Dear. My Darling | Gongfourz / Taehan

Chapter 39.5

Taesan's Side of the story

The door clicked shut behind Leehan, leaving Taesan surrounded by silence, his own heavy breathing the only sound in the room. He stood frozen, staring at the space Leehan had occupied just moments ago.

A part of him wanted to chase after him, to demand they fix this now, but his feet wouldn't move. His chest felt tight, suffocating under the weight of Leehan's final words:

"I need your love, Min."

Taesan sank onto the couch, his head falling into his hands. For all his effort-every gift, every grand gesture-he'd only succeeded in pushing Leehan further away.

The hours dragged on as daylight filtered weakly through the windows. The echoes of their fight replayed in Taesan's mind on a cruel loop.

Each accusation, each tear, each crack in Leehan's voice reverberated like a haunting melody he couldn't escape. What did I miss? How did I let it get this far?

By nightfall, Taesan had reached for his phone countless times, only to put it down again. He couldn't bring himself to call. He needed to fix this, but how could he when he didn't even know where to begin?

---

Three days passed without contact.

Taesan busied himself with work, but his focus was shattered. Meetings blurred together, and tasks piled up as he stared blankly at his desk. He glanced at his phone every few minutes, hoping for a message from Leehan that never came. The silence was agonizing, a constant reminder of how much he'd failed.

They just got out of the party incident and now they had a huge fight. This is just probably a test for their relationship, right? They'll go through this somehow... He hopes so.

----

Taesan sat on the edge of the rooftop bar, a glass of whiskey in his hand, the skyline of the city stretching out before him. The evening air was cold, but it didn't register against the storm raging inside him.

Across from him, Sungho leaned back in his chair, his gaze sharp and assessing.

"So," Sungho started, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, "are you going to tell me why you've been sulking for three days straight, or do I have to guess?"

Taesan didn't answer immediately. He stared down at his drink, his jaw tightening. "I messed up, hyung," he finally admitted, his voice low and strained.

Sungho raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"I thought I was showing Leehan how much I care by giving him everything-money, gifts, all of it. But it wasn't enough. He said... he said he needed my love, and I... I don't even know what that means." Taesan's voice cracked, and he slammed the glass onto the table. "How can he say I don't love him when I've done everything for him?"

Sungho leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Taesan, love isn't about how much you spend. It's about being present, about showing up for him in ways that matter. Have you even asked him what he needs from you?"

Taesan ran a hand through his hair, frustration etched into every line of his face. "I asked, but we were both so angry that it just turned into another fight. I don't know how to fix this."

"Well, for starters, you need to talk to him," Sungho said, his tone firm. "Not to argue, not to defend yourself, but to listen. Really listen. But..." He paused, studying his friend carefully. "You also need to give him space, Taesan. Let him breathe, but make it clear that when he's ready, you're willing to meet him halfway."