted to purchase from decades?"

Min-kyu blinked, pause for a second then let out a small laugh.

"No! I'm happy because you are happy, my cute little brother," he said, reaching forward and patting Chawoon's hair playfully.

Chawoon narrowed his eyes.

"But I don't think so...You were looking at the ceiling..." he said, his voice firm and filled with suspicion.

Min-kyu quickly stood up and adjusted his sleeves, clearly trying to end the conversation.

"Just leave this topic and go get some rest. I want to go to the office," he said, avoiding Chawoon's eyes.

"What?" Chawoon grabbed his wrist before he could leave. "You are not a robot!"

Without giving him time to argue, he pulled him toward his room.

"You should also get some rest. Take care of yourself," Chawoon said, gently pushing him to sit on the bed.

"But..." Min-kyu tried to speak.

"Please, bro. Don't take such a burden. I want a brother who is happy and healthy," Chawoon said seriously, his grip tightening slightly.

Min-kyu looked at him for a few seconds... then giggled softly.

"So when will you join the office to take care of me, huh?" he said sarcastically, raising one eyebrow.

"I will join soon" Chawoon said confidently winking at him as he slowly released his grip.

"No problem. Focus on your study. I was kidding," Min-kyu replied, lightly flicking his forehead before stepping out.

He closed the door gently behind him.

Chawoon stood still for a moment.

The playful smile on his face slowly faded.

"He really works so hard..." he whispered to himself.

His eyes turned slightly glossy.

"I hope he thinks about himself too..."

His eyes flickered with guilt and helplessness.

He looked down at his hands.

He never made me miss my father..." his voice turned fragile.

"He is like my father... who loves me so much," he whispered, blinking back the tears gathering in his eyes.

He walked quietly to his room and sat in front of his father's picture frame placed on the table. He touched the frame gently.

"Dad... I know we have no memories together." His throat tightened.

"Why did you leave me so early?" Tears rolled down his cheeks as he continued.

"Dad, Kim Min-kyu really works so hard for us. I'm sorry... but he doesn't deserve this. He started working when he was just 13 or 14."

He roughly wiped his tears.

"At that day he worked to earn money... and studied the whole night to get good grades."His voice broke.

"When he was 21, he started his business. I know how much he went through..."

His voice dropped to almost a whisper as old struggles resurfaced in his heart.

He paused

"He didn't spend his childhood like other children."

He covered his face with his hands.

"I really wish he could live the way I live... because of him."His fists clenched.

"And recently... his manager tried to kill him..." The betrayal still hurts deeply.

"He trusted him so much... but..."

His shoulders shook as he cried harder.

After a few minutes of silence,and crying he suddenly stood up.

"he is my bro I can't see him like this anymore!!"

He wiped his tears with determination.

"I'll help him."

In the kitchen .・。.・゜✭・

His mother was in the kitchen, talking to the chef about the dinner venue and arrangements.

"Mom, I want to talk to you," Chawoon rushed in, slightly breathless but serious.

"Okay, wait," she replied without turning, still giving instructions.

"No! Please listen now."His tone made her pause.

She dismissed the chef and walked out with him to the living room.

"Okay, now tell me." she asked

Chawoon took a deep breath, his hands slightly trembling.

"I want to join bro's business." he said firmly but seriously

She stared at him in shock."What? Suddenly?"

"Yes. I was telling this from school but you and bro always stopped me by saying first complete your study."

He looked straight into her eyes.

"But now I don't want to listen anymore." His voice cracked slightly.

"Please, Mom. I really, really want to help him. I don't want him to get hurt again with fake people like his manager... Yuseok!"He rolled his eyes angrily, his expression darkening.

"I'm actually glad he's in prison now."

His jaw tightened.

"I want to meet him... see him behind bars right where he deserves to be."

His mother froze.

The words struck something deep inside her ,she thought as her breathe hitched "If he finds out... everything will fall apart..."

"Mom...?"....what happened "? He asked as she stand still

She flinched. “No. You don’t need to meet him,” she said quickly too quickly. Her voice wavered. “Some people… should stay locked away. Don’t listen to anything he says.”

Chawoon frowned. Something felt off. His gaze dropped to her hands. She was biting her nails. She only did that when she was nervous. "Does Mom know something…?" He thought

Before he could think further, she let out a small laugh. “Oh....and about the company… you can join after your exams.” The shift was sudden.

Chawoon blinked, slightly caught off guard by the sudden shift.

“…Okay,” he replied quietly. “Thank you, Mom.” He leaned in and kissed her. And a thought crept into his mind

"Something’s not right… Why are both Mom and my brother trying to stop me from meeting him…?"

She smiled bittersweet and hugged him, gently stroking his hair. I prayed you’d never know… never carry  the same burden as your bro…

He stepped back smiled a forceful smile and walked away, his steps slowing. "I’m trying to trust my family…I dont want to doubt but why are they acting so strange?"

