It was dawn.
Labored breaths escaped from Jihyuk’s mouth as he ran in the park.
The relentless act of pushing himself without giving a chance to catch his breath was closer to torture than exercise. Jihyuk had already been punishing his body for three hours. Running and running, taking a brief moment to catch his breath, and then running again.
The chilly winter night air pierced his skin.
The acrid smell of blood rising from his lungs dominated his mouth. The more it happened, the clearer his mind became.
The story Shin Mincheol told was more terrifying than shocking.
“…Hyunjeong loved Taeseok for a long time. She did everything she could to have him…”
Jihyuk’s solid world collapsed.
As it reached the point where he couldn’t run any longer, thirst finally surged.
Jihyuk dragged his exhausted legs home, drank water, and roughly washed himself. Lying sprawled on the living room floor, he looked at the clock and saw that it was almost one in the morning.
“Damn. What is all this…”
So.
From Shin Mincheol’s divorce to the recent embezzlement, ultimately, all these things happened because Ji Hyunjeong loved Seo Taeseok. It was incredible, but it was the truth.
Even though he knew the fact that he had to believe, it took a while to finally understand.
The foolish girl who wanted a man at any cost, regardless of means and methods. In the process, there were even troubles heard about Yeo-eum.
Shin Mincheol mentioned the woman as just a ‘drama industry person,’ but Jihyuk could immediately understand. Who could it be other than Choi Yeo-eum, a woman whom Taeseok met again, and whose smile was beautiful.
Listening to the recent situation after their separation orchestrated by Ji Hyunjeong two years ago, tears welled up in his throat.
“So, at that time, you answered like that…”
On the day they drank at the tripe restaurant, the image of Yeo-eum desperately denying when asked if she was dating Taeseok flashed in his mind. Although suspicious, she denied it so earnestly that it eventually became believable.
“It was because of coercion.”
Because she promised not to talk about her relationship with Seo Taeseok.
Her lies, which she struggled to tell, now hurt Jihyuk’s heart. It was a lingering and intense love. Like a fool. Didn’t his heart ache without even a visible bruise?
Moonlight poured through the window in the shape of a window, and square light accumulated in the living room. Absorbed in his thoughts, Jihyuk shed tears as if possessed. That’s why it was a mess. The two who met again after a messy breakup due to misunderstandings. Not knowing how to treat each other. From the production announcement to the early days of filming, the harsh atmosphere was now understood, fitting together like a puzzle.
He thought he was robbed by confessing a little later than Seo Taeseok.
“It wasn’t like that…”
Originally, it couldn’t have been taken away. She was Seo Taeseok’s woman every moment.
“Noona… I’m sorry…”
Jihyuk covered his face with both hands. Knowing how painful unattainable love could be, he vividly felt how difficult it must have been for Yeo-eum all this time.
Such articles were unnecessary.
His brother didn’t care about real scandals. He had been prepared to protect him for a lifetime, so he was confident.
The tragic end of Ji Hyunjeong, who unilaterally loved Seo Taeseok, was pitiful.
Taeseok had prepared revenge for a long time, repaying more than the pain the woman he loved had suffered. It was truly a cruel punishment. Ji Hyunjeong was practically socially dead.
“Remarkable…”
Taeseok, who calmly revealed everything after a long time of patience and preparation, made Jihyuk want to applaud his endurance.
“I am different from Hyunjeong.”
He didn’t want to end up like that. Unable to win someone’s heart, tormenting those around him and eventually being consumed by his own actions. That couldn’t be love. Love couldn’t have such a grotesque face.
“I… won’t become a monster.”
After a long time, he stood up. The hazy reality gradually became clear. Outside the window, the cold winter night was getting darker. Just as morning comes after a long night, this profound sadness would eventually be overcome.
“Sister, you must be happy now.”
The unsettled emotions that couldn’t find an outlet settled calmly into gentle waves. Having poured out enough, peace finally found its way.
In the heart that felt trapped without an exit, a path appeared.
It was time to end the intense one-sided love.
[Reporter, I apologize for the inconvenience, but please cancel the article.]He roughly wiped away the tears clinging to the corners of his eyes.
He might have become a bit more mature.
Thinking that you would be happy brought a bit of joy to my heart.
Now, you must do what is right, and let go of yourself.
Goodbye. My Yeo-eum.
Goodbye. My first love.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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