POV: Female Lead (Jung Ha-neul)
Min-jae was so close.
Close enough that she could feel his breath.
Close enough that she could see the storm raging in his eyes.
He wasn't saying anything.
But Ha-neul could hear it—
The silent plea.
The hesitation.
The fear.
---
Breaking the Distance
Neither of them spoke.
The air between them crackled, heavy with emotions neither of them dared to name.
Then—
Min-jae moved.
Not away.
Closer.
His fingers brushed against her wrist.
Ha-neul's breath hitched.
Her body tensed.
Not because she was afraid.
But because she knew—
If she let him in now, there was no turning back.
And yet…
She didn't stop him.
Didn't pull away when his hand traveled up her arm, his touch featherlight.
Didn't protest when he cupped her cheek, his thumb grazing her skin.
Didn't even breathe when he whispered—
"I don't want to feel this way."
Her chest tightened. "Then don't."
Min-jae let out a bitter chuckle. "Easier said than done."
His voice was raw. Broken.
He was breaking, right in front of her.
And Ha-neul refused to let him break alone.
So she did the only thing she could.
She leaned in.
And kissed him.
---
A Kiss That Meant Too Much
The second their lips met, Ha-neul felt it—
A jolt of electricity.
A shift in the air.
A breaking of every wall he had ever built.
Min-jae froze.
For a moment, she thought he would push her away.
But then—
His hand gripped her waist.
And he kissed her back.
Hard.
Desperate.
Like a man drowning, clinging to the only thing keeping him afloat.
Her.
Ha-neul's fingers tangled in his hair.
Min-jae's body pressed against hers, backing her into the wall.
Heat coiled in her stomach.
She had never—
Never—
Felt something this intense before.
It wasn't just a kiss.
It was everything.
His anger.
His pain.
His fear of losing her before he even had her.
And it was terrifying.
Because Ha-neul knew…
If she let herself love him, she would never be able to stop.
---
Pulling Away
The kiss lasted forever.
And yet, not long enough.
Min-jae was the first to pull away.
His breathing was ragged, his forehead resting against hers.
Neither of them spoke.
They couldn't.
Because what just happened…
Meant too much.
And it terrified them both.
---
The Regret That Followed
Min-jae stepped back, running a hand through his hair.
He looked—
Conflicted.
Like he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.
Ha-neul felt her stomach drop.
"Min-jae?"
His jaw clenched. "This shouldn't have happened."
A sharp sting of pain shot through her chest.
"But it did."
His gaze met hers. "I told you to stay away from me."
"And I told you I wouldn't."
Min-jae let out a harsh breath, turning away.
"This won't end well, Ha-neul."
She took a step forward. "Then let's not think about the end."
Min-jae's lips parted, but no words came out.
Because he knew—
They had already crossed the line.
And there was no going back.
---