prynovel Chapter 427: Goodbye and Promise (2)
Chapter 427: Goodbye and Promise (2)
Chapter 427: Goodbye and Promise (2)
Why were we doomed to live in a world without Suh Hyun-Woo? After all our sacrifices and struggles, what would we have gained if we returned from this world?
Nothing. It was not enough just knowing that Suh Hyun-Woo was alive somewhere. He could interact with us and share the career he longed for here, but in our original world, he was still dead. How could we possibly find peace with that? Returning meant walking back into a living hell.
Kang Joo-Han sighed, and his voice became heavy with weariness. “Yoo-Joon.”
Goh Yoo-Joon wasn’t wrong. It was just a difference in perspective. In the original world, Suh Hyun-Woo was no longer alive. They would forever mourn him, and the only slight consolation would be a reduced burden of guilt for having robbed him of a happier life.
But was that sacrifice truly worth it? It seemed unbearably cruel to demand Goh Yoo-Joon endure such excruciating separations solely for the sake of Suh Hyun-Woo’s happiness.
“If we stay, we can go back to performing, and Hyun-Woo will be with us.”
They had only just started to connect with Suh Hyun-Woo, who was finally ready to listen to them. To tear that newfound connection apart so soon seemed immensely brutal.
“Why should we leave? Why can't we just stay here comfortably with Hyun-Woo?”
It was like returning to a slightly changed past. Staying didn’t mean losing anything.
Goh Yoo-Joon's voice trembled slightly, betraying his emotional turmoil. As he spoke, Kang Joo-Han’s hands rested heavily on his shoulder. “We still need to go. I can’t just leave you here.”
Hearing this, Goh Yoo-Joon's eyes flashed briefly with resolve before settling into a determined look.
“We need to go.”@@@@
“If you’re going, go by yourself. I want to stay.”
“No, you’re coming with me.”
Goh Yoo-Joon was overwhelmed by frustration and feelings, so he grimaced and shrugged off Kang Joo-Han’s hands. But Joo-Han’s gaze remained firm and unwavering. “Let’s not make selfish choices. Remember, we agreed to make decisions for Hyun-Woo’s sake, whatever the sacrifice.”
‘What if we stay here?’
It would mean that Hyun-Woo would once again lose a companion, a friend with whom he had shared his dreams and struggles. The magnitude of Chronos’ Goh Yoo-Joon’s presence to Hyun-Woo was irreplaceable, and a selfish choice on their part would mean ripping that away from him.
The guilt that would envelop Suh Hyun-Woo could be immense, possibly snatching away the smile they had just begun to see more frequently.
“Do you really want to stay here and watch Hyun-Woo revert to his former self, isolated and withdrawn?”
“That’s not what I want, but you know why I’m reluctant to leave.”
Kang Joo-Han understood but still disagreed. “I get where you’re coming from, but I don’t know if that’s the best option we have.” He shook his head, and his hand slowly slid off Goh Yoo-Joon’s shoulder. “I can’t endorse the choice you want to make because it might not lead to Hyun-Woo’s happiness. Yoo-Joon, it’s going to be hard, but—”
“What are you guys talking about?”
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted. The door swung open, causing both of them to whirl around in surprise.
“Why, what’s all this about? You both look so shocked,” Suh Hyun-Woo remarked, eyes wide as he noticed their flustered expressions.
Until just a moment ago, the two had been grimly tearful. They now awkwardly lifted the corners of their mouths in a forced smile.
“Hey. Why are you here?"
“Huh?"
“...”
Of course it was. How could I straightforwardly address such a question with them right in front of me?
I stopped myself from answering instinctively, clenched my teeth, and shook my head. “No."
After all, these members, whom I might never see again, had chosen and sacrificed something to give us this opportunity to talk once more. For their sake, and not least for mine, I shouldn’t avoid this conversation. We deserved this much.
“Honestly, it has been easier with them," I confessed.
“...Really?" Joo-Han probed.
“Because I thought of Chronos as just the members of Elated.”
Until recently, I just thought that I had just returned to the past, shrugging it off as some supernatural anomaly that allowed me to come back to life. The members from the past didn’t know my traumas, so interacting with them without any reservations felt comforting.
“Thanks for saving me. It allowed me not only to debut, but also..." I faced them, wary that my words might hurt them and that the old wounds might show on their faces. “...Also, I can now talk heart-to-heart with you and Jin-Sung."
The burdens and misunderstandings, the pain and affection we had... All of them could be resolved here, not to mention the bitterness of a life cut short.
I took a deep breath. “I will speak honestly."
It was a moment that desperately called for a drink. It took me a long time to say this. Because I hesitated, Joo-Han and Goh Yoo-Joon became confused.
"...Hey, hey! What are you doing?"
“Why, Hyun-Woo! What is it?"
I said, “I’m sorry."
“For what..."
“For avoiding all of you. For making you feel guilty when it wasn’t your fault."
“Hey, why would you think..."
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see you."
In truth, they had been precious to me. Although I had built walls between us, ultimately turning them into distant figures, they were too precious, and there was a bond between us I could never run away from. They were truly Elated.
But despite that, the reason I avoided them was simple.
“I just didn’t want to show you my marred face.”
The more Elated shone brightly, the more miserable I became. Elated grew and prospered, while I remained stagnant.
While they built happy memories with the love of their fans, I was busy avoiding people’s eyes and hiding my disfigured face.
We had started together, but... There was a time when I shone just as brightly. My damaged face was too much for my pride to bear, and that was why I avoided them. It wasn't their fault.
“I thought I’d rather die than show you my injured face. I hated even the thought of it.”
I did it to protect my fragile pride.