A Dimple in Time

Chapter 5: The Inevitable Twist

The tension between them grew, and Lina knew she had to make a choice. Ji-hoon had started to express feelings for her, but she had responsibilities—her kids, her marriage. It wasn’t just about her anymore.

One day, Ji-hoon asked to meet her at the café for what felt like the hundredth time. But this time, there was something different in his voice—something heavier.

"Lina, I need to tell you something," Ji-hoon said as soon as she sat down, his usual smile absent.

"I can’t keep doing this. I know we’re from different worlds, and... you have a family."

Lina’s heart sank. She knew what was coming, but hearing it out loud felt like a punch to the gut.

"I’m sorry," Ji-hoon continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can’t be the reason you—"

But before he could finish, Lina cut him off, tears brimming in her eyes.

"I know. I know this can’t happen."

There was a long, painful silence between them, and for the first time since they’d met, Lina felt the full weight of reality crash down on her. This thing between them—it wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.

"I should’ve stopped this earlier," Lina whispered, looking down at the table.

"I’m married. I love my kids. I have a life that’s built on something I can’t just throw away because of a fantasy."

Ji-hoon stayed quiet, his gaze fixed on her. "But you didn’t," he said softly. "And neither did I."

They both sat in that moment, letting the truth hang between them. Lina’s mind raced. There was a connection between them, something undeniable, but her life was too complicated for anything like this. And she didn’t want to be the kind of person who hurt her family.

Suddenly, Ji-hoon chuckled, breaking the tension. Lina looked up, confused.

"What’s so funny?"

"Well," he began, leaning back in his chair with a small grin, "if someone had told me a month ago that I’d be sitting in a café in Seoul falling for a married, older nurse from another country, I’d have called them crazy."

Lina laughed despite herself. "Yeah, well, if someone had told me a year ago that I’d be this obsessed with a boyband, I’d have laughed them out of the room."

They both smiled, but it was a bittersweet kind of smile—the kind that comes when you know something good is ending.

"Ji-hoon," Lina began softly, her voice trembling slightly. "We have to stop. This... whatever this is, it has to end."

He looked down at the table, nodding slowly. "I know. But I’m going to miss you."

Lina’s heart clenched. "Me too."