The soft glow of the morning sun filtered through the curtains of Jungwon's apartment as he sat at the dining table, his thoughts tangled in the complexity of the past few weeks. His phone buzzed on the table beside him, lighting up with a message from Seoyeon. He stared at the screen for a moment, hesitating before opening it.
"Good morning, Jungwon. I hope you're doing okay. Let's have dinner tonight, just the two of us. It feels like we haven't really talked in a while."
Jungwon sighed, guilt rising in his chest. Seoyeon had always been patient, always giving him space when he needed it. But now, her gentle patience felt like an anchor weighing him down. She deserved the truth, but how could he tell her that he wasn't sure if he could love her the way he once did? How could he explain that Yoonah had become a part of his life in a way that made him question everything?
Just as he was about to reply, there was a knock at the door. Jungwon opened it to find Yoonah standing there, her eyes searching his as if looking for reassurance. She stepped inside without a word, walking past him into the living room, her presence filling the space with an intensity that Seoyeon's softness never did.
"Are you going to tell her?" Yoonah asked, her voice low but firm.
Jungwon shut the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment before answering. "I don't know," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "It's not that simple, Yoonah."
Yoonah turned to face him, her expression a mix of frustration and vulnerability. "It's simple, Jungwon. Either you tell her the truth, or you keep lying to both of us. But you can't have it both ways. I won't be your secret."
Her words cut deep, and Jungwon felt the weight of her ultimatum. He had never meant to deceive anyone, but somehow, he had found himself trapped in a web of his own making. Yoonah wasn't just a fling—she had become someone he cared about deeply, but Seoyeon was still a part of his heart, even if things had changed between them.
"Yoonah, I don't want to hurt either of you," he said quietly, taking a step closer to her. "But I don't know what to do."
Yoonah's eyes softened for a moment, her anger melting into sadness. "You're already hurting us, Jungwon. Every day that you don't make a choice, you're hurting me, and you're hurting her."
Jungwon swallowed hard, the truth of her words sinking in. Yoonah was right—his indecision was tearing all three of them apart. He couldn't keep pretending that everything would work itself out. Sooner or later, the truth would come out, and when it did, it would shatter everything.
As Yoonah moved closer, her hand brushed against his arm, and for a brief moment, Jungwon allowed himself to imagine a life with her—a life filled with passion and adventure. But then Seoyeon's face flashed in his mind, her quiet strength and unwavering loyalty a stark contrast to the fiery whirlwind that was Yoonah.
He knew he couldn't keep going like this. The line between love and lies had grown too thin, and it was only a matter of time before it all came crashing down. But what scared Jungwon the most wasn't the fallout—it was the possibility that, in the end, he might lose both of them.
Yoonah's voice broke through his thoughts. "I'm not asking you to choose right now," she said softly. "But you need to be honest—with me, with Seoyeon, and with yourself."
Jungwon nodded, though he wasn't sure if he was ready for the honesty Yoonah demanded. The truth was messy, and he wasn't sure if he had the strength to face it. But as Yoonah turned to leave, her words lingered in the air, a reminder that the clock was ticking.
As the door closed behind her, Jungwon sank into the couch, his mind racing. Tonight, he would have dinner with Seoyeon. And in the quiet of the evening, he would finally have to confront the truth he had been avoiding for so long.