POV: Female Lead (Ha-neul
The night was silent.
Too silent.
Ha-neul stirred awake, feeling the warmth beside her. Min-jae's breathing was uneven.
A nightmare.
She sat up, gently shaking his shoulder.
"Min-jae," she whispered.
He jolted awake, eyes wild and unfocused. His body was trembling.
"Min-jae, it's me," she said softly.
His gaze locked onto hers.
The fear in his eyes sent chills through her.
"It was just a dream," she reassured him.
But he wasn't looking at her anymore.
His eyes flickered to the scar on his chest.
His past was still chasing him.
---
The next morning, Ha-neul found him standing by the window, lost in thought.
She approached carefully.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Min-jae didn't look at her.
"It was my father," he said finally.
Her chest tightened.
"He was standing over me," he continued. "Like he did years ago."
Ha-neul swallowed hard.
"What did he do to you?" she asked gently.
Min-jae exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
"He never wanted me," he admitted. "I was just… a mistake to him. A burden."
Her heart ached.
"But you built everything yourself," she said. "You're not a mistake, Min-jae."
His jaw clenched.
"My father never saw it that way."
Ha-neul reached for his hand.
"You don't have to prove anything to him," she whispered.
Min-jae finally looked at her.
For the first time, she saw something fragile in his gaze.
Something he had never let anyone see.
She tightened her grip.
"I'm here," she said. "Always."
His fingers curled around hers.
And for the first time in a long time, Min-jae let someone hold him together.
---