POV: Male Lead (Ahn Min-jae)
Min-jae lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His fingers hovered over his lips, still feeling the ghost of Ha-neul's kiss from the night before.
It should have made him feel alive.
Instead, it terrified him.
What if she regretted it?
What if she left when things got worse?
Because they would get worse.
His heart was a ticking time bomb, and he refused to let Ha-neul suffer when it finally exploded.
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A Sudden Collapse
The next morning, Min-jae walked into his office, determined to act like nothing had changed.
He barely made it past his desk when his vision blurred.
A sharp pain shot through his chest. His breath hitched. The walls of his office seemed to close in.
Then—darkness.
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Ha-neul's Desperation
POV: Female Lead (Jung Ha-neul)
Ha-neul's hands trembled as she read the emergency text from the hospital.
Min-jae had collapsed.
Her heart pounded as she ran through the hallways, pushing past nurses and doctors until she reached his room.
The sight nearly broke her.
Min-jae lay on the hospital bed, his face pale, an oxygen mask over his mouth. The constant beep, beep, beep of the heart monitor sent chills down her spine.
"You idiot," she whispered, gripping his hand tightly. "Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?"
She had known about his condition, but seeing him like this—so fragile, so helpless—made her realize how much he had hidden from her.
Tears blurred her vision. "You don't get to push me away now, Min-jae."
Her grip tightened. "You hear me? You don't get to leave me."
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A Moment of Weakness
POV: Male Lead (Ahn Min-jae)
Min-jae woke up hours later to the sound of soft breathing.
He turned his head slightly—and his chest ached at the sight.
Ha-neul had fallen asleep, her head resting on the edge of his bed, her hand still wrapped around his.
Tears stained her cheeks.
She had cried for him.
Min-jae swallowed, guilt pressing down on him.
She should not be here.
She deserved someone healthy. Someone who wouldn't leave her in pain.
But when she stirred and her tired eyes met his, he couldn't say it.
"Min-jae…" Her voice was barely a whisper.
His throat tightened. "You should go home."
She shook her head. "No."
He sighed. "Ha-neul—"
"Stop." She sat up, her expression fierce. "I'm not leaving you."
Something inside Min-jae cracked.
For the first time in his life, someone was fighting for him.
And despite everything—his fears, his condition, his doubts—he didn't have the strength to fight back.
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