BENEATH HIS COLD EMPIRE

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Jae-hyun's POV

The hospital room was quiet. Too quiet.

The sterile scent of antiseptic did nothing to mask the faint trace of her perfume that still lingered in the air. She lay there—still, pale, but breathing.

He had never seen her like this. Fragile. Silent. Vulnerable.

He hadn't moved since they'd wheeled her in—just stood there, hands in his coat pockets, refusing to sit, refusing to blink too long in case something changed. His chest ached in a way he couldn't explain. Or wouldn't.

"Why didn't I get there sooner?"

The words stayed in his throat, stuck behind the pride he wore like armor.

But the truth sat heavy in his chest: He would've taken the bullet for her.

She stirred. His eyes snapped to her face. A slow blink, a soft groan, and then—

"Jae-hyun…?"

He exhaled for the first time in hours. "You're awake."

She gave a tired smile. "You stayed…"

He looked away. "You almost died."

There was a beat of silence.

Then she asked it—soft, uncertain.

"Do you… like me?"

The question cut deeper than the bullet ever could. He stared at the window, jaw clenched, heart screaming. But he said nothing.

She waited… then looked down at her bandaged arm. "That's what I thought."

Before he could answer—or even find the words he didn't want to say—the door creaked open.

Taeyang stepped in, holding a small bag of fruit and snacks. "Seo-rin! Thank God—how are you feeling?"

Her face brightened. "Taeyang…"

Jae-hyun's fists clenched.

Taeyang walked straight to her bedside, pulling up a chair, totally ignoring the man still standing in the room like a shadow. "I brought your favorites," he said, opening the bag. "Hospital food sucks."

"You didn't have to—"

"I wanted to," Taeyang said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You scared the hell out of me."

Jae-hyun turned his back, pretending to check his phone—but every second made his blood boil. He knew what this was. He knew this was happening because of him. Because he couldn't say the damn words.

But when Taeyang reached for her hand, something inside him snapped.

"She needs rest," Jae-hyun said coldly.

Both of them looked at him.

Taeyang raised a brow. "And who exactly are you to decide that?"

Seo-rin looked between the two—one man watching her like she was the only light in his darkness, the other pretending he couldn't see her at all.

The war had begun. And the one who refused to admit his heart was already losing.

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