POV: Male Lead (Min-jae)
Min-jae felt like he was drowning.
The weight of the truth crushed him from all sides.
Ha-neul's father had let his mother die.
And now… his heart was beating inside Min-jae's chest.
It was a cruel twist of fate.
And the worst part? He loved Ha-neul.
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A Distance Between Them
The next morning, Ha-neul greeted him with a bright smile.
"Good morning," she said softly, leaning up to kiss him.
Min-jae flinched.
It was small, barely noticeable. But she felt it.
She pulled back, her smile fading. "Min-jae…?"
His hands curled into fists.
He couldn't look at her.
"How can I touch her… when her father is the reason my mother died?"
"Nothing," he muttered, turning away. "I have a lot of work today."
He didn't see the way her face fell.
He didn't see the hurt in her eyes.
Because if he had, his heart—**no, her father's heart—**would have shattered even more.
---
Drowning in the Past
Min-jae locked himself in his office.
He buried himself in work, in distractions—anything to keep his mind away from her.
But it didn't work.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her father's face.
Every time his heart beat, he felt the weight of his mother's death.
He had spent his entire life hating that man.
And now… that man was a part of him.
It was unbearable.
"Min-jae… please protect her."
The voice whispered again.
Min-jae slammed his fist on the desk.
"Shut up," he growled. "Just shut up!"
But the voice never left.
Because deep down, he knew the truth.
No matter how much he hated Ha-neul's father…
He could never hate Ha-neul.
---
A Love Hanging by a Thread
That night, Ha-neul tried again.
She reached for his hand during dinner. He pulled away.
She tried to talk to him. He gave short replies.
By the time they were in bed, the distance between them felt like an ocean.
Finally, Ha-neul had enough.
"Min-jae," she whispered. "What's wrong?"
He stayed silent.
She placed a hand on his chest, over his heart. "Is it your condition? Are you in pain?"
He closed his eyes.
Yes. But not in the way you think.
"Please," she begged. "Talk to me."
Min-jae took a deep breath.
And then—
He made a decision.
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