𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹|| hyunlix

The Luxury Of Loss

A/N:I do not support or condone cheating or abuse. These scenes were difficult to write and are meant to shed light on the pain they cause, not to glorify them.

Hyunjin could feel the tension as soon as he stepped inside the small, dimly lit apartment. The air was thick with something unspoken, something heavy, pressing down on his chest. The silence was only broken by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall and the distant hum of traffic outside.

His mother, Eunji, was sitting at the kitchen table, her fingers tightly wrapped around a chipped teacup, though it was clear she had long since forgotten about the tea inside. Her gaze was distant, her eyes unfocused as they stared through the steam rising from the cup, lost somewhere in the past where memories lingered like shadows.

"Mom?" Hyunjin called softly, almost afraid to break the stillness of the room. He took a tentative step forward, his heart twisting at the sight of her. She looked so small, so fragile in that moment, like a porcelain doll that had been left too close to the edge, teetering on the brink of a fall.

Eunji blinked, her head turning slowly as if she was pulling herself out of a deep reverie. When she saw him, her expression softened, though the weariness never quite left her eyes. "You’re home early," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the delicate peace they were both clinging to.

"Yeah," Hyunjin replied, his voice tight as he moved closer, each step feeling heavier than the last. He could see the sadness etched into the lines of her face, the way her shoulders slumped as if under an invisible weight. "I thought we could do something together. Maybe catch that movie you’ve been talking about."

Eunji managed a faint smile, though it was more of a reflex than anything else. "Hyunjin, we can’t afford to go to the movies," she said, the words tinged with a sadness that cut deeper than the simple statement implied. There was no reprimand in her voice, only resignation a weary acceptance of the limitations they lived under.

But Hyunjin wasn’t about to let that stop him. He reached into his pocket, feeling the crinkling of the paper against his fingers, and pulled out two tickets. He held them out to her, his expression a mix of pride and defiance, hoping to see some spark of joy in her eyes. "I got us tickets," he said, his voice carrying a hint of triumph. "I know you’ve been wanting to see that movie for weeks."

Eunji’s eyes widened in surprise, the faintest flicker of hope lighting up her face. She reached out slowly, as if afraid the tickets would vanish the moment she touched them. But just as her fingers brushed against the paper, a loud, insistent knock echoed through the room, causing her to flinch.

Hyunjin’s heart sank. The knock was sharp, demanding, and unmistakable. They both knew who it was. Mrs. Park, their landlord, was not known for her patience, and the mere sound of her presence was enough to fill the room with a sense of dread. Before they could even react, the door swung open, and Mrs. Park strode in, her eyes immediately zeroing in on the tickets clutched in Hyunjin’s hand.

"Well," Mrs. Park said, her voice laced with venom as she took a few steps into the room. The air around her seemed to crackle with self-righteous fury, and she radiated an aura of someone who had found exactly what she was looking for. "Look at what we have here. A thief in the making."

Hyunjin’s fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms as he stood protectively in front of his mother. His jaw tightened, and he met Mrs. Park’s gaze with a defiance that belied the fear gnawing at his insides. "It’s just a couple of tickets, Mrs. Park," he said, trying to keep his voice steady even as it trembled with suppressed anger. "You wouldn’t even have noticed."