𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐋𝐈𝐓 ☾ │Park Sunghoon

☐ 07

The heir

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Everyone adores you (at least i do)- Matt Maltese ♬♪

Invited into Yuna's home, Sunghoon finds himself taking in the surroundings. The ambiance is different from what he's used to, a stark contrast to his own upbringing. He can sense that each piece of furniture, every decoration, tells a story of her journey. It's a world away from his own, but he recognizes the strength and struggle that have shaped her reality.

While the girl busies herself putting up their polaroid pictures on her bedroom wall, Sunghoon's gaze wanders around the room, taking in the details. He notices something in her mother's portrait that tugs at his heart. It's not the picture of her mom, but the absence of them. There's only one photograph of them together, capturing a moment from her childhood.

He understands the unspoken pain that must come with it, the loss of a loved one. Memories of his own childhood flash through his mind, a mess of pain and longing.

Yuna's voice breaks through his reverie, her playful words drawing a chuckle from him.

"I looked adorable when I was an ankle biter, right?"

He smiles, matching her playful tone. "More like horrendous. You looked like you ate chalk for dinner."

Her playful hit lands on his arm, and he grins, his eyes meeting hers.

In his eyes, Yuna is a puzzle, a complex enigma waiting to be unraveled. Her cheerful demeanor hides more secrets than he can fathom. As someone who has built walls around himself, he recognizes the signs of someone who has done the same,he senses that there's more to her story than what she's showing him.

Her infectious laughter and boundless energy seem like a facade, a mask she wears to keep the world at bay. But Sunghoon knows the depths of pain that can be hidden beneath such a mask. He fears that she's someone who radiates happiness on the outside while battling depression within. It's a fear he knows all too well, the fear of discovering that someone who appears happy might be carrying a weight heavier than anyone realizes.

As he gazes at her, he's drawn to her complexity, the layers that make her who she is. He wants to understand her, to uncover the mysteries she guards. In Yuna, he sees a kindred spirit, a puzzle worth solving. And while his own life has been shrouded in shadows, he's willing to step into the light to be there for her, to support her through whatever darkness she might be facing.

____________________________

The truth is Yuna's early years bore the semblance of a storybook, adorned with the finery of the latest fashions, the trappings of wealth, and the comforts of a room reminiscent of a fairy-tale. It was a life brimming with riches, one that the world envied. Yet, behind these lavish façades lay a narrative marked by untold secrets and whispered sorrow. A somber pact within the family forbade the revealing of what transpired behind closed doors, creating a dissonance between appearance and reality.

Within the hallowed walls of their opulent home, the love shared by her parents often transmuted into harsh arguments. The echoes of their fights reverberated through the corridors, a symphony of strife conducted in privacy.

In the wake of these clashes, Yuna often sought solace in the quiet of her room, her tender heart yearning for the silence that only her refuge could provide. It was during these moments that she discovered the value of concealment, as a child should never glimpse the sorrows of adulthood.

A fleeting quiet settled in for a few weeks, and the girl allowed herself to hope that the storm had passed, that their lives would regain some semblance of normalcy.

But that silence was merely the calm before the storm.

Her mom's presence became scarce, and when she did come home, the scent of men's cologne clung to her like a guilty secret. Her father's anger transformed into sickness, his strength eroded by a brain tumor that left him bedridden.

Amidst this backdrop, Yuna assumed the role of a caregiver, a 12 year old burdened with responsibilities far beyond her years. Hope for her father's recovery dimmed as each day etched his decline. A silent witness to his final moments, she saw him slip away, leaving her mother absent even in grief's embrace.

The day of his funeral bore testament to her mother's detachment, her absence amplifying the emptiness that death had wrought. And now, with the audacity that only a heart touched by selfishness could possess, her mother extended an invitation to her own wedding.

From this juncture emerged Yuna, a figure enshrouded in a shroud of guarded emotions. Scarred by the specter of abandonment, she vowed to protect herself from the cruel whims of affection, her heart having tasted the pain of separation. A declaration formed within her soul – to love without restraint, to be loved in kind, were endeavors marred by the threat of sorrow.

____________________________

Without noticing, she blinks back tears, the weight of her emotions becoming almost tangible. As her tears threaten to escape, she feels the warmth of strong arms closing around her in a reassuring embrace.

It's Sunghoon, offering a silent source of comfort just by being there. Taking a deep breath, she begins to share her story with him.

Her voice trembles slightly as she recounts the moments of pain and struggle she has faced since her father's diagnosis. He listens intently, his eyes reflecting both empathy and a struggle to hold back his own emotions. He fights the urge to break down in front of her, wanting to be her pillar of strength.

Amidst their conversation, Sunghoon gathers the courage to ask a question that weighs heavily on his mind,

"Is your father's tumor hereditary?"

The question hangs in the air, and to his fear, she doesn't reply. At that moment, his world shatters into pieces. He can only hope against hope that maybe, just maybe, she won't inherit the same fate.

Author's note:
Do u guys think yuna has cancer?

😓