The Manager: A TWICE Story

53: As a Friend

"I didn't even say it," I said, smiling softly.

"Wait, for real?" Jun shoved his face fully into frame. "You two are getting back together?"

Some part of me wanted to drag out the news after seeing how excited my mother was, but it was too late.

"Yeah," I said.

"Holy fuck, dude!" Jun said, at the same time my mother clapped her hands together loudly.

"This is real?" said my mother in a tone of voice I don't remember hearing from her.

"Kind of," I said. "We want to try, and we've set some ground rules."

"That's a good start," said Jun. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Oh, hush!" said my mother, swatting him on the shoulder. "This is great news."

"I thought you didn't like her," I said.

"What made you think that?"

"She told me about that time, you know."

My mother's smile faltered. "Ah."

A lump was forming in my throat. "Surely that was enough to build some resentment."

My mother looked at Jun. "Can I have a moment?" she asked softly.

Jun handed the phone over. I heard his footsteps echo into the distance.

"I understand if you don't like her," I said after a moment. "Nayeon told me the full transcript of what she said to you."

My mother pressed her lips together. "I don't hold a grudge, Y/N."

"Seriously?"

She sighed. "She told me the truth. Right?"

"I mean..."

"That was part of the wake up call. She knew how to take care of you better than I did. Just for a moment, ignore what kind of mother that makes me, and think about what kind of partner that makes her. Why wouldn't I want that for you?" She smiled. "So, yes, I'm happy. Do you believe me?"

"Yeah," I said, surprising myself. "I do."

My phone started buzzing—I was getting another call, from Nayeon. My mother could tell.

"Do you need to go?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said.