Chapter Nineteen: Shattered Silence.

Min Jun stormed into his apartment, the echo of his parents' words ringing in his ears. The tension in his body had been building since he left their house, and now, in the solitude of his home, it exploded. His breath came in ragged gasps as he slammed the door shut, the sound reverberating through the empty space.

 Without thinking, he grabbed the nearest object—a vase Lee Soo Jeon had gifted him months ago—and hurled it against the wall. The ceramic shattered into countless pieces, scattering across the floor. But the act of destruction did little to ease the turmoil in his heart.

 His thoughts raced back to the conversation, each word cutting deeper than the last. Ji-Eun is the right choice for you, they had said. She's well-trained, a woman who understands our world.

 Min Jun's fists clenched as he picked up a picture frame, one that held a photo of him and Soo Jeon at the park. The memory it held—of a carefree day filled with laughter—clashed violently with the anger surging through him. He raised the frame, ready to smash it as well, but something in him hesitated.

 His hand trembled, and instead of throwing it, he sank to the floor, his back against the wall. The anger that had driven him to destroy was now replaced by an overwhelming sadness. The weight of the expectations, the guilt of disappointing his parents, and the fear of losing Soo Jeon pressed down on him.

 He buried his face in his hands, the shattered remains of the vase around him a stark reminder of the fracture within him. Min Jun's mind spiraled, questioning his decisions, his worth, and his place between his family's desires and his own heart.