As Jeoyoon strolled through the market, parasol in hand despite his protest, his eyes scanned the stalls for a suitable gift for Chunho. The guards Ahn had insisted on bringing maintained a respectful distance, allowing Jeoyoon some semblance of normalcy.
Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the market's bustle, causing Jeoyoon's blood to run cold.
"Jeoyoon? Is that really you?"
Jeoyoon's grip on the parasol tightened, his knuckles turning white. He knew that voice all too well - Yoon Doowon, his ex-lover and the father of the child he had lost. The man he had tried so hard to forget.
For a moment, Jeoyoon considered pretending he hadn't heard, but Doowon was already making his way through the crowd. Jeoyoon's eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, but the press of bodies in the market left him with nowhere to go.
"Jeoyoon," Doowon said again, now standing before him. "It's been so long. How are you?"
Jeoyoon's jaw clenched, his eyes cold as he stared at the man before him. "Doowon," he acknowledged curtly, his tone devoid of any warmth. "I'm fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm rather busy."
He tried to step around Doowon, but the man moved to block his path. "Wait, please. It's been nine years. Can't we talk?"
"There's nothing to talk about," Jeoyoon snapped, his voice low but sharp. "Our past is exactly that - past. I've moved on. I suggest you do the same and leave me alone."
Doowon's face fell, hurt evident in his eyes. "But our child-"
"Don't," Jeoyoon hissed, his eyes flashing with anger and pain. "You have no right to speak of that. Not now, not ever."
The guards, sensing the tension, moved closer. Jeoyoon took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He didn't want to cause a scene, he especially didn't want rumors to reach Chunho's ears.
Jeoyoon quickened his pace, weaving through the crowded market stalls, but he could sense Doowon's presence behind him. The man's persistence was as unnerving as it was infuriating.
"Jeoyoon, please," Doowon called out, his voice a mix of desperation and determination. "I've thought about you every day for the past nine years. We can't just leave things like this."
Jeoyoon's jaw clenched, his fingers gripping the parasol so tightly he feared it might snap. He turned abruptly, facing Doowon with barely contained anger.
"I told you to leave me alone," Jeoyoon hissed, his voice low but sharp. "What part of that did you not understand?!"
Doowon's eyes were wild, almost feverish. "But we were meant to be together, Jeoyoon. What we had... it was special. You can't tell me you've forgotten everything."
The guards moved closer, sensing the escalating tension. Jeoyoon held up a hand, silently ordering them to stay back. He didn't want to cause a scene, but Doowon's behavior was becoming increasingly alarming.
"What we had is gone, Doowon," Jeoyoon said firmly. "I've moved on. I'm happy now. Why can't you accept that? You're no longer 19 when will you grow up!"
"Because it's not right!" Doowon exclaimed, drawing curious glances from nearby shoppers. "You belong with me, Jeoyoon. I know you still feel something for me. You have to!"
Jeoyoon felt a chill run down his spine. The look in Doowon's eyes was unsettling – a mix of longing, desperation, and something darker that he couldn't quite place.
"This needs to stop," Jeoyoon said, his voice hard. "You're delusional, Doowon. What we had is over. It has been for years. I don't love you anymore, and I never will again. Please, for both our sakes, let it go."
But Doowon seemed beyond reason. He reached out, trying to grab Jeoyoon's arm. "You don't mean that. You can't mean that. We're destined to be together, Jeoyoon. I won't let anyone come between us again."
"You're crazy!"
Doowon lunged forward and grabbed Jeoyoon's hand, his grip tight and unyielding. "Please, Jeoyoon," he pleaded, his eyes wild with obsession. "You can't just walk away from us! Give me another chance okay? I know I messed up back then but now it's different.."
Jeoyoon's heart raced, a mixture of fear and anger coursing through him. He tried to pull away, but Doowon's grip only tightened. The guards, caught off guard by the sudden action, began to move forward.
But before anyone could react further, a sickening sound of metal piercing flesh filled the air. Doowon's eyes widened in shock and pain, his grip on Jeoyoon's hand loosening. Blood began to seep through his clothes as a sword protruded from his shoulder, its blade glinting ominously in the sunlight.
The market erupted into chaos. Screams filled the air as people scattered, leaving a clearing around the gruesome scene. Jeoyoon stood frozen, his mind struggling to process what had just happened.
The guards, who hadn't even drawn their weapons yet, looked as shocked as everyone else.
Before Jeoyoon could fully comprehend the situation, another hand grasped his arm firmly. A familiar voice, low and dangerous, spoke from behind him.
"Let him go..."
Jeoyoon's breath caught in his throat as he recognized the voice. He turned slightly, confirming what he already knew in his heart.
Chunho stood there, his eyes blazing with a cold fury Jeoyoon had never witnessed before. His grip on Jeoyoon's arm was possessive, protective. With his free hand, Chunho held the hilt of the sword embedded in Doowon's shoulder.
Doowon, pale and trembling, stared at Chunho with a mixture of pain and fear. "Kang Chunho?" he gasped, his voice slightly strained and his expression turned dark.
Chunho's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Yoon Doowon you just made a grave mistake touching what belongs to me," he said, his voice carrying a deadly calm that sent shivers down Jeoyoon's spine.
"Ah! Haha…interesting, you chose him over me because he's slightly more handsome??"
Yoon Doowon took three steps back retracting the sword from his shoulder.
"Is he the one? Come back to me before you experience anymore heartbreaks.."