Light Through the Shadows

Chapter 3 One Night, One Touch

It had been a few weeks since Yujin had started getting used to university life and the campus.

He had completely settled into the rhythm of his classes and the freedom that came with being a university student. He genuinely loved his new life, his new friends, and everything about being at university. Most of all, he had become almost inseparable from Taeyang and Seojun.

One day, after class, Yujin slung his bag over his shoulder and was about to leave when Taeyang called after him.

"Hey, Yujin! Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Yujin turned around with a smile.

"I'm just going to take a walk around the courtyard. The weather's really nice."

Taeyang narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

He was usually cheerful, lively, and incredibly friendly. But whenever relationships or feelings that crossed certain boundaries came up, the strict and conservative rules his family had raised him with immediately made him defensive.

"The weather's nice, huh?" Taeyang teased. "Or are you going to see our ice king again?"

A faint blush spread across Yujin's cheeks.

"Do you have to turn everything into Hoon?"

"Because every time you disappear, you're looking for him!"

"I am not!"

Taeyang laughed.

"Okay, okay. I didn't see anything."

Yujin shook his head, laughing as he left the classroom.

Once the door closed behind him, Seojun and Taeyang walked over to the window. A soft breeze drifted into the room, gently moving the curtains.

Sunlight fell across Taeyang's face.

Seojun stopped and looked at him.

Seojun had already realized how deep his feelings for Taeyang had become. There was so much affection, tenderness, and love in his eyes that he could barely hide it anymore.

But he always kept those feelings hidden behind the mask of their unbreakable friendship.

Taeyang had known him since childhood. To Taeyang, Seojun was simply his best friend. And Seojun knew that the walls Taeyang's family had built around him would not be easy to break through.

"I think Yujin really likes Hoon," Seojun said quietly, looking out the window.

The cheerful expression on Taeyang's face immediately disappeared.

"I hope he doesn't."

Seojun adjusted his glasses and looked back at him. The gentle expression in his eyes hadn't changed.

"Why do you react like it's such a bad thing?"

"Because Hoon's life isn't normal, Seojun. And besides..." Taeyang hesitated. "They're both guys. You know how difficult something like that would be. People—and especially families—would never accept it easily."

Seojun's eyes remained fixed on Taeyang's face.

His gaze softened even more.

"Do difficulties really matter when two people truly love each other?"

Taeyang turned toward him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

He couldn't quite understand why Seojun was looking at him that way.

"Do you really think something like that would be that easy? People don't just accept things like this. Families especially... they can make everything so much harder."

Seojun lowered his head slightly, trying to hide the sadness in his eyes.

"My family might see things differently..."

A faint trace of hurt appeared in Taeyang's voice.

"Yeah. You're really lucky in that way, Seojun. But my family..." He let out a quiet breath. "My family would never accept something like that. In their eyes, they decided what kind of person I was supposed to be the day I was born."

Seojun continued looking at him.

Taeyang was actually a warm and passionate person deep down, but his family's expectations constantly forced him to hide that side of himself.

He still hadn't realized just how special his bond with Seojun really was. He buried his own feelings behind harsh reactions because he was afraid of what his family would think.

"But you still live the way they want you to," Seojun said softly.

Taeyang shrugged, trying to shake off the heavy feeling.

"I'm used to it now."

He gave a small laugh.

"I have girlfriends. I live the normal, respectable life they want me to have. Everyone's happy, right?"

A faint, bittersweet smile appeared on Seojun's face.

He knew better than anyone that Taeyang wasn't truly happy in those relationships.

"But are you really happy, Taeyang?"

Taeyang couldn't answer.

He looked away and stared out the window.

After a few seconds, he threw his bag over his shoulder.

"Come on. We're going to be late for class."

He walked away.

Seojun watched him go, no longer trying to hide the love in his eyes.

Taeyang didn't notice.

And for now, Seojun didn't want him to.

When Yujin stepped into the courtyard, his eyes immediately searched for the familiar tree.

Hoon was there.

As always, he was sitting beneath the shade of the tree at the far end of the courtyard, completely absorbed in his book.

As Yujin walked toward him, his heart began pounding so hard it almost felt like it was trying to break out of his chest.

Yujin was confident in himself, and ever since the first moment he had seen Hoon, he had already accepted one simple truth:

He liked him.

There was no point pretending otherwise.

With a warm smile on his face, Yujin stopped right in front of him.

Hoon lifted his head from his book.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, something tightened in Hoon's chest.

His thoughts suddenly became a mess.

That boy again...

The warmth and sincerity in Yujin's eyes made Hoon's heart beat faster.

And that frightened him.

He didn't understand the strange feelings rushing through him, so he quickly pushed them aside. With a great deal of effort, he forced his expression to become cold and unreadable.

Yujin leaned forward slightly, looking directly into his eyes with a bright, genuine smile.

He reached into his pocket, desperately trying to find an excuse to start a conversation.

"Hi! Do you happen to have an extra eraser? I forgot mine."

Hoon looked back down at his book, as if trying to escape the confusion inside his head.

"No."

Yujin didn't give up.

His smile only grew wider.

"Can I borrow it for just a minute or two?"

"I said no."

"You're seriously stingy," Yujin teased.

Hoon suddenly felt trapped.

There was something about Yujin's relaxed confidence and bright smile that made him completely unsure of what to do.

He closed his book and quickly stood up.

"I have to go."

Hoon walked past him quickly.

Yujin took a few steps after him.

