**A Fragile Facade**

"N-no I'm fine, I promise," I said, smiling weakly as I tried to brush off the concern that had settled over the group. But we all knew I was lying. The forced smile, the hesitant tone, it was all a dead giveaway that I was still struggling. Mina's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze piercing as she searched my face for any sign of truth. But I knew I couldn't hide from her, not when she knew me so well. She took a step closer, her arms opening wide as she enveloped me in a warm hug. "Vesper, we don't think that okay," Mina said, her voice soft and gentle as she held me close. Her words were like a balm to my soul, soothing the raw emotions that had been simmering just beneath the surface. I felt a lump form in my throat as I nodded, my body relaxing into her touch. It was a small comfort, but it was enough to make me feel like I wasn't alone. "Ok…," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The word felt like a surrender, a tacit admission that I wasn't fine, that I needed their help and their support. As Mina held me, I could feel the weight of everyone's gaze upon us. I knew they were all watching, waiting to see how I would react, how I would respond to their concern. But with Mina's arms around me, I felt a sense of safety, a sense of security that I hadn't felt in a long time. Slowly, I began to hug her back, my arms wrapping around her as I held her close. It was a small gesture, but it was a start. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn't alone, like I had people who cared about me, who wanted to help me through the dark times. As we stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, I knew that I still had a long way to go. But for now, I was okay with taking things one step at a time, with letting the people I cared about help me through the tough times. And with Mina's hug still wrapped around me, I felt like I could face whatever came next.