Chasing Perfection || Lee Know

The only right thing

The mall was bustling, a stark contrast to Hyejin's inner turmoil. Her mind was still reeling from the argument with Lee Know, and as she walked beside Nari, she couldn't shake the weight on her chest.

Nari, however, was too excited to notice how Hyejin's movements were slow and sluggish. She grinned as she led her into a boutique, holding up dresses and outfits as if they were the perfect antidote to her sister's pain.

Hyejin smiled weakly, trying to look interested. But inside, she felt numb. Everything seemed so... empty. She absentmindedly picked a few items, the fabric light against her skin, but it didn't matter. The buzzing of the mall, the cheerful chatter of shoppers—it all felt distant, muffled. She caught her reflection in a store mirror, and the sight of herself made her stomach drop. Her eyes were red and swollen from the sleepless night, her lips dry and cracked. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this drained.

As Nari rushed to the checkout counter, Hyejin stood still, her fingers tracing the fabric of a shirt absently. She didn't feel like herself anymore.

Later, they sat in a cozy corner of a café, the low hum of conversations around them blending into the background. Nari had ordered for both of them, and Hyejin barely registered the warm cup of coffee set before her.

"Unnie, you okay? You've been out of it all morning," Nari asked, concern in her voice. She hadn't missed how Hyejin's shoulders were hunched, how she seemed smaller, quieter than usual.

Hyejin forced a smile, picking up her cup but immediately putting it back down. "I'm fine. Just tired."

But Nari wasn't fooled. She narrowed her eyes, taking in her sister's exhausted eyes and pale face, still marked with faint traces of the tears she had shed the night before. She excused herself and quickly dialed Seojin's number.

"Hey, babe," Seojin answered, his voice light and full of energy.

"We need to talk," she said quickly, her voice low.

"Why? What's wrong?" He said his voice shifting to worry

"About Hyejin." Nari's voice was firm now. "She looks horrible. It's like she's just... empty. I don't know what's going on, but it's definitely something to do with your brother."

Seojin hesitated. "Wait, what? How do you know it's him?"

"Because I'm not blind," Nari snapped. "She's devastated, Seojin. You need to help me fix this please."

Seojin was quiet for a moment. "Okay, okay. I'll call him."

Nari hung up without saying goodbye, already knowing Seojin would do what was needed.

Back at his apartment, Lee Know stood motionless in his office, his thoughts a whirlwind. His fingers absently toyed with the edge of a paper, but his mind was elsewhere. The argument with Hyejin kept replaying in his head.

"What happened to not pretending?"

Her words pierced him, each syllable a dagger. He knew, deep down, that he had hurt her. Leaving her was never meant to hurt her this badly, but somehow, he had failed her.

His thoughts wandered back to the first night they had kissed at the party, the memory so vivid it felt like it had just happened yesterday. She had looked up at him, her eyes full of unspoken words. The lights had flickered softly, casting shadows that danced across her face. And then, the way she had leaned in, her lips trembling as she whispered, "I love you."

He could still feel the intensity of that moment, the urgency, the heat of their connection. He closed his eyes for a second, and suddenly, flashes of that night returned to him—the way the lights had flickered, the way her lips had tasted of something sweet yet heartbreaking. It was like he could see the flashing lights and the glamour of a world they never truly had, now nothing more than a distant dream, barely within his reach.