Love In The Shadows Of Guilt

Seungmin's POV

"What's the good news?" Jaehyun asked eagerly, his excitement barely contained.

I was at Jaehyun's house, a sprawling mansion like before, though it felt eerily empty since he had just moved back and was still settling in.

"Heh," I stood up, pulling out a file from my bag and holding it high in the air.

"Tada! Evidence I found!" I declared, watching Jaehyun's face light up.

"What?!" Jaehyun shot up from his seat, a grin spreading across his face.

I stepped down from the chair, pulled him into a hug, and spun us both around as if we had just won the World Cup.

"That fast?!" he asked, pulling away to look at me in disbelief.

"Forgot already? I've always had connections," I said, puffing out my chest smugly.

"Let me see." He grabbed the file from my hands, sat back down, and started flipping through the pages.

Just then, my phone buzzed. I picked it up, already annoyed.

"What is it, Minseo? I'm busy."

"You were the one who drove Eunji home last night, weren't you?" Minseo's voice was sharp, almost accusing.

"Uh... yeah. Why?"

"What did you do to her? She hasn't left her room since last night!"

"I didn't do any-"

CRASH!

The sound of glass shattering came through the phone.

"Eunji? Eunji, what's going on? Open the door!" It sounded like Minseo had left the phone to check on her.

"Hello? Minseo?! What's happening? What's wrong with Eunji?!"

At the mention of Eunji's name, Jaehyun's eyes snapped to me, filled with concern.

"Seungmin, come quickly," Minseo said before hanging up.

I locked eyes with Jaehyun, dread pooling in my stomach. I remembered something-there was a file Jaehyun had given me, one I'd accidentally left in the car. It couldn't be...

"What's wrong? Is Eunji okay?" Jaehyun asked, his voice trembling.

"Jaehyun," I hesitated, my voice cracking.
"I think she knows."

---

Jaehyun's POV

Seungmin and I rushed to the car, driving as fast as I could to Eunji's house. My foot pressed hard on the accelerator. In moments like this, Who cares about being fined?

When we arrived, Minseo greeted us at the door, her face pale with worry.

"Where's her room?" I demanded.

She pointed to a door that was locked from the inside.

I knocked frantically. "Eunji! Open the door!"

"She hasn't answered since last night. I'm scared," Minseo said, her voice trembling.

Without hesitation, I kicked the door open and ran inside.

My steps froze at the sight before me. Eunji lay on the floor, her hand bloodied and surrounded by shattered glass.

Seungmin rushed in behind me, quickly ordering Minseo to call an ambulance.

I lifted Eunji gently and carried her to the bed, laying her down with care.

"Eunji, please. Wake up," I whispered, gripping her hand tightly, hoping against hope that she would stir.

---

Third-Person POV

Eunji's eyes fluttered open, her body weak and trembling. Her head felt heavy, and her swollen eyes burned from hours of crying. She looked down at her bandaged hand, then toward the door of her room, which now stood wide open.

She rose slowly, her legs shaky beneath her. Following the faint sounds of movement, she made her way to the kitchen.

"Eunji," Jaehyun's voice cracked when he saw her. He froze, staring at her frail form like she was a ghost.

"What are you doing here?" Eunji's voice was quiet, almost a whisper, devoid of emotion.

Jaehyun couldn't hold back anymore. Tears streamed down his face as he dropped to his knees before her, his body trembling.

"I'm sorry," he choked out, bowing his head. His hands trembled as guilt consumed him. The secret he had feared for so long was no longer hidden. She knew. The person he loved most now knew everything.

Eunji stared at him, unmoving, her face unreadable.

"Was my mother...?" Her voice cracked, the words catching in her throat.

Jaehyun lifted his head to meet her eyes, his vision blurred by tears.

"After reading it all... I realized... my mother didn't just die. She was murdered. Am I wrong?" Her voice broke completely, tears now streaming down her face.

Jaehyun couldn't answer. He couldn't find the words. Fear paralyzed him. Seeing Eunji like this-broken, shattered-it was too much to bear.

"I'm sorry, Eunji," he whispered again, his voice barely audible. He lowered his head, staring at the floor, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him like a crushing tide.

Eunji collapsed to the floor, her legs giving out beneath her. She clutched her chest, the pain too much to endure. "So it's true," she sobbed, her voice filled with anguish. "It's true..."

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➳Hehe, how was it? By the way, this story is almost reaching its end~ I want to finish it quickly :)