Chapter 36: Yoon Sera

The moment I stepped into Taesan's office and saw him—Yeo Dohyun—my heart stopped. He turned to look at me, and in that instant, everything around us faded. Shock. Then—his expression hardened. He didn't say a word. Not a single one. He just looked at me, his jaw clenching, his eyes darkening with something cold, something distant. Then, as if I were nothing but air, he turned back to Taesan and muttered, "Let's talk later." And then he left. I stood there, gripping the file in my hands, my breath unsteady. My chest tightened, an invisible weight pressing against it. It wasn't just silence. It wasn't just avoidance. It was rejection. Dohyun had erased me from his life the moment I walked away from Taesan. And now, even after Eight years, he still refused to acknowledge me. I bowed slightly toward Taesan, my voice quieter than usual. "Pardon me, Mr. Ryu. I have to go talk with him."

He only nodded. I turned and hurried after Dohyun, my heart pounding with every step. By the time I reached the parking lot, he was unlocking his car.

"Dohyun!"

He froze, his back stiffening. But he didn't turn around. I clenched my fists, inhaling shakily. "Please… just give me a chance to talk."

Nothing. I swallowed hard, my voice breaking slightly. "Five minutes. That's all I ask."

Silence stretched between us. Then, finally, he let out a sharp exhale and turned around. His eyes met mine—cold, sharp, unreadable.

"Fine," he said flatly. "Five minutes."

The coffee shop was quiet. A few late-night customers sat scattered across the room, lost in their own worlds. The warm scent of roasted beans filled the air, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. Dohyun sat across from me, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. But his silence was deafening. He didn't touch his coffee. Didn't even glance at me. His entire body radiated anger.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to speak. "I know you hate me. I know you probably don't even want to look at me right now. But—"

He let out a bitter laugh. "Probably?"

I swallowed. "I… I just want you to understand my perspective."

His gaze snapped to mine, sharp and cutting.

"Your perspective?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.

Then, finally, the storm inside him erupted.

"You want me to understand?" he said, his voice rising. "Sera, do you have any idea how much Taesan suffered?"

I flinched. Dohyun leaned forward, his eyes burning with emotions he had held back for years.

"He couldn't even speak your name." His voice was tight, his jaw clenched as if the words hurt to say out loud. "He locked himself up for days. Even though he still went to university, he didn't talk to anyone. He walked through campus like a ghost, like he wasn't even there."

My throat tightened. Dohyun's hands curled into fists. "We tried. We tried to pull him out of it. Soobin hyung, Jihyo, me. We did everything we could." His voice trembled slightly, but he quickly masked it. "He wouldn't even talk to us."

I felt my breath hitch, my nails digging into my palms.

"He saved you, Sera," Dohyun continued, his voice cracking slightly. "He loved you. He gave you a new life. But you—"

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You only thought about yourself."

The words cut deep. Because he wasn't wrong. I had convinced myself that leaving was the right choice. That I had done it for Taesan's sake. That he would be better off without me. But hearing this—hearing just how much pain I had left behind— It was suffocating. Dohyun leaned back, exhaling slowly as if trying to compose himself. But his voice was quieter this time.

"I cannot forgive you."

The words hit harder than I expected. Tears burned at the edges of my eyes, but I forced them back. I had no right to cry. I inhaled shakily, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry."

It was all I could say. All I could say. Because there was no excuse. No justification. Just regret. Dohyun studied me for a moment, his expression still unreadable. Then, without another word, he stood up. The chair scraped against the floor as he grabbed his coat. I knew, even before he spoke, what he was about to say.

"This conversation is over."

And just like that—He walked away.

I watched as Dohyun walked away, his back straight, his steps firm—like he had already decided this conversation was over.

But I couldn't let it end like this.

I stood up quickly, my chair scraping against the floor as I rushed after him.

"Dohyun!"

He didn't stop.

My chest tightened. I swallowed back the lump in my throat and forced my voice to steady.

"I always thought of you as my protective brother," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "Even before I knew what family truly felt like, you were there. You always looked out for me. You always treated me like someone worth protecting."

Dohyun slowed, but he still didn't turn around.

I clenched my fists. "I never wanted to hurt him. And I never wanted to lose you either."

Silence.

The kind that felt too long. Too heavy.

I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to keep going. "You don't have to forgive me. You don't even have to talk to me after this. But I just… I just wanted to tell you that I missed you too."

His shoulders tensed. For a moment, I thought he would leave without saying a word.

But then—

He spoke.

"You always did say the most frustrating things," he muttered.

I froze.

Slowly, he turned around, his sharp eyes locking onto mine.

He studied me for a second—like he was trying to decide whether I was worth forgiving.

Then, with a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair. "You think saying that will make me forget Eight years of anger?"

I bit my lip. "No."

He let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "At least you know that much."

I stared at him, searching for any sign that he might still care, even a little.

His expression remained unreadable, but then—

"Just don't hurt him again, Sera," he said simply. "That's all I'll say."

My breath caught. It wasn't a full forgiveness. But it was something. And for now—That was enough.

I barely slept that night.

