Chapter 5: Love is never wrong

Ethan's eyes burned with anticipation, his lips barely touching Minsoo's.

Just as their lips were about to meet, Ethan's phone chimed, shattering the moment.

Minsoo's face retreated, a hint of frustration flickering across his features.

Ethan groaned, reluctantly releasing Minsoo from his embrace.

"Sorry," Ethan muttered, checking his phone.

Jaehoon's text glared on the screen:

"Stay away from Minsoo. You don't understand what's going on."

Ethan's brow furrowed, confusion mixing with annoyance.

"What's going on?" Minsoo asked, curiosity etched on his face.

Ethan hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.

"Jaehoon's being paranoid," Ethan said, downplaying the concern.

Minsoo's eyes narrowed.

"About what?"

Ethan's gaze drifted back to the phone, Jaehoon's warning echoing in his mind.

Ethan and Minsoo simultaneously hissed at Jaehoon's warning, dismissing his concern.

"Enough about Jaehoon," Ethan said, turning his attention to Minsoo. "Tell me more about Sooyeon. I feel terrible about what happened to her."

Minsoo's expression turned somber. "She was wronged in every way possible. Her story's heartbreaking."

Ethan's curiosity was piqued. "What do you know about her?"

Minsoo leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "My parents know more. They've always been tight-lipped about it, but I think it's time we asked them."

"Agreed," Ethan said. "Let's go see your parents tomorrow. We can sleep in and head over at noon."

Minsoo nodded.

Ethan's nervousness surfaced. "I'm actually nervous about meeting your parents. It feels like I'm meeting my boyfriend's parents to propose or something."

Minsoo burst into laughter. "Oh, honey, if you're proposing, you're doing it all wrong. You're supposed to get down on one knee, not investigate a vengeful spirit together."

Ethan's face contorted in mock offense. "Hey, watch it!"

Minsoo's sassy grin sparked another round of laughter.

As they settled down, Ethan's gaze lingered on Minsoo.

"Thanks for distracting me from Jaehoon's warning," Ethan said, smiling.

Minsoo's eyes sparkled. "Anytime, boyfriend-not-boyfriend."

Their laughter faded into a comfortable silence.

The next day, Ethan and Minsoo arrived at Minsoo's parents' house, a traditional Korean hanok. The serene atmosphere belied the turmoil brewing inside.

Minsoo's mother, Mrs. Park, greeted them warmly, but Ethan detected a hint of apprehension.

"Let's talk inside," Minsoo's father, Mr. Park, suggested, leading them to a cozy room.

Ethan and Minsoo exchanged a nervous glance.

"So, you want to know about Sooyeon," Mr. Park began, his voice measured.

Minsoo nodded. "We need to understand what's happening."

Mrs. Park's hands trembled. "We should have told you, Minsoo. Sooyeon was...a family member."

Ethan's curiosity piqued. "A family member?"

Mr. Park's eyes clouded. "A distant relative. Her story's tied to our family's dark past."

Minsoo leaned forward. "What happened?"

Mrs. Park's voice barely above a whisper. "Sooyeon was in love with a woman, Kim Sejeong. But their families opposed it...and tragedy struck."

Ethan's heart sank. "What tragedy?"

Mr. Park's face twisted in pain. "The Kim family...they killed Sooyeon. And our family...we hid the truth."

The room fell silent, heavy with the weight of secrets.

Minsoo's face darkened, his voice rising. "That's not enough. What do you mean 'our family hid the truth'? What truth?"

Mrs. Park's hands trembled, tears welling up. "Minsoo, please understand—"

"No, I won't understand!" Minsoo's anger boiled over. "You're telling me our family was complicit in Sooyeon's murder? That we let her die and said nothing?"

Mr. Park's expression turned grim. "We were trying to protect ourselves, Minsoo. The Guryeong Kim family was the most well respected and powerful—"

"Protect yourselves?" Minsoo's voice cracked with rage. "At what cost? Sooyeon's life? Her love? You sacrificed her for your own safety?"

Ethan's eyes widened, taken aback by Minsoo's intensity.

Mrs. Park sobbed, her body shaking. "We were wrong, Minsoo. We were so wrong."

Minsoo's anger slowly gave way to anguish. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep this secret?"

Mr. Park's eyes filled with regret. "We thought we were shielding you, Minsoo. But we realize now...we should have told you the truth."

The room fell silent, heavy with the weight of secrets and regret.

Minsoo's anger dissolved into tears, his body shaking with sobs.

"You didn't just betray Sooyeon, did you?" Minsoo's voice cracked. "You've been trying to change me, mold me into something I'm not. Because I'm gay, right?"

