The Shadows (Underworld 4) JH

39: The Paintings

As Jun and Minghao walked out of the mansion, their figures slowly fading into the darkness, Jeonghan stood on the balcony, his heart breaking with every step they took. The cold night air stung his skin, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt inside. Tears welled up in his eyes as he turned to Seungcheol, who stood beside him, his expression hard and unyielding.

"Seungcheol, please," Jeonghan whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. "You have to stop them. Don't let Jun leave like this. He's one of us. He's been by your side through everything. You can't just let him walk away."

Seungcheol's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the path where Jun and Minghao had disappeared. Jeonghan's pleas grew more desperate as the reality of the situation sank in.

"Please, Cheol," Jeonghan begged, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. "Jun's doing this for Minghao, but he's doing it for us too. You know he's not the type to act on a whim. He's leaving everything behind for something he believes in. We can't just let him go like this."

But Seungcheol's resolve didn't waver. His silence was like a wall between them, impenetrable and cold. Jeonghan's heart ached as he realized that Seungcheol wasn't going to change his mind. The man he loved, the leader he had always trusted, was willing to let one of their own walk away without so much as a second thought.

"Seungcheol!" Jeonghan cried out, his voice filled with anguish. "You're going to regret this! Don't let your pride ruin everything we've built!"

But Seungcheol remained unmoved, his gaze still locked on the empty path ahead. Jeonghan's tears fell freely now, his sobs wracking his body as he realized that nothing he said would change Seungcheol's mind. The man he had always seen as strong and unwavering was now the source of his deepest pain.

Unable to bear the sight of Seungcheol's cold indifference any longer, Jeonghan turned and fled into the mansion. His steps were unsteady, his vision blurred by tears as he made his way to one of the guest rooms. He slammed the door shut behind him, locking it from the inside, as if trying to shut out the world—and Seungcheol—from his heart.

In the silence of the room, Jeonghan collapsed onto the bed, his sobs muffled by the pillows as he cried for Jun, for Minghao, and for the love he felt was slipping through his fingers. He didn't want to see Seungcheol's face, didn't want to face the man who had let Jun walk away without a fight. The man he loved had betrayed him in the worst way possible—not by action, but by inaction.

And as the night wore on, Jeonghan lay there, broken and alone, unable to reconcile the love he had for Seungcheol with the pain of watching him let go of someone they both cared about.

Seungcheol stood outside the guest room, his frustration mounting as he tried to reach Jeonghan. His knocks on the door were loud and insistent, but they were met with an eerie silence that only deepened his sense of helplessness. He had hoped that after Jun and Minghao left, he could find a way to mend things with Jeonghan, to make him understand the reasoning behind his decisions.

"Angel, open the door!" Seungcheol's voice was stern, but there was a pleading edge to it. "We need to talk. Please, let me in."

There was no response, just the heavy silence of the room beyond the locked door. Seungcheol's frustration turned into desperation. He pounded on the door, his voice rising in anger and hurt. "Angel, this isn't helping! You need to talk to me. We need to work through this!"

He could hear the muffled sounds of Jeonghan's sobs through the door, and it tore at his heart. He knew that his decision to refuse Minghao entry into the mansion had caused irreparable damage to their relationship. But he had made his choice, believing it was the right one for the safety and stability of the Midnight gang. He had hoped that Jeonghan would eventually understand, but now he was faced with the painful reality that he had pushed him away.