The argument had escalated far beyond anything either of them could have imagined. Emotions were raw, and words were thrown carelessly into the air, cutting deeper than either Minji or Kyung-jun could have ever intended.

Kyung-jun stood, his chest heaving, glaring at Minji with frustration and hurt. "I can't do this anymore, Minji!" he spat, his voice trembling with anger and pain. "You're always... always so fragile! You can't handle anything! I'm doing everything, but you're just... you're just holding me back!"

Minji recoiled at his words, the sting of his accusation making her throat tighten. She tried to keep her voice steady, but it cracked. "You don't mean that," she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.

He didn't even look at her as he turned away. "I'm done. Just... just leave me alone."

With that, he stormed out of their room, leaving her standing there, alone, her heart sinking. She wanted to call out, to beg him to come back, but something told her that no words could fix what had just happened.

The house was quiet, save for the sound of Minji's soft sobs, as she slumped to the floor, feeling like she had been ripped apart. She didn't know how long she sat there before she heard the door creak open.

Kyung-jun's mother, quiet as always, stepped inside with a gentle expression on her face. "Minji... you okay?"

Minji wiped her tears quickly, trying to hide the evidence of the argument, but it was too obvious. "I—I think I need some space," she said quietly, her voice hoarse from crying. "Could you... could you take care of the baby for a while? Just... just for tonight?"

Kyung-jun's mother, understanding more than anyone ever could, nodded gently. "Of course, dear."

Hours later, Kyung-jun came back home, exhaustion weighing heavily on his shoulders. The house felt empty. There was no warmth in the air, no sign of Minji. He walked into their living room, looking around, only to see his mother sitting quietly on the couch with the baby in her arms.

"Where is she?" His voice was shaky, barely above a whisper, but there was an edge of panic creeping into his words. "Where's Minji?"

His mother looked up, the faintest flicker of concern crossing her face. "She called me... asked if I could take care of the baby for a while," she said gently. "She seemed upset, Kyung-jun. I think she needed some time alone."

Kyung-jun's heart lurched, panic quickly rising inside of him. He didn't want to believe it—didn't want to acknowledge that what had happened between him and Minji had driven her to leave.

"No... No, this can't be happening." His hands trembled as he grabbed his phone, his fingers moving erratically as he dialed her number over and over again. His calls went straight to voicemail.

Frustration surged through him, a cold, tight knot forming in his chest. He needed to find her. He couldn't bear the thought of her being out there, alone, after everything that had happened between them.

The house felt suffocating. The walls, once comforting and familiar, now seemed to close in on him. He ran outside, the cold, biting wind hitting his face as the rain began to pour from the dark sky above.

The streets were deserted. His heart pounded in his chest as he searched, walking faster, his eyes darting from one side of the street to the other. He called her name, his voice trembling with fear, desperation coating every syllable.

"Minji! Where are you?!"

His mind raced with thoughts of what could have happened to her. The rain drenched him, but he didn't care. Why hadn't he listened? Why had he said those things to her?

He knew she was upset, but he didn't understand the depth of her pain until now. The words he had thrown at her echoed in his head, and with each passing second, the guilt gnawed at him harder. He had pushed her away when all she had ever done was love him, and now... now she was gone.

He rushed down the alley, his heart racing, trying to calm his breaths as tears mingled with the cold rain. He could barely see through the fog of his emotions, the numbness of regret sinking deeper.

Finally, he collapsed against a wall, his knees buckling beneath him. The rain was relentless, but it was nothing compared to the desperation that gripped him. His body shook as he buried his face in his hands, tears falling freely.

"Minji... I'm so sorry... Please... come back..." His voice cracked as he whispered her name, the words breaking apart in his chest.

He didn't know how long he sat there in the dark, the rain soaking through his clothes, the sound of the water crashing against the ground drowning out everything else. His body trembled, exhaustion and guilt merging into one overwhelming wave.

He had messed up. He had let his pride tear them apart.

And now, he wasn't sure if he could fix it.

But he had to try.

A few hours later, with the rain still falling relentlessly, Kyung-jun returned home, defeated and broken. His eyes red from crying, his face pale from the cold, but still full of determination. He needed to see Minji. He needed to hold her and tell her he was sorry. He couldn't lose her—he wouldn't let her slip away without trying to make things right.

When he stepped back into the house, he was met with the same quiet emptiness. His mother was asleep on the couch, holding the baby who was peacefully resting in her arms.

There was no sign of Minji.

She wasn't here.

But at that moment, he realized something. He couldn't wait any longer. If he wanted to fix things, he needed to show her just how much he loved her. He needed to make amends, no matter what it took.

