Chaewon watched Han walk,his legs were moving but everything else about him looked dead. His shoulders shook, breaths tight and uneven, like every inhale was cutting him from the inside.
Chaewon didn't even think. He ran forward and caught Han before he could collapse, letting him lean against him as they walked. Han didn't say a word. He didn't need to. His silence was already screaming.
When they reached Seungmin's room, it was empty.
Han pushed the door open so hard it slammed into the wall.
"Seungmin! Seungmin!" His voice cracked. "Where are you?"
Nothing.
Just the echo of his own desperation.
Chaewon followed him quietly—watchful, tense. He was angry at him. Maybe he hated Han a little at that time. Then he asked himself "Can love make you this much stupid. If so then maybe I doesn't love Han enough."
They went to Seokmin's room.
The door hung slightly open.
Han stepped inside—
and his heart stopped.
Seungmin was there.
Knife in one hand.
Seokmin gripping his wrist, knuckles white, holding him back from whatever insanity he was about to unleash.
Their voices were low but the tension was suffocating—thick, heavy, choking the room.
"Hyung," Seokmin whispered tightly, "I asked you so many times if you liked him. And every time you said no—that you only treated him well because Dad wanted you to. But now? This—" he nodded at the knife, "—this is mental."
Han felt something crack inside him.
Something he didn't know he still had.
"So… you never really loved me?"
The words came out so fragile.
Seungmin froze. His face didn't soften, his eyes didn't widen—but something inside him paused. Like his mind tripped for half a heartbeat. Still, his voice stayed locked behind clenched teeth.
Han stepped forward, legs trembling. He pushed Seungmin's chest weakly—barely a touch—yet it carried years of betrayal.
"Tell me. Was it only because of your dad that you dated me? Answer me!"
Seungmin's jaw tightened, the only betrayal of emotion. But he stayed silent, forcing the coldness to coat every inch of him.
Han pushed again, but this time his strength was gone. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against Seungmin's chest, tears falling like he didn't even feel them.
"Just… tell me once that you really loved me. Not for years. Just one day. One minute. One second. Just say it."
Seokmin looked away, swallowing regret. He'd opened a door he wished he could slam shut.
Finally, Seungmin spoke—cold, distant, like the person Han loved was already dead.
"Why does it matter now…? You're the one who ended it, Han."
The words were sharp, but his eyes kept flicking to Han's trembling hands, betraying a sliver of tension he couldn't hide.
Han lifted his head.
His eyes weren't sad anymore—they were burning red.
"All my life, people used me," he began, voice cracking. "That businessman took me under 'mercy' only to throw me into misery. My sister—the only person I ever had—died because of them."
His hands shook violently.
"All this time, my dad wanted to throw me at anyone who would give him a good amount of money. A good deal."
He pressed a finger to his chest.
"But with you… I believed what we had was real. I told myself maybe you were distant. Maybe you were cold. Maybe that was just who you are."
He looked up, trembling.
"But then I found out… It was about Jisoo."
Seungmin's composure split for a moment—barely a flicker, but unmistakable. His breath stuttered, and his eyes snapped to Han with a sharp, concerned tension. He tried to recover instantly, his expression going stone-flat again, but the crack was there.
The knife slipped from Seungmin's hand and hit the floor with a metallic thud.
"You think I didn't know?" As he pushed him back. Han's voice broke into a sob. "I knew about you and Jisoo. I just pretended not to. Pretended for you. Pretended for myself. He pushed him again. How dumb I am. I believed you loved me."
Then he laughed—a broken, jagged sound.
"Have you ever seen me as a person?"
Seungmin reached out, but Han shoved his hand away like it burned him.
"Han—please. Let me explain. With Jisoo—"
"Han—wait." His voice wasn't warm, but it faltered once, like the Jisoo accusation hit deeper than he wanted to admit.
"With Jisoo… it's not what you think."
He cut himself off abruptly, forcing the cold mask back into place.
"I saw the videos."
Barely a whisper.
But it cut like a blade.
Han wiped his tears aggressively, almost angrily.
"You must have enjoyed every time you made a fool out of me. What a great act it was. Trust me Seungmin. I really believed that you loved me."
"Hanni… Don't you know if I love you or not."
The nickname slipped out, unguarded. Seungmin immediately looked away, jaw clenched like he regretted letting emotion leak through
"Oh really?" Han snapped. "Then say it was a lie. Say my father never made a deal with yours to give me to you. Say it wasn't about that. Say it and I'll forget everything."
Silence.
Seungmin held Han's arms, but his hands were shaking. Han's tears soaked his skin, but he didn't let go.
"You can't say it," Han whispered. "Let me go. Leave me."
"Hanni… I love you. I really do. Please. Believe me. We'll talk when things calm down—"
"Hanni…" This time Seungmin couldn't hide the crack in his voice. He swallowed it, forcing his tone back into something cold, something disciplined.
"I DO love you. Stay. We'll talk when you're not… like this."
He sounded composed, but the control was slipping thread by thread.
Han inhaled shakily.
"And will that change anything?"
No.
Chaewon stepped forward and shoved Seungmin hard.
"Don't you dare come near him."
"It's all because of you! Everything was fine until you ruined it!"
Seungmin snapped—not in emotion, but in frustration. His coldness sharpened into something jagged.
Chaewon laughed bitterly.
"Really. So now it's my fault. As if you treated him really well. Ask yourself Is it really because of me.."
Seungmin lunged at him, punching him viciously.
Chaewon fell—weak, sick, unable to defend himself.
Seungmin got on top of him, throwing blow after blow.
Han froze.
He couldn't move.
His body wouldn't obey him.
Seokmin rushed in, yanking Seungmin off Chaewon with all his strength.
"ENOUGH, Seungmin!" Han's voice finally tore out.
Han helped Chaewon up. They turned to leave.