LET THE WORLD BURN || P.SH X K.SN

T E N

CHAPTER TEN: SUN-AH'S PROMISE

'KIM SUNOO'
9 MONTHS LATER

The fluorescent lights of the hospital room cast a sterile glow over everything, making the space feel even colder than it already was. I sat in the chair next to Sun-ah's bed, the quiet hum of the machines filling the silence between us. My sister was cradling her newborn daughter, her expression distant, almost as if she were lost in a place far away from here.

"How are you feeling?" I asked softly, breaking the silence.

She glanced at me, her eyes briefly meeting mine before they darted back to her baby. "Good," she replied, her voice flat, devoid of any real emotion.

I knew she was lying. Sun-ah was never one to hide her feelings, especially not from me. But today, there was something different about her—something guarded, almost fragile. I didn't press her, though. Maybe she was just tired, overwhelmed by the weight of new motherhood. But deep down, I knew it was more than that.

Ray's absence was palpable. The empty chair in the corner of the room seemed to scream the truth that neither of us wanted to acknowledge. He hadn't even bothered to show up, not for the birth of his own child, not for Sun-ah. The thought made my blood boil, but I pushed it down. This wasn't the time to focus on him.

Sun-ah suddenly reached out and took my hand, her grip surprisingly strong. Her eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I saw the old Sun-ah—the one who was always so sure of herself, so determined. But there was something else there too, something that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Sunoo, promise me something," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

I frowned, confused. "What is it?"

"No matter what happens, promise me you'll take care of her. Promise me you'll always be there for her."

I stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in. "What are you talking about? Why would you say something like that?"

She just smiled, a sad, knowing smile that made my heart ache. "Just promise me, okay?"

I hesitated, every instinct telling me that something was wrong, that she was hiding something from me. But the desperation in her eyes, the way she held onto my hand like it was the only thing keeping her afloat—it was too much to ignore.

"Okay, I promise," I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sun-ah nodded, her smile faltering for a second before she forced it back into place. She let go of my hand and looked down at her daughter, her expression softening as she stroked the baby's tiny head.

I watched her, my heart heavy with unspoken questions. What was going on? Why was she so insistent on this promise? And where was Ray? But I didn't ask. I didn't push. Instead, I just sat there, holding onto the fragile thread that connected us, praying that it wouldn't snap.

'PARK SUNGHOON'

The moment we stepped into the mansion, the familiar sense of dread settled over me. The quiet echoed through the hallways, a stark contrast to the noise that seemed to follow us everywhere else. I could feel the tension between us, like a taut wire ready to snap, and as usual, I was the one who had to tiptoe around it.

I was done with it. Done with the couch. Done with the games. Done with Sunoo.

Why did he insist on staying in my room? The mansion had plenty of other bedrooms, each more extravagant than the last, yet every night he chose to sleep in mine, as if it was some kind of twisted joke. I knew he did it just to annoy me, and tonight I wasn't going to let it slide.

I stormed up the stairs, my footsteps heavy with irritation. As I pushed open the door to my room, I wasn't surprised to find Sunoo standing in front of the vanity, meticulously applying his skincare products, completely unfazed by my entrance. The sight of him, so at ease in my space, made my blood boil.

"Get out of my room," I snapped, not bothering to hide my irritation.

Sunoo barely glanced at me, his eyes focused on the mirror as he gently patted cream onto his cheeks. "No," he replied, his tone annoyingly casual. "I'm comfortable here."

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my temper in check. "There are plenty of other rooms in this house, Sunoo. Go sleep in one of them."

He finally turned to face me, one eyebrow raised in that infuriating way of his. "But this is the best room in the mansion," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why would I want to sleep anywhere else?"

My patience snapped. "Because it's my room, and I'm sick of you invading my space!"

Sunoo rolled his eyes, turning back to the mirror. "Oh, please. Don't be so dramatic, Sunghoon. It's just a bed."

"Then find another one," I shot back, my voice rising. "You do this on purpose, just to get under my skin."

He shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips as he continued his routine. "Maybe. But what are you going to do about it?"

I wanted to throw something, anything, just to wipe that smug look off his face. But I knew that was exactly what he wanted—he thrived on getting a reaction out of me, and I refused to give him the satisfaction.

Instead, I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "Fine," I muttered through gritted teeth. "Stay here. But don't think for a second that I'm happy about it."

Sunoo just smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he finished up his skincare routine. "Trust me, Sunghoon, I know."

He slid into bed as if it were the most natural thing in the world, while I stood there, seething. I hated this. Hated that he was so comfortable in my space, hated that he could so easily dismiss my frustration. But most of all, I hated that no matter how much I argued, we always ended up here—two stubborn idiots, sharing the same bed, too proud to back down.

With a resigned sigh, I climbed in on the other side, making sure to keep as much distance between us as possible. The mattress dipped slightly under our combined weight, and I could feel the warmth of his body even though we weren’t touching. It made my skin crawl.

I turned my back to him, staring at the wall as I tried to ignore his presence. The silence stretched on, heavy and uncomfortable, until I finally closed my eyes, praying for sleep to come quickly.

But even as exhaustion tugged at me, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in my chest. Sharing a bed with Sunoo was like sleeping next to a ticking time bomb—one wrong move, and everything could blow up in my face.

And yet, here we were. Again.