The Weight of Silence

After the commotion caused by the two brothers, I quickly took Do Hwan to a quieter place. But instead, what I got was the opposite.

"What is your relationship with that bastard?" His voice was cold, full of anger.

I looked at him, slightly shocked. "I-I have no relationship with him at all."

Seeing his face—one that always wore a smile—now filled with fury, I felt a little confused and scared.

Do Hwan let out a harsh breath. "I'm asking you, Narin. How close are you to him, huh?" His voice pressed harder.

I shook my head quickly. "I really have nothing to do with him. Please, believe me!"

"You expect me to believe that? After that bastard said it’s been a long time since he last saw you? Do you think that makes sense?" His eyes burned with disappointment, as if no matter how many times I tried to explain, he wouldn't listen. He was already consumed by his anger.

I fell silent. Because no matter how much I defended myself, he wouldn’t hear me.

"Why are you silent? Answer me, Narin!"

Suddenly, he grabbed my shoulders tightly.

I winced. It hurt, but I didn’t fight back. I let him vent his emotions, let him speculate all he wanted. I would explain everything later, once he calmed down.

"Oh… or have you just been pretending not to be interested in me all along?"

I tensed.

"You told your friend to approach me, and all of this… was part of your plan, wasn’t it?"

His laughter echoed between us, cold and sarcastic. He clapped his hands slowly, a twisted smirk on his face.

"Maybe I should give you a reward for this amazing game."

My heart sank. "What do you mean?"

He narrowed his eyes. "How much did that bastard pay you?" His words cut deep. His tone was full of contempt.

I clenched my fists. "Do Hwan, enough!"

He had crossed the line.

I tried to understand his anger—he was clearly dealing with a lot—but did that give him the right to insult me like this?

His eyes widened slightly at my raised voice. Slowly, his grip on my shoulders weakened before he finally let go completely.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself so I wouldn’t get carried away by my emotions.

"You know, your behavior is out of line," my voice was calmer, but firm. "I've been waiting for you to calm down so I could explain everything. But you’ve just been busy making up your own stories, without even giving me a chance to speak."

He remained silent, staring at me.

I swallowed hard, then continued, "And listen carefully to this. Even if he were my boyfriend, you have no right to force me to explain anything. My life is none of your business, so stop acting like you have control over it."

I held his gaze, making sure my words sank in. "So, I hope… from now on, we don’t have to talk again."

His hands, which had been clenched into fists, now fell weakly at his sides. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.

I let out a long sigh and turned to leave.

"And about the study group…," I paused for a moment, "forget it. I can handle it myself."

For a split second, I caught a look of shock on his face.

He stared at me with an unreadable expression. That look… for some reason, it reminded me of something.

But I didn’t want to care anymore. I walked away.

---

The sky had darkened as I distanced myself from Do Hwan. My chest felt tight—not just because of his hurtful words, but because of a strange feeling I couldn’t explain.

I walked alone after leaving him behind. Until suddenly, he caught up and grabbed my wrist roughly.

"Get in." His voice was heavy and cold, almost like an order.

I looked at him with confusion and anger. "Do Hwan, what are you doing?"

Instead of answering, he opened the car door and pushed me inside forcefully. I struggled, trying to resist, but his grip was too strong.

"I don’t want to go with you!" I protested, my voice rising.

But he stayed silent. His dark eyes held something beyond just anger—there was restrained pain, an unspoken wound.

Without giving me a chance to escape, he shut the door and drove off at high speed. I gripped the seat in panic.

"Do Hwan, slow down! Is this how you solve problems?"

He didn’t listen. I had no idea where he was taking me, but my gut told me this wouldn’t end well.

Ten minutes later, we arrived at a building that looked strangely familiar.

Wait. Is this a club?

"Why did you bring me here? Open the door! I want to go home."

He stepped out, walked over to me, and grabbed my wrist, pulling me inside the club. Trying to break free was useless. Even the guards seemed to know him well. Without any confirmation, he was given special access to the main lounge on the second floor.

Inside, neon lights flickered, music pounded, and the air was thick with the scent of alcohol and strong perfume.

I looked around uncomfortably. "Do Hwan, why did you bring me here?"

"Sit." Not long after, a bartender arrived with a bottle of liquor.

I swallowed hard. "Do Hwan, you're not in the right state of mind. You should go home."

He just let out a small laugh, but there was no joy in it—only hidden sorrow. One glass, two glasses, three… I lost count.

The more he drank, the hazier his gaze became. His hands trembled slightly as he placed the last glass on the table.

Then, suddenly, he spoke.

"You know?" he said, his voice heavier from the alcohol. "I was never a wanted child."

I held my breath.

"My father…," he smiled bitterly, but I could feel the deep pain behind it. "He never wanted me. To him, only Da Reum was worthy of being his son. And me? I was just a problem that needed to be discarded."

His hand tightened around the empty glass in front of him, as if trying to suppress something he had held back for too long.

"The only person who ever cared about me was my grandmother. She was the only one who stood by me, who saw me. Until she… died." His voice trembled. "I was only twelve at the time, and you know what happened? Everyone blamed me. As if I was the one who killed her."

His eyes were red, but he didn’t cry.

I bit my lip, feeling a deep ache hearing his words.

"After that, they sent me to the U.S. No one cared if I ate, slept, or even lived." He let out a hollow laugh. "The only person watching over me was a paid caretaker. Not because they cared, but because it was their job."

The atmosphere between us grew heavier.

"And Da Reum?" he continued, his smile vanishing, replaced by an empty expression. "He’s my brother. My real brother. He never hurt me, but he never cared either."

I saw his fists clench tightly.

"Every time our father beat me, he just stood there, watching. Even after I left, he still said the same thing." Do Hwan looked at me, his gaze hollow, but I could feel how shattered he was.

'You don’t deserve to be in this family. Get out of my life.'

I felt my eyes start to sting.

Do Hwan's voice grew softer, almost a whisper. "To me… home was never a home. It was just a place where I was never wanted."

I looked at him. The person who always seemed strong, bright, and confident now appeared so fragile.

I wanted to say something—anything. But no words seemed enough to erase the pain he had carried alone for so long.

So, I did the only thing I could.

I stood up, walked closer, and hugged him.

His body tensed instantly, as if he didn’t know how to react. His breath hitched, and for the first time, I felt how weak he truly was beneath the mask he always wore.

I didn’t say anything.

Because sometimes, silence meant more than a thousand words.

Tonight, I would stay here. With him.

***