Chapter Seventy-eight: A New Vision.

Soo Jeon stood in front of the mirrors at the ballet studio, breathing heavily as she took a break between rehearsals. Her reflection showed the weariness in her eyes, the slight tremble in her legs. The constant push for perfection was taking its toll. As much as she loved ballet, the joy she once felt seemed buried beneath the weight of expectations.

She turned and walked toward her bag, her phone buzzing on top. It was a message from Min Jun: "Lunch today? I have something to talk about."

A small smile touched her lips. Min Jun always knew when she needed him most.

When she arrived at the cafe, Min Jun was already seated, stirring a cup of coffee absently. His expression was serious, but there was a calmness about him that Soo Jeon hadn't seen in a while.

"Hey," she greeted, sitting across from him.

"Hey," he replied, his eyes softening as he looked up at her. "How was rehearsal?"

Soo Jeon hesitated before responding, unsure how to put into words the growing doubt that was gnawing at her. "Tough," she finally said. "The pressure to be perfect is... overwhelming."

Min Jun nodded thoughtfully. "I've been thinking a lot since last night. About us, our work, everything." He paused, his hand resting on the table, waiting for her to respond.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, her voice soft but curious.

"I'm thinking maybe we've both been running ourselves into the ground trying to live up to everyone else's expectations," he said quietly. "And I'm wondering if there's a different way forward."

Soo Jeon furrowed her brow, unsure where he was going with this. "What do you mean?"

Min Jun took a deep breath. "I've decided to turn down the international project. It's not what I want right now. What I want is to be here, with you, to figure out what makes us happy, not what everyone else expects us to be."

Soo Jeon blinked, her heart swelling with emotion. "You're turning it down? But it's such a big opportunity..."

"I know," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "But it's not the right opportunity for me, for us. I don't want to spend months away from you, chasing something I'm not even sure I believe in."

Soo Jeon felt a wave of relief wash over her, but at the same time, a pang of guilt. "I've been thinking the same thing about ballet. I love it, but I'm starting to wonder if the sacrifices are worth it. I don't want to lose myself—or us—over this."

Min Jun reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "Then maybe it's time we both figure out what we really want, not what others expect from us."

For the first time in weeks, Soo Jeon felt a sense of clarity. Min Jun was right. They didn't need to be perfect in their careers if it meant losing themselves and their love along the way.