thanks

His sincerity

도겸(석민)

"Aww~ I still have a long way to go before I have to take the picture. Can I use the bathroom?"

Seong Ha-eun left the room, grumbling.

Dokyeom quietly, very quietly, exited the studio.

His expression, which had been smiling just moments before, was now frighteningly calm and firm.

Dokyeom, who was wandering around the back of the studio, stopped at the entrance of a narrow, secluded alley behind the filming set.

A small shadow. A woman crouching with her back against a gray wall.

She was holding the fragment in her hand and breathing quietly.

임고은

"...ha.."

Dokyeom stopped walking, listening to her breathing.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them again, I was slowly approaching her.

***

Go Eun sat there crouched, leaning her back against the wall without saying a word.

Her shoulders were shaking quietly, but she was holding back her tears.

I've already cried a hundred, a thousand times inside.

He still held a few shards in his hand. They had once sparkled, but now they were cracked and broken.

Like yourself—

Pieces that look like they could crumble if you apply just a little force.

She slowly opened her hand and looked at the fragments carefully.

임고은

‘Why is everything so messed up…’

Tears welled up in my eyes again.

She clenched her hands, not wanting to look at her palms.

The more I held it, the more it stung, but even that pain was dulling.

That was when.

Beyond my blurry vision, I caught sight of someone's feet.

Go Eun couldn't raise her head, but felt the presence behind her hand, beyond her gaze.

A moment later— I cautiously raised my head. Dokyeom was standing there.

The playful and cheerful expression on the set earlier disappeared,

Now it was Dokyeom, quiet and with heavy eyes.

도겸(석민)

"... ..."

The moment their eyes met, Go Eun felt her breath catch in her throat.

All words and expressions stopped.

Dokyeom bent his knees and carefully sat down at the same height as her vision.

And without saying a word, he quietly reached out his hand.

Go-eun stared blankly at the hand— and eventually burst into tears.

Jumping up, she shouted.

임고은

“…Please…don’t. Please…please…!”

Dokyeom's eyes widened in surprise and he stopped moving his hand. Even though Goeun felt his gaze, she didn't stop and continued shouting.

임고은

“…Why are you really like that, why!

임고은

"I told you to just leave it be, not to worry about it! Why are you doing this?"

Her voice trembled, tears fell. Her heart finally exploded.

Dokyeom slowly got up and looked at her.

임고은

“Just pretend not to see, just pretend not to know,

임고은

Just like that, just like before, like no one cares… Please do that.

임고은

Please… leave me alone…”

She covered her eyes with her hands, hiding her messy face.

My lips were trembling, and my breathing was constantly hitching.

Dokyeom, who had been quietly watching the scene, slowly raised his hand and grabbed her wrist.

The warmth of her body touched her shivering skin.

And slowly, he took her hand away from his face.

도겸(석민)

“…I can’t pretend not to see or not know.”

Dokyeom's voice was low and gentle. But it was filled with a firm resolve.

도겸(석민)

“…My heart hurts so much… I can’t do that.”

Go Eun looked at him blankly.

His eyes remained steady, staring straight at me.

임고은

"It's probably just a fleeting feeling. I feel bad for you right now... I'm just trying to do something about it.

임고은

Because it feels good to appear to be helping. ... Just playing hero…

I shot back sharply, deliberately, to make myself even more miserable—

Dokyeom just looked at her with sad eyes.

도겸(석민)

"Ms. Go Eun."

He said.

도겸(석민)

"Don't get sick."

Those words were soft, but they stuck more firmly than anyone else's.

And then, carefully opening her clenched fist, she removed the remaining fragments one by one.

도겸(석민)

"Don't hold on to it all by yourself like this... Share a little bit. It's okay."

Dokyeom smiled small, warmly. Goeun looked at him silently.

At those words, Go Eun's lips trembled just a little.

She had more reasons not to want to live than she did to want to live.

But this person's gaze was lightly ignoring all of those reasons.

"You have the right to say you're not okay."

Those were the eyes. Dazed, unable to say anything. Not a single word.

No accusation, no defense—it was meaningless in front of this person now.

Silently, time seemed to stop between them. Even the slightest breeze passing by—was still.

Oh my dear readers ㅠ I'll tell you briefly because of the serial schedule 😢

I have a lot of things going on these days ㅠㅠㅠ I think I'll be able to upload more often once I figure it out ㅠㅠ

Still, I will try to upload at least twice a week. Please stay with me until the end!!