Chaewon's eyes shook. "How can you say that so easily? You know how much I worried… I thought I'd never see you again." His voice trembled as he hugged Han tightly.
Han felt the warmth, the fear, the love pressed against him. He didn't want to let go, yet part of him recoiled.
Then Chaewon whispered softly, "Hyung… can I kiss you?"
Han froze. He didn't know what to say. If he refused, this warmth—the only warmth left—might vanish. And yet, a part of him wanted it, too. He needed to know if the feelings he had for Chaewon were real—or if they were just admiration, the kind reserved for a bias, an idol.
Chaewon smiled sadly. "I'll take your silence as a yes. If you don't like it… pull back."
He leaned closer and kissed him. Han didn't move.
When their lips met, he felt… nothing. Nothing romantic, nothing deep. He admired Chaewon. He liked him. But it was all admiration, nothing more.
"I… let's go to the room," Han whispered.
He sat down quietly, body trembling, breath uneven. The bruises hurt, but not as much as the thoughts clawing at him. His chest felt heavy, each beat pulling him deeper into something dark.
He looked at Chaewon, still sitting nearby, eyes swollen and red from crying. All he wanted was to push him away—keep him safe, far from the shadow over his life.
"Chaewon… you want to sleep with me, right? Let's just get it over with and never see each other again," he said hollowly.
Chaewon froze, lips parting. "What are you saying, Han? It's not like that."
Han gave a faint, bitter laugh—the kind that sounded more like pain than humor.
"Then why are you being so good to me? You clean my house, cook for me, take care of me… and you say you don't want anything in return? Don't act clueless."
Tears filled Chaewon's eyes, voice breaking. "No, Hyung… it's not like that. Why would you say such a thing? I did it all because I wanted to do something for you."
Han looked away. "And why would you do something for me… without a reason?"
Chaewon opened his mouth, tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. His chest tightened, the air heavy.
"Because…" he whispered, but the words caught in his throat.
Han's bitter smile deepened. "See? You can't even answer. So the reason you kissed me… was it just because you wanted to sleep with me?"
Chaewon shook his head violently, tears streaming freely now. "I was scared. I thought I'd lost you. Please, Han… trust me. It's not what you think."
Han stood slowly, still trembling. "Then you should go, Chaewon. If you're not going to sleep with me."
Chaewon grabbed his wrist desperately. "Hyung, please—"
Han pulled his hand away. "Go."
Silence fell—thick, heavier than any shouting. Chaewon stood there for a long moment, staring at him, searching for the Han he knew. But all he saw now was someone broken.
"So you are pushing me away. Do you even understand who's trying to love you and who's trying to use you… you can't even differentiate," he whispered.
"Leave," Han said, voice flat.
Chaewon stepped back, wiped his face, and said quietly, "So… you don't even want to see me anymore. Then I'll go."
He turned and left, his steps unsteady.
Han remained alone, staring at the closed door. Its echo filled the room, a sharp reminder of something ending—something he didn't know how to fix.