Chasing Perfection || Lee Know

A second chance

Later That Evening
Hyejin's POV:
Hyejin's apartment was dimly lit, the soft hum of traffic outside the only sound until the sharp knocks on her door disrupted the quiet. Frowning, she moved to the door, peering through the peephole.
The sight of Lee Know standing there made her stomach churn.
She debated ignoring him, but another round of insistent knocks pushed her to open the door just enough to glare at him.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped.

"I need to talk to you."

"Talk? Now?" She crossed her arms, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did you come to lecture me in the comfort of my own home? How thoughtful."

"Hyejin," he said, his tone steady but edged with urgency. "I came to apologize."

Her laugh was bitter and sharp. "Apologize? For what, exactly? For constantly looking down on me? For making me feel like a complete failure every chance you get? Be specific, Lee Minho."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "For earlier. For what I said. It was wrong, and I shouldn't have..."

"Shouldn't have what?" Her voice rose, and the words tumbled out like a dam had broken. "Treated me like garbage? Belittled me? Made me feel like I'll never be good enough?!"

"That's not—"

"Save it," she interrupted, her eyes glinting with unshed tears. "You don't get to come here and say sorry like it's a magic eraser. Do you have any idea what it feels like to lose everything and have someone like you—someone who's never had to struggle—kick you while you're down?"

His jaw tightened, but he didn't interrupt.

"You don't know what it's like to constantly feel second-best," she continued, her voice cracking. "To have to prove yourself over and over, only to be told you're not enough. You wouldn't last a day in my shoes, Minho."

He opened his mouth, but she held up a hand, her shoulders trembling. "I don't even know why I'm saying this. You don't care. You've made that perfectly clear."

Her voice faltered, and she turned away, pressing her hands to her temples. "Just go."

"Hyejin—"

"Go!" she shouted, but her legs buckled before she could take another step.

Lee Know hesitated for a fraction of a second before his instincts took over. He closed the space between them, catching her just as she crumbled.

"I said—"

"Stop," he murmured, his arms circling her tightly. She struggled against him, weakly at first, but then her resistance faded, and she buried her face in his chest.

Her sobs were muffled, but he felt every shudder of her body against his. For a moment, he stood frozen, torn between his usual aloofness and the undeniable pull to comfort her. Slowly, almost cautiously, he rested one hand on her back, the other brushing against her hair in a way that felt too intimate for someone he was supposed to keep at arm's length.

"You don't have to do this alone," he said softly.

She let out a hollow laugh, her voice thick with tears. "That's rich coming from you."

He didn't reply, just held her until her sobs turned into quiet hiccups.

The Aftermath

When her sobs finally subsided into uneven breaths, he loosened his hold, but she didn't pull away.

"Don't," she muttered. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm... fragile," she said bitterly.

He exhaled, "You're not fragile. But you're human, Hyejin. Even you have limits."

Feel better now?" he asked quietly, his voice low but teasing.

She groaned against his chest, her voice muffled. "Shut up."

"I mean, if you needed a shoulder to cry on, you could've just asked. No need to be so dramatic about it."

At that, she shoved him back, glaring at him through tear-streaked cheeks and puffy eyes. "You're insufferable."

He smirked. "And yet, here I am, holding you up. Funny how that works."

"I didn't ask for your help."

"No," he said, leaning casually against the counter, "but clearly you needed it."

She swatted at his arm, but he caught her wrist, his grip gentle. "Careful, you might hurt yourself with those noodle arms."

Her jaw dropped in indignation. "Did you just—"

"Insult you? Yeah, but only because you look like you're about to pass out," he said, releasing her wrist with a faint smile. "Drink some water before you start throwing punches, Rocky."

She exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why are you like this?"

"Charming? Handsome? A lifesaver?"

"Annoying," she corrected, but there was no heat in her words.

His smirk softened slightly as he tilted his head. "You don't actually hate me, do you?"

She blinked at him, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone. "I—"

"Because if you did, you'd have thrown me out by now. You're feisty, but you're not exactly subtle, Hyejin."

Her cheeks burned, and she crossed her arms defensively. "You're delusional."

He shrugged, his smirk returning in full force. "Maybe. But I'm also right."

Before she could retort, he stepped toward the door. "Get some rest. And don't even think about quitting tomorrow. You're only allowed to quit when I fire you."

"Excuse me?!" she sputtered, whirling around to glare at him.

"You heard me," he said, flashing her a grin before walking out.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Hyejin standing there, her fists clenched and her heart pounding.

"Unbelievable," she muttered, collapsing onto the couch. But despite the whirlwind of emotions, a small, begrudging smile tugged at her lips. She thought how crazy it was that the same person could make her feel enraged but at the same time could make her smile and laugh, but all-in-all she wasn't surprised - he had done this so many times before.