DISGRACE ──── ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ ✔️

26 ── ˡᵒⁿᵍ ᵈᵘᵉ

ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ

The morning light spilled through the windows as Mi-hee stood at the entrance of her private room, waiting for Kang Ha. She felt a weight on her chest, a mixture of guilt and determination. Yesterday's conversation with Jae-i had opened her eyes to a lot of things, and she knew now that she had to take action, not just for herself, but for the people around her who still mattered.

When Kang Ha walked in, his expression was unreadable. Mi-hee could feel the tension in the air, but she had already made up her mind. There was no room for hesitation anymore.

"Sit down," she said, her voice steady as she gestured to the chair across from her. Kang Ha raised an eyebrow but complied, sitting down with his arms crossed, looking at her with a mix of curiosity and cynicism.

"I am sorry," Mi-hee began without wasting time. "I am sorry for everything. For lying about being Minji, for not being able to protect In-han, for not standing up for our relationship in the past. We were family. And that was the only normalcy left in life for me."

Kang Ha scoffed, the sound sharp like a knife. A chuckle slipped past his lips, but there was no humor in it. "Is today a day of apologies or what?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "And please, Mi-hee, apologizing now won't change anything."

Mi-hee exhaled slowly, her shoulders slumping slightly. She knew he was right. Apologies couldn’t erase the past, couldn’t undo the damage that had been done. But she had to say it, even if it didn’t fix anything. "I know it won’t," she replied quietly. "But I had to let you know. That I am apologetic. And from henceforth now, I want to help you."

Kang Ha’s face darkened, and he let out another sarcastic laugh, shaking his head. "Now? After everything?" He leaned back in his chair, arms still crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowing as if trying to decide if he should even take her seriously.

Mi-hee nodded. "Yes, now," she said, her voice firming. "I am not dating Rian. It was a fake relationship. So if you think that now what I am saying is false, it’s not. I will accept that when In-han was being bullied, I couldn’t stand up to the rest because I was so caught up in trying to leave this hell of my life. But I want to give In-han justice. Taking revenge on your own won’t be easy, Kang Ha. Let me help you."

Kang Ha stared at her, the cynical edge in his gaze sharpening. "So now you're ready to go against Rian?" he asked, as if testing her resolve. There was something in his eyes—doubt, maybe even a glimmer of hope, though he masked it quickly.

Mi-hee sighed, running a hand through her hair, the weight of her feelings pressing down on her. She had known Rian in a way she never wanted to, and she hated that she understood him more than she’d care to admit. But none of that changed the fact that Rian had allowed In-han to be hurt, and nothing would make her overlook that.

"I don’t know if I can go against Rian, but I’ll try," Mi-hee confessed. "The truth is, I’ve learned things about him I wish I didn’t know. But that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want you to walk down the same path as Kang In-han. I don’t want you to become another one of the victim of the rich kids who think they can play with people’s lives. You’re better than that, Kang Ha."

Kang Ha was silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Mi-hee could see the internal battle raging inside him. He wanted revenge, wanted to hurt those who had hurt his brother, but part of him knew that revenge would only perpetuate the cycle. He didn’t want to hear it, but Mi-hee could see the doubt in his eyes.

"Let me help you," she repeated, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "Let me help you take down the people who deserve it, but let’s do it the right way. Together."

Kang Ha looked away, and for a second, Mi-hee thought he might walk out, dismissing her offer. But then he spoke, his voice barely a whisper, tinged with a mixture of pain and resentment.

"Why should I trust you? After everything that’s happened?" he asked, his eyes hardening again.

Mi-hee swallowed, the lump in her throat growing. "Because I’m not asking you to trust me. I’m asking you to trust that I want to help fix what’s broken. I don’t want to see anyone else go down the same road I did." She paused, looking him directly in the eyes. "And because I need you to know that no matter how screwed up things get, you don’t have to go through it alone."

There was a long silence between them, the air thick with tension. Kang Ha stared at her, and for the first time, Mi-hee saw something shift in his eyes. He wasn’t sure, but there was a flicker of something—maybe hope, maybe hesitation.

"I’ll think about it," he said at last, his voice quieter now. "But don’t think for a second I’ve forgiven you for everything."

Mi-hee nodded, accepting his words without protest. "I wouldn’t expect you to."

And as Kang Ha left the room, Mi-hee sat there, wondering if she could ever truly undo the damage she had done. But one thing was clear: she wasn’t giving up. Not now, not ever. She was going to fight—fight for herself, for Jae-i, and for anyone who still mattered.

ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