As Yeongsoo's footsteps faded down the hall, Haeun stood frozen, tears finally spilling over, blurring his vision as he looked at the door in front of him. His heart ached with each beat, as if it were tearing itself apart. He had been so focused on his own pain, his own fears, that he hadn't seen the depth of Yeongsoo's sacrifices, the silent battles he'd fought alone.
The door was right there, so close he could reach out and push it open. Yet something held him back, a weight in his chest that kept his feet rooted to the spot. The words Yeongsoo had thrown at him replayed in his mind, each one sinking deeper than the last. "I could give up everything for you, Haeun, but what about you?"
He clenched his fists, feeling the sting of Yeongsoo's truth. He had always expected so much, he had demanded loyalty, trust, love… but what had he given in return? He'd built walls around his heart, letting Yeongsoo break himself against them, and then blamed him for every bruise.