Fools & Secrets ✔️

Veinte

The Finale

Chapter 20

4 months later...

The office was quiet, a sanctuary of muted tones and understated warmth. The faint hum of the air conditioning underscored the ticking of the wall clock, a steady rhythm that seemed to amplify the weight of Mingyu's thoughts. He sat stiffly in the chair across from Dr. Yoon, his hands clasped so tightly his knuckles whitened. His posture was composed, but the slight tremor in his fingers betrayed the chaos beneath.

Four months. That was how long he'd been sitting in this very chair, week after week, digging through layers of grief and guilt. Yet even now, as he exhaled a shaky breath, it still felt like he was prying open a wound that refused to heal.

Dr. Yoon watched him with that familiar, steady gaze—a mixture of patience and understanding. "Mingyu," he began, his voice calm but firm, "you've been coming here for months. Today feels... different. What's changed?"

Mingyu hesitated, his gaze dropping to his lap. The silence stretched between them, heavy and fragile, as if the wrong word could shatter it. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough, almost a whisper. "I fell in love."

He huffed out a soft laugh, one devoid of humor, as the corners of his lips quirked upward in a faint, self-deprecating smile. "It sounds absurd, doesn't it? Ridiculous, even. Falling in love while I'm still..." His words trailed off, his hand gesturing vaguely, as though the enormity of his emotions was too much to contain.

Dr. Yoon leaned forward slightly, his pen poised but forgotten. "Love is never ridiculous, Mingyu," he said gently. "It's one of the most powerful forces we have. Tell me about her."

A long pause followed, the kind that made the air feel heavier. Mingyu closed his eyes briefly, as though summoning her image in his mind. When he opened them again, something shifted in his expression—a flicker of warmth breaking through the shadows.

"Her name is Lisa," he said, his voice softening. "She's... persistent. Stubborn, really. But kind. Too kind, sometimes. She sees light in places I've spent years convincing myself were dark." His brows furrowed, and he shook his head slightly. "She has no idea how much she's changed me. How much I want to deserve her."

Dr. Yoon tilted his head. "Do you feel you don't deserve her?"

Mingyu's jaw tightened, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It's not that simple," he said, his tone laced with frustration. "You already know about my past, doctor. About Somi. My mom. I couldn't save them. And that failure... it's like a shadow. How can I let someone love me when I can't even forgive myself?"

The words hung heavy in the air, mingling with the sound of the clock ticking away the seconds.

Dr. Yoon's voice cut through the stillness, steady and measured. "You've carried this burden for so long, Mingyu, but guilt isn't the same as responsibility. You didn't cause their illnesses. You didn't choose their deaths. You've been punishing yourself for something you couldn't control."

Mingyu's breath hitched, and for a moment, he looked utterly lost. "But I should've done more. I should've tried harder..."

"You did everything you could," Dr. Yoon said, his tone resolute. "You're not grieving because you failed them. You're grieving because you loved them. That love doesn't have to end in guilt. It can transform into something else—something that allows you to live again."

Mingyu's shoulders sagged, the words striking a deep chord. He leaned back, his hands gripping the armrests as if they were the only thing keeping him grounded. "I want to let go," he admitted, his voice cracking under the weight of those words. It was raw, like an open wound he'd spent years trying to ignore. "I want to stop being afraid. For her. For my daughter. For myself."