POV: Female Lead (Jung Ha-neul)
Min-jae was breaking, and she could see it.
She wanted to fix him.
Wanted to hold him.
Wanted to take away the pain in his eyes.
But he wouldn't let her.
And Ha-neul didn't know how much longer she could stand it.
---
Drowning in Regret
Ha-neul couldn't sleep.
She lay awake, staring at the ceiling, Min-jae's words playing over and over again in her head.
"Your father was that doctor."
It felt like a punch to the gut.
She had always admired her father. Looked up to him. Respected him.
But now…
Now, she wasn't so sure.
She needed answers.
So the next morning, she confronted him.
---
The Truth She Never Wanted to Hear
Dr. Jung looked up from his desk when she entered his office. "Ha-neul? You look pale."
She ignored his concern. "I need to ask you something."
His brows furrowed. "What is it?"
Ha-neul swallowed. "Twenty years ago… on July 18th… did you delay a heart surgery?"
Her father stiffened.
She knew, right then and there, that Min-jae had been telling the truth.
"Ha-neul, where did you hear that?"
"Did you?" she pressed.
Dr. Jung sighed. "It was a complicated situation—"
"Did you?"
A long silence.
Then, finally…
"Yes."
Ha-neul's breath hitched.
She took a step back, shaking her head. "Why? Why would you do that?"
"I thought she had more time," he said quietly. "Her condition wasn't stable, but there were other emergencies that night. I made a decision."
"A decision that killed someone," Ha-neul whispered.
Her father's eyes darkened. "I know."
He sounded… regretful.
But regret didn't change the past.
Didn't change the fact that Min-jae's mother had died because of him.
Ha-neul clenched her fists. "You should have saved her."
"I know," he repeated. "But it's too late to change that."
Ha-neul turned away.
For the first time in her life, she didn't want to see her father.
Didn't want to hear his justifications.
Didn't want to be his daughter.
She needed air.
She needed Min-jae.
---
Crossing the Line
Ha-neul found herself standing in front of Min-jae's penthouse.
She hesitated.
He wouldn't want to see her.
Not after last night.
Not after what she had just learned.
But before she could walk away, the door swung open.
Min-jae stood there, shirtless, a towel slung over his shoulder.
Clearly fresh out of the shower.
Ha-neul swallowed hard. Bad timing.
His brows furrowed. "Ha-neul?"
Her heart hammered. "I need to talk to you."
Min-jae sighed. "I told you to go home."
"I did," she said. "And then I asked my father about what happened twenty years ago."
Min-jae's expression froze.
"He admitted it, Min-jae," she whispered. "Everything you said was true."
Silence.
Then, without warning—
Min-jae laughed.
But it wasn't a happy laugh.
It was cold. Bitter.
"Congratulations, Ha-neul," he said, voice sharp. "You finally realized your father isn't a saint."
Ha-neul flinched.
She had expected anger. Expected hurt.
But this?
This was worse.
"Min-jae—"
"You should go," he cut in.
Her chest tightened.
But instead of listening, she stepped inside.
Min-jae tensed. "What are you doing?"
Ha-neul closed the door.
Locking them both inside.
"You need to let someone in," she said softly.
His jaw clenched. "And you think that someone should be you?"
She nodded.
His eyes darkened. "Ha-neul—"
"I don't care if you push me away," she interrupted. "I don't care if you hate me for what my father did. But you don't get to suffer alone."
Min-jae stared at her.
And for the first time…
She saw fear in his eyes.
Fear of letting her in.
Fear of needing her.
But Ha-neul wasn't going anywhere.
So when Min-jae's walls finally collapsed, she was there.
Catching him.
Holding him.
And that was the moment they crossed the line.