30
961 Words
The house remained silent.
No one dared to speak loudly.
Even the wind outside felt softer, as if the world itself was mourning.
Jin Woo still sat on the floor.
Ara in his arms.
He had not moved.
Not even once.
Time passed, but it felt meaningless now.
Minutes… hours… it did not matter.
Everything had stopped for him.
—
Minho stood a few steps away.
His fists were clenched tightly.
His eyes were red.
But he said nothing.
Because there were no words that could ease this pain.
—
Slowly, the people in the room began to leave.
One by one.
Quietly.
No one wanted to disturb him.
No one wanted to step into that heavy silence.
—
At last, only a few remained.
Minho.
And Jin Woo.
—
“Jin Woo…”
Minho finally spoke.
His voice was low.
Careful.
But Jin Woo did not respond.
His eyes were still on Ara’s face.
As if he was afraid to look away.
—
“We… we should prepare…”
Minho tried again.
His voice broke slightly.
“We should prepare for…”
He could not finish the sentence.
He couldn’t say it.
—
Jin Woo’s hand moved slightly.
He brushed a strand of hair away from Ara’s face.
So gently.
So carefully.
Like she might wake up if he was too rough.
—
“She doesn’t like the cold,” he said softly.
His voice calm.
Too calm.
Minho froze.
He had never heard Jin Woo speak like that before.
“She always says the mornings feel colder than nights,” Jin Woo continued.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
But it was empty.
“She would complain… and then laugh…”
—
His voice slowly faded.
The smile disappeared.
—
Minho looked down.
His chest tightened.
“Jin Woo…”
—
Then suddenly—
Jin Woo spoke again.
“…Find them.”
Minho looked up.
“What?”
—
Jin Woo slowly lifted his head.
His eyes were no longer filled with tears.
They were cold.
Sharp.
Unfamiliar.
“…Find them.”
He repeated.
His voice quiet.
But firm.
—
Minho swallowed.
“You mean… the people who did this?”
—
Jin Woo did not answer directly.
He just looked at the broken door.
At the marks.
At the silence they left behind.
—
“…No one else would dare.”
His voice dropped lower.
Darker.
—
Minho’s expression changed.
Slowly.
Realization hit him.
“…You think…”
—
Jin Woo stood up carefully.
Still holding Ara in his arms.
“I don’t think.”
He said quietly.
“I know.”
—
The room felt colder.
—
Minho clenched his jaw.
“If it’s really them… this is not something simple.”
“I know,” Jin Woo replied.
His voice steady.
Too steady.
—
“What will you do?” Minho asked.
—
Jin Woo looked down at Ara again.
For a moment—
Just one moment—
His expression softened.
—
“I will send her off first.”
He said.
Gently.
Respectfully.
—
Then his eyes lifted again.
Cold once more.
—
“And then…”
He paused.
—
“…I will take everything from them.”
—
The air in the room felt heavy again.
Minho did not speak.
Because he knew—
This was not anger.
This was something deeper.
Something more dangerous.
—
That day, the town changed.
No laughter.
No noise.
Only quiet whispers.
And sorrow.
—
Ara’s funeral was simple.
Just like her.
People gathered.
Some cried.
Some stood in silence.
Everyone knew her.
Everyone respected her.
—
Jin Woo stood in front.
Dressed in white.
His face calm.
Expressionless.
Like stone.
—
But inside—
A storm was rising.
—
As the ceremony ended, Minho stepped closer.
“Jin Woo… what will you do now?”
—
Jin Woo did not answer immediately.
His eyes remained on the ground where Ara rested.
—
“I will go back.”
He said finally.
—
“To the capital?”
Minho asked.
—
Jin Woo nodded.
—
Minho hesitated.
“This path… it will not be easy.”
—
Jin Woo’s lips curved slightly.
But there was no warmth in it.
“I’m not looking for easy.”
—
He turned.
His robes moved slightly with the wind.
—
“I’m looking for the truth.”
—
“And when I find it…”
He paused.
—
“…they will wish they never touched her.”
—
Minho felt a chill run down his spine.
—
Because the man standing in front of him now…
Was no longer the same Jin Woo.
—
That night—
Jin Woo returned to the house one last time.
—
The room was empty now.
Cleaned.
Silent.
—
He walked slowly inside.
His steps quiet.
—
His eyes moved around.
Every corner held a memory.
Every small thing reminded him of her.
—
He stopped near the table.
There—
Her letters.
Neatly placed.
—
His hand reached out.
He picked them up.
Held them close.
—
“…Wait for me.”
He whispered.
His voice soft.
Almost breaking.
—
“I will come back.”
—
The wind blew softly through the broken door.
—
The lamp flickered once again.
—
And in that quiet moment—
Jin Woo made a promise.
Not to the world.
Not to anyone else.
—
But to her.
—
That this would not end here.
—
That this pain…
Would be returned.
—
Slowly.
Carefully.
Completely.
—
And far away, in the grand palace—
Someone stood by a window.
Looking at the dark sky.
A faint smile on her lips.
—
Unaware…
That the storm she had created—
—
Was already coming for her.
- Writer
