Broken Loves Winter Storm

From This Moment Chapter 7

Their conversation spanned the events they both had faced over the last decade. Syung Mi became emotional, unable to hold back her tears. Yoon was drawn to her vulnerability, a trait he had missed in her.

She found strength, but the woman he still loved continued to pull at his soul's very depths.

He rose and sat beside her, seeing her shattered by Lee Bo's threats. Yoon spoke softly, drawing her close. "Mi, I'm here, and there won't be a second time. He won't succeed with his threats. Everything will be okay."

Her soft whimpers subsided. He lifted her face, the innocence still present in her eyes. Gently, he wiped away her tears and urged her to come with him.

They left the restaurant. He opened the car door for her, and as she began to profusely apologize for her behavior, he assured her it was alright.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You will see, trust me," Yoon said as he began to drive.

He headed towards the gardens by the Haun River, a sanctuary where he often sought solace when life's burdens grew too heavy. It was a place of clarity that aided him in making some of his toughest decisions, yet he had never shared its existence with anyone. He parked by the river; winter had cloaked the garden in snow, the trees stood bare, and the wind nipped at your face.

Exiting the car, he walked over to Mi's side and assisted her out. He took her scarf, wrapping it snugly around her neck, and buttoned up her coat. She looked on, puzzled by their destination.

Yoon needed to express himself clearly... His mind was besieged by confusion as he grappled with the words to convey that for a decade, it was she who had been his lifeline, the one who empowered him to escape the shadows.

The future was uncertain, but it was imperative she knew his love for her had never waned.

"Is everything alright?" she inquired.

"Yes... I adore winters. The brisk air and its frosty grip on life remind me that I am very much alive," Yoon replied, as she observed the tranquility etched upon his face.

He turned to her and inhaled deeply, his breath visible in the cold air as he clasped her hands to warm them in his own. She was taken aback, but it felt both strange and good after such a long time.

"Mi, I returned to say goodbye, to close my past and everything that happened, once and for all... I never intended to see you again after I dealt with Lee Bo-va. But seeing you now has stirred my soul. All these years, I convinced myself you were happy, that you had moved on, and that I had no right to feel otherwise.

My sister was my lifeline; she kept me from losing my mind.

I never stopped loving you. Not a moment passed without you being part of a memory or thought. I can't return to where we were when everything happened, but I can let my heart love you from where I stand now.

I'm not perfect; I still battle the nightmares of what happened to me. Putting Lee away marks the end of who I was and the start of my new path. I can see you've suffered greatly, yet I'm unsure where your heart lies. I need to know if it ends here or if there's a chance for us to move forward," Yoon confessed, his words heavy with years of unspoken emotion.

Syung Mi teared up, overwhelmed by the realization of his enduring suffering for the love he held for her. She didn't want to appear ungrateful. Yet, she still loved him, a fact she knew the instant she laid eyes on him.

She embraced him, returning the sentiment. It had been difficult for her, living under her father's aspirations, with a man she despised. But now, it all seemed worth it, because Yoon was holding her.

"Hyun, we have borne scars from the past, yet it's amusing how they seem irrelevant at this very moment. Moving forward means understanding our desires, right here, right now. To be honest, it was always you. Even when I believed you were gone forever, deep in my soul, I knew my love for you was stronger, transcending even death. I say yes to all your wants and desires, yes to the things we've lost and can never retrieve... What truly matters is that you are here now."

He smiled, embraced her, and drew her closer to intensify their longing with a kiss.