Her Secret: A Tale of Love and Betrayal

Chapter 18

The door to the café closed softly behind them as Y/n and So Hoon stepped out into the cool night air. The gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, and the dim streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement. Despite the calm surroundings, the tension between them was palpable, hanging in the air like a thick fog.

So Hoon had been quiet for most of their time in the café, watching Y/n interact with Jungkook and his sister, Yumi. He'd noticed the way she seemed almost distant, her eyes flickering with something—affection? —whenever she looked at them. Especially when she spoke to Jungkook.

"So, what's the deal with them?" So Hoon finally asked, his voice carrying a quiet concern. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket, and he wasn't sure if he was asking about Y/n's relationship with Jungkook and Yumi out of genuine curiosity, or because something about the situation made him uneasy.

Y/n's eyes flickered to him for just a moment before quickly diverting her gaze to the street ahead, her face unreadable. She could feel So Hoon's gaze on her, the way his eyes seemed to search for answers. He had always been like that—attentive, trying to understand things that weren't his to understand. She had allowed him into her life once, let him see things no one else had, but that was a long time ago. And things had changed.

Her steps quickened as she moved toward the car, her body tense, trying to keep the distance between them, both physically and emotionally. So Hoon's question lingered in the air, and it felt like something she didn't want to answer—not then, not now.

"Aren't you going ahead with the situation?" she replied, her voice flat, colder than usual. She didn't even glance back at him as she opened the passenger door, sliding into the seat with a sharp motion.

So Hoon watched her for a beat, a frown creasing his brow. Her tone, the distance in her words—it hit him like a slap. She was shutting him out. She had every right to, of course. But still... it hurt. He had known her once—really known her—and this was not the woman he used to be close to. Not the woman he had shared so many memories with.

"Y/n..." He started again, his voice softer, almost pleading, as if trying to get her to turn and look at him. He could feel the weight of the history they shared pressing down on him. "I'm just trying to understand. It's been a while since—"

But Y/n cut him off, her voice sharp and unwavering. "So Hoon," she said, her eyes still forward, not looking at him. "You're in no position to know about my personal life."

The words hit harder than he expected. His chest tightened, and for a moment, he felt the sting of old wounds that had never fully healed. It wasn't the first time she had put up a wall between them but hearing it so directly—so final—felt like something had just shifted. She was right. He wasn't entitled to know her anymore. They weren't the same people they had been when they were together.

But part of him, the part that still cared for her despite everything, wanted to break through that wall, wanted to remind her that they had once shared everything—her joys, her fears, her secrets. Now, he was just a stranger in her life, looking for pieces of a puzzle she wasn't willing to share.

For a long moment, there was only the sound of the city outside the car, the quiet hum of the engine as So Hoon slid into the driver's seat. His fingers brushed the steering wheel before he finally spoke again, his voice quieter this time.

"Right," he muttered under his breath, almost to himself. "I get it." He sighed, the weight of her rejection hanging heavily in the air between them. He didn't push any further.

As the car started, the sound of the engine filled the silence between them. Y/n sat with her arms crossed tightly, staring out the window, her expression hard and unreadable. So Hoon stole a glance at her as they drove, but she didn't acknowledge him. He knew that look too well—the look of someone who had closed themselves off, locking their emotions behind a fortress of cold indifference.

The city lights flickered past them, casting fleeting shadows over her face, but Y/n didn't seem to notice. She was lost in her thoughts, in whatever it was that weighed so heavily on her.

To Be Continued...

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