And so, Kyung-jun prepared to face the consequences of his mistakes, ready to fight for her heart—no matter how hard it might be.

The house felt more empty than ever before. The weight of the silence pressed on Kyung-jun's chest as he sat in the living room, his gaze fixed on the empty door frame. The rain continued to beat against the windows, but it couldn't wash away the bitterness lingering in the air. He hadn't heard from Minji. Not a word.

He knew he had messed up. There was no excuse for the things he said to her, no way to take back the hurt he caused. He had spent the entire night searching, calling her phone, hoping beyond hope that she would answer or come back. But she hadn't.

He was terrified.

The feeling of emptiness gnawed at him, and all he could do was pace around the room, thoughts running wild, the guilt choking him at every turn. He sat on the couch, his head in his hands. What if she didn't come back? What if he lost her for good?

His mind replayed every moment, every word that he had said to her, and the longer he thought about it, the heavier the regret became. He'd taken her for granted. Minji was the light in his life, and he had treated her like she was just another problem to fix.

She deserves better than this.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him out of his spiraling thoughts. He quickly grabbed it, hoping it was a message from her, but it wasn't. It was a text from his mother.

"She's back. Minji just came home."

Kyung-jun's heart skipped a beat, the relief washing over him like a tidal wave. Without a second thought, he sprang to his feet, not even bothering to check the time as he rushed towards the door.

When he arrived at the house, it was still dark outside, and the cold rain had started to taper off. He stepped inside, and his eyes immediately found her. Minji was standing in the hallway, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, her hair damp from the rain, her eyes tired but searching. She had her head slightly down, avoiding his gaze.

Kyung-jun felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest. She was back. But was it too late?

"Minji..." His voice was soft, barely a whisper. His throat tightened at the sight of her standing there, distant and broken. He took a step forward but stopped himself when he saw her flinch.

She didn't look up at him, but her voice was shaky when she finally spoke. "I couldn't stay there. I couldn't stand being in that house without feeling like... like we were strangers to each other."

Kyung-jun swallowed hard, every word hitting him like a punch to the gut. He wanted to say something, anything, to make it right, but his words were stuck. He couldn't explain how much he regretted it, how much he wanted to turn back time and take it all back. But most of all, he couldn't bear the thought of her walking away from him because of his stupidity.

"I—I'm so sorry, Minji," he choked out, his voice cracking. "I know I hurt you. I know I said things I shouldn't have... but I never meant any of it. Please... please know that."

Minji finally lifted her head, her tear-streaked face coming into view. Her eyes were red, her cheeks pale, but there was still a flicker of something in her expression—a mixture of hurt and sadness. But it wasn't anger. Not yet.

"You... you hurt me, Kyung-jun," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't think you realize how much it cut. You made me feel like I wasn't enough for you. And I don't know... I don't know if I can go back to that."

The words hit him like a storm. He felt his world crumble around him as she spoke. His hands trembled, his heart heavy with the weight of her pain. The last thing he ever wanted to do was make her feel less than what she was—a beautiful, incredible woman who had always been there for him, even when he didn't deserve it.

"I love you, Minji," he said desperately, his voice raw with emotion. "I love you more than anything, and I can't lose you. I know I messed up. I don't deserve you, but I swear... I'll spend every day of my life making it right."

Minji's eyes softened, but the hurt was still there, lingering beneath the surface. She took a deep breath, holding his gaze for a long moment before speaking again. "I don't know if I can forgive you right now," she said quietly. "But I'm not giving up on us, Kyung-jun. I just... need time."

Time. That word echoed in his mind, a bitter reminder of the distance he had put between them. But it wasn't over. It wasn't too late. He could still fight for her, fight for their love.

He nodded slowly, swallowing down the lump in his throat. "I'll wait, Minji. I'll wait as long as it takes. But please, just know that I'll never stop loving you. And I'll never stop trying to be the man you deserve."

For a moment, there was only silence between them, the heavy tension lingering. Then, Minji stepped forward, her small steps tentative, her eyes locked on his.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "But it's not going to be easy, Kyung-jun."

"I know," he replied, his voice low and sincere. "But I'll do whatever it takes."

And then, without saying another word, Minji walked into his arms, her head resting against his chest. Kyung-jun wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight, like he was afraid if he let go, she would slip away again.

They stood there, in the quiet of the night, letting the moment settle between them. No words were needed anymore; the weight of everything had already been said. And in that moment, Kyung-jun knew that no matter how hard it got, he would never give up on her. Never again.

The road ahead would be tough, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope.