After the terrorist attack on the mansion in District 1, Vincent Shining wasn’t the only one who lost his mind. Han Jae-hoon, who cherished his son more than anything, also remained in a daze for over a month, unable to pull himself together.
Though he had barely managed to return to District 5, he kept trying to deny reality and attempted to leave for District 1 again and again. Because of this, Se-yul had to stand guard in front of Han Jae-hoon’s bedroom at all times.
“Young master Se-yul, you need to get some rest, even if it’s just a little.”
Despite the butler’s attempts to dissuade him, Se-yul forced himself to act as if he was fine. He could have left the task to the attendants, but he didn’t want anyone to see his father in such a crazed state.
Although the mansion had been restored to its original state, District 5 was still unsettled. The nightmare of that day still lingered, and if people found out that their district leader had collapsed, it would throw everyone into turmoil.
‘I have to stay strong, at least.’
In truth, he was no different. Se-yul couldn’t bring himself to believe that Seo-yul was dead. But it had been none other than himself who had found traces of Seo-yul beneath the rubble of the collapsed mansion.
Maybe it was the explosion—his body had been blown to pieces. It didn’t make any sense. Even as he clutched the blood-soaked scraps of clothing in his hands, Se-yul had spent a long time denying reality. But in the end, he had no choice but to accept it.
“Please, at least have a meal—”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
Even as Se-yul spoke, the butler couldn’t suppress his concern. And it was no wonder—Se-yul had been keeping watch in front of Han Jae-hoon’s room for weeks on end.
There were rare moments when he would step away, but they never lasted long. And now, having lost his appetite, he had barely eaten anything, growing visibly thinner by the day.
“I can stand guard. Would you rest, even just for a little while?”
“No, really, I’m fi—”
Crash.
A sharp shattering sound rang from the other side of the door. Both of them stopped speaking, and without hesitation, they rushed inside.
The room was cloaked in darkness. As the butler fumbled for the switch and flicked it on, the lights flickered to life.
Scanning the illuminated room, Se-yul realized that the bed was empty.
“Young master Se-yul!”
The butler called out to Se-yul urgently. When he turned his gaze, he saw a shattered window, shards scattered everywhere, and clear signs that someone had left.
No way. A sinking dread took hold of Se-yul as he crouched down, peering into the darkness. Just then, his eyes caught sight of a car speeding away, barely visible as it passed through the garden’s exit. Han Jae-hoon had to be inside.
“Father!”
“District Leader!”
No matter how desperately they shouted, the car had already vanished into the night. The butler hurried downstairs to summon the attendants to give chase, while Se-yul’s legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the floor.
“What the hell is this…”
His brother’s death, his father’s mental collapse and sudden escape—each one was too much to handle on its own, and yet they had all come crashing down on him at once. Se-yul was far too weak to shoulder it all.
‘It’s too much…’
But he had no time to drown in despair. He knew exactly where his father was headed, which meant he had to pull himself together and go after him.
As he pushed himself up from the floor, a sharp pain shot through his palm. Looking down, he saw a shard of broken glass embedded in his skin.
“Fuck.”
The tears he had been holding back finally broke free.
***
It had been well over a month since I had stayed at Helen’s mansion. Though she had told me to rest comfortably, Choi Yeo-min must have felt uneasy about it because he had started handling the mansion’s affairs on his own.
I wanted to help him, but my body had grown so weak that I couldn’t even get out of bed. I had tried a few times, but all it did was make Choi Yeo-min even more frustrated.
—Please, just stay still. That’s the best way you can help.
After he had knelt and pleaded with me, I decided not to be stubborn about it anymore. But I still couldn’t shake my guilt. Was it really okay for me to just lie here like this?
The more time I spent with Choi Yeo-min, the more tangled my emotions became. I felt like nothing but a burden. If he were alone, wouldn’t things be much easier for him?
—The farther you stay from your bonded mate, the weaker you’ll become. You’ll have more and more days when you’re in unbearable pain. And slowly, you’ll start to break—your body, your mind.
I knew it. I couldn’t just keep holding on like this. The only way to stop hurting was to go back to him. And there was no way Choi Yeo-min didn’t already know that.
I had barely escaped, and yet now I had to return of my own free will? How did that make any sense? Letting out a long sigh, I leaned against the headboard.
‘When did the imprinting even happen?’
According to Helen, there was no precise way to determine how an imprint formed. But from what she guessed, emotions played a significant role between the two people involved. It sounded ridiculous.
‘I don’t get it.’
There was a time when you were precious to me. A time when I couldn’t bear to let you go, when I wanted to keep you by my side. And when I couldn’t, it hurt. Back then, I was too young and powerless.
But now?
Now, you were the one who had destroyed my home. You were the enemy who had tried to kill my only sibling. You were the one who had kidnapped me, dragging me away as if I belonged to you.
How could I ever love someone like you?
—I love you, Seo-yul hyung.
I could almost hear his voice, whispering with unshakable sincerity. Those vivid, flame-colored eyes staring at me, making my lips go dry, making my heart race—until I thought I might die.
Maybe it would be easier if I did.
Knock, knock.
At the sound of knocking, I lifted my head. Helen stood by the door, leaning against the frame with a lazy wave. I quickly wiped my eyes with my sleeve before greeting her. She smiled as if she hadn’t noticed anything.
“Let’s have lunch, Seo-yul.”
Had that much time already passed? Pushing the blanket aside, I slid off the bed. Helen stepped closer, offering her arm.
By now, it was second nature to take it. My body had grown so weak that even walking on my own had become difficult. I had no choice but to rely on someone for support.
“What’s for lunch today?”
“Potato soup and—”
“Again?”
“What can we do? The chef claims that’s his specialty.”
Since arriving at this mansion, Choi Yeo-min had taken over the kitchen duties. Helen had been pleased when he insisted on handling the most demanding task, but that feeling hadn’t lasted long.
Unfortunately, the only thing Choi Yeo-min seemed to be capable of making was soup. Because of that, we had been eating different variations of soup every day, which Helen constantly grumbled about, saying she was being forcefully put on a health cleanse.
“Well, at least he bought some meat today.”
“Yes, he did. So today, we’ll be having potato soup with meat.”
“Exactly.”
As we made our way to the dining room, we chatted about trivial things. When we arrived, Choi Yeo-min, who had been setting up the table, greeted us.
“Welcome.”
Taking my seat, I glanced down at the food on the table. As expected, today’s meal was potato soup—with meat, just as Helen had predicted.
“Do you really not plan on making anything other than soup?”
“But I make soup the best.”
“This is the… No, never mind. Let’s just eat.”
Helen let out a deep sigh and picked up her spoon. Only after she took the first sip did the rest of us start eating.
For all her complaints, the soup must have tasted good because she ended up finishing three more bowls. Watching her scrape the bottom of her plate, Choi Yeo-min grinned.
“So? It’s good, isn’t it?”
“…Just shut up and eat.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at their bickering. Of course, Helen immediately caught me and scolded me for it, but even that felt nice.
It had been so long since I’d felt this kind of peace. If time could simply continue like this, I wouldn’t mind.
But we all knew.
This wouldn’t last.
After the meal, I had offered to help clean up, but Choi Yeo-min firmly refused and disappeared with the dishes. Left alone, I wrapped my hands around a steaming mug, trying to soothe my uneasy heart.
Helen’s voice broke the silence.
“Still haven’t made up your mind?”
“…No, not yet.”
She wanted me to go back. My body was growing weaker by the day; at this rate, I wouldn’t just struggle to walk—I might not even be able to stand at all.
And yet, I hesitated.
I couldn’t go back. Not when nothing had been resolved—neither with Choi Yeo-min nor with my own feelings. Helen understood that, so she didn’t press me for an answer.
Lifting my head, I met her gaze. Her pale, flame-colored eyes were filled with quiet concern. After placing her empty mug on the table, she reached over and patted my shoulder.
“The choice is yours. So think carefully.”
With that, she left the dining room.
Now alone, I finally let out the deep sigh I’d been holding. Leaning back against the chair, I pulled my hands away from the mug, its warmth slowly fading.
