Chapter Thirty-seven: Shadows of Doubts.

Min Jun's apartment door clicked shut behind them, the sound echoing in the silence that had fallen between him and Soo Jeon since leaving his parents' house. The once comforting space now felt like a stranger, each corner shadowed by the weight of the meeting that still lingered in the air.

 Soo Jeon sank into the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as she stared at the floor. Min Jun watched her, his own heart heavy with frustration. He had hoped today would be a step forward, but instead, it felt like they were being pulled further apart by the invisible forces of expectation and comparison.

 Min Jun moved to sit beside her, reaching for her hand. "I'm so sorry about today. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I didn't expect it to be this... harsh."

 Soo Jeon nodded slightly, her expression distant. "I felt like I was constantly being compared to Ji-Eun… like I wasn't good enough."

 Her words cut through Min Jun, igniting a fresh wave of anger at his parents' unyielding stance. He stood up, pacing the room as if trying to escape the frustration boiling inside him. "It's unfair. They don't even know you, not really. I don't get why they can't see what I see in you."

 He returned to her side, taking her hand once more. "Soo Jeon, you're more than enough. I wish I could make them understand that."

 But Soo Jeon gently pulled her hand away, standing up to put some distance between them. She walked to the window, staring out at the city lights that flickered like distant stars. "Maybe I'm not the right person for you, Min Jun. Your parents have expectations, and I don't fit into their perfect picture."

 Min Jun was beside her in an instant, his voice firm. "Don't say that. This isn't about fitting into some mold—they're wrong about you, and I'm going to prove it to them."

 Soo Jeon's shoulders slumped, her doubts pouring out despite Min Jun's reassurances. "What if they never accept me? I can't keep feeling like I'm a disappointment to the people you care about. It's exhausting, Min Jun."

 Min Jun ran a hand through his hair, exasperated by the seeming futility of his words. "I don't care about their approval, Soo Jeon. I care about you, and that's all that should matter."

 Soo Jeon turned to face him, her voice cracking as she let her insecurities spill out. "But it does matter! It matters because they're your family, and I don't want to be the reason you're at odds with them. I don't want you to choose between me and them."

 Min Jun shook his head, stepping closer with a determination that softened into a plea. "I'm not choosing. I want both—you and my family. And I'm not giving up until they see what I see."

 The room fell silent again, but this time it was filled with the unspoken promises and the heavy weight of what lay ahead. Min Jun reached out, pulling Soo Jeon into a gentle hug, his arms wrapping around her as if shielding her from the doubts and fears that threatened to pull them apart.

 Soo Jeon hesitated but allowed herself to sink into his embrace, finding solace in the warmth of his touch even as her mind continued to swirl with uncertainty. Min Jun held her tightly, silently vowing that he would find a way to make things right.

 Together, they stood in the quiet of the room, holding on to each other against the shadows that loomed, both knowing that the path ahead would not be easy but unwilling to let go of the love that had brought them this far.