𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

Chapter sixteen

The arena was alive with the sound of cheers and applause, the crowd erupting in jubilation as Jihyo stood on the podium, the gold medal resting proudly around her neck. The national anthem played, and she felt a surge of emotion—a mix of triumph, relief, and overwhelming joy. After all the hard work, the pain, and the sacrifices, she had finally achieved her dream. She was the Olympic champion.

As the anthem faded, Jihyo looked out at the sea of faces, her eyes scanning for Suho. When she found him, standing in the front row, their eyes locked. His expression was inscrutable, but she could see the pride in his eyes, mixed with something else—something darker, more complicated.

After the ceremony, Jihyo was whisked away for interviews and photos, but her mind was elsewhere. The weight of the gold medal around her neck was a reminder of her success, but also of the pressure that came with it. As she made her way through the throngs of reporters, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was still unresolved, that there were still shadows lurking in the corners of her life.

Finally, after what felt like hours, she managed to break away from the crowds. She headed toward the quieter side of the arena, where she knew Suho would be waiting for her. The excitement of the evening still buzzed in her veins, but she couldn't shake the tension that had been building between them.

When she found him, he was standing alone, his hands in his pockets, his gaze distant. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, without a word, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

The embrace was intense, filled with unspoken emotions. Jihyo felt herself melt into his warmth, the adrenaline of the day giving way to a deep sense of comfort. She buried her face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him, and for a moment, all the tension, all the uncertainty, faded away.

"I'm proud of you, Jihyo," Suho murmured, his voice low and rough. "You did it."

She looked up at him, her heart swelling with affection. "I couldn't have done it without you."

His grip on her tightened, his eyes darkening. "Don't give me that much credit. This was all you. Your talent, your determination."

Jihyo smiled softly, but she could sense the turmoil beneath his words. "We both know it was more than that."

He didn't respond, his gaze shifting away from her, but his hold on her didn't loosen. The silence between them was thick with unspoken words, with the secrets that still hung in the air. Jihyo wanted to ask him about everything—about the messages, about Harrise, about his marriage—but the look in his eyes stopped her.

Instead, she reached up and cupped his face, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Suho, whatever's going on, we'll face it together. But right now, I just want to be with you."

Something flickered in his eyes—pain, regret, maybe even fear—but he didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her, a fierce, desperate kiss that took her breath away. It was a kiss filled with everything they hadn't said, with all the emotions they had been holding back.

Jihyo responded with equal intensity, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pulled him closer. The world around them disappeared, the noise of the arena fading into the background as they lost themselves in each other.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting together as they tried to regain their composure. "We should get out of here," Suho said, his voice husky. "Somewhere private."

Jihyo nodded, unable to speak. They left the arena, slipping away from the crowds and into the night. The city was alive with celebration, but they were in their own world, focused only on each other.