Bittersweet Romance

Chapter 6

Unrequited Love

“Don’t make this harder than it already is. I’ve accepted my fate and I don’t care anymore. Just… go do whatever you want.” You clenched the hospital bed sheets on you and slowly breathed in. You were fed up with Minhyuk’s feelings, you didn’t want to continue this anymore. Why would you?

“I… need to stay. I have to.” Minhyuk abruptly spoke. You turned your head toward him and stared in confusion and disbelief. The young man sighed and stared into your eyes. They looked so sad, so desperate, so frustrated. You could see it all. So why? Why want to keep this up? Why keep going on with this when he obviously had the chance to escape? When he disliked you so much and was already with someone he loved?

“I have people I must protect. Someone I dearly need to protect…” Minhyuk paused and took a slow breath. “I can’t just leave and do what I want.” He tried to explain. You stared at him, unsure of his reasoning and intent. But, you didn’t care. It was none of your business. What was the point of trying for him? He wasn’t going to try for you, why try for him? You clenched your fists even tighter, breaking skin once more and causing your palms to bleed. Minhyuk noticed and quickly tried to loosen your grip. “Y/N, you’re bleeding!” He takes your hand and tried to pull them away, but you pull your hands from him and stare at him with slightly teary eyes.

“I don’t want to continue this.” You exclaimed. “This situation may benefit you in ways, but for me, it doesn’t benefit me in anyway.” You stared at him in frustration and anger. “There is nothing for me to gain in this situation. In this…” You paused and gasped for air as the tears rolled down your face. “I lose the remaining that I have.” You breathed out and then bit down on your lip. Minhyuk looked back at you and was speechless. He was unaware of your circumstances, your life, your story. But you were also unaware of his story, his reasonings. The both of you, were struggling in your own ways, but were trapped in the world of strangers causing you two to have no idea whether to trust each other or not. Yet, here you two are, face-to-face and struggling to understand each other’s ways.

“I…”

Knock knock!

Suddenly, someone knocks on the door. You quickly wiped away your tears and looked up to see Woohyun walking in. As he stepped in, he immediately saw you up and rushed towards you. “Y/N-Ah! You’re awake!” He quickly came up to your side and stared at you in relief and happiness, until he saw your red eyes and wet cheeks. His smile fell, and he immediately looked at Minhyuk, who was looking down at his feet. “What happened?” His voice suddenly lowered and he stared at the man with stern eyes. Minhyuk didn’t say anything and kept quiet. Woohyun immediately grabbed Minhyuk by the collar of his shirt and pulled him out of the seat.

Immediately, Jun came rushing over to stop him, but you take a grip of Woohyun’s arm and stop him from doing anything else. “Woohyun…” You gasped. Woohyun continued to hold his strong grip on Minhyuk and stared angrily into the young man’s eyes. “I thought you said you were her fiancée? Then why the hell is she crying?”

Minhyuk stared back at him blankly, unable to answer Woohyun truthfully. You tugged at Woohyun and tried to pull him away. “Woohyun… please, let him go. I will explain to you.” You pleaded. Woohyun hesitated and looked dead straight into Minhyuk’s eyes. He scowled and huffed as he slowly loosened his grip on the young man’s collar and released him. You sighed in relief and took Woohyun’s hand into yours to comfort him. “I’ll explain everything… Just please… don’t hurt him.” You mumbled to him. Minhyuk then looked at you with slight shock and you turned to him. Your expression sad and tired you sighed and spoke. “You can leave now….”

It was silent for a while, Minhyuk seeming to refuse to leave, but you insisted and tried to persuade him to leave. “We will talk about this matter some other time… for now,” you paused and let a shaky sigh out, “let us give it some time.” You finished. Minhyuk stood there silently until Jun had urged him to leave, afterwards, he turned around and walked out of the room with his head hanging low.

You then turned to Woohyun, who looked confused and frustrated. You sighed and motioned him to sit. As he did, he looked at you and sighed. “What is going on?” He asked. You sighed once more and clasped your hands together. Where to start? With a low hum, you tell him your story, and who Minhyuk truly is to you.

