The relentless rain hammered the windowpane like a violent drum, its cold rhythm matching the turmoil inside Ra-hee's chest. She sat alone in the dim glow of her cramped apartment, shadows from the flickering streetlights outside dancing across the peeling wallpaper. Her fingers trembled as they hovered over her phone screen, where a message from Jae-hyun glared back: "We need to talk. Now." Three simple words that twisted her insides like a knife.
Her heart screamed to ignore it, to protect herself by retreating into the safety of silence. But beneath the fear, a fragile hope flickered—a hope that somewhere beneath the brutal façade of the mafia boss was a man who might still care.
The door creaked open, and there he was—Jae-hyun—his silhouette cut from shadows and rain. His black hair plastered to his forehead, his face marked with fresh bruises and cuts. The powerful, untouchable man she had come to both fear and desire now looked painfully vulnerable.
Ra-hee rose, her voice barely above a whisper, "You're hurt…"
He brushed past her, trying to shrug off her concern, but the stiffness in his movements betrayed him. "It's nothing. I'm fine."
But Ra-hee wasn't fooled. She reached out, pressing her palm against the bruises blossoming on his cheek. The skin was warm but tender, raw from the violence he barely acknowledged.
"You should see a doctor," she insisted, her tone sharper than she intended.
Jae-hyun met her gaze, dark and smoldering. "And let them ask questions? I don't have the luxury."
Frustration and fear twisted inside her. "You don't have to do this alone."
He laughed, but it was hollow, bitter. "You don't understand. This world isn't made for people like you."
Her heart clenched. "No, maybe it's not. But I'm not leaving. Not now. Not ever."
For a heartbeat, the harshness faded, replaced by something fragile and real. They stood inches apart—breath mingling, the rain outside a distant thunder.
Then the weight of everything pressed down.
Ra-hee swallowed hard. "Why did you disappear? Why didn't you contact me when you got hurt?"
Jae-hyun's jaw tightened. "Because if they knew where I was… they'd come for you."
A wave of fear crashed through her, but it was quickly replaced by anger. "You made your choices without me. I'm not some possession to protect."
He took a slow, deliberate step closer. "I'm trying to keep you safe."
"And you lied to me," she said, tears pricking her eyes. "I trusted you. I believed in you."
He looked away, the first crack in his armor showing. "I didn't want to drag you into this nightmare."
Ra-hee's voice was steady but fierce. "I'm already in it. I'm not afraid anymore. I want to know everything—the truth, no matter how dark."
Jae-hyun's eyes softened, haunted. "My world… it's built on blood and broken promises. If you stay, you'll lose more than you realize."
She met his gaze, unwavering. "Then I'll fight to keep what's left."
Silence fell heavy between them, the weight of unspoken fears and desperate hopes filling the room.
Jae-hyun reached out, his fingers trembling as they brushed a tear from her cheek. "You're the only light I've ever seen in all this darkness."
Ra-hee swallowed the lump in her throat. "And you're the first man who's ever made me want to stay."
They clung to each other as the storm outside raged on—two souls battered but unbroken, ready to face whatever hell awaited them… together.
To Be Continued...