POV: Male Lead (Ahn Min-jae)
Min-jae sat in his office, staring at the medical reports in front of him. His heartbeat was steady, but inside, a storm was raging.
He had avoided this moment for too long.
Now, there was no escape.
Ha-neul deserved the truth.
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A Late-Night Call
That night, when the hospital halls were quieter and the world outside seemed frozen in time, Min-jae finally picked up his phone.
He hesitated for a moment, then dialed her number.
Ha-neul answered on the third ring. "What do you want, Min-jae?"
Her voice was cold, distant.
Min-jae exhaled. "Meet me at the rooftop."
A pause. Then, "Why?"
"Because there's something you need to know."
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Under the City Lights
Fifteen minutes later, Ha-neul stepped onto the hospital rooftop. The city lights stretched endlessly before her, but all she saw was him.
Min-jae stood by the railing, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.
"You wanted to talk?" she said, arms crossed.
He turned, his gaze locking onto hers. "Yes."
Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"I have a heart condition."
Ha-neul's breath hitched.
"What?"
Min-jae clenched his fists. "It's genetic. My mother had the same condition. She… she died from it."
For a moment, Ha-neul couldn't breathe.
She had always wondered why he was so distant, why he pushed people away. Now, it all made sense.
"Min-jae…" she whispered.
"I didn't want you to know," he continued. "Because once you did, you'd look at me differently. And I—" His voice faltered. "I didn't want your pity."
Ha-neul took a step closer. "You think I'd pity you?"
He finally met her gaze. "Wouldn't you?"
She shook her head. "No. I'd fight for you."
Min-jae's breath caught. He hadn't expected that.
Ha-neul reached for his hand, her fingers tightening around his. "You don't have to do this alone, Min-jae."
His heart ached—not from his condition, but from the way she looked at him.
Like he was worth saving.
Like she wouldn't let him go.
And for the first time in years, he let himself believe it.
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