"Wait, wait! Hold up, In-Su," Ha-Joon called out, trying to tug his hand free as In-Su dragged him along with surprising strength.
In-Su didn't stop. He kept pulling, his red eyes narrowing as he looked directly at Ha-Joon.
"What if my parents see you?" Ha-Joon asked, his voice low but firm.
In-Su froze in his tracks. He turned around slowly, his eyes meeting Ha-Joon with an intense gaze. In-Su's eyes bored into Ha-Joon's, as if trying to read him completely.
Ha-Joon gulped nervously.
"Okay..." Ha-Joon whispered, fear flickering in his voice.
In-Su kept dragging him, his grip unrelenting, until they finally arrived at Ha-Joon's house.
Ha-Joon staggered inside, almost stumbling over his own feet from the force of In-Su's pull.
The door swung open, revealing Ji-Woo, Min-Ju, and Mrs. Kim waiting just outside the house, their faces full of concern and curiosity as they saw the two coming in.
They rushed toward them, worry etched into their features.
"Ha-Joon... what is he doing here?" Mrs. Kim asked, her voice trembling slightly as she looked at In-Su with a mixture of confusion and suspicion.
Ji-Woo's gaze immediately went down to their intertwined hands, her expression shifting to one of cautious curiosity.
She moved closer, her voice gentle but firm.
"Why are you with him?" she asked softly, her eyes searching In-Su's face. Then, with a gentle but decisive move, she reached out and gently pulled Ha-Joon away from In-Su's grasp.
In-Su's eyes flickered with a hint of defensiveness, but he didn't resist.
Ha-Joon looked down, his cheeks slightly flushed.
"He was... he was being badly mistreated by the manager at his cafe," In-Su explained calmly, though a flicker of anger was evident in his voice.
"So I was there to help him. As you can see," he pointed gently at the bruise on his cheek, "he got hurt."
Everyone's gaze shifted to Ha-Joon's face, their expressions full of concern. Ji-Woo's eyes widened with worry as she gently brushed his cheek.
"Oh, Ha-Joon, what happened?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.
Mrs. Kim's face softened as she reached out, placing a tender hand on Ha-Joon's shoulder.
"My baby... what happened? Tell us everything," she said softly, her eyes shimmering with affection and concern.
Ha-Joon sighed deeply, his eyes flickering with a mixture of relief and sorrow.
"The manager kept slapping me... but In-Su was the one who saved me," he said quietly. "He stepped in before it got worse."
In-Su looked down, a faint blush creeping across his cheeks. "I just... I couldn't stand seeing him hurt," he murmured.
Mrs. Kim's eyes softened even further.
She gently placed her hand on In-Su's shoulder, a warm smile spreading across her face
"Thank you so much, In-Su. And Sorry for what happened the other night," she said softly, her voice full of gratitude. "I can see you're not really a bad person... you're kind and caring."
She paused, her gaze lingering on In-Su. "I hope you'll continue to be that way. And... Ha-Joon can be your friend now—freely." Her voice was gentle but firm, full of reassurance.
Ji-Woo nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with a mixture of relief and happiness.
"We saw the truth in your eyes, In-Su... and we also see Ha-Joon's always happy with you. Whatever makes him happy makes us happy too."
In-Su's face lit up as a genuine look. Without thinking, he quickly pulled Mrs. Kim into a warm, tight hug.
Mrs. Kim looked shocked but didn't protest.
Ha-Joon blinked in surprise but then smiled softly.
Min-Ju, watching from the side with a smirk, rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Too much affection… but glad everyone's happy."
He turned and started heading back inside, shaking his head as he went.
Mrs. Kim lets go of In-Su and glanced at her watch and sighed. "Well, we'll leave you two now. Take care of each other."
Ji-Woo nodded, giving them a gentle smile. "Be careful, okay?"