He already knew Hoon's name, but he wanted to hear it from him. He wanted a real connection, even if it was only the smallest beginning.

"Hey! What's your name? You could at least tell me that!"

Hoon stopped.

Without turning around, he answered in a cold, distant voice.

"Hoon."

Then he continued walking.

Yujin stood there for a moment.

It had only been a few words.

But Hoon had actually spoken to him.

He had told him his name.

And somehow, that tiny moment filled Yujin with an incredible sense of happiness.

For him, it was an important first step.

He smiled to himself and quietly murmured,

"Hoon... That's a nice name."

His smile grew.

"But you're not getting away that easily. I'm not giving up... I'm never going to give up on you."

After school that day, Taeyang suggested going to the movies over the weekend.

His girlfriend, Taeyang, Yujin, and Seojun would all go together.

Seojun wasn't particularly interested at first, but he eventually agreed after Yujin asked him to come.

While they were making plans in the courtyard, none of them noticed Hoon watching them from a distance.

There was only one thought in his mind.

Yujin will be there.

That evening, the usual heavy silence filled Hoon's house.

But something was different today.

His father seemed quieter than usual—thoughtful and almost sad.

Hoon watched him as they ate dinner.

The thought of seeing Yujin over the weekend had been on his mind all evening, but there was no way he could simply tell his father he wanted to go to the movies.

So he tried the only excuse he could think of.

"Dad... Can I go out this weekend to study with Jiho?"

His father looked up.

His expression was distant.

"Jiho... I've looked into him and his family. He's a decent kid."

He paused.

"You can go. But remember to keep your distance, Hoon. No matter who someone is, you should always keep certain boundaries between yourself and other people."

Hoon quietly let out a breath of relief.

Then he noticed the rare sadness in his father's expression.

He couldn't help asking.

"Dad... Have you ever had a friend you truly trusted? Someone you were really close to?"

His father slowly placed his fork on the edge of his plate.

His eyes seemed to focus on something far away—a dark place buried deep in the past.

"Yes," he said in a firm but bitter voice. "I did."

He paused.

"I trusted someone very deeply. But the person I considered my closest friend ended up betraying me in the worst way possible."

Hoon listened quietly.

His father continued.

"My father—your grandfather—used to tell me, 'Never trust anyone. Always keep your distance from people.'"

He gave a bitter smile.

"I didn't listen. I thought I knew better. And I paid a very heavy price for it."

He looked down at the table.

"Eventually, I followed your grandfather's advice. I started keeping my distance from people. That's when I found success. I built this company. I became a successful man."

His voice became quieter.

"Your grandfather was right. I just learned it too late."

Hoon looked into his father's eyes.

After gathering his courage, he asked,

"But Dad... are you really happy?"

His father fell completely silent.

He didn't answer.

The expression on his face went blank.

After a long silence, he finally spoke.

"You will finish university. Then you will marry someone I consider suitable for you, and you will take over the company."

His voice was firm.

"Your future has already been decided. You would do well to understand that."

Hoon felt a quiet resistance rise inside him at the thought of marriage, but his father's cold expression left him with nothing to say.

His father stood up and walked away.

Hoon watched him go.

There was only one person on his mind.

Yujin.

Studying with Jiho was nothing more than an excuse.

All Hoon really wanted was to see Yujin again.

The next morning, Yujin woke up and headed downstairs.

A delicious smell filled the house.

His mother, Minseo, was in the kitchen making fresh pancakes.

They sat down and had a warm family breakfast together.

Jisung joked around, and Minseo laughed happily.

But behind Minseo's cheerful smile, Yujin could sense a faint uneasiness.

She was doing her best not to let him notice.

After breakfast, Jisung stood up to leave for work.

Yujin grabbed his bag, hugged both of his parents, and headed outside.

He had barely taken a few steps through the garden gate when he suddenly stopped.

"My textbook! I left it on the table."

He hurried back inside.

He left the front door slightly open and quietly stepped inside.

As he walked toward the table, he heard his parents talking in low voices from the living room.

Minseo sounded tense.

"I can't shake this feeling, Jisung," she whispered. "Every year around this time, it feels like I'm living through that same nightmare all over again."

Jisung took her hands.

"There's nothing you need to be afraid of, Minseo. Yujin is safe. That person is far away. He doesn't even know we're living in this city."

Minseo let out a shaky breath.

"He looks so much like him... Every time I look at Yujin, I think of him."

Her voice trembled.

"I wish he hadn't died. Every time I look at Yujin, that horrible day comes rushing back to me."

She swallowed hard.

"What if something happens to Yujin too?"

"Don't think like that, Minseo. Nothing is going to happen to him. We're protecting him. That man doesn't even know we're here."

Minseo lowered her voice to a whisper.

"But he's a murderer, Jisung! We know better than anyone what he's capable of."

Jisung's expression hardened.

"You have to stop thinking about this. Yujin knows nothing, and he will continue knowing nothing. He needs to live a normal life."

Yujin stood frozen behind the door.

He barely dared to breathe.

Who was the person his mother had said looked so much like Yujin?

Who was the person she wished hadn't died?

And who was the murderer they were talking about?

His family had been hiding something from him.

Something huge.

Something dark.

Yujin slowly stepped backward, careful not to make a sound, and quietly left the house.

His heart was pounding.

Who was this murderer his parents were talking about?

And who was the person who had died?

Yujin took a deep breath.

One thing was certain now.

He was going to find out the truth.

No matter what it took, he would uncover the dark past his family had been hiding from him—and find out who that murderer really was.