The Conquest (Underworld 5) SH

48: Choices Made

Jihoon sat at his desk, the weight of the decision pressing heavily on his chest. The dim light of the lamp cast a cold, harsh glow over the room, reflecting the turmoil in his heart. His hand trembled as he held the pen, staring down at the blank paper in front of him. This letter was going to change everything, but Jihoon had made up his mind. He needed to sever all ties with Soonyoung—for good.

Taking a deep breath, Jihoon began to write, each word more biting than the last.

Soonyoung,

I thought about everything, about us, and I realized something important. Seungcheol was right. Being with you was the biggest mistake I could have made. You've only brought me trouble, dragging me into this mess, making my life more complicated than it ever needed to be. I was fine before you, Soonyoung—fine without your constant need for attention, fine without your reckless optimism and your naive belief that we could somehow make this work.

You don't understand what my world is like, and frankly, I'm tired of pretending that you could ever fit into it. You are the reason everything fell apart. The moment you walked into my life, everything started going downhill. I've had enough.

I don't want to be associated with you anymore. You're a liability, Soonyoung. A distraction. A weakness I can't afford to have. Loving you was a mistake, one that I won't make again.

This is over. We're over. Don't contact me again. Don't come looking for me. From now on, you're on your own.

-Jihoon

Jihoon stared at the words on the page, his chest tight with the harshness of what he had written. It hurt—more than he wanted to admit. But he had to do it. Soonyoung needed to believe that Jihoon was done with him, that he didn't care anymore. It was the only way to ensure Soonyoung's safety, even if it meant breaking him in the process.

Folding the letter, Jihoon placed it in an envelope, his hands shaking slightly as he sealed it. He left it on the table by Soonyoung's bedside, knowing that when Soonyoung woke up, this letter would be the last thing he ever received from him.

Without looking back, Jihoon walked out of the room, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the quiet hospital hallway. His heart was heavy, but his resolve was firm. This was the only way to protect Soonyoung, even if it meant pushing him away forever.

                                          _

Jihoon woke up to the pale light of the morning filtering through the small window. The room was still dim, casting shadows that danced across the walls, but it was quiet—too quiet. For a moment, he let himself savor the warmth of Soonyoung's body next to his, the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept. It was a feeling Jihoon had long forgotten, one of comfort, of safety—of belonging. But as reality began to creep in, so did the weight of everything that had happened.

This wasn't right. It couldn't be.

Jihoon's heart tightened in his chest, and the brief flicker of peace he had felt the night before was quickly smothered by the cold grasp of guilt and regret. He carefully untangled himself from Soonyoung, trying not to disturb him as he slid out of bed. His feet hit the cold floor, and that chill shot up through his body, a stark contrast to the warmth he had just left behind. It was like a jolt back to reality, one that left him feeling raw and exposed.

He couldn't stay. Not like this.

Jihoon quietly reached for his shirt, his hands moving with shaky urgency as he buttoned it up. His mind raced with conflicting emotions—fear, guilt, anger. How could he have let this happen again? How could he have fallen back into Soonyoung's orbit after everything? His breathing grew uneven as the weight of the consequences bore down on him.