Mrs. Park's face contorted in anguish. "Minsoo, no—"

"Maybe you'll be happy if I become a changgwi too!" Minsoo's words spilled out in anguish. "Maybe then you'll finally accept me!"

Mr. Park rose, his arms outstretched. "Minsoo, son—"

But Minsoo was already storming out of the house, into the garden.

Ethan hesitated, then followed Minsoo.

In the garden, Minsoo stood before a serene pond, his tears mingling with the water.

Ethan approached cautiously. "Minsoo?"

Minsoo spun around, his eyes red-rimmed. "Why can't they accept me? Why did they let Sooyeon die?"

Ethan's heart went out to him. "I'm so sorry, Minsoo."

Minsoo's gaze locked onto Ethan's. "You don't think I'm cursed, do you? For being gay?"

Ethan's response was immediate. "No, Minsoo. You're not cursed. You're perfect just the way you are."

Minsoo's face crumpled, and Ethan enveloped him in a warm embrace.

As they held each other, the garden's tranquility enveloped them.

But in the shadows, a faint whisper seemed to carry on the wind.

"Sooyeon..."

Minsoo's tears soaked into Ethan's shoulder as he released the weight of his family's rejection.

"I feel like I'm living Sooyeon's pain," Minsoo whispered, his voice trembling. "The world didn't accept her, just like it doesn't accept me."

Ethan's hold tightened. "You're not alone, Minsoo. I'm here."

Minsoo pulled back, his eyes red-rimmed. "Sooyeon's story is my story. The same fear, the same shame, the same rejection."

Ethan's heart ached. "We've come so far, yet there's still so much hate."

Minsoo's gaze drifted toward the pond. "Sooyeon's love was condemned, erased. Her existence, a mere footnote in history."

Ethan's voice was barely above a whisper. "We won't let that happen to you, Minsoo. Your love, your identity – they matter."

Minsoo's eyes locked onto Ethan's, a glimmer of hope sparking within.

"In a world that didn't accept her, Sooyeon found love," Minsoo said, his voice filled with determination. "I'll find mine too."

As they stood together, the whisper in the wind grew louder.

"Sooyeon..."

Suddenly, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and a flower petal drifted onto the pond's surface.

Minsoo's eyes widened. "Look."

On the petal, a message scrawled in faint ink:

"Love is never wrong."

Minsoo's eyes remained fixed on the petal, the message etched in his mind.

"Love is never wrong," Minsoo whispered, a sense of peace settling within.

Ethan's gaze lingered on the petal, a faint glow still present.

"Who could have written this?" Ethan wondered aloud.

Minsoo shook his head. "No idea, but it feels...connected to Sooyeon."

Unbeknownst to them, a subtle smile spread across a faded photograph hidden away.

Sejeong's eyes, filled with love and longing, gazed out from the old picture.

Her hand, once holding Sooyeon's, now lay still, yet her spirit remained.

The message on the petal was her doing, a declaration of love transcending time.

Sejeong's presence lingered, watching over Minsoo and Ethan.

Their love story, intertwined with Sooyeon's, was about to unfold.

Ethan's gentle prodding guided Minsoo back inside, where his parents awaited with worried expressions.

Minsoo's face was a mask, unreadable and serene.

Mrs. Park rushed to his side. "Minsoo, son, are you—"

"I'm fine," Minsoo interrupted, his voice flat.

Mr. Park's eyes narrowed. "We need to talk about Sooyeon."

Ethan stepped forward. "Yes, let's. Exactly how did Sooyeon die?"

Minsoo's parents exchanged uneasy glances.

Mrs. Park hesitated. "It was...an accident. The Kim family—"

"Tell us the truth," Ethan pressed, his tone firm.

Mr. Park's sigh was heavy. "Sooyeon was killed by the Kim family's hands. They couldn't accept her love for Sejeong."

Ethan's gaze locked onto Minsoo's parents, his expression intense.

Minsoo's voice remained flat. "I want to know everything."

Mr. Park's eyes dropped, shame etched on his face. "We'll tell you everything we know, Minsoo."

Mrs. Park's tears continued to fall. "We should have been honest from the start."

As they began to reveal more about Sooyeon's tragic fate, Ethan's thoughts churned.

His family, the Kims, were responsible for Sooyeon's death. That should be why he'd be the perfect person to exert revenge on.

The weight of his family's dark legacy settled heavy on his shoulders.

Minsoo's gaze drifted to Ethan, their eyes meeting in a charged moment.

