The Beginning of His Fall and Rise
"You are reckless," his father said — voice quiet, but sharp enough to cut through the room. "But... if you insist... then do it. Just remember this, Hyun — every step you take carries our name. Fail, and there will be no one to catch you but yourself."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Min Hyun bowed slightly, the flicker of defiance in his eyes softened by respect.
"I understand, Father. I will carry it carefully. And I will return stronger — wiser — worthy of everything we've built... and of Soojin."
Mr. Min said nothing, only turned away. Yet, the moment Hyun left the room, he quietly ordered his men to keep watch. He wouldn't interfere, but he would know — every move, every mistake, every triumph.
The park that evening was quiet.
Orange light spilled through the trees, brushing gold over the old fountain — the same place where Hyun and Soojin had first met. But today, it felt heavier.
Soojin sat beside him, her fingers fidgeting with the bracelet he'd given her years ago. "Three years apart..." she whispered, voice trembling. "It feels like forever. What if we change? What if you come back and we're not the same?"
Hyun reached for her hand, holding it tight. "Soojin, life's going to test us. But this—" he lifted their joined hands "—this isn't about distance. It's about growth. We can't build a future if we never stand on our own."
Tears glimmered in her eyes. "And if someone else walks into your life? Or mine?"
Hyun's voice softened. "Then life will decide. But I'll think of you every day. Pray for you. Work until I'm worthy of you — of the life we dream of. That's the only promise I can make."
Soojin smiled faintly through tears. "Then I'll do the same. I'll fight through every challenge and carry you with me — in thought, in prayer."
He pulled her closer, resting his chin on her head. "This isn't the end, Soojin. It's our test."
They sat there in silence, the city lights blinking awake around them, both knowing this was their hardest goodbye yet.
When Hyun finally stood, his eyes burned with quiet fire. "I'll write letters in my thoughts if not on paper. I'll grow. I'll come back stronger — and together, we'll finish what we started."
Soojin's voice cracked softly. "Then go, Hyun. Make yourself worthy. I'll be waiting."
One last embrace. One last heartbeat shared. Then he turned away, stepping into the night that would shape everything to come.
Later that night, Hyun's room was silent except for the scratch of his pen.
On the desk lay a letter addressed to his parents.
Father, Mother,
I'm leaving to prove myself. I know this decision may anger or worry you, but I need to grow on my own — without the shadow of our name. You've given me comfort and opportunity, but I can't depend on privilege forever.
I must learn what struggle means. I must earn my success with my own hands. Only then can I return worthy of your pride — and of Soojin.
Please don't see this as rebellion, but as my promise to live by your teachings: honor, responsibility, and perseverance.
I will carry your lessons wherever I go. And I will return — stronger, wiser, and ready to stand beside you again.
With love,
Hyun
He folded the letter neatly, placed it on the desk, and exhaled. His eyes drifted to the window — the city below glowing faintly like a thousand tiny dreams waiting for him.
By dawn, he was gone.
He carried only what mattered — a few clothes, his journal, and a handful of expensive watches and jewelry he could sell if needed. Each item was a bridge between his old life and his new beginning.
His first stop was Jihoon's apartment. Jihoon, back from abroad, smirked the moment he opened the door. "So, the prince finally left the castle, huh?"
"Not a prince anymore," Hyun said quietly, dropping the bag on the floor. "Just a man trying to start over."
The two spent hours sorting through the valuables. "Sell them too fast, you'll lose value," Jihoon warned.
"I know," Hyun replied. "I'll take it slow. Every sale means something."
And so he did. Over the next few days, Hyun visited pawnshops and private collectors, careful with every transaction. Each sale felt like shedding another layer of privilege — painful, but freeing.
He opened his first bank account under his own name. The balance wasn't huge, but it was his.
With Jihoon's help, he rented a small apartment — just a single room with sunlight leaking through a cracked window. It wasn't luxury, but it was independence.
That night, Hyun sat on the floor surrounded by boxes. He looked at Soojin's photo on his phone and smiled faintly. "I'll make it, Soojin. For both of us."
A month later, he took another step forward — joining Soojin's father's company.
He started as a trainee, unnoticed, unrecognized. Some whispered when they caught his last name, but he said nothing. He didn't want favors. He wanted to earn every inch of respect.
The days were long, the work hard, but the feeling of becoming someone on his own filled him with quiet pride.
Still, some nights, as he walked home through the dim streets, a flicker of unease followed him — the sense of being watched. Maybe it was just exhaustion... or maybe his father's quiet protection. He didn't check. He didn't want to know.
He just kept walking, the sound of his footsteps echoing softly against the concrete.
Each step carried him further from the boy he was — and closer to the man he was determined to become.
And though life finally seemed calm, Hyun couldn't shake the feeling that this peace was just the silence before something bigger.
✨ His journey had only just begun.