Chapter 120: The Day Everything Broke

“…What?”

Seunghyuk answered a little slowly.

He stared at Hyunwoo with wide eyes.

Then he frowned.

Break up?

If a married couple breaks up, it’s the same as asking for a divorce.

Seunghyuk asked in disbelief.

“Hyung, are you saying you want a divorce from me right now?”

“Yeah.”

“Ha….”

The sight of Hyunwoo nodding his head didn’t feel real.

He had never imagined something like this, not even in a dream.

Even while thinking it would be hard to repair their relationship, Seunghyuk still wanted to hold on to the thin thread between them.

The option of “breaking up with Hyunwoo” had basically never existed for him.

“Fine, everything’s my fault.

I’ll fix everything exactly the way you want.

Isn’t that enough?”

“……”

“Hm?”

He couldn’t say “I’m sorry.”

He couldn’t help it.

Bad habits are terrifying.

The attitude he had built up during the time he spent resenting Hyunwoo didn’t change easily.

That must be why the sharp words slipped out so easily.

“f*ck, how long are you going to hold on to that?

It’s over with Hyunjin.

So what, are you saying I should divorce you and get back with him?”

“If you can do that….”

“Hah, are you kidding me?

Why would I break up with you and date some guy who just makes coffee at a café?”

“…What?”

Hyunwoo’s face hardened at the sharp words that kept coming.

For a moment, Seunghyuk realized his mistake—but he couldn’t take back what he had already said.

“I’m sorry.

Really… I’m sorry.

If it’s money you want, I’ll give you as much alimony as you want.

I can even give you all my Moonseong shares.”

“What…? No, hyung—”

“So let’s just… end everything.”

“……!”

Hyunwoo’s eyes filled with tears.

Seeing that, Seunghyuk couldn’t say a word.

Until now, Hyunwoo had never cried in front of him, no matter how hurt he was.

In the five years they’d been married, this was the first time.

Something was terribly wrong.

Feeling the danger, Seunghyuk panicked.

When Hyunwoo abruptly stood up, Seunghyuk did the same to grab him.

“Wait, wait… hyung!”

“Goodbye. Stay well.”

But Hyunwoo walked out of the room without even turning back.

Seunghyuk just stared blankly at the door Hyunwoo had left through.

This was really dangerous.

He had a terrible feeling that if he lost Hyunwoo here, he’d never get him back.

He hadn’t even had the chance to tell Hyunwoo that he had regained the rights to the program, or that he was going back to Moonseong.

He’d planned to tell him once things were more certain….

No—those were excuses.

He was afraid Hyunwoo wouldn’t accept him even if he said it.

He hadn’t tried to change his attitude at all.

He’d only been arrogant.

Everything was his fault.

He should have expressed his feelings the moment he realized them, even if it was late.

He should have stopped everything before Hyunwoo got hurt even more.

Biting his lip, Seunghyuk ran after him.

He couldn’t let him go like this.

Today, he would say everything—ask for forgiveness for everything.

With that thought, Seunghyuk burst out of the restaurant and shouted loudly.

“Hyung! I told you to wait!”

“…….”

But Hyunwoo kept walking forward without looking back.

Panicking, Seunghyuk ran toward him.

“……!”

At that moment, he saw it.

In the distance, a huge truck headed straight toward them.

Even from far away, it looked wrong.

It was swerving—crossing the center line.

The problem was that the truck was heading toward the sidewalk where Hyunwoo was walking.

“Hyung! Hyunwoo hyung! Shit!”

Seunghyuk screamed.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the truck smashed through the guardrail toward Hyunwoo.

Boom!

“Hyung!”

He watched Hyunwoo’s body fly through the air after being hit by the truck, and screamed with a voice that felt like it was tearing his throat apart.

It felt like a nightmare.

The sight of Hyunwoo lying on the ground, bleeding, didn’t feel real.

“Ah… ah….”

Seunghyuk’s whole body trembled.

People around them screamed.

Seunghyuk’s shaky legs barely moved as he ran toward Hyunwoo.

