Tethered by Rivalry | Eunwoo

10

The taste of Eunwoo's lips still lingered on yours as reality rushed back in, the warm buzz of the party replaced by the chill of uncertainty. You had crossed a line, and now everything felt different.

In an instant you thought, perhaps it is the right moment to confess your feelings for him. But then, just as you were trying to gather your words, he beat you to it. Driven by fear, he spoke, completely breaking the spell. “You know,” he said, his expression shifting to something more serious, “my parents have been asking when we’re going to give them grandkids.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. You felt your heart drop, the joy of the moment immediately overshadowed by his comment. “What?” you asked, disbelief flooding your voice. “Your parents... that's what this is about? You can’t be serious.”

Eunwoo’s brow furrowed, his eyes wide as if he hadn’t meant for it to sound that way. “I just meant—”

“Yeah, I get it! You meant it like you’re just doing this to be a good son.” The hurt seeped into your voice, each word sharper than the last. “So this was just some fun, wasn’t it? You can just play the part and appease your parents.”

“No! That’s not what I meant!” he insisted, stepping closer, but the defensive edge in his tone only fueled your anger.

“Then what did you mean? That you like me, or that you’re just checking off a box on a list of things your parents want from you?” You could feel the heat rising in your cheeks, a mixture of embarrassment and frustration.

He opened his mouth to argue, but the silence stretched on, filled with the unspoken truths neither of you wanted to confront. “It’s not like that,” he finally said, desperation creeping into his voice. “I… I don’t want to just be your rival. I want to be something more.”

“But how can I believe that when you bring up kids?” you shot back, the words spilling from your lips before you could stop them. “You don’t get it, do you? I thought we were finally being honest with each other.”

Eunwoo’s face fell, and for a moment, you saw the flicker of doubt cross his features. “I messed up, didn’t I?” he said quietly, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

“Yes! You did!” The fight spilled over, a mix of feelings you’d been holding back bursting forth. “Maybe this was just a mistake. I thought we were finally figuring things out, but it seems like you’re just playing games!”

His eyes widened in shock at your words, and the hurt was palpable in the air. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that!” he pleaded, but you could feel the distance growing between you, the chasm of misunderstanding widening.

“Maybe it’s better if we just… don’t talk for a while,” you said, your voice cracking. You couldn’t bear to see the look on his face, the confusion that mirrored your own.

Without another word, you turned on your heel and walked away, each step feeling heavier than the last. The laughter and music of the party faded behind you, replaced by the pounding of your heart and the swirling thoughts in your mind.

How could he do this? You felt foolish for letting your guard down, for thinking that maybe, just maybe, you could have something real. As you took a cab, the ride home was a blur, filled with the sting of tears you refused to let fall.

Meanwhile, back at the party, Eunwoo stood frozen in place, the weight of your words crashing down on him. “What have I done?” he murmured to himself, a wave of regret washing over him. The feeling of alcohol once lingering in his system now all gone, snapping him back to the reality that he hurt you. He had wanted to confess, to be honest about his feelings, but now it felt like he ruined everything.

In the quiet of his mind, he replayed the kiss—the warmth of your body against his, the spark that had ignited everything between you two. Why hadn’t he just told you how he felt? Why did he have to bring up the topic of grandchildren at that moment?

As the laughter of his friends echoed around him, Eunwoo felt utterly alone. He had pushed you away when all he wanted was to pull you closer.