𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 | 𝗧𝗮𝗲𝗪𝗼𝗼 𝗩𝗲𝗿.𝟭

5

Eun-Woo’s tears fell freely as he pressed his lips gently to Tae-Hyung’s, his hands trembling as they cupped the side of Tae-Hyung’s face. The kiss was soft, yet heavy with the weight of all the unsaid words between them. They were both crying, both drowning in the sorrow and uncertainty that had taken root in their hearts. The secret they shared, the love that bound them together, felt fragile now—fragile like glass, ready to shatter if they weren’t careful.

"Why didn’t you take more time? Why did you accept his proposal so soon?" Eun-Woo’s voice broke on the last word, his chest tight with emotion. His eyes, red from crying, searched Tae-Hyung’s face for answers, for something that would make sense of the chaos unfolding around them. His breath was shaky as he placed a trembling hand over Tae-Hyung’s stomach, where their baby was growing. The life they had created together was everything to him. But it felt like it was slipping through his fingers.

Tae-Hyung bit his lip, the guilt of what he had done weighing heavy in his chest. He had never wanted to hurt Eun-Woo. He had never meant for things to get this complicated. “I didn’t have a choice, hyung,” he murmured, his voice thick with regret. “He was emotional blackmailing me. I couldn’t say no. I kept putting off his proposal for the past two years, but I couldn’t keep making excuses anymore.” Tae-Hyung’s hand went to Eun-Woo’s, his fingers brushing against the soft skin of his lover’s hand as if trying to find some kind of connection, some thread of hope in this mess.

Eun-Woo’s eyes filled with pain as he looked at Tae-Hyung, his chest tightening with a mix of anger and desperation. “What about me and our baby?” he whispered, his voice breaking. His hand moved to gently caress Tae-Hyung’s stomach again, the tender movement betraying the fierce longing in his heart. He couldn’t fathom the idea of losing Tae-Hyung, not now, not when they had so much at stake. His mind raced, but it kept coming back to the same thing—he couldn’t lose them. He couldn’t lose his family.

Tae-Hyung’s expression faltered, his heart breaking as he looked down at Eun-Woo’s hand resting on his stomach. He could feel the weight of the love in that touch—the love for him and their unborn child. “I love you both so much,” Tae-Hyung said, his voice strained. “But I don’t have a choice. I don’t want to lose you, hyung. I don’t want to lose the baby, but I also don’t want to destroy the trust your family has in me.” His voice trembled with the weight of his words, as tears blurred his vision.

Eun-Woo’s hand clenched into a fist against Tae-Hyung’s stomach, his expression hardening. “You can’t have both, Tae. You can’t just accept his proposal and still keep us in your life. You have to choose. I want to be with you. You and our baby are everything to me. Let’s run away. I don’t care what happens. I won’t lose you, or our baby.” His voice was low but filled with a raw, unshakable determination. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing Tae-Hyung, and he was willing to fight for them, even if it meant going against everything they had known.

Tae-Hyung shook his head immediately, his eyes wide with panic. “Hyung, we can’t do that,” he whispered, the fear in his voice unmistakable. “We can’t just run away. Your parents—your family—they’ve done so much for me. They’ve given me a home when I had nothing. I can’t just break their trust like that.” His eyes filled with tears again, and his voice quivered with the weight of the words he was saying. The thought of betraying Eun-Woo’s family, of breaking that bond, was too much for him to bear.

The words stung, and Eun-Woo’s heart twisted in pain. His mind screamed at him to understand, but the hurt was too much. “The moment you decided to fall in love with me, you already broke their trust,” he said, his voice filled with anguish. He looked at Tae-Hyung with a mixture of anger and deep sadness. “What about me, Tae? What about my pain? I can’t just sacrifice my happiness for the sake of everyone else. You and our baby are my everything. I won’t give up on you both.” His voice was firm now, filled with the kind of resolve that only came from desperation. He couldn’t let go. Not now. Not after everything they had shared.

Tae-Hyung’s eyes softened, and he stepped closer, his hand reaching up to gently touch Eun-Woo’s cheek. “Hyung…” he began softly, his voice full of sorrow. “You know I’ve loved you since we were teenagers. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose our baby. But this situation… it’s not just about us. It’s about my whole life. I don’t want to hurt your family. I can’t.” His voice cracked on the last word, the pain of the impossible situation they found themselves in choking him.

Eun-Woo stared at Tae-Hyung, his gaze filled with frustration and heartache.

But Tae-Hyung  closed the distance between them, his heart aching with the need to make things right. He took a deep breath, his voice quiet but determined. “Then let’s tell Woo-Seok hyung. Let’s tell them the truth about us,” he said, his words firm. His hands shook as he held onto Eun-Woo’s arms, looking into his eyes.

Eun-Woo’s heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat. The thought of confessing everything—the love they shared, the pregnancy, the secret relationship—felt terrifying and yet freeing. Could they really do it? Could they his family the truth?

Eun-Woo looked at Tae-Hyung, searching his eyes for any sign of hesitation. “You really want to do this?” he asked softly, his voice full of vulnerability. “You want to tell them everything?”

Tae-Hyung nodded, his eyes softening with the weight of his decision. A small smile tugged at the corners of Eun-Woo lips, and he pulled Tae-Hyung into a tight embrace. “Yes,” Tae-Hyung whispered, his voice steady now. “We can do this. I won’t let go of you or our baby, not now, not ever.”

Eun-Woo held him close, feeling the steady rhythm of Tae-Hyung’s heart against his own. For a moment, the world outside them seemed to disappear, and all that mattered was the warmth of their embrace and the promise of a future together.

In that moment, despite the uncertainty, the fear, and the pain, they both knew that they had to fight. They couldn’t keep running from the truth. Whatever the consequences, they would face them together. And together, they would find a way forward.