- HYUNJIN
The world didn't want us together.
They whispered behind our backs, throwing side glances full of judgment. They questioned why someone like me would be with someone like her, as if love had a size limit, as if desire could be dictated by their shallow expectations.
But none of them mattered. Not when I had her.
I thought I could resist. I thought if I ignored the way my heart pounded every time she walked into the room, I could keep things simple. I thought if I kept my hands to myself, if I forced distance between us, I could protect her from the weight of my world.
But then there was that one night.
The music pulsed around us, the dim lighting casting a soft glow on her skin. She moved with ease, with confidence, unaware of how badly I wanted her. Every tilt of her head, every curve of her body pressed against me sent my restraint crumbling.
I inhaled deeply, drowning in her scent, my forehead resting against her temple as my fingers dug into her waist. I needed her closer. I needed more.
Don't kiss her, I warned myself. If I kissed her, there would be no turning back. I wouldn't be able to pretend anymore. I wouldn't be able to keep us a secret.
But then she looked up at me—soft, warm, breathtaking.
"Hyunjin."
My name had never sounded so sweet.
Her fingers slid up the nape of my neck, pulling me in. Her lips parted, her lashes fluttering as she closed her eyes.
Shit, shit.
She was going to kiss me.
I lost the battle before it even began.
Our lips met in a soft, hesitant brush. Too quick. Too fleeting. It wasn't enough. My control snapped as I leaned in, capturing her lips again, this time deeper, this time desperate.
That was all it took.
I was hooked.
And no matter what the world said, no matter who tried to stand in our way, I was always going to be hers.
Pulling away, a smile lingers on my lips as I keep my eyes closed, savoring the moment just a little longer.
But when I finally open them, my heart plummets.
The horror in her eyes—fear etched across her delicate features—it shatters me. She shakes her head, stepping back, retreating.
I reach for her, desperate to hold on, to fix whatever just broke between us. But she slips right through my fingers.
I push through the crowd, searching, calling her name.
"Hyunjin, let's dance!"
"Hyunjin, you okay?"
"Hey, Hyunjin, let's do a shot!" someone shouts, grabbing my arm.
I shake them off, barely hearing them. Their voices are distant, muffled, meaningless. None of them matter. Only her.
I stumble outside, scanning the street, hoping—praying—but she's gone.
My knuckles tap against her door in a hurried, anxious rhythm. I try to seem patient, but the moment it swings open and she stands there, I lose all restraint.
I cup her face and kiss her.
"Hyunjin—" she gasps, trying to push me away.
I step inside, shutting the door behind me, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her deeper, more urgently.
"Hwang Hyunjin—" she tries again, her voice weaker this time.
"No." My forehead presses against hers as I breathe her in. "No excuses. No worrying about other people. It's just us—me and you. No one else matters."
Her lips part, hesitation flickering in her eyes.
"You're going to let me kiss you," I whisper against her skin. "You're going to be my girlfriend. My wife. The mother of my kids. And that's the end of this discussion. Do you understand?"
Silence.
Then, the faintest smile tugs at her lips.
"Yes, sir," she murmurs, giggling softly.
I grin, pulling her into my arms, kissing her like I'll never let her go.
"Good," I whisper. "Because I never want to be apart from you again."
