(Book Three)Jangkku: Tired.

Chapter Two: Fractured Heart

The weeks following the MAMA had been nothing short of chaotic. ENHYPEN and IVE were both caught in an unrelenting cycle of schedules, performances, fan meetings, rehearsals, and endless media engagements. Each day bled into the next, leaving little room for anything but exhaustion.

Sung Hoon, despite his resolve, was beginning to crack under the weight of it all. The pressure, the expectations, and the exhaustion from months of non-stop work were catching up to him. He had always prided himself on pushing through, but lately, he felt like he was running on empty. The light in his eyes had dulled, and his movements had become sluggish, as if his body was warning him that something was terribly wrong.

Won Young noticed it immediately.

She'd always known him to be strong, his smile infectious, his laughter bright, but now, she saw a shadow creeping over him. There were moments when he looked pale, when he swayed slightly on his feet, when his hand would grip his chest as if the weight of the world was too much to bear. It hurt her to see him like this, but she couldn't stop worrying. No matter how much she told him to take a break, to rest, he insisted on pushing forward.

One evening, after a long day of rehearsals for the KBS Award Ceremony coming up on Christmas, the tension finally snapped.

Sung Hoon was standing by a set of mirrors, wiping the sweat from his forehead, looking completely drained. His hands shook slightly as he adjusted the collar of his shirt, trying to pull himself together before the next rehearsal.

Won Young approached him, concern clear in her eyes. She could see how pale he looked, how unsteady he was, and her worry deepened.

"Sung Hoon, you need to rest." She said softly, stepping closer to him. "You're barely keeping it together. Please, just sit for a minute-"

"I don't need rest!" He snapped, his voice sharper than she had ever heard it before. The words came out in a rush, fueled by his frustration. His temper flared, and he didn't even realize how much anger was simmering beneath the surface. "You're always on my case, telling me to rest, telling me to slow down. I can't slow down! We can't slow down!"

Won Young flinched at the harshness in his tone, her eyes widening in shock. She had never seen him this agitated, this distant. She tried to reach for him again, her hand gently touching his arm, her voice soft as she spoke.

"Sung Hoon, I know you're exhausted. But I'm just worried about you...you're pushing yourself too hard, and you're not taking care of yourself. Please, just listen-"

But her words were drowned out by his frustration.

"I said I don't need to rest!" His voice was louder now, his anger spiraling, all the weight of the past weeks of overwork crashing down on him. He shook his head, feeling suffocated by the constant demands. "Maybe...maybe we shouldn't be together right now, okay? Maybe it's better if we just...break-up!"

The words hit her like a slap.

The anger in his voice was unmistakable, but it was the venom in those last words that tore her apart. Her chest constricted, and her face paled as the shock settled over her. She had only been trying to care for him, to help him through the pain, yet somehow, she had pushed him too far.

"Sung Hoon..." Her voice trembled as she tried to process what he had just said. Her heart was breaking as she took a step back, her breath catching in her throat. "What did you just say?"

He blinked, stunned by his own words. The anger had bubbled over, but now, in the aftermath, he saw the look in her eyes, the confusion, the hurt. He hadn't meant it. He hadn't meant to say that. His chest tightened in immediate regret, and he reached out, but she took a step away from him, her face shadowed with pain.

"No..." She whispered, her voice barely audible. "I won't be the one who holds you back, Sung Hoon. If you really want that, then...maybe we should just-"

"No, wait!" He lunged forward, his heart pounding in his chest. He hadn't realized what he had said until it was too late. "Won Young, I didn't mean it! I swear, I didn't mean it-"

But before he could close the distance, his manager appeared at the doorway, a stern expression on his face. "Sung Hoon, you're needed in rehearsal. We don't have time for this. We need to prepare for the KBS Awards. Now"

Sung Hoon looked between his manager and Won Young, his heart breaking as he saw her turn away, her shoulders shaking. His hands trembled as he reached for her one last time, but she didn't turn around.

"Won Young..." His voice cracked with regret, but she was already walking away, her steps steady and determined, though her eyes were full of unshed tears.

His manager was insistent, pulling him gently but firmly back toward the rehearsal space. "We don't have time for this. You can deal with your personal stuff later, Sung Hoon. Focus now"

Sung Hoon stood there, frozen for a moment, his chest tight, his mind spinning. He watched as Won Young disappeared around the corner, his heart breaking with each step she took. The reality of what he had said hit him like a tidal wave, and all the regret in the world couldn't take back the pain he had caused her.

But as he was pulled back into the rehearsal room, the harsh reality of his schedule closed in around him once more. There was no time to fix what he had broken. There was only the relentless push to perform, to work, to achieve, everything that had led him here, to this moment where he had pushed away the one person who cared most about him.

The music began, the lights blazed, and Sung Hoon danced. But in his heart, all he could hear was the echo of his own words, and the image of Won Young's face, streaked with tears, as she walked away.

To be continued...