✓ LOVE TRIAL | HEESEUNG

48 - Perfectly Together

Y/N's POV

"Pretty, do you have to meet him?" Heeseung wraps his arms around me as I look in the mirror and I can see how worried he is. "I mean it makes sense the two of you should talk things out, after all, but I don't know. I just want you to be safe."

"I don't think Sunoo would ever think of hurting me." I wince. "At least not physically."

"Emotional pain can be as damaging, Y/N." His voice is so soft as he pulls me closer, his warmth enveloping me. "I can't help but worry about what it might do to you."

I turn to face him, cupping his face in my hands. "We both need to have this conversation. I need to understand things and he needs a chance to at least try and explain himself. It's been eating at me for a while." I'd like to have a conversation with Sunoo because deep down, I'm still hoping that he wasn't entirely pretending to be my best friend. Because I know that at some point, he genuinely cared about me.

Heeseung's eyes soften, and he gently intertwines his fingers with mine. "I know. I know, love. But I've seen the pain in your eyes, the way it haunts you. And I don't want you to go through that again." A heavy sigh escapes my lips, and I lean my forehead against his chest. I'm not ready to meet Sunoo again, but I need to. Because if he doesn't tell me about every detail he kept hidden from me, nothing would ever make sense. When did it all start? How did he meet that man? Was any of it real? Was he really playing a part all along? So many unanswered questions linger in my mind and I need to know the truth, even if it hurts.

"I'll be fine. I promise."

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. I'll drive you there and wait for you until you're done. Is that okay?" I watch as he looks into my eyes, waiting for my reaction.

"Of course, Heeseung, that would be even better. I always feel safe with you, you know?" His smile widens, a glimmer of relief shining in his eyes. "It would be weird if he sees you but whatever, he needs to know that I have someone who loves me unconditionally, that he's not the only person who can be my best friend."

"Damn, I'm your best friend?" He laughs and I hit his arm, making him feign hurt. "Okay, okay, I won't let it get to my head. But seriously, I'll always be here for you, no matter what. Best friend, partner, whatever you need me to be. I don't even mind being the intimidating presence in the background." The tension eases slightly as we make our way out of the house and into the car. Then we drive to Sunoo and my favorite restaurant, where he's waiting for me. I take a deep breath, trying to calm down my racing heart as we pull up to the restaurant.

"Why am I so stressed? It's just Sunoo." The thought of meeting him as someone else other than the best friend I once knew grips me, making it feel as if I'm meeting a stranger for the first time.

Heeseung's hand finds mine and he brings it to his lips, kissing it so gently. "It's okay, pretty. We can go back if you're not ready, I want the choice to be yours. You're not forced to do anything, it's all on your terms."

"I know," I sigh. "I got this." And with one last look at Heeseung, I step out of the car, mustering the courage to meet Sunoo. The familiar scent of the restaurant greets me as I enter, mingling with nostalgia and anxiety. My heart pounds in my chest as I scan the room, searching for Sunoo. When our eyes meet, it's like time stands still for a moment. He's still sitting at our usual table and everything is the same, as if nothing has changed, except for the invisible wall that now stands between us. It's a strange feeling, to look at someone who was once your closest friend and feels like a stranger is sitting across from you.

I approach the table, my steps steady but my mind racing. The words catch in my throat as I take a seat across from him, searching for the right words to say. He stares at me, his hands resting nervously on the table, betraying his own unease. The silence stretches on, filled with unspoken questions and memories that linger between us. Until he speaks, his voice barely over a whisper.