The moment Mr. Choi left, silence swallowed the hall.
Jisoo ran. He didn't think. Didn't stop to breathe. Every step felt heavier than the last.
Seungmin was standing near the staircase when Jisoo reached him. He looked exhausted, pale.
Then suddenly, his balance slipped. Jisoo caught him before he could fall. For a brief moment, neither moved.
Neither pulled away.
Jisoo guided him upstairs without a word. He helped him sit on the edge of the bed before dropping to his knees in front of him.
His hands were shaking. Slowly, he rested his forehead against Seungmin's lap.
"Seungmin..."
His voice cracked.
"You know I love you. So how could you say that?"
His fingers tightened around Seungmin's sleeve.
"How could you tell me you've moved on as if none of it mattered?"
His breathing became uneven.
"Do you know what it's like watching you every day?"
A bitter laugh escaped him.
"Pretending I'm okay while you're standing beside someone else."
Still nothing. Only silence. The silence hurt more than any answer.
Finally, Seungmin spoke.
Quietly.
"You're not the only one suffering."
Jisoo froze. His head lifted instantly. Hope appeared in his eyes so quickly it almost looked painful.
"Then forgive me."
The words came out desperately.
"Just this once."
His eyes filled with tears.
"I'll never hurt you again. I swear."
Seungmin looked at him. His expression barely changed.
"If I hadn't forgiven you, you wouldn't be here."
Jisoo's heart tightened.
"No."
He shook his head.
"Not like that. Come with me. Let's run away."
The words spilled out faster now.
"We have enough money. We can disappear somewhere. Open a small shop. Live normally."
For a moment, Seungmin simply stared at him.
Then—
"What about your mother and sister?"
"They'll be fine. Jaehan can take care of them." He answered quickly.
Seungmin looked away.
"Life doesn't work like that."
Jisoo moved closer.
"What is actually stopping you?"
No answer.
"Do you not trust me?"
Still nothing.
"I know I betrayed you."
His voice broke.
"But please trust me one more time. Everyone deserves a second chance, why not me."
Seungmin lowered his eyes. But when he finally spoke, his voice sounded tired.
"Trust isn't the problem."
Jisoo's chest tightened. "Then what is?"
"I have a brother."
Jisoo blinked. "We can take him with us."
A faint smile touched Seungmin's lips. Gone almost instantly. "You make everything sound easy."
His gaze drifted toward the window.
"If I leave..."
He stopped. The rest seemed difficult to say.
Finally—
"He'll be left behind."
The room fell silent. Jisoo could hear his own heartbeat. "Then let me stay with you."
Seungmin's jaw tightened.
"No."
"Why?" Jisoo pleaded.
"No."
The answer came firmer this time. Jisoo laughed weakly through tears. "Are you afraid of your father? We can hide it. Jaehan will help us this time. I'll stay beside you no matter what happens."
Seungmin closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, something inside them had become colder.
"I don't want this anymore."
The words landed like a knife. Jisoo stared at him. As if he physically couldn't understand what he had heard.
Then quietly—
"Do you like Han?"
Seungmin didn't answer. Jisoo laughed again.
His heart was broken and he was sitting down being pathetic.
"Just answer me."
His voice shook.
"If you say yes..."
He swallowed hard.
"I'll stop."
The room became unbearably still. Seungmin looked away. His fingers slowly curled into a fist.
A muscle in his jaw twitched. Seconds passed.
Then more.
Finally—
"Yes."
Jisoo lowered his head. Something inside him shattered. But he still wasn't ready to let go.
Not yet.
Slowly, he looked back up. Tears covered his face.
"Then look at me."
His voice was barely audible.
"Look into my eyes and tell me you don't love me anymore."
Seungmin froze. The room fell silent again. He looked at Jisoo. Really looked at him. For the first time since the conversation started. His eyes remained there for several seconds. Too long.
Long enough for Jisoo to see something.
Pain.
Regret.
Something unfinished.
Then Seungmin looked away first. His throat moved. As if he wanted to say something. Nothing came out. The silence stretched. Jisoo waited desperately. Waiting for anything.
A reason.
A lie.
Hope.
Instead, Seungmin stood. He reached down and pulled Jisoo to his feet. Not gently. Not harshly.
Carefully. He didn't want to hurt him. Holding his hand he guided him toward the door.
Jisoo followed without resisting. At the doorway, Seungmin stopped. Neither spoke. The air felt suffocating.
Finally—
"Jisoo."
Jisoo looked up immediately.
Hope. Still there. Still refusing to die.
Seungmin stared at him. His eyes were red. But his face remained expressionless. The way it always did. A few seconds passed.
Then ten.
Then more.
It looked as if he was fighting with himself. As if saying the words hurt. But not saying them hurt too. Finally, he forced them out.
Slowly.
Clearly.
"I don't love you anymore."
For a second, Jisoo forgot how to breathe. Seungmin opened the door. His hand lingered on the handle. Just for a moment. Then he gently pushed Jisoo outside. The door closed.
A soft click echoed through the hallway. Jisoo stood there motionless.Staring at the door.
And inside the room, hidden from sight, Seungmin remained standing in the exact same place.
His hand is still resting on the handle. His eyes closed. Not moving. As if opening that door again was the one thing he wanted to do. And the one thing he couldn't allow himself to do.