When Park Sohee is forced to leave behind her childhood home, the familiar comforts of family, and all the memories she's spent years building, she's faced with the overwhelming challenge of starting fresh. With her younger brother Jisung by her sid...
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The car ride was quiet, save for the soft hum of the engine and the patter of rain against the windshield. Sohee sat in the passenger seat, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, still trembling from the cold and the emotional chaos of the night. Every now and then, she would glance over at Sunwoo, who kept his focus on the road but would occasionally steal a glance at her, his brow furrowed with concern.
Sohee didn't know what to say. How could she explain everything? The confusion, the anger, the betrayal she'd felt—none of it seemed to make sense. She had no answers.
But somehow, in the quiet of the car, with Sunwoo by her side, she felt a little less alone. Maybe it was the way he'd dropped everything to find her, or how his presence felt like a steady anchor amidst the storm, but she couldn't deny it: she needed him there. More than she'd ever realized before.
After what felt like an eternity of silence, Sunwoo spoke. His voice was calm but laced with an unmistakable worry. "Sohee... you don't have to tell me everything right now. But just know that I'm here. You don't have to go through this alone, okay?"
His words hit her harder than she'd expected. The weight of the night seemed to lift just a little with that simple reassurance. Sohee nodded, not trusting herself to speak. The lump in her throat made it hard to breathe, let alone form words.
Sunwoo glanced over at her, his gaze soft and warm, as if he could see the turmoil she was holding back. "I know it's been a lot. But you can let it out, Sohee. It's okay to feel everything right now."
For a moment, Sohee felt her emotions break free. The tears, which she had been holding back for so long, finally spilled over. She didn't know what triggered it—maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the feeling of being seen, of being cared for—but all of it came rushing out. Her mother's betrayal, the pain of being left behind, the fear of losing Jisung, the frustration of not knowing what to do next—all of it poured out in a flood of tears.
Sunwoo didn't say anything more. He just reached over and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, a silent comfort that said everything. His touch was warm and steady, grounding her in a way she hadn't expected.
For the first time in what felt like ages, Sohee let herself be vulnerable. She let herself cry, feeling all the hurt she had buried deep inside.
The car ride stretched on, but it didn't matter. She wasn't alone anymore. And for tonight, that was enough.
Eventually, the tears subsided, and Sohee sat in silence, her chest still heaving slightly as she tried to catch her breath. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and turned to Sunwoo, her voice small but steady.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For coming for me."
Sunwoo nodded, his lips pulling into a soft smile. "You don't need to thank me, Sohee. I'm not going to leave you to go through this alone. You're not alone."
