Love In The Shadows Of Guilt

Third-Person POV

As promised, Jaehyun and Eunji were working together on this case. Jaehyun sat at his desk, tapping a pen against the edge, waiting for Eunji to arrive. He glanced at the clock. Right on time, a soft knock echoed from the door.

"Come in," he called, his tone neutral.

The door opened, revealing Eunji balancing a stack of documents in one arm and a coffee cup in the other. She stepped inside, setting the papers on his desk before pulling out a chair and sitting across from him.

Jaehyun raised an eyebrow at the coffee cup she slid toward him.

"I didn't poison it," Eunji said flatly, not meeting his gaze as she began arranging her papers.

"I wasn't worried," he replied, smirking slightly. He took a cautious sip, his brow furrowing. "Too much sugar."

"Exactly how you used to like it," she retorted, finally looking up. "Guess your taste changed."

Jaehyun let the comment slide, a faint smile tugging at his lips. For a moment, the air felt lighter, but it didn't last long.

"Can I see the evidence you got from your whistleblower?" he asked, returning to his usual composed demeanor.

Without a word, Eunji handed him a file. Jaehyun flipped through the pages, his sharp eyes scanning the contents while the room fell into heavy silence, save for the rustling of paper.

Minutes passed. Eunji shifted in her seat, tapping her pen against the edge of the desk. Finally, she slammed the pen down, startling Jaehyun.

"I can't do this," she said, exhaling sharply.

Jaehyun looked up, his brows knitting together. "What's the problem?"

"This silence," she replied, motioning between them. "It's suffocating. How are we supposed to work together like this?"

Jaehyun leaned back in his chair, studying her for a moment before letting out a soft laugh.

Eunji blinked. "What's so funny?"

"You haven't changed," he said, a faint chuckle still in his voice. "You used to say the same thing when we studied together in high school. Couldn't handle the quiet back then either."

Eunji crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Because you'd sit there like a statue. I had to talk, or I'd go crazy."

Jaehyun's smile widened, a rare expression that softened the sharp lines of his face. "I guess some things don't change."

Eunji stared at him, caught off guard by the warmth in his tone. She found herself smiling back, despite herself.

"Remember that time you spent hours trying to solve that chemistry equation, only to realize you'd misread the question?" Jaehyun teased.

"Don't remind me," Eunji groaned, covering her face. "I still have nightmares about that."

Their laughter filled the office, the tension melting away as they exchanged stories from their school days. For a moment, it felt like they were back in the past, where things were simpler, and their connection hadn't been strained by years of silence and pain.

But beneath their laughter and lighthearted banter, both harbored the same unspoken thought:

If I could turn back time, would I have been able to save this relationship?

---

At a nearby cafe, Seungmin sipped his favorite iced latte, glancing impatiently at his watch.

"Where is he?" he muttered under his breath.

As if on cue, Jaehyun walked in, his face a mixture of determination and tension.

"Sorry I'm late," Jaehyun said, sliding into the seat across from Seungmin.

"What's this about?" Seungmin asked, already sounding irritated. "I don't have much time. My break is short."

Jaehyun hesitated for a moment, then looked Seungmin straight in the eyes.

"Seungmin," he began, his tone serious.

Seungmin raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"I'm sorry," Jaehyun said, his voice heavy with sincerity.

Seungmin blinked, visibly surprised by the apology, though his expression remained unreadable.

"I came back because there's something I need to do. Something I've been preparing for a long time," Jaehyun continued.

"And what's that?" Seungmin asked, his curiosity piqued.

Jaehyun reached into his bag, pulling out a file, which he placed on the table between them.

"I'm going to prosecute my father."

Seungmin froze, his eyes narrowing as he processed the words. Slowly, he picked up the file.

"You're going to prosecute your own father?"

Jaehyun nodded. "Do you think I became a prosecutor because I wanted to? Do you know why I suddenly transferred schools? Why do you think my father was so furious when I dated Eunji? The answers are all in that file."

Seungmin flipped through the file, his frown deepening with every page.

"Why are you telling me this?" Seungmin asked, his tone cautious.

"Because you're still my friend," Jaehyun said quietly.

"For eight years, I've been carrying this alone. I couldn't talk to anyone about it. The weight of it-it's unbearable. I know you're angry with me, but I'm trying to make things right. I miss the friendship we used to have."

Seungmin remained silent, his gaze fixed on Jaehyun.

"If you think I came back to win Eunji over, you're wrong," Jaehyun added, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Why not? Don't you still love her?" Seungmin asked bluntly.

Jaehyun let out a dry laugh, though it was clear he found no humor in the situation. "I'm engaged. My father arranged it."

Seungmin's eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing.

"I came back for one reason-to gather the final pieces of evidence I need. I want to end this once and for all. But the influence my father holds... it's immense. What I have so far isn't enough to bring him down."

Jaehyun leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "One more thing-after you've read the file, promise me you won't tell Eunji. She can't know about this."

Seungmin stared at him, the weight of the moment settling between them. The café buzzed with background noise, but for them, the world seemed to have gone still.

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