What's worse: losing the one you chose to spend your life with, or discovering he was killed by someone you love?
Dear reader,
Abandon all notions of affection and sweet romantic sentiments, for this story will shatter them if you dare to continue.
...
In a world where control is my armor and power my shield, you are the one force I cannot conquer. With every breath, I hold you closer, not to possess, but to protect the one truth that breaks through my defenses—you are the only weakness I will ever allow.
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Minho's POV:
Hyunjin reached out, his fingers brushing against my skin, stopping me from putting the shirt on. "Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice low, a mixture of anger and concern lacing his words.
I refused to meet his gaze. "It's nothing," I muttered, pulling the shirt over my head with a sharp, decisive movement. The fabric bit into the fresh wounds, but the pain was irrelevant. Showing weakness now was out of the question.
Hyunjin didn't back down. His hand clamped around my wrist, stronger than I expected. "It's not nothing, Minho," he insisted, his tone gaining an edge. "Did your father do this?"
The air between us grew heavy, his words pressing in like a weight. I forced down the emotions that threatened to surface, keeping my voice as cold as ice. "Hyunjin, drop it," I ordered. "I'm not talking about this."
But Hyunjin tightened his grip, his thumb tracing a circle on my wrist, trying to coax something out of me. "What happened in training, hyung?" His voice trembled slightly, the sadness creeping in. His hand slipped down to intertwine with mine, a move that felt both desperate and tender, as if he believed he could pull the truth from me.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. I finally looked at him. "Now you care?" I shot back, the sarcasm cutting through the room like a blade.
Hyunjin's eyes softened, guilt shadowing his features. "I can't pretend everything is okay when you keep shutting me out," he whispered, his voice breaking slightly. His vulnerability, his openness, was both a balm and a knife to my heart. He was right, of course. I had been shutting him out, building walls so high he couldn't see over them. But it wasn't to push him away—it was to protect him.
I held my breath for a moment, letting the weight of my secrets settle. "You need to trust me, Hyunjin," I said, my voice cutting through the silence, firm and unyielding. "I didn't come here to hurt you. I came here because..." I hesitated, the words hanging between us like a blade, heavy with everything I couldn't say. "I came here because I love you."
The silence that followed was thick, filled with the unspoken truths that neither of us dared to voice. Hyunjin's grip on my hand tightened, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, my phone rang, shattering the fragile moment. The name on the screen sent a chill down my spine.
"Seungmin?" I whispered.
Hyunjin's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why would Seungmin call you?" he asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. I could see the storm brewing behind his eyes, the questions that I feared he would ask.
