Late night romance | jaywon ✔

#29 ʙʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡꜱ

Jungwon |

As the evening wore on, my unease only grew. Hearing my parents discuss the upcoming marriage made me feel even more trapped.

I didn't want to marry Wonyoung, but it seemed like I had no other choice.

And then there was Jay. How did Wonyoung even know about him? If she knew about Jay, who else did she know about? How much control did she have over my life?

My parents dropped another bombshell when they mentioned that after the marriage, we would all be living under one roof.

The idea was suffocating. I couldn't imagine spending every day with Wonyoung, pretending to be happy when all I wanted was to break free.

How could I possibly meet Jay now? Wonyoung would be watching my every move, ready to report back to my parents at the slightest hint of disobedience.

But as the night wore on, one thing became clear – I couldn't keep Jay in the dark any longer. He deserved to know the truth.

But first, I needed to find the courage to speak the words that would change everything.

⛧°。 ⋆༺🦇༻⋆。 °⛧
1 month later; a week before the marriage

As I lay in bed, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that consumed me. Despite my best intentions, I still hadn't found the courage to tell Jay the truth.

I found myself unable to sleep. The thought of spending the rest of my life with someone I didn't love was suffocating.

But even more suffocating was the idea of losing Jay, the one person who had brought light into my life during these dark times.

This made me realize something.

I needed to find him and tell him the truth now, no matter how painful it might be.

Quickly changing into different clothes, I dashed out of my house. Running as fast as my legs could carry me, I made my way to the park where Jay and I always meet.

As I stood in front of our usual spot tears streamed down my face. Jay wasn't here. Panic surged through me, my heart pounding in my chest. He had to be here. This was my only chance.

Frantically searching through the park, my eyes finally caught sight of him by the river. Relief flooded over me, followed by a wave of emotion as I ran towards him.

Jay's shocked expression mirrored my own turmoil, but I couldn't let that deter me.

"Jay," I choked out, my voice trembling. "I... I need to tell you something."

"Jungwon? What's wrong?" His voice was filled with worry as he reached out to touch my arm.

I shook my head, unable to find the words to explain. Instead, I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest as I sobbed uncontrollably.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Jay murmured, his arms encircling me in a comforting embrace. "You're safe now. I'm here."

But I couldn't find comfort in his words, not when I knew what I had to do. With a shaky breath, I pulled away slightly, meeting Jay's concerned gaze.

"I need to tell you something," I whispered, my voice barely above a hoarse murmur. "Something important."

Jay's brow furrowed in confusion, but he nodded, his expression urging me to continue.

"I... I haven't been completely honest with you," I began. "There's something I need to tell you before... before it's too late."

"What is it?" Jay's voice was gentle, encouraging me to speak.

"I... I'm being forced into a marriage," I blurted out. "My parents, they... they want me to marry a girl.. someone I don't love."

Jay's eyes widened in shock, but he remained silent, giving me the space to continue.

"I'm scared," I confessed, my voice breaking with emotion. "I'm really scared."

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, pulling me close once again. "I had no idea. But whatever happens, whatever you decide, I'll be here for you. We'll get through this together."

I shook my head.

"We can't," I choked out between sobs, my voice barely audible.

Confusion flickered across Jay's face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... we can't go through this together," I explained. "I... I have to let you go."

Jay's eyes widened in shock, his grip on me tightening as if he could physically hold onto our relationship. "No, you.. you can't mean that. We promised we'd face everything together, no matter what."

But I knew better. I knew the reality of our situation, the impossibility of us being together when everything and everyone seemed determined to tear us apart.

"It's not that simple," I whispered. "The girl knows about us, Jay. And after the marriage, I won't be able to see you anymore. It's over before it even began."

Jay's expression wavered between disbelief and desperation, his eyes searching mine for a glimmer of hope. But all I could offer him was the painful truth.

"I love you," I confessed. "I love you so much. But.. fate doesn't want us to be together."

Tears blurred my vision as I waited for Jay's response, my heart breaking with each passing moment. But even in the face of overwhelming despair, Jay didn't give up.

He fought for our love with a determination that left me breathless.

"Jungwon, I won't let you go," he declared. "I'll fight for us, for our love. We'll find a way to be together, no matter what it takes."

"There's no future for us," I whispered, my voice cracking. "As much as it hurts to say it, we can't keep fighting against the inevitable."

Tears continued to stream down my face as I poured out my heart to him, expressing the depth of my love and gratitude for the precious moments we shared together.

But amidst the pain and longing, I knew that I had to let him go.

"You have to forget me, Jay," I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Forget me and move on. Find someone who can give you the love and happiness you deserve."

Jay's eyes brimmed with tears as he pulled me into one last embrace, holding me tightly against him.

"You're the only one that can make me happy. I promise, Jungwon," he whispered, "I'll get you out of this nightmare. I'll find a way to save you."

But even as his words filled me with a flicker of hope, I knew that some nightmares were too powerful to escape. With a faint smile, I gently pulled away from him.

"Thank you, but.." I murmured, my voice barely audible over the sound of my own sobs. "I.. I really appreciate everything that you have done for me, but.. it's better for both of us if we...part our ways..," I said, crying even more.

As we stood there, clinging to each other one last time, our hearts heavy with the weight of impending separation, we exchanged one final, whispered declaration.

"I really love you," I murmured.

"I love you too," he whispered.

After a moment of silence, Jay finally said, "Please take care, Jungwon, okay? It hurts me seeing you like this, and I promise.. I promise I will make everything alright. From the first moment I saw you, I knew I'd need and want to protect you from whatever comes in your way. There might not be solution right now, but.. I will find one. I can't live without you, and I know you're well aware of this. Please just.. be careful. I love you a lot. Don't forget that. This is not the end for both of us, and I'll make sure of that."

And then, with a heavy heart, I let go, watching him fade into the darkness as I braced myself for the lonely road ahead.

-

Please Insert some sad music here