Second shift,First Love : A Love I Shouldn't feel , But Couldn't Let Go

At night, the city was alive. The streets glowed under soft lights. Everywhere, people were laughing, dancing, living like it was their last night — forgetting work stress, forgetting pain, forgetting the little things they hated about life. It was Saturday night, a night to breathe. But on a quiet bench, one man sat silently, separate from the surrounding happiness. Wonwoo. His heart didn't know how to celebrate like everyone else. While watching the crowd, something strange caught his eyes. Someone — a young man — was walking straight along the highway without even looking. Horns screamed. Trucks rushed past dangerously close. But the boy just kept walking. Without thinking, Mingyu ran. His heart knew only one thing: he couldn’t let someone die this time. Last time... last time he didn't run fast enough. Last time someone had slipped away forever. That pain still haunted him every night. Maybe this was the universe’s way of giving him another chance. He grabbed the boy and pulled him back from the road. Both of them stumbled onto the sidewalk. “Are you crazy?! "Are you stupid?!” Mingyu shouted, heart racing. “Don’t you see the cars?! The trucks?! Are you deaf?!” But when he looked into the stranger's eyes, Mingyu's anger melted away. Those eyes... they weren’t filled with anger. They were kind. There was a softness, a care, a comfort that Wonwoo had never seen before. Not from anyone. And for a second — just a second — he felt safe. He opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly someone called out, “Mingyu! Come on, what are you doing? Come and enjoy!” The boy — Mingyu — turned without answering and walked away toward a group of people near the bench. Wonwoo stood frozen, watching him. Mingyu looked like a prince. Calm eyes, pretty lips... For the first time in a long time, Wonwoo’s eyes stayed locked onto someone’s face longer than a heartbeat. But the moment was broken. “Hey, you! Wake up from your dreams! "You’re not here for sleeping, you're here for cleaning! "Get to work!” a supervisor barked at him. “Y-Yes, ma’am,” Wonwoo stammered. He finished his shift quietly, cleaning the streets, lost in his thoughts. When he checked the clock, he whispered to himself, "It's time to finish my shift. But I’m not going home anyway." It was 10:10 AM. His shift was over — but his heart wasn’t ready to return to the house filled with fake smiles and cold hearts. As he walked past the hospital, a familiar smell filled his nose — antiseptic, clean and sharp. His heart leaped. Mingyu. He ran to Mingyu’s cabin, but it was empty. Mingyu had already left. San, a friend and a doctor, saw him running around. “Looking for someone?” San asked, smiling softly. Wonwoo, a little breathless, said, “Have you seen Mingyu? I... I think it’s time for me to go home, and... I just wanted to see him once. I searched for him for the last one hour.” San shook his head gently. Wonwoo checked his phone. 11:11 AM. Wonwoo closed his eyes. He made a small wish. Just once. Please, let me see him before I leave. Because sometimes, he believed — maybe foolishly — that the universe listened to small, silent wishes. Two minutes later, his heart almost stopped. There was Mingyu laughing, talking kindly to a nurse in the corridor. Wonwoo’s tired heart bloomed in happiness, even though his legs ached from working nonstop for seven hours. Just seeing Mingyu made everything feel lighter. Mingyu noticed him and called out, “Hey, you! Quiet janitor. Your shift's over. Go home.” Wonwoo smiled, feeling double happiness. Mingyu didn’t know his name. Mingyu didn’t know his story. But he greeted him sometimes, and even noticed if he was still working late. It was enough. Nearby, the nurse whispered, “Sir, that janitor is very quiet around everyone... but he talks a lot with Dr. San. I think something’s going on between them.” Mingyu shrugged, “I don’t care. I don’t know him. I don’t even really know San. He’s just another doctor.” He said it so easily, but somehow, the words left a small ache in Wonwoo’s heart. Still, he bowed slightly and walked away — holding tightly onto the small moment Mingyu had gifted him. And for Wonwoo, that was enough for now. --- But the universe wasn’t done yet. While walking toward home, lost in his own world, Wonwoo accidentally bumped shoulders with someone. The other person slipped and fell dramatically onto the ground. Wonwoo gasped. “Oh no! I’m so sorry! Are you okay?!” The person shouted angrily, “Are you blind?! Watch where you’re going!” People started gathering around. San rushed over and asked, “Wonwoo, are you okay?” The angry person glared, “You’re asking him? Not me?!” Then recognizing San, they said, “Dr. San, you should be checking me out!” Before Wonwoo could say anything else, Mingyu appeared. “Wooyoung?!” Mingyu said sharply. “I told you not to come to my hospital!” Wonwoo blinked, realizing that the person he had bumped into — the troublemaker — was Mingyu’s younger brother. Wooyoung pouted, clutching his waist dramatically. “Dr. San, please help! I think my waist is broken!” Wonwoo felt terrible. “I really didn’t hurt you. "It was just an accident,” he said, bowing. San smiled gently. “Don’t worry, Wonwoo. It’s no big deal. You can go home.” Wonwoo bowed again and whispered, “Sorry, Wooyoung.” As he left, Wooyoung grabbed Mingyu’s arm and hissed, “Who is that janitor? Why does Dr? Does San care about him?” Mingyu said coldly, “He’s just a cleaner. Don’t worry about him.” Later, Wooyoung stood in San’s office pretending to be injured. While San checked his waist, Wooyoung asked, “Do you know him?” San smiled slightly. “I have known him from high school. Now we’re... close.” He didn’t explain more. He didn’t have to. Just those words made Wooyoung’s heart burn in jealousy. They talked for a while. Suddenly, outside the hospital, rain started pouring heavily — even though there had been no warning of rain. Wonwoo had no umbrella, but he didn’t mind. He walked slowly down the road, feeling the cold rain soak him. He liked the rain. But tonight, it wasn’t just rain. It was heavy, angry rain. He stopped at a small café for shelter. His phone rang again and again — he knew it was his wife calling. He didn’t answer. His heartfelt empathy. On the other side of the hospital, Wooyoung had fallen asleep in San’s office. San didn’t wake him. He just let him sleep — even if he found Wooyoung annoying sometimes, he couldn’t ignore the boy’s innocence. Someone knocked at the door. It was Mingyu. “Sorry. I just came to check...” San smiled. “He’s asleep. It’s fine.” Mingyu sighed. “My brothers... always chasing boys... creating drama... I don’t hate it, but... it’s complicated.” He didn’t say it aloud, but he thought about Jun — his older brother — and how the family had rejected him for loving another man. Mingyu didn’t hate love. He hated the hurt that always followed. Meanwhile, in the cafe, Wonwoo sat alone, staring at the rain. A message popped up on his phone: > Where are you? Are you safe? Please come home. Mom is worried about you. It was from his wife. Wonwoo’s fingers had no strength left to reply. He felt guilty. He felt like a cheater — not because he loved someone else, but because he could never truly love her the way she deserved. He hated himself for it. But even through the heavy rain, even through the guilt... One small, secret wish remained in his heart. Maybe someday... someone will love him, too. --- [Author’s Note at End:] Thank you for reading Chapter 1 — Second Shift, First Wish! This chapter is about small, silent moments... about first hopes, first wishes, and the feeling of meeting someone who unknowingly brings a little light into your heavy life. Wonwoo's journey is just beginning — please keep supporting him and Mingyu as they slowly heal and find each other. Next chapter — even more feelings coming soon.