Kang Min Jun stepped into his apartment, the familiar surroundings offering little comfort. The echoes of the discussion with his parents still clung to him, refusing to let go. Their words replayed in his mind, each sentence like a stone weighing him down.
He tossed his keys onto the table, barely noticing as they slid to the floor. His thoughts were too entangled in the conversation he'd just had. The room felt cold, empty, as if the warmth he usually found here had been drained away by the weight of his parents' expectations.
He wandered into the living room and sank into the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. His father's warning echoed in his head, the threat of consequences hanging over him like a dark cloud. "There will be consequences, Min Jun. Think carefully about what you're willing to lose."
Min Jun closed his eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but they persisted, gnawing at the edges of his resolve. He knew he had made the right decision for himself, for his love for Soo Jeon, but the fear of losing everything he had known all his life—his family, their support, their approval—gripped him tightly.
He ran a hand through his hair, his chest tightening with anxiety. Was he truly prepared to face what lay ahead? Could he endure the potential estrangement from his parents? The pressure to conform to their expectations had always been there, a constant shadow in his life, but this time he had pushed back harder than ever before.
And then there was Soo Jeon. The thought of her brought a momentary sense of calm, but it was quickly overshadowed by doubt. What if she couldn't understand the gravity of what he was going through? What if his struggles with his family put a strain on their relationship? He didn't want to burden her, but he couldn't imagine facing this without her by his side.
His phone buzzed on the table, breaking the heavy silence. He reached for it, hoping for a distraction, but his heart sank when he saw the message from his mother. "Please think about this, Min Jun. We love you, and we don't want to see you make a mistake you'll regret."
Min Jun's hand tightened around the phone, his frustration bubbling to the surface. His parents' insistence, their inability to see his side, was suffocating. He wanted to scream, to make them understand that this was his life, his choice—but he knew it wasn't that simple. Family ties, especially in a culture that placed such importance on them, couldn't be easily severed.
Unable to sit still, he got up and began pacing the room, his thoughts spiraling further. What was the right path? He believed in his love for Soo Jeon, but the fear of losing his family gnawed at him. His heart was caught between two worlds, both equally important, both demanding something he wasn't sure he could give.
He stopped in front of the window, staring out at the city lights. They flickered in the distance, indifferent to his turmoil. Min Jun wished he could find clarity, wished he could silence the voices of doubt that plagued him. But for now, all he could do was stand there, lost in the shadows of his thoughts, waiting for the storm inside him to pass.