Ethan's eyes dropped, the weight of his family's secrets crushing him.

Minsoo's parents continued sharing Sooyeon's story, but Ethan's mind wandered.

How could his family have done this?

The Guryeong Kim, his lineage, once respected and admired, now tainted by a horrific truth.

Ethan's thoughts swirled with guilt and shame.

Minsoo's gentle touch brought Ethan back to the present.

"Hey, are you okay?" Minsoo asked, concern etched on his face.

Ethan's gaze met Minsoo's, his voice barely above a whisper. "My family...what they did to Sooyeon...it's unforgivable."

Minsoo's expression softened. "You're not responsible for their actions, Ethan."

But Ethan's guilt lingered.

Both boys had dinner with Minsoo's parents and decided to head back to Jeonju from Seoul. Ethan was driving and the ride was uncomfortably quiet.

Minsoo broke the silence, attempting to lighten the mood. "Hey, want to grab dessert somewhere?"

Ethan's response was a quiet shake of his head.

Minsoo's frustration simmered. Ethan's self-blame game was exhausting.

"Pull over," Minsoo said abruptly.

Ethan obeyed without question, stopping the car on the side of the road.

Minsoo turned to Ethan, his voice firm. "Listen, you need to quit this self-guilt trip. It's not your fault."

Ethan's bitter smile cut through the darkness. "You don't understand."

"Try me," Minsoo urged.

Ethan's gaze drifted back to the road. "Remember when you asked why I bought that 5-story house in the 14th district?"

Minsoo nodded. "You said you'd tell me later."

Ethan's eyes locked onto Minsoo's. "It was an inheritance. My family's treasure. But my uncle sold it, greedy for quick cash."

Minsoo's expression softened.

"I bought it back," Ethan continued, "to preserve our family's legacy. But now...my own family irritates me."

The weight of Ethan's words settled between them.

Minsoo reached out, his hand finding Ethan's. "You're not defined by your family's past."

Ethan's gaze dropped, his voice barely audible. "But it's my bloodline."

Minsoo's grip tightened. "You're more than your family's mistakes."

The night air wrapped around them, heavy with unspoken words.

Minsoo's concern turned to frustration. "Ethan, stop this self-blame cycle! You're torturing yourself for something you didn't do."

Ethan's silence was deafening, his eyes fixed on the darkness outside.

Minsoo's anger boiled over. "Fine! If you're so convinced you're to blame, then do what suits you! Wallow in guilt, throw away our friendship, ruin your life – see if I care!"

The harsh words hung in the air like a challenge.

Ethan's face twisted in pain, but Minsoo couldn't take it back.

"You're suffocating me with your self-loathing," Minsoo spat. "I thought our bond was stronger than your family's toxic legacy."

Ethan's voice was barely audible. "You don't understand."

Minsoo's laugh was bitter. "I understand perfectly. You're letting your family's ghosts define you."

The silence that followed was oppressive, weighing heavily on their hearts.

Minsoo's anger slowly deflated, replaced by sorrow.

"Ethan, please...don't let your family's past destroy us."

Ethan's gaze remained fixed on the darkness, his expression unreadable.

The rift between them grew, palpable and ominous, like a chasm widening with each passing moment. Minsoo's words still lingered, a painful reminder of their fractured bond. Ethan's gaze drifted back to Minsoo, his eyes haunted by the weight of his family's dark legacy.

Ethan's thoughts swirled with self-doubt, his mind consumed by the guilt of his family's past. Minsoo's frustration and anger had been a catalyst, unleashing a torrent of emotions Ethan struggled to contain.

The linking, forged in desperation to protect Ethan from Sooyeon's wrath, began to fray. Minsoo felt it, a subtle unraveling of their connection, like threads snapping one by one. The blood bond, once a shield, now waned, leaving Ethan vulnerable to Sooyeon's malevolent influence.

Minsoo's heart raced as he sensed the link weakening. He reached out, desperate to reestablish their connection, but Ethan's hand slipped through his fingers like sand.

"No, Ethan, don't pull away," Minsoo whispered, his voice laced with desperation.

Ethan's eyes locked onto Minsoo's, a silent plea for understanding and forgiveness. But it was too late.

Sooyeon's presence closed in, her ethereal form materializing before them like a specter of vengeance. Her eyes blazed with fury, fueled by the darkness of the Kim family's past.

"Run," Minsoo urged, starting the engine, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of shattering glass.

Ethan's scream echoed through the night as Sooyeon's icy grip wrapped around him, pulling him into the darkness.

Minsoo's world went dark, his last thought a desperate cry:

"Ethan!"