“Minhyuk and I, are in an arranged marriage.” You start. Woohyun’s eyes grow in shock and he is silent. You look at him and scoffed. “I know right? In this time of day? Arranged marriage?” You sighed and looked away sadly. “This started because my older sister had disobeyed my parents. They wanted her to marry someone else, but she loved another man.” You paused and clenched the bed sheets. “A man that was deemed not worthy to my parents.” You remanence on the time that your parents would constantly pester and yell at Yura for going out on the nightly dates with her lover, how he was a troublemaker and all that other mumbo jumbo. Yura ignored it all and continued to date the man. You never once met him, but Yura had tried to promise that she would introduce him to you one day. Of course, it turned out that day may never come.

Woohyun sat there silently, trying to piece together the information and consume it to the best of his ability. “My parents heavily disapproved my sister’s choice and eventually kicked her out of the house. She was completely disregarded and almost literally erased from the family history.” You sadly explained. Woohyun listened to you with a sad expression and you could see the pity in his eyes. You let out a weak and airy laugh, seeing the obvious emotions in him. “Obviously, my parents didn’t want me falling into the same situation as her, so they proudly declared that I was going to marry someone they chose when I turn 24.” You mockingly told and forced a smile.

“And so here I am. Arranged marriage to that man you saw earlier. To a man I never once knew. To a man…” You paused, and your smile slowly fell. Your heart ached, and you sighed. “To a man who doesn’t want to marry me. To a man that already has a lover.” You finished. At those last words, Woohyun’s expression exploded into disbelief. “He…” He tried to comprehend the information and instead just lost his words. “It’s…” You began. “It’s complicated… Him an I, never wanted this. But, we were forced into this. It was obvious that we would not get along in a situation like this.” You stared down at your lap and let out a shaky breath. Woohyun watched as you let yourself calm down and finally spoke.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N.” He said. You shake your head and laugh. “Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything.” You said. Woohyun took your hand into his and clenches it gently. You looked up at him in shock. “Woohyun?” You called out to him. He stared down at your hand, the marks where you dug your nails into and let bleed were still there and fresh. He gently rubbed them and sighed. “Had I known earlier, I could’ve saved you from this.” He told. Your eyes widen in shock and you look at him quizzingly.

“If I had asked you about this earlier, if I had known, I would’ve never let you leave that day. I would’ve never dropped you off at your parent’s house that day.” He then stood up and headed into the bathroom. He then returned with a small med kit and opened it up. Taking out some alcohol wipes and a band-aide, he cleaned your wounds and wrapped them. You watched him silently as he did so and when he was done, he looked up to you and smiled sadly. “I am so sorry.” He apologized.

You stared at him, sadly and almost relieved. For once, there was someone looking at you in true concern and care. For once, there was someone who actually wanted your happiness. Woohyun. Nam Woohyun. Such a kind and loving man who has been by your side since you two met. He was everything you yearned for, everything you needed. You were content with him by your side. Woohyun, a sweetheart that saved your life and actually cared for you. You… were incredibly grateful towards him.

Woohyun then broke the silence and quickly cleaned up the mess. He threw away the paper wraps and placed the med kit away. With a gentle smile, he laughed and placed his hands to his hips. “Aigoo, I knew that guy was suspicious. He didn’t look like your type at all, Y/N.” He joked. You smiled slightly and tilted your head a little. “I guess not.” You answered meekly. Woohyun huffed and turned to you with a large smile. “I will go get the nurse to tell them you are awake. And some food, I am sure you’re hungry.” He said. You smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

Woohyun nodded and quickly rushed out. You were then left alone once more and sighed in the silence. You looked over to the open window and saw the gleaming light of the sun glitter on the window. It was so light and gentle. You then remembered Minhyuk’s words and felt a feeling of sadness and regret. “Why does he want to keep this up?” You asked yourself. “I don’t understand.”

Later on, the nurse had arrived and went over some vital checks on you. Woohyun then returned with food and your friend Mi-yeong had arrived to check on you. Afterwards, they had the doctor come in and explain to you the situation. You were given medication to reduce the fever and an ankle-brace to stabilize your ankle. You were also given orders to avoid overworking and to just rest for the next few days to avoid contamination and any kind of re-triggering to the flu. You agreed. Since you didn’t seem severely ill anymore, you were free to go and was discharged the next day. Woohyun had taken the responsibility to take you back to your apartment and watch over you.

“Watch your step.” Woohyun cautioned as the two of you walked out of the elevator and out into the hallway toward your apartment. Woohyun had a secured grasp on your arms and was carefully balancing you as you slowly walked back to your home. “I am sorry for the trouble.” You apologized to him as you reached your door and began to put the password into the