The thought lingered for a few minutes

Time skip..

The next day

At hostel

The morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains as both of them hurried around the room, getting ready for college.

Ameena was adjusting her books inside her bag while Ayesha stood in front of the mirror, fixing her hair.

She paused for a moment, then turned slightly.

"Ameena... can I take your hijab?"

Ameena looked at her through the mirror and smiled warmly.

"Yes! No need to take permission," she said casually, waving her hand as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ayesha chuckled softly, carefully taking the hijab. As she wrapped it around herself, a quiet smile touched her lips.

"Alhamdulillah..." she whispered in her heart, grateful for being blessed with such a kind and generous friend.

Ameena zipped her bag shut and glanced at the clock.

"Okay, now let's go. We will be late."

"Okay, okay, let's go!!" Ayesha replied quickly.

She grabbed both of their bags before Ameena could stop her.

"Hey! Give me mine," Ameena protested lightly.

"No, I'll carry it," Ayesha said with a playful grin as they both rushed toward the door, their laughter filling the room.

Here chawoon

He was excited for today's program "Ayesha ...I can't wait to see you shining in front of all "

At college

All the judges, the principal, teachers, and students were seated in the auditorium. The atmosphere felt serious and formal.

Behind the stage, Ayesha stood quietly, her hands cold and slightly trembling. She kept adjusting her dupatta, trying to calm herself, but her nervousness was clearly visible.

Ameena noticed and gently held her hand.

"Don't be nervous. If you are like this, how will I get the courage?" Ameena said softly, trying to make her smile.

Ahmed nodded in agreement.

"Yes! You have worked so hard for this. If you stay this nervous, then how will we deliver our message to everyone?" he said encouragingly.

Ayesha took a deep breath, trying to gather her courage to step onto the stage with confidence.

Just then, Chawoon came running toward them.

Ahmed sighed. "Why do you always run like this?"

"Sorry! Actually, I'm here to wish you all the best . I'm excited to hear you," Chawoon said, slightly out of breath.

His eyes then shifted to Ayesha, who was still shivering.

"Ayesha, are you okay? Do you need water?" he quickly took out a water bottle and handed it to her.

"Yes... I'm just a little nervous," she replied quietly.

She took the bottle, drank some water, and gave him a soft smile.

"Thank you, Chawoon."

"Don't worry," he said gently.

"Forget about what people will say or what will happen there. Just focus on what you have prepared, okay?"

He continued, his voice firm yet warm.

"And remember, you are not alone. Ameena and Ahmed will be there with you."

He pointed toward the audience area.

"And I will also be there in the audience. Don't worry. Calm down," he said, a spark of encouragement shining in his eyes.

His words gave her a little confidence, and she slowly nodded, holding onto that reassurance.

Time skip

On the Stage

The auditorium was completely filled judges in the front row, the principal beside them, teachers seated neatly, and students whispering softly.

Behind the curtain, Ayesha's fingers tightened around Ameena's hand. Her palms were cold. The microphone announcement echoed faintly from the stage.

Her heart was beating so loudly she could almost hear it.

Ahmed adjusted his sleeves, trying to stay calm.

Ameena squeezed her hand gently.

"It's time," someone signaled from the side.

Ayesha took a deep breath.

They stepped forward together.

The curtain opened lights felt brighter than expected.For a second, there was silence.

Then all three of them said together,

"Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem."

Their voices echoed softly in the hall.

They introduced themselves politely.

Ayesha stepped forward, holding the microphone carefully. It trembled slightly in her hand, but she steadied it.

"So today, we will talk about a very sensitive topic..."

A small pause.

"Islam is perfect, Muslims are human."

A faint murmur moved through the audience.

"Yes, you heard correctly."

"As we always hear Muslims do this, Muslims do that... this is what their religion teaches them." She inhaled slowly.

"I want to clarify what Islam truly is and who true Muslims are.... !"Many people don't know about Islam the perfect religion. Allahu Akbar."

She looked at the audience clearly now.

"Let me tell you what our religion teaches us."

Her voice grew steadier with every sentence.

"Don't force someone to become Muslim." (2:256)

A pause she looked at the audience as she continued

"Don't remind others of the favors you have done for them." (2:264)

Silence in the hall everyone's gaze on her

"Don't be rude to parents." (17:23)

"If the enemy wants peace, then accept it." (8:61)

"Saving one person is like saving all of humanity." (5:32)

The hall grew quieter as they were learning something new

"Don't insult those who worship other than Allah." (6:108)

"Speak kindly, even to the ignorant." (25:63)

"Don't make fun of others." (49:11)

She lowered the paper slightly.

"And this is not all. There are many more teachings... but if I continue, my time will run out."

She looked directly at the audience.

"So tell me... does our religion teach us to do something bad?"

She shook her head gently.

"No. Astaghfirullah."

"According to me, you should judge people not their religion or beliefs."

