— Ah, Park Salin, I've heard about you. Congratulations on your engagement. — Bang's voice was tired, but a small smile escaped him.
— Thank you… I noticed that you're… going through something difficult. Jun-ho went through it too. If you need to talk, I'm here.
Bang sighed, averting his gaze, hesitant. But the kindness in Salin's words seemed to find cracks in the walls he had built around himself.
— Jun-ho went through this too? How did he get through it? — he asked. — Half of my group betrayed me. — he admitted, his voice trembling slightly. — I was trying to keep things under control, you know? Those traitors were like brothers to me. I trusted them, and now… this wasn't just betrayal. It was humiliation.
Salin moved closer, pulling out a chair and sitting beside Bang.
— That must have been devastating. I still don't fully understand the world you live in, but I know what it's like to lose something. I felt powerless. I didn't know what to do.
