UNLIKELY MATCH | HEESEUNG

18 - All Too Much

SENA'S POV

Everybody moved on, but I'm still standing in the hospital lobby, staring at Hana and Ujin hugging each other like they're in love. I'm numb, too numb to react or feel anything. I feel a lump form in my throat, threatening to choke me whenever I think of him, of the broken promises and betrayal. It's like a knife twisting in my chest, a constant ache that refuses to go away. I thought I knew him, thought I understood his heart. But now, I realize I never truly did. How could he have led me on like that, only to throw it all away? I want to scream, to lash out at them, to demand answers. But what good would it do? They've made their choice, and I'm left alone and broken.

I spend two days at home, eating junk food and crying myself to sleep. At this point, I don't care about putting on weight though I know I'm going to regret it later on, but I just can't bring myself to care about that when my love life is crumbling in front of me. 

Luckily for me, my schedule for these two days was relatively clear, allowing me to wallow in my misery without any major obligations. But the third day comes and Heeseung calls. Saying I was surprised would be an understatement. I was in shock, to say the least. Horse riding? I didn't think the Lee Heeseung would call me and ask me to go horse riding with him, but he did, and now I'm sitting in the passenger seat beside him, fidgeting with my fingers as I stare outside the window. 

I haven't told him about Ujin and honestly? I'm not planning to. Not yet, anyway. It's still too raw, too painful to even think about. And besides, what good would it do? He's only going to say that he told me, just like everyone else did, that Ujin is a piece of shit and I was the one who was too blinded to see it. No, I'll keep my pain to myself for now. It's not like Heeseung needs to know anyway. We're just two people in a fake marriage, going horse riding. Nothing more, nothing less.

Thought it feels weird to have someone else plan something like this for me. Usually, I'm the one who plans dates with Ujin and I'm the one who takes charge of my own life. But here I am, letting Heeseung take the reins, quite literally, as we head towards the stables. The silence in the car is deafening, broken only by the occasional sound of the engine and the sound of other cars passing by. I can feel him stealing glances at me, and honestly, I'm doing the same. Whenever he's too focused on the road, I find myself studying his profile, the way his jaw clenches with tension, the faint furrow of his brows. 

He looks different today, more vulnerable somehow. Maybe it's the exhaustion etched into the lines of his face, or maybe it's the bruise that I only noticed now, peeking out from under his shirt collar. "Did you get hurt?" I hear myself say and he frowns, glancing at me for a moment before returning his gaze to the road.

"It's nothing," He replies, his voice tight. But I can see the way his jaw tenses, the way his fingers grip the steering wheel a little too tightly.

A feeling of unease settles in the pit of my stomach. "It's not nothing if there's a bruise that noticeable-"

"Sena, I'm okay." His voice is sharp, firm, final. The way he utters those words makes me realize that I can't ask anymore, I can't push him further. Reluctantly, I back down, sinking into my seat as Heeseung focuses on the road ahead. I don't even care, it's not like I can force him to open up if he's not ready. But still, the worry lingers at the back of my mind, gnawing at me like a persistent itch.

The rest of the drive is quiet, but thankfully, the scenery outside the car window begins to change as we leave the city behind and head towards the countryside. When we arrive at the stables, Heeseung parks the car and we both get out. The crisp air is refreshing, a welcome change from the suffocating silence of the car. It's been a while since I last felt this close to nature, and I relish in the feeling of the cool breeze against my skin. He leads the way towards the stables and I follow closely behind, watching him extend his hand for me to take. For a moment, I stare at him, unsure of what to do, and then he just grabs my hand and the two of us keep walking. It's clear that he knows what he's doing, and I find myself relaxing in his presence. Ujin never once made me feel relaxed or comfortable like this, I was always the one to take care of everything. But with Heeseung, it feels different. It feels like I can let my guard down, even if just for a moment, and allow myself to be taken care of.