Summer Nights (Book 1)

Confrontations on the Bridge

Chapter 32

The sun was barely rising, painting the sky in soft pastels as Yeon Jun and Diana walked in silence. The ocean breeze brushed against their faces, but there was no peace in the air between them. They had walked for what felt like miles, side by side, yet separated by an invisible wall of unspoken emotions.

Finally, they reached a small wooden bridge that arched over a narrow stream. Diana stopped, resting her hands on the railing and looking down at the water. Her expression was distant, like she was a million miles away, lost in a storm of thoughts.

Yeon Jun stood beside her, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, stealing glances at her face. He could feel the tension radiating off her like heat from the sun, and it made his chest tighten with something like dread. He knew this conversation was coming, and he wasn't ready for it.

"He meant well, you know," Yeon Jun said, breaking the heavy silence.

Diana nodded, her gaze still fixed on the water. "I know."

He could see it, the weight she was carrying. She looked like she was one wrong word away from breaking into pieces. His instinct was to comfort her, but his own heart was a tangled mess, and he wasn't sure how much comfort he had to offer. "You okay?"

She let out a long sigh, her voice quieter than the wind. "I'm just... confused."

"About what?"

"Everything." She finally turned to face him, her eyes shadowed with exhaustion and pain. "I came here to sort out my feelings before the wedding. But now... now that our time is almost up, I still haven't figured anything out."

Yeon Jun's stomach twisted. Please don't say it. "So... you're still going through with it?"

There was a long, terrible silence before Diana nodded. "Yes. The invites have already been sent."

It felt like someone had punched him in the gut. He forced a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Right. Of course."

Diana stared at him, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What should I do?"

He wanted to scream. Stay. Leave him. Be with me. But he couldn't say any of that. Instead, he swallowed the words like bitter medicine. "You want the truth?"

She nodded, her eyes filled with hope—hope that nearly broke him. "Yes."

Yeon Jun stared at her for a long moment, his heart pounding in his chest. Leave him. Be with me. The words echoed in his mind, but when he opened his mouth, they didn't come out. "I think you should leave him."

Diana blinked, her shoulders sagging as if his words had physically hit her. "You do?"

"Yeah." His voice was firmer now, more certain. "Daniel's right. You shouldn't be with a guy who's too embarrassed to be seen with you."

Her lips quivered as she looked away, tears brimming in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand, trying to hide her vulnerability. "A part of me wants to. But then I feel so fucking guilty."

Yeon Jun's jaw clenched, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Guilty? About what, Diana? For not spending the rest of your life with a guy who treats you like a dirty secret?"

She turned on him, her eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and pain. "You don't understand. He's all I have!"

The words cut deep. Yeon Jun's voice dropped, and the anger that had been simmering beneath the surface started to rise. "You're not abandoning him, Diana. You're saving yourself."