Shadows of a Broken Love - Liskook

The Final Secret

2024

Jungkook woke up with a sharp pain in his head. The familiar ceiling of the small room he was in reassured him for a moment before reality hit him. Slowly, he turned in bed, finding Hyejin sitting beside him, holding a cup of hot tea in her hands.

"Same routine again?" she said without looking at him, her tone a mix of exhaustion and affection.

Jungkook rubbed his face. "I can't help it. Days go by, and I feel like nothing changes."

Hyejin, 46, had rescued him a decade ago when he was just a homeless teenager. To him, Hyejin was more than a friend; she was a lifeline, a maternal figure, and, at times, the only person he could trust. However, lately, their interactions had been marked by Jungkook's emotional weariness and Hyejin's infinite patience.

"You know? I took care of you for ten years because I saw something in you," Hyejin said, turning toward him. "But you're exhausting me, Jungkook. This isn't the life I want for you."

He looked away, unable to bear the weight of her words. "That's why I became a doctor, right? I'm supposed to know how to fix everything. But I can't... I don't know how to fix what's broken here," he said, touching his chest.

Hyejin let out a deep sigh and stood up. "You can't keep running from your past. Lisa... do you still remember her?"

The name hit Jungkook like a cold wave. Of course, he remembered her. Not a single day went by when he didn't think about her, about what they shared and what destroyed it all. But instead of answering, he got out of bed.

"Thanks for everything, Hyejin," he said as he grabbed his jacket. "But I need to go."

She crossed her arms, watching him. "You can't keep breaking yourself like this, Jungkook. If you really want to face it, do it once and for all. And this time, don't come back here as a wreck."

He let out a bitter, forced laugh. "I love you too," he said with a crooked smile, as if mocking himself more than his words.

Jungkook walked with a firm step, though Hyejin's words echoed in his head. The rain had started falling harder, soaking the streets of Seoul. He didn't care about getting wet; he was used to ignoring the cold and discomfort. However, as he turned the corner toward the hospital, he decided to seek temporary shelter.

He headed to a small covered area near the hospital's mortuary. Upon arrival, he heard a heart-wrenching scream that froze his blood.

"Why does this always happen to me?!" cried a familiar voice that made him stop dead in his tracks. He looked around until he saw her.

Lisa was there, standing under the dim light near the mortuary, crying so intensely that her shoulders trembled. Her wet hair clung to her face as she gently hit the wall with her hand, trying to release her frustration.

Jungkook felt the air leave his lungs. Seeing her like this—vulnerable and broken—left him completely still. He watched as her body shook with every sob. He didn't want to intervene, but he also couldn't walk away. The rain kept falling around them, creating a bubble of silence amidst the sound of the droplets.

"Lisa..." he murmured, too quietly for her to hear.

Jungkook lit a cigarette, letting the smoke calm the storm raging inside him. His eyes fixed on Lisa through the mortuary window. Her wet hair and trembling body were signs of an inner battle he knew all too well.

"Someone shut that crazy woman up," someone muttered behind him, referring to Lisa, who was still crying uncontrollably.

Jungkook let out a dry laugh without turning to look at the man. He took a long drag on his cigarette and, in a sharp, cold tone, replied, "You shut up."