SECRETS IN SHADOW
Haeyun excused herself to the bathroom. As she pushed to open the bathroom door, she was surprised to find Sunoo standing by the sink, his hand braced on the edge with his head bowed.
He looked up as she entered, his expression was with a mixture of surprise and annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" he grumbled with gravelly voice.
Haeyun blinked, taken aback by Sunoo's abrupt tone.
"I just want to use the bathroom," she replied softly. She took a step closer but stopped when she saw the guarded look in his eyes.
Sunoo's gaze flickered over her for a moment before he looked away, his jaw clenching. He seemed to struggle with something but his expression shifted between anger and something else.
"Why did you come back?" he finally spoke up again.
Haeyun took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "I just came back for a visit. I still proceed for my research. It won't take a long time. don't worry."
Sunoo's voice was low and tense as he spoke. "You need to go back to Seoul, Haeyun. This isn't some happy reunion. We all agreed to keep our distance, and your presence is stirring up a lot of uncomfortable memories and feelings for all of us."
"It doesn't mean that we hate you here, but I don't want bad memories hunt us down. I hope you understand."
***
Haeyun sat on the edge of her bed, still thinking of what Sunoo had say to her before. She knew Sunoo still couldn't move on from what that had happened.
Haeyun couldn't help but wonder why they all seemed so affected by her presence. She leaned back against the headboard, staring up at the ceiling, lost in her own thought.
Haeyun's mind snapped back to the present, and she sat up straight in bed, her eyes widening at the realization. She had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't remembered the existence of the attic. She got up and walked towards the stairs, her heart pounding with a mix of curiosity and trepidation.
She climbed up the stairs. As she reached the top, she looked around the dimly lit attic. She recalled back when the attic was use to be her bedroom and study room. There's not much changes as Mr. Yoo just changed the attic as a store back then. The room filled with an old boxes and dusty furniture, it seemed like a storage space, cluttered with items that had been left untouched for years.
Haeyun stepped further into the attic, her footsteps careful and light. The air was musky and stale, and the smell of dust filled her nostrils. The flickering light from a small window cast eerie shadows on the walls, making every corner seem mysterious and hidden.
As she continued to explore the room, her eyes fell upon a small and dusty box that seemed out of place among the other items. It was placed in a corner covered with others stuffs. Haeyun approached it with curiosity, brushed off the dust.
Her eyes widened as she opened the box and saw the familiar sight of her broken necklace, memories flooded back to her, and a pang of nostalgia hit her. She gently picked up the pieces, running her fingers over the cracked and shattered pendant.
Haeyun's body tensed as a shiver ran down her spine. She had the sudden feeling that someone was watching her. She quickly looked up and scanned the room, her eyes darting around the dimly lit space, trying to find the source of the uneasy feeling.
The silence was broken only by the sound of her own racing heartbeat. She didn't want to believe she was imagining things, but the sensation seemed too real to ignore. She slowly backed away from the box, her eyes still searching for any sign of movement or presence.
Not until she smelled a familiar scent of someone. It's been a long time for her to not smell the scent. Very scented and soft perfume. She quite sure she had been missed the scent in her life.
Her mind kept on thinking about something else. She wanted to deny it but the truth was, she really wanted it to appear.
She looked down and stared at her own feet. She closed her eyes and asked herself to keep calm.
"Sunghoon..." she whispered with her eyes closed.
She slowly looked up and turned with her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes slowly lifted to meet the gaze of the person standing behind her. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and disbelief.
Haeyun's eyes filled with tears as she gazed at the person before her. The figure was someone she had never expected to see again, someone whose presence she had longed for. Her emotions threatened to overflow as the reality of the situation settled in.
Without a word anymore, Haeyun lunged forward and closed the distance between them. Her lips crashed against him in a fervent and passionate kiss. The intensity of the moment overwhelmed her as her emotions pouring out in the act.
Meanwhile, Sunghoon was taken back by her sudden actions. His surprise was evident, his eyes widening for a moment as their lips connected with each other. He stood there with his caught off guard, temporarily froze before slowly responding to the kiss.
"I miss you," she whispered between their kiss.