They watched as Mrs. Kim and Ji-Woo went back inside, their footsteps fading away. The door shut softly behind them, leaving Ha-Joon and In-Su standing there, surrounded by the quiet hum of the evening.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then In-Su reached out and gently took Ha-Joon's hand, squeezing it softly.
"Thanks," Ha-Joon whispered, his voice almost a whisper. "Really."
In-Su looked at him, a small smile forming. "Anytime," he replied, feeling a warmth spread through him. "But next time, maybe less bruises, okay?"
Ha-Joon chuckled softly. "Deal."
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Joy stood before her mirror, trembling as her reflection stared back at her.
Her hand pressed desperately against her chest, as if trying to hold her shattered heart together.
The other rested on the glass, her fingers trembling. Breaths came in ragged gasps, tears streaming unchecked down her cheeks
. The words inside her mind echoed painfully—Ji-Hoo's words that felt like a punch to her soul:
"I'm getting married."
"To another woman."
"I'm marrying early."
The heartbreak was so overwhelming that her knees buckled.
With a surge of fury and despair, she grabbed a flower pot from the nearby shelf and hurled it onto the ground.
It shattered with a deafening crash, shards scattering across the floor.
"How can you get married? You're only twenty… you could have waited for me," she shouted at no one, voice cracking and trembling with anguish.
Her fists pounded against the mirror's surface, each bang a desperate cry of pain.
Suddenly, a gentle knock interrupted her chaos. The door creaked open slowly, and Ji-Hoo stepped inside, carrying a suitcase.
His eyes—bright green and full of worry—searched her face.
He looked casual, but his expression was weighted with emotion, as if carrying a silent apology.
"Joy…" he said softly, voice thick with emotion.
She froze, her tear-streaked face turning toward him. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Ji-Hoo..."
Without thinking, she hurriedly stepped forward, instinctively placing herself between him and his suitcase, as if afraid to lose him again.
Her voice was trembling but firm. "What are you doing here?"
He set down his suitcase gently, his gaze softening. "I came to say my goodbye... and I brought you this," he whispered, his hand trembling slightly as he reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a delicate locket, holding it carefully as if it were fragile. "Here…" he said quietly, offering it to her.
She hesitated but then reached out, accepting it with trembling fingers. Her heart pounding fiercely.
As she opened the locket, her breath caught. Inside was a tiny picture of both of them—smiling, carefree—frozen in a moment of happiness.
Alongside it was the flower bouquet he had once bought her, pressed between the metal. Tears blurred her vision again.
"Thanks," she choked out, voice thick with emotion.
Her trembling hands lifted the locket and draped it around her neck, feeling the weight of his love pressing against her chest.
"I'm sorry," Ji-Hoo whispered, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I have to leave now. But don't miss me too much."
He tried to smile, but his face betrayed the pain inside. His eyes glistened, and tears spilled over, tracing silent paths down his cheeks.
Joy, overwhelmed by everything, suddenly threw her arms around him in a desperate, instinctive hug.
Her body shook with sobs she couldn't contain—ugly, uncontrollable tears flowing freely.
Ji-Hoo responded instinctively, wrapping his arms around her, patting her back gently, fighting back his own tears.
"I'll be back," he whispered fiercely, cupping her face in his hands, tears falling freely now, mingling with hers. "I promise."
They stood so close, hearts pounding in unison, caught in a moment suspended in time—love, pain, hope all intertwined.
Finally, Ji-Hoo gently pulled away, his eyes lingering on hers as if to memorize every detail. His face was streaked with tears, his voice thick with emotion. "Goodbye, Joy."
He turned slowly, suitcase in hand, each step heavy with goodbye.
As he crossed the threshold, she watched him go—her knees weak, her soul aching, tears still falling—feeling the ache of love lost too soon.
She sank beside her bed, eyes fixed on the door, her body trembling as the sobs took over.
Her tears were ugly and uncontrollable—an honest expression of the heartbreak that love had brought her.
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