POV: Female Lead (Jung Ha-neul)
Three days.
It had been three days since Min-jae walked away. Three days since his cryptic phone call, his refusal to explain. Three days of silence.
Ha-neul told herself she wouldn't wait for him. That she wouldn't waste her time wondering why he left or when—if—he would come back.
But her heart betrayed her.
Every time her phone buzzed, she hoped it was him. Every time she saw someone in a suit, she imagined it was him walking toward her.
But he never did.
Instead, he had vanished.
And the pain of that realization settled deep in her chest.
---
A Forced Encounter
On the fourth day, Ha-neul had no choice but to face him.
She arrived at the hospital, her hands tightening around her clipboard as she walked through the halls. Her shift had just started, and the air was filled with the usual bustle—doctors moving between patients, nurses checking charts, the scent of antiseptic lingering in the air.
She focused on her work, ignoring the ache inside her.
But as she turned the corner, she froze.
Min-jae was there.
He stood near the entrance of his private room, speaking quietly to a doctor. His posture was stiff, his expression unreadable. But when he lifted his gaze and saw her, something flickered in his eyes.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then, as if deciding something, he turned away.
Ha-neul's stomach twisted. He was avoiding her.
Anger surged through her veins, drowning out the hurt. She refused to let him act like nothing had happened.
Without thinking, she marched toward him.
"Min-jae," she called.
He stiffened but didn't turn around. The doctor beside him hesitated, sensing the tension.
"Give us a moment," Min-jae said, his voice quiet. The doctor nodded and walked away.
Now, it was just the two of them.
Alone.
Ha-neul exhaled sharply. "Are you seriously going to pretend I don't exist?"
Min-jae finally turned, his expression blank. "It's better this way."
"Better?" She let out a humorless laugh. "How is this better, Min-jae? You kissed me. Then you disappeared. And now, what? You're going to act like it meant nothing?"
He clenched his jaw. "It was a mistake."
The words hit her like a punch to the gut.
A mistake.
Everything inside her went cold.
"Wow," she whispered, blinking back the sting in her eyes. "That's really all you have to say?"
He didn't respond.
The silence stretched between them, suffocating.
"Fine," Ha-neul said, straightening her shoulders. "If that's how you feel, I won't waste my time."
She turned to walk away, but before she could take a step, his fingers wrapped around her wrist.
"Wait."
Her heart skipped. But she forced herself to stay strong.
"What?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Min-jae hesitated, his grip tightening for a second—before he slowly let go. "I—" He swallowed hard. "I'm sorry."
It wasn't enough.
Not even close.
But for now, it was all he could give.
And that hurt more than anything.
---
Min-jae's Secret
POV: Male Lead (Ahn Min-jae)
Min-jae watched Ha-neul walk away, his chest tightening with something he couldn't name—or maybe, something he refused to name.
He knew he had hurt her.
But it was better this way.
At least, that's what he told himself.
Because if she knew the truth… she would hate him.
She would never look at him the same way again.
Min-jae turned toward the window, staring at his own reflection. His own guilt.
It was time.
He had to tell her.
Even if it meant losing her forever.
---