~Under One Roof~ Choi San🧸

Chapter 19

SAN POV:

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As the door to our home creaked open, I braced myself. We had all been waiting, each of us battling our own worries and fears. I watched as Y/N stepped inside, her face pale and her movements slow, weighed down by something far heavier than just her injuries. The usual warmth that filled our home seemed to vanish the moment she crossed the threshold.

We surrounded her, each of us desperate to show how much we cared, how much we missed her, and how relieved we were that she was home. My heart pounded as I moved forward, arms already reaching out, needing to hold her close, to reassure her and myself that she was okay. But when I embraced her, it wasn't the comfort I had hoped for.

Y/N's body stiffened in my arms. The warmth I wanted to offer her didn't seem to reach her at all. Her hug was brief, her arms barely circling around me before she pulled away. When I looked into her eyes, they were distant, almost empty. She muttered something about being tired, wanting to lie down, and before any of us could protest, she was already heading towards the stairs.

Seonghwa moved quickly, stepping in to support her. He carefully guided her up the stairs, his movements gentle and protective. As they disappeared from view, the tension in the room grew thick, suffocating us in its grip.

I stood there, my arms hanging uselessly by my sides, the memory of her coldness lingering like a bruise on my heart. What had happened to her in that hospital? Why did she seem so... lost?

The silence was finally broken by a soft sniffle. I turned to see Mingi, his eyes welling up with tears. His usually bright and boisterous demeanor was gone, replaced by a shadow of guilt and sorrow.

"This is my fault," Mingi whispered, his voice cracking. He wiped at his eyes furiously, trying to hide his tears, but it was no use. "She's mad at me. I know she is. She was acting so cold... She must blame me for everything."

"Mingi, no," Yunho said, stepping forward to place a comforting hand on Mingi's shoulder. "This isn't your fault. None of us could have predicted what happened."

"But I was there," Mingi choked out. "I was there when it happened, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I couldn't protect her."

My jaw clenched as I listened to Mingi's confession, the raw pain in his voice tearing at my own heart. I wanted to comfort him, to tell him that it wasn't his fault, that none of us could have stopped what happened. But the words wouldn't come. I was too caught up in my own storm of emotions, the mix of sadness and anger churning inside me like a whirlpool.

Hongjoong, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, his voice calm but tinged with a deep sadness. "Y/N grew up with Yuna," he began, drawing all of our attention. "They were like sisters. They were inseparable for as long as I can remember."

The mention of Yuna's name sent a fresh wave of anger through me, but I forced myself to stay silent, to listen.

"She trusted Yuna more than anyone," Hongjoong continued. "But that trust... it was shattered in an instant. Y/N has been through so much more than we realized. She wasn't just dealing with Yuna's betrayal. She was also dealing with her ex-boyfriend. They were living together in an apartment for six months, but he moved out about a month ago. He didn't have a job, and every time he needed money, Y/N was the one who had to give it to him."

I felt my fists clench at my sides, my anger boiling over. How could someone treat her like that? How could Yuna, her so-called sister, betray her so completely? And that boyfriend—he didn't deserve to even be called that. He was nothing but a parasite, draining Y/N of everything she had, leaving her with nothing but pain and debt.

"That's why she didn't have enough money to pay her rent anymore," Hongjoong added, his voice heavy with guilt. "She was doing everything she could to keep herself afloat, but it wasn't enough."

The room was silent as we all processed Hongjoong's words. I could see the shock and anger on the faces of my brothers, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Yeosang finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "We could have helped her."

Hongjoong sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his face. "Y/N made me promise not to. She made me swear that I wouldn't help her financially, no matter what. She's proud of me, of what we've accomplished together, and she didn't want to take anything from me. She didn't want to be a burden."

The weight of Hongjoong's words hung in the air, crushing us all under its enormity. I could barely believe it. Y/N, who had always been so strong, so independent, had been struggling so much, and we had no idea. She had been carrying all of that pain, all of that stress, alone.

Wooyoung suddenly stood up, his face pale as he walked out of the room without a word. I watched him go, knowing that he needed a moment to process everything, just like the rest of us.

When he returned, his eyes were red, like he had been crying, and he was holding a glass of water. He handed it to Hongjoong without a word, his hands shaking slightly.

Yeosang, still looking stunned, turned to Hongjoong again. "But why? Why didn't she let you help her? Why didn't she come to us?"

Hongjoong looked at each of us in turn, his expression one of deep sorrow. "Because she's proud. Because she didn't want to take anything from us that she didn't earn herself. She didn't want to be seen as weak or needy. She's always been like that, ever since we were kids. And I... I respected that. I thought I was doing the right thing by honoring her wishes, but now... I don't know."

His voice broke at the end, and I could see the tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, but the pain was still there, etched deep into his face.

I couldn't take it anymore. The anger, the sadness, the guilt—it was all too much. I needed to get out of there, to clear my head, to do something. Anything.

Without thinking, I turned and headed for the stairs.

"San, where are you going?" Jongho called after me, his voice laced with concern.

"San!" Yunho echoed, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. If I stopped, I'd lose it. I'd break down right there in front of everyone, and I couldn't let that happen.

I heard Seonghwa's voice behind me, firm and commanding. "San, Y/N wants to be alone right now. Don't—"

But I didn't care. I needed to see her, to talk to her, to... I didn't even know what I needed, but I knew I couldn't stay away. I couldn't just sit there and do nothing while she was hurting like this.

Ignoring their protests, I continued up the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest, each step echoing like a drumbeat in my ears. The image of Y/N's cold, distant eyes was burned into my mind, fueling the fire of my anger and sorrow.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I could still hear the others calling my name, their voices fading into the background as I approached her room. My hand hovered over the doorknob for a moment, hesitation creeping in. What would I say? What could I say that would make any of this better?

But then I remembered the look on her face when I hugged her earlier, the way she pulled away from me, and all my doubts vanished. I needed to be with her. I needed to do something, anything, to make her feel like she wasn't alone.

I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob, stepping into her room.

And that's where it all begins.

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