The moment Mr. Choi left, silence swallowed the hall.
Jisoo didn't think. He just ran.
Every step felt heavy, his chest tight with panic, anger, desperation. His mind screamed the same thing over and over
Don't let it end like this.
Seungmin had been standing still near the stairs, watching him approach carefully. But just as Jisoo reached him, Seungmin suddenly lost balance slightly.
Jisoo caught him immediately. Neither of them moved away. For a brief second, everything felt painfully familiar.
Jisoo guided him quietly to the room and helped him sit down on the bed. Then he dropped to the floor in front of him, exhausted, shaking.
Slowly, he rested his forehead against Seungmin's lap.
"Seungmin…"
His voice cracked instantly.
"You know I love you."
His fingers tightened around Seungmin's sleeve.
"So how could you say it that easily? That you moved on."
Jisoo laughed weakly through tears.
"Do you know how hard it is seeing you every day pretending I'm okay?. Watching you stand beside someone else like I meant nothing?"
Seungmin stayed quiet for a long moment.
Then finally.....
"Do you think this is easy for me?"
Jisoo froze.His head lifted immediately.Hope appeared so fast it almost looked painful.
His breathing became uneven. "Then forgive me. Just this once. I swear I'll never hurt you again."
Seungmin looked at him silently.
"I already forgave you."
"No," Jisoo whispered quickly. "Not like that."
His eyes filled again.
"Seungmin… I have nothing but love for you. Let's run away."
Seungmin's brows pulled together slightly.
"Somewhere far away," Jisoo continued desperately. "Just us. We have enough money to survive. We could open a small shop. Live peacefully and happily...….."
For a moment, Seungmin said nothing.
Then softly....
"What about your mother and sister?"
Jisoo answered immediately, almost recklessly.
"They'll be fine. Jaehan can take care of them."
Silence stretched between them. Heavy. Dangerous.
Then Seungmin finally spoke.
"Do you think I don't want to leave?"
Jisoo looked at him like someone drowning, finally seeing land.
"Then what's stopping you?"
His voice trembled again.
"Are you scared I will do it again? Please can you trust me this time.I won't betray you again."
Seungmin lowered his eyes briefly.
"That's not the problem."
Jisoo's hope slowly weakened.
"Then what is?"
Seungmin leaned back slightly, staring somewhere far away.
"I have a brother. He's still young."
Jisoo blinked.
"…We can take him with us."
A quiet smile appeared on Seungmin's face for a second. Sad. Tired.
"You don't understand. He hates me. And if I disappear. He'll be left in my place only to hate me more."
The room went silent again.
"He's just a child," Seungmin said quietly. "I can't do that to him."
Jisoo looked down, tears falling endlessly now.
"We are also kids. Do we really deserve all of this.?
Fine if you don't wanna go at least let's get back together. Let me take care of you."
Seungmin shook his head once.
"I can't."
Jisoo's breathing became uneven again.
"Are you scared your father will find out? We can hide. Jaehan can also help us now. Promise I'll stay beside you no matter what happens."
"It's not that," Seungmin interrupted softly.
Then after a pause—
"I just don't want this anymore."
The words landed harder than shouting ever could. Jisoo stared at him like he physically couldn't process what he had heard. Then finally...….
"…Do you like Han?"
Seungmin didn't answer. That silence hurt more than anything else. Jisoo laughed weakly through tears.
"Just answer me. If you say yes…"
His voice broke completely.
"I'll stop."
For a long moment, Seungmin stayed still.
Then quietly—
"Yes."
Something inside Jisoo collapsed. His shoulders shook violently as he lowered his head. But still he looked back up one last time.
"Then look at me," he whispered.
"Look into my eyes and tell me you don't love me anymore. Then I will leave."
Seungmin froze. He stares jisoo into his eye until he can't anymore his eyes filled with water and got red. He wanted to speak but words were not coming out and Jisoo waited desperately. Seconds passed.
Then Seungmin stood up slowly. And pulled him up. Not lovingly. Not coldly either. Just carefully.
Like handling something fragile. He guided Jisoo toward the door.
Jisoo kept staring at him with swollen eyes, silently begging for him to take it back. But he didn't.
At the doorway, Seungmin finally stopped.
He leaned closer slightly.
"Jisoo…"
Jisoo held his breath.
Then Seungmin spoke quietly. Slowly. Clearly.
"I don't love you anymore."
For a second, Jisoo couldn't even breathe. Seungmin opened the door and pushed him outside gently before closing it again.
The click of the lock echoed through the hallway.
And Jisoo stood there alone, staring at the door, realizing that for the first time in his life.
Love could actually end.