Ren walked through the quiet office floor, the corridors unusually empty. The hum of the air conditioner and the faint tapping of a distant keyboard were the only sounds, but they seemed louder than usual, almost oppressive. His hands trembled slightly as he carried the envelope—a resignation letter he had drafted late last night, long after he'd cried himself into exhaustion. Every word inside had been carefully chosen, every sentence a farewell that felt both necessary and terrifying.
He had rehearsed this moment in his head countless times, imagining Kai's reaction from disbelief to anger, maybe even silence. Ren had convinced himself that leaving was the only way to protect his heart, to stop the endless spiral of jealousy, exhaustion, and pain. He didn't want to hurt Kai anymore, and he couldn't keep hurting himself either.
Kai's office was the last stop. Ren had lingered just outside the door for a long moment, staring at the polished glass window that reflected the faint city lights creeping through the blinds. He could see Kai sitting at his desk, leaning over his keyboard, hair slightly messy, and shoulders tense. The sight made his chest ache, and a pang of guilt sliced through him—he hated that even now, he still wanted to run to Kai instead of away.
Taking a deep breath, Ren straightened his back and started forward. His steps were slow, hesitant, deliberate, trying to gather courage with every step. He had his hand on the door handle when something stopped him—movement from the corner of his eye.
Kai.
Kai was looking up, his gaze landing directly on Ren through the window as if he'd been waiting for this moment. And then, recognition hit him. His eyes widened, and the subtle frown he wore instantly deepened into something else: worry, panic, and disbelief all mixed together.
"Ren!" Kai called, voice rising in a way that made Ren flinch.
Ren froze, one hand still on the envelope, heart hammering. He didn't move.
Kai's feet were already moving, and within seconds, he was across the room, sliding the door open and closing the distance between them in long, determined strides. "Ren, wait—don't—please, don't leave," he said, voice cracking.
Ren felt something inside him splinter. He wanted to say that it wasn't about leaving him personally, it was about protecting himself. He wanted to explain, to reason, to force Kai to understand the exhaustion, the jealousy, the fear. But the words lodged in his throat. Instead, he felt himself melt slightly at the sight of Kai standing in front of him, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Without thinking, Kai wrapped him in his arms. The hug was fierce and desperate, but grounding—holding onto everything that mattered. Ren stiffened for a heartbeat, the envelope pressing against his chest, but then he leaned into Kai, feeling the warmth, the steady heartbeat, the undeniable reality of this person who had claimed so much of his heart.
"I can't lose you," Kai whispered into his hair. "Not like this, not ever. Please… please don't leave me, Ren. You don't understand—I can't… I won't survive without you here."
Ren's knees felt weak, and he almost dropped the envelope. He pulled back slightly, just enough to look at Kai's face, and saw the raw, unguarded emotion there. Not controlled. Not polished. Not the CEO everyone feared or admired. Just Kai—vulnerable, trembling, human.
"I… I can't—" Ren began, voice low.
"You don't have to explain," Kai said, cutting him off gently but firmly. He cupped Ren's face with both hands, thumb brushing over his cheek. "I know. I know you've been hurting. I see it. And I hate myself for making you feel like you had to leave. Please… let me fix this. Let me make it right."
Ren's chest felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the ache so deep it hurt to breathe. But the desperation in Kai's eyes, the softness behind the firm lines of his jaw, the way he clung to Ren as if letting go would break him—Ren realized he couldn't leave. Not now. Not ever.
He let out a shaky breath. "I… I just… I don't know how to keep doing this. I can't keep feeling second… or jealous… or exhausted all the time."
Kai's fingers tightened slightly against his jaw. "You're not second to anything. Not Jun. Not work. Not anyone. You're the one I care about. The only one. I should have been better at showing it. I should have stopped making you feel less than you are every day."
Ren blinked, tears threatening to spill again. "And… you weren't. I just… I didn't know how to handle it anymore."
Kai's lips quivered as he leaned closer. "Then let me handle it now. Let me handle you. Let me… let me prove that you're the only one I want. That this… us… it's worth fighting for. I can't promise life will be easy, Ren. I can't promise no mistakes. But I can promise I won't give up on you."
Ren swallowed hard, the tight knot in his chest slowly loosening as Kai's words wrapped around him like a shield. He let out a shaky laugh, a mixture of relief and disbelief. "You… really mean that?"
Kai's eyes softened, glossy and unflinching. "Every word. And I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt it again."
Ren's hand found Kai's, fingers lacing together instinctively. He felt the warmth, the familiar strength, and the safety he had craved for months. "I… I believe you."
Kai pulled him closer again, forehead resting against Ren's. "Then stay. Don't leave me again, Ren. Please. Not ever."
Ren exhaled slowly, letting the tension leave him. "I won't. I… I'm not going anywhere."
For a long moment, they just held each other, neither speaking, neither moving. The office around them faded until the only thing that existed was Kai's heartbeat against Ren's chest and the steady rhythm of their breaths intertwining.
Finally, Kai pulled back slightly, just enough to look into Ren's eyes. "So… we're good?"
Ren nodded, smiling softly through the tears. "We're good."
Kai smiled, a genuine, relieved, dazzling smile that made Ren's chest tighten again—but this time with happiness. "Not just boyfriends anymore, right?"
Ren's eyebrows lifted. "What do you mean?"
Kai tilted his head, grin turning mischievous. "I mean… us. From now on, it's all or nothing. No half-measures. No holding back. No pretending we can handle the world separately. You and me… all the way."
Ren laughed softly, the sound trembling with emotion. "I like that. All the way…"
Kai pulled him back into a hug, laughing softly too. "All the way."
The office felt warmer now. Softer. Lighter. Months of tension, jealousy, and hurt had melted away in that moment. Ren felt safe again, truly safe, as if nothing in the world could touch them while they were like this.
Kai pulled back slightly, just enough to look down at Ren with a serious, almost shy expression. "I… I know I've said a lot of things over the years. A lot of promises. And I don't want to overwhelm you. But…"
Ren's stomach fluttered. "…But?"
Kai knelt down, suddenly, catching Ren entirely off guard. He opened his hand to reveal a small, velvet box. Ren blinked, heart skipping a beat.
And he knew, in that instant, that no matter how messy the past had been, no matter how much pain or jealousy or hurt had passed between them… this was the beginning of something permanent.
Ren knew they were good again, but he didn't expect Kai to get down on one knee, with a small, velvet box.
"Ren..I have something to ask you."