“No… no, please….”

Was this punishment?

Because of his stupidity—was he being punished like this?

His vision darkened.

And just like that, their five-year marriage ended.

On their fifth anniversary, Hyunwoo died in an accident right before his eyes.

The ambulance came quickly and rushed him to the hospital, but it meant nothing.

Hyunwoo died shortly after arrival.

The doctor said the injuries from the truck impact were practically instantaneous death.

Hyunwoo’s funeral was held quickly.

Was it just an accident?

Or was there another reason?

A storm of questions poured onto Seunghyuk, who had been there at the scene.

But he just sat there like he’d lost his mind.

“Aigo… aigo….”

“…….”

He wasn’t even allowed to attend Hyunwoo’s funeral.

It was strange.

He had been the closest person to Hyunwoo for the last five years as his husband.

He still was.

But Chairman Joo Moonhyuk, who had lost his only heir, didn’t forgive him.

And no one else did either.

In the funeral hall filled with Moonseong affiliates, not a single person sympathized with the hollow-eyed Seunghyuk.

“It’s your fault! Hyung died because of you!”

“…….”

The only one who yelled at him was Hyunjin.

But Seunghyuk agreed.

If Hyunwoo hadn’t come to meet him that day, he wouldn’t have died.

Even if he wasn’t allowed inside the funeral hall, Seunghyuk stayed outside the whole time.

At first the reporters bombarded him, but eventually, seeing how unhinged he looked, they backed off.

After the funeral, Seunghyuk handled everything mechanically.

He proceeded with the lawsuit he had prepared, took back all rights and profits to the program from L&S, and handed everything—including his own rights—over to Moonseong.

It was such an unprecedented move that it shook the industry, but Seunghyuk didn’t care.

He only wanted Moonseong to prosper—because Hyunwoo would have been happy to see it.

He hoped it would let Hyunwoo rest a little easier.

“…….”

It took a year to finish everything.

Meaning, a year had passed since Hyunwoo’s death.

Seunghyuk stood on top of a tall building he didn’t even know the name of.

Everything below looked like tiny toys.

People rushing.

Cars moving even faster.

His face remained expressionless as he looked down.

“…Hyung wouldn’t want me to follow him.”

Seunghyuk didn’t believe in an afterlife.

He didn’t think he would meet Hyunwoo after death.

He just couldn’t keep living in a world without him.

Reliving his mistakes every day, remembering things he should never have said—

It was torture.

If he had said something different, would things have changed?

If he had acted differently, would this have been avoided?

He couldn’t think straight anymore.

So he decided to end everything.

He had given all he had to Moonseong as his final atonement.

Now he felt he could leave.

“If… if I could meet you again….”

Pathetic as it was, he still couldn’t let go.

He muttered bitterly.

If he met Hyunwoo again, Hyunwoo would never forgive him.

But he still wanted to see him.

Just once.

Just one last chance….

He would never let go of Hyunwoo again.

He would never leave his side.

“Hyunwoo hyung….”

His breath scattered in the cold wind.

His body leaned forward.

And that was the last memory Seunghyuk had from his previous life.

“That’s… unbelievable….”

Hearing everything, Hyunwoo was in deep shock.

Seunghyuk had really regressed with him.

And more than that—

He had fallen for Hyunwoo during their marriage and even chosen to die after him.

It was too much to process.

“I’m really sorry for telling you so late, hyung.”

“…….”

“I… it’s okay if you don’t accept me.

Just let me stay by your side.

Please.”

On his knees, Seunghyuk looked up at Hyunwoo with desperate eyes.

Tears streamed down his face.

Hyunwoo had once imagined something like this.

Maybe Seunghyuk would confess he actually liked him.

Maybe he would say he wanted to be good spouses.

Though… not quite in this tearful, begging form.

His head throbbed.

He had thought too much in too short a time.

Hyunwoo raised a hand to rub his forehead.

“Hoo….”

He let out a soft sigh as he looked down at the crying Seunghyuk.

Then, slowly, his lips parted.