The Conquest (Underworld 5) SH

49: I'll Always Come For You

That night, the farmhouse was unusually quiet, save for the distant hum of cicadas and the occasional creak of the old wooden floors. Jihoon returned later than expected, exhaustion heavy in his bones. His thoughts had been clouded ever since the argument with Soonyoung, and though he'd left to clear his mind, nothing seemed to have settled. If anything, the confusion only deepened.

As he entered the dimly lit hallway, Jihoon noticed Jeonghan sitting by the window, the soft glow of a single lamp illuminating his graceful features. Jeonghan had always seemed like a calm harbor amidst the storms that surrounded them, and yet tonight, there was something different in the air. Something more weighty.

Jeonghan glanced up as Jihoon approached, his eyes gentle yet serious. He didn't say anything at first, merely gesturing for Jihoon to sit beside him. Jihoon hesitated but sat down, feeling an uneasy tension coiling in his chest.

"You've been gone a while," Jeonghan remarked softly, his tone even, but Jihoon could hear the unspoken concern.

Jihoon nodded, unsure of what to say. He opened his mouth, ready to ask how things had been while he was away, but the look on Jeonghan's face stopped him. There was a knowing sadness in his eyes, and that's when Jihoon knew something had happened.

"He's gone," Jeonghan said quietly, his voice steady but laced with something deeper. "Soonyoung left."

Jihoon's heart sank instantly, a cold wave of shock and guilt washing over him. He turned sharply to Jeonghan, the words almost choking in his throat. "What... what do you mean? He left? When?"

"This evening," Jeonghan replied, his gaze soft but unyielding. "He waited for you, Jihoon. For hours. But you didn't come back, and he decided it was time to go."

Jihoon's breath hitched, his chest tightening as the weight of Jeonghan's words settled in. The silence between them stretched painfully, and Jihoon felt his pulse quicken, memories of their last conversation flooding his mind. The anger, the hurt, the things left unsaid—it all came crashing down on him.

"I—" Jihoon started, his voice breaking slightly, "I didn't know he was going to—"

Jeonghan reached out, placing a gentle hand on Jihoon's shoulder, effectively stopping him. "He made his choice, Jihoon. And you made yours when you walked away. Sometimes, those choices don't align, no matter how much we wish they would."

Jihoon stared at the floor, his mind spinning. A part of him wanted to chase after Soonyoung, to bring him back, to say all the things he hadn't been able to say. But he knew that wasn't possible now. Soonyoung was gone, and the space between them felt wider than ever.

"He didn't say anything?" Jihoon asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Jeonghan sighed softly, leaning back. "He didn't want to make things harder than they already were. He promised not to reveal the gang's location, but he's gone for good, Jihoon. He's made peace with his decision."

Jihoon's hands clenched into fists in his lap. The frustration, the anger at himself—it was all bubbling up, but there was no one to lash out at except the empty space beside him.

"I thought maybe..." Jihoon's voice cracked, "maybe I could fix it if I just had time..."

Jeonghan gave him a sympathetic look. "Time isn't always enough. Sometimes, people need to find their own way, even if it means letting go of the people they love."

Jihoon's heart twisted painfully at those words. He wasn't sure if he was more upset that Soonyoung had left or that deep down, he knew Jeonghan was right. The distance between them had been growing for a while, and maybe he hadn't done enough to close the gap.