Dohyun's words kept replaying in my head, over and over again. Just don't hurt him again, Sera.

I didn't know if he had forgiven me, but at least… he didn't hate me completely. At least, there was still something left between us—something not entirely broken.

But that didn't change the fact that I had hurt Taesan the most.

And once again—

I was about to hurt him again.

—

The next day at the office, I stayed late, buried in work. The floor was almost empty, most employees already gone. The only sound was the faint hum of the air conditioning and the rustling of papers as I sorted through a pile of files. I sighed, rubbing my forehead. I needed to find the file Taesan had asked for earlier, but it wasn't on my desk. I walked toward the bookshelves near the window, scanning through the neatly stacked files. The one I needed was on the upper shelf, just slightly out of reach. I stretched up on my toes, trying to grab it. Still too far. I exhaled sharply, determined. I reached up again, this time pressing my fingers against the edge of the file, trying to tip it forward. But then— The bookshelf wobbled. I froze. A second later, I heard the terrifying sound of something heavy shifting above me. Before I could react—A shadow moved. Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me back just as a heavy storage box crashed down from the top shelf.

Thud!

I felt the impact against the person behind me. A sharp inhale—

A low, pained hiccup.

I turned, my heart stopping.

Taesan.

His face twisted slightly in pain, his hand gripping the edge of the bookshelf to steady himself. The box that had nearly hit me was now on the floor, its contents spilling out—thick, heavy binders, metal stationery cases, and a few stacks of old documents. But Taesan wasn't looking at any of it. He was looking at me.

"Miss Yoon," he breathed out. "Are you okay?"

I couldn't answer. Because all I could see— Was the way he was pressing his hand against his back. The same back that had been injured before. The same scar from Eight years ago. My stomach dropped.

"Mr. Ryu—" My voice trembled. "Are you hurt?"

He let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "I'm fine."

He wasn't fine.

I knew it. I could see it.

The tightness in his jaw, the way he shifted his weight slightly to one side—the silent wince he tried to hide.

I reached forward, my hands hovering near his. "Let me see—"

"Miss Yoon." His voice was quiet but firm. "It's nothing."

I clenched my fists. "It's not nothing!"

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to ease the tension. "I've had worse."

The words hit me like a slap.

Because it was the same thing he had said the last time. The night he had saved me. The night he had collapsed into my arms, covered in blood, whispering, Are you okay? My throat tightened painfully.

"You're still like this," I whispered.

He blinked, his expression unreadable. I shook my head, my vision blurring. "Even after all this time, you're still the same. You take every hit. You shield me, even when it hurts you. Why do you—"

I stopped myself before the words slipped out. Why do you still care about me? Why do you still put me first? Taesan sighed, tilting his head slightly as he looked at me. His dark eyes softened just a fraction, his voice quieter now.

"You already know why."

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. I did know. And that was the problem. Because I didn't deserve it. Not then. Not now. And yet— Taesan was still standing in front of me, still protecting me. Still loving me in the way only he could.

The ride home was suffocating. The car was silent, except for the soft hum of the engine and the rhythmic sound of rain tapping against the windshield. I sat in the passenger seat, my fingers curled tightly around the hem of my coat, my heart pounding harder than it should. Taesan hadn't said a word since we left the office. Neither had I. But the weight of our conversation—of everything left unsaid—pressed down on me like a storm waiting to break. I stole a glance at him. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles pale. His expression was unreadable, but I could see it—the tension in his jaw, the slight furrow of his brows. He was holding something back. And I had a feeling I knew what it was. I hesitated, then took a slow breath. "Does it still hurt?"

He didn't react at first. I forced myself to continue, my voice quieter now. "Your scar… You should see a doctor."

For a moment, I thought he would ignore me. But then— A quiet chuckle. Low. Slightly bitter.

"Eight years, Sera," he said, his tone unreadable. "And you're still worrying about me?"

I bit my lip, my fingers curling tighter in my lap. Of course, I was. I had never stopped worrying. But I didn't say that. Instead, I looked away, focusing on the raindrops sliding down the window. A few seconds of silence passed. Then—his next words shattered it completely.

"Why do you care?"

I froze. His voice was calm, but there was something beneath it. Something deeper. Before I could gather my thoughts, before I could even think of a response— He spoke again.

"Do you still love me?"

My breath caught. My entire body went still. I turned my head sharply, my eyes widening as I met his gaze. The moment I saw him—really saw him—I knew he wasn't asking casually. He was waiting. For me. For the truth. My lips parted, but no words came out. I felt heat rise to my face, my pulse hammering in my ears. I looked away quickly, my hands gripping my coat even tighter. Damn it. Why was I reacting like this? Why did he still have this effect on me?

Taesan let out a quiet hum, amusement flickering in his voice. "I'll take that as a yes."

I sucked in a sharp breath.

"That's not—"

He glanced at me briefly, his smirk deepening.

"You're blushing, Sera."

I turned my face toward the window instantly, hiding behind my hair. He knew. Even after all these years, he could still see through me. Still read me like an open book. And the worst part? He was right. I still loved him. And no matter how much I tried to hide it— My silence had already answered for me.