"Where the hell are you, Han?" she shouted.
He hesitated. "I know you're angry, but if I tell you I got kidnapped, will you