She stepped back slowly.

Ahmed moved forward confidently.

Ahmed started "Today, the media does not always show reality."

His voice was calm but firm.

"We should observe and look around to understand the truth not blindly follow everything shown."

Some teachers nodded slightly.

"Many people may not like what I am saying, but it is true."

"Because of the media, Islamophobia is increasing day by day."

"As she said before Islam is perfect, but Muslims are not."

He gestured lightly.

"Don't judge a religion by looking at a person."

"We are all human first. A Muslim is also a human who makes mistakes."

A small pause.

"Just like all of you do. But we don't say that your religion teaches you that."

He stepped back.

Ayesha returned to the microphone. This time, her voice was calmer.

"I will share my own experience."

"When we came here, people looked at us as if we were aliens."

In the audience, Ji-won's expression slowly changed.

"Some were afraid to even sit beside us."

"There are many more things I have experienced... but I cannot say everything here."

Ji-won remembered that day. When she misbehaved with her and even called her tere** st . Her hands slowly lowered from the clapping position.

Min joon feels guilty too

"I know there are still some people who do not see Islam and Muslims like this."

Her eyes moved gently toward Chawoon. She smiled and said

"I have met those kinds of people."

Chawoon was already looking at her.

He gave her a soft, encouraging smile.

That smile steadied her heart.

She stepped back.

Ameena walked forward confidently.

"Let's make this world free from fights over religion and beliefs."

"We should respect each other."

"And yes, this message is for everyone."

"Including Muslim people who do not follow Islam properly but still say Islam is not bad."She spoke clearly.

"First look at yourself. Do you reflect what Islam truly is?"

"Because people may not have knowledge about Islam but they observe you."

"So try to be a good Muslim. Make non-Muslims amazed by your manners."She smiled softly.

All three bowed their heads slightly. "Thank you."

For two seconds, the hall was silent.

Then applause filled the auditorium.

Chawoon stood up while clapping, his eyes shining. He had never heard Islam explained like this before. Something inside him felt different peaceful, clear.

He kept clapping, louder than anyone around him, not caring that people were turning to look.

Ji-won clapped too, but her heart felt heavy and light at the same time. She realized she had once believed stereotypes without knowing the truth.

Min-joon and Umer exchanged proud looks before rushing toward backstage while still clapping.

Chawoon followed them quickly.

Ji-won hesitated for a second... then ran after them.

Behind the curtain, the real emotions were waiting.

At the back stage..

Behind the stage, the three of them stood still for a second then suddenly smiled at each other.

They did it.

Min-joon and Umer came running toward them.

"Woahhh!" Min-joon shouted excitedly.

"Masha Allah!" Umer said proudly.

"It was sooo good ...the way you all spoke! And you won't believe it, I have never seen someone talk about this topic like this in Korea," Min-joon added, still amazed.

"That's why people don't know about Muslims," Umer nodded seriously.

"But from now on, people will have a different perspective."

They turned toward the voice.

Chawoon was standing near the door, a soft dimpled smile on his face.

Everyone's eyes shifted to him and beside him stood Ji-won.

Ji-won suddenly ran toward Ayesha and Ameena and hugged them tightly.

"I'm sorry... for my past behavior."

Ameena and Ayesha looked at each other and hugged her back.

"There's no need," Ameena said gently.

"But from now on," Ji-won continued, pulling back slightly, "I will also tell others not to judge anyone by their beliefs. Instead, I met Muslims who are the best."

"Aww... thank you!" Ayesha smiled warmly.

Before Ameena could say anything, Ahmed cleared his throat dramatically.

"Okay! Now can I also say something?"

"Yes?!" they all replied together.

"Thank you for these supportive comments," Ahmed said politely. "But now we have to go listen to the winner announcement."

"Ohhh yes! Let's go!" Ji-won said quickly.

"I know you all will win," Umer said confidently.

"And even if you don't win the trophy, it's fine," Chawoon added, his eyes sparkling. "Because you already won hearts."

"True," Min-joon agreed, nodding firmly.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, guys," Ahmed said with a playful wink.

"Really... it means a lot," Ameena added, placing her hand on her chest sincerely.

Ayesha stood quietly for a moment, looking at all of them, feeling overwhelmed.

She felt blessed to have such friends.

"Thank you, I did this because I really wanted to talk about real islam not for the trophy " she said softly.

Everyone smiled

Ameena gave her a side hug "my gem"

They were still talking when suddenly they heard a familiar voice echoin

g through the hall.

"Wait... is that the principal's voice?" Ji-won asked.

"Oh no ...we should go now," Chawoon said quickly.

Without wasting another second, they all rushed out toward the auditorium.

The principal was already standing at the podium.

He was about to announce the names.

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. Please guys don't separate hate I don't know if I hurt anyone or not but if so ..I'm sorry.. Please vote and comment there are so many people who read but only few people do vote

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