[Hwang's restaurant]
The restaurant was warm.
Not loud, not crowded just softly lit, wooden panels glowing under amber lights, the faint scent of grilled meat and simmered broth filling the air.
They were seated inside a private VIP room, the sliding door closed, shielding them from the rest of the restaurant.
Outside, muffled voices and clinking cutlery blended into a distant hum, but inside, it was quiet.
Too quiet.
The table was already filled.
Side dishes arranged neatly, steaming bowls placed with care, and at the center,
Cuts of Korean meat perfectly marbled, glossy, untouched.
Taekyun sat facing them.
Haneul and Haru sat across from him, close together.
Haru was enjoying herself fully.
Her legs barely reached the chair, swinging slightly as she ate with focus, cheeks puffing cutely with every bite.
Haneul ate too, but slowly
One bite for himself, then another carefully lifted toward Haru's mouth.
"Ah,"
He murmured softly.
Haru opened her mouth obediently, chewing happily, eyes bright.
Across from them,
Taekyun held his chopsticks.
They hovered above his plate for a long moment before he took a bite.
Then another, much later.
The space between each movement was too long, as if he kept forgetting the food was there.
Haneul noticed.
He noticed the stillness in Taekyun's shoulders, the way his gaze stayed unfocused, how his hand paused mid-air more than once.
But he didn't say anything.
Haru suddenly grabbed her spoon from the table, shaking her head firmly when Haneul tried to feed her again.
She pushed the spoon gently away, then lifted it toward her own mouth, determination written all over her small face.
Her actions made it clear that she wanted to eat by herself.
Haneul chuckled softly.
"Okay,"
He said.
"Eat this last bite, then you eat by yourself."
Haru nodded seriously and accepted one final bite before proudly taking over, spoon clinking against the bowl.
Haneul stood up slightly from his seat and reached toward the center of the table.
He carefully picked up a slice of Hanwoo ribeye, [Korean beef dishes perfectly grilled]
He placed it gently onto Taekyun's plate.
Taekyun looked up.
"I thought you couldn't reach this dish," Haneul said quietly, almost hesitant.
Taekyun stared at the meat for a second, then nodded.
"It's okay. You eat."
Haneul didn't move.
He watched Taekyun for a moment longer before asking, voice low, cautious.
"Is everything okay?"
Taekyun met his eyes.
Nodded.
"Yes."
But the answer didn't reach Haneul's heart.
He sat back down, fingers curling slightly in his lap, his thoughts spiraling.
Was it wrong?
Was it a mistake bringing Haru to his office?
Is he angry?
Did we cause him trouble?
The image of Taekyun standing in that stiff office came back to him.
He was meeting someone that man named Jackson.
Maybe it was important.
Haneul lowered his gaze, chewing slowly now, appetite fading.
Taekyun watched him from across the table.
After a moment, he spoke again.
"In your world,"
He asked calmly,
"is everything really similar?"
Haneul looked up, surprised by the sudden question.
He nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"The food, the places even when I came to your world"
Haneul continued, voice quiet,
"I couldn't tell the difference at first."
Taekyun's eyes sharpened slightly.
"Then how did you know,"
He asked,
"that you weren't in your world?"
Haneul paused.
"The people,"
He said simply.
"They're not the same."
Taekyun's eyes narrowed.
"I don't mean that badly,"
Haneul added quickly.
"I know there are many good people here."
He hesitated, choosing his words carefully.
"But here I don't understand anyone.
They change within a second.
I can't study them."
His fingers tightened around his chopsticks.
"Sometimes they're too kind,"
He went on.
"Sometimes they change suddenly, like we never knew each other
Or like they hate me."
Taekyun's jaw tightened.
"Who,"
He asked, voice sharp.
Haneul answered without hesitation, without fear like someone speaking to a person they trusted completely.
"That old lady,"
He said softly.
"She helped me at first.
I thought she was kind.
She gave me food, shelter."
His eyes lowered.
"But after some days
She started hating me.
I don't know why."
Taekyun's grip tightened.
"Lihan helps me a lot,"
Haneul continued.
"But I feel scared of him."
Taekyun looked up instantly.
"He won't do anything to you."
"I know,"
Haneul said.
"But when he looks at me
When he touches me
it feels weird."
Silence fell between them.
"And me?"
Taekyun asked suddenly.
Haneul looked at him, confused for a second.
"I don't feel scared of you,"
He said honestly.
"I don't know why, but you're too much for me.
I don't feel scared at all.
I'm not worried you'll hurt me."
Something shattered inside Taekyun.
Heat surged through his veins.
Why is he trusting me like this?
Why is he this foolish?
"What if I'm the same?"
Taekyun said quietly.
"What if I'm also pretending?"
Haneul smiled.
Not mocking. Not doubtful.
Just innocent.
"You can't,"
He said.
"But even if you did
I know you'd have your own reason."
Taekyun's limbs went stiff.
How can he trust someone this blindly?
"Others might have their reasons too," Taekyun said harshly.
"I know,"
Haneul replied gently.
"But I know you won't hurt me."
The pressure inside Taekyun's chest grew heavier.
"Don't you want to go back,"
He asked suddenly,
"to your world?"
Haru froze.
She had been eating quietly, listening.
Now her spoon paused mid-air.
She kept chewing, but her movements slowed, each swallow heavy like a stone lodged in her throat.
Haneul didn't notice at first.
"I don't want to,"
He said softly.
A tear fell.
It landed on the polished brown wooden table with a quiet sound.
Taekyun's eyes drifted to Haru.
"Haru"
Haneul followed his gaze.
He saw it.
Tears rolling down her cheeks, silent, controlled like an adult trying not to cry.
"Haru,"
Haneul whispered.
He stood up instantly and pulled her into his arms.
She clutched him tightly and broke down.
Taekyun stood frozen.
What is this
Why did she look older than him in that moment?
She had heard everything.
Held it all inside just like he used to.
But she was soft.
Too soft.
He never wanted her to become like him.
Was this a mirror?
Pain tore through his chest.
"Haru, it's okay,"
Haneul whispered desperately, holding her close.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm here."
He lifted her gently, guiding her back to the seat, grabbed a glass of water.
"Dad was just asking,"
He soothed.
"He didn't mean it. Drink slowly."
Haru took a small sip.
Her voice came out trembling.
"Umma, 가지 마."
(Don't go.)
Taekyun moved without thinking.
He took her into his arms.
She clutched his collar tightly.
"Abba, umma,가지 마.
Don't go."
Taekyun held her firmly.
"He's not going anywhere,"
Taekyun said hoarsely.
"Not going. I just asked."
Inside,
He cursed himself relentlessly.
Why did I say it?
Why did I ask?
Haneul watched him quietly.
There was no anger in his eyes.
No pain.
Only understanding.
As if he held both of them already.
When Haru finally calmed down,
Taekyun kept her beside him and fed her himself for the rest of the meal.
Bite by bite. Slowly.
Carefully.
He kept placing food onto Haneul's plate too.
"Eat,"
He said.
"It's okay,"
Haneul replied softly.
"You eat. I'm fine."
But Taekyun couldn't stop.
What he had seen terrified him.
The only thought echoing in his mind
I have never been stuck in my life like this.
To the point where my mind stops processing.