When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 24

I frowned. "Where?"

"The couch. I want to hear everything."

I hesitated. "Everything?"

He walked over to the sofa, sat down, and patted the empty space beside him. His expression softened. "Yeah. Everything. I want to know it all, Ye Na. Every single thing you’ve been through."

I swallowed.

I had spent years trying to push everything down, to act like I was fine, like I had moved on. But now that he was looking at me like that—with those eyes that made me feel safe—I realized I wanted to tell him.

I sat down slowly, curling my legs under me. "You really want to hear it?"

He turned toward me fully, resting his arm on the back of the couch. "Of course."

I inhaled shakily. "I was battling with depression all these years. I was at the edge of giving up myself. At the end of ending my... life."

His entire body stilled.

My hands clenched into fists on my lap. "But the only thing that stopped me… was the hope that you’d come back someday." My voice wavered. "That’s the only thing that kept me alive."

Han Wool made a sound—something between a gasp and a choked breath. His fingers twitched like he wanted to touch me, but he didn’t.

"Ye Na," he whispered. "I…"

Tears burned in my eyes, but I forced myself to smile. "The study group was always with me until I went to university. They always came to my house, checked on me, never let me cry in my free time. They annoyed me every second of the day." I let out a soft laugh, wiping at my eyes. "At the time, I thought I had no privacy, but now, thinking about it… they were so caring. Thanks to them, I made it through."

Han Wool exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair. "They must’ve really loved you."

"They did," I nodded. "And then, when I went to university, I met Seok Kyung and Ha-Ya. They were loud, talkative, and girl’s girls. They never left my side. Even though they didn’t know everything about my past, they still held my hand when I was down." I smiled to myself. "With them, I learned to be strong."

Han Wool was staring at me. There was something in his eyes—something unreadable. Like he was memorizing every single word, every single detail.

"I'm sorry, Ye Na. I didn't- I mean, I did know somehow you are struggling, but I didn't check on you. I am- sometimes I think I don't deserve you".

I touched his cheek, slowly touching. "I understand, but you deserve me more than I deserve you".

We went for a silent conversation.

I cleared my throat. "What about you?"

He looked at me for some time, then slowly he raised his head.

He let out a long breath. "After that day… my father and his men took me to France."

My heart skipped a beat.

"When I woke up, I was in a cold hospital bed." He clenched his jaw. "At first, I didn’t even know where I was. My mind was still with you that day. But then the doctor came in… and everything felt wrong."

I held my breath.

He turned to me, his voice quieter. "He told me I’d been unconscious for two months."

My heart stopped.

Two months.

During that two months, I must be searching for him, crying for him, waiting for him—while he had been lying in a hospital bed, unaware of everything.