The start of our new life

The text came late at night, just as I was about to crawl into bed.

"Meet me. Same spot."

For a moment, I stared at my phone, unsure if I was dreaming. I reread the message twice, but it was unmistakable. It was Haeun. My heart raced as memories came rushing back—the spot by the Han River, where we sat together for hours that one warm spring evening, where I’d first told her I loved her. I threw on a jacket and left the apartment without hesitation, the cool night air biting at my skin as I made my way to the park.

She was there, sitting on the bench under the dim glow of the streetlight. Her slender frame was draped in an oversized hoodie, her face hidden beneath sunglasses and a mask. Still, her beauty was undeniable—the elegant curve of her neck, her long legs crossed at the ankles, her posture impossibly graceful even when she was trying to disappear.

I approached cautiously, my heart pounding as if it were the first time we’d met. She didn’t look up, but her voice, soft and trembling, greeted me.

“You’re here.”

“Of course I am.” I sat down beside her, the familiar scent of her washing over me despite the distance between us.

We talked for a while about the competition, her debut, and her new life as a member of St6rlight. I congratulated her, genuinely proud despite everything. But the joy in her voice was muted, replaced by a tension that made my stomach twist.

She finally took off her sunglasses, revealing her wide, tear-filled eyes. “I wanted to see you before things… change.”

“Change how?”

Her lips quivered beneath her mask. “The company… they’re strict. We have to stay at the dorms now, with the other members. No phones most of the time. No outside relationships. No privacy.”

I felt my chest tighten. “So, what? You’re saying we can’t see each other anymore?”

Her head dipped low. “It’s too risky, oppa. If anyone finds out…”

I grabbed her hand, startling her. “I don’t care about the risks. I love you, Haeun. We’ve come this far, haven’t we?”

She tried to pull away, but I held firm. That’s when she broke.

“You don’t get it!” she snapped, her voice rising before quickly lowering to a whisper. She ripped off her mask, her tears streaming freely now. “I’m not the same girl you fell in love with. I’m dirty, Joonie. I’ve done things I can’t take back.”

“Haeun…”

She dug into her pocket and threw something at me—a small, crumpled box. It landed on my lap, and when I picked it up, I froze. A pregnancy test.

“It’s negative,” she said bitterly, her voice cracking. “Thank God. But just the fact that I had to take it… don’t you see? I’m not good enough for you anymore.”

The world spun, her words hitting me like a freight train. Yet, instead of anger, I felt… relief. I hated myself for it, but the thought of her being pregnant with someone else's child aroused me more than anything.

“Haeun, look at me,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm. She didn’t move. “I don’t care. I don’t care about Jihoon, or whoever, or what happened. I love you. That’s all that matters.”

Her eyes snapped to mine, filled with disbelief. “How can you say that? After everything—”

“Because I mean it,” I interrupted. “You’re my everything, Haeun. And if you need someone else sometimes… if you need him… I’ll understand. Just don’t leave me.”

She blinked, her tears slowing as my words registered. “You’re saying you’re okay with it?”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “As long as you’re honest with me. Tell me everything. I just want to be part of your life, no matter what.”

For a moment, she stared at me, searching my face for any sign of doubt. Then, slowly, she leaned into me, her head resting on my shoulder as a fresh wave of tears fell.

“I don’t deserve you,” she whispered.

“You do,” I said firmly, wrapping my arm around her. “And I’ll prove it every day if I have to.”

We sat there for what felt like hours, the gentle lapping of the river the only sound around us. The world felt impossibly quiet, as if it were holding its breath for us.

She tilted her head up, her eyes meeting mine. “I’ll tell you everything, Joonie. I promise.”

I nodded, pulling her closer. For the first time in weeks, I felt like we were truly together again, sharing a moment only we could understand. But I knew right then that we were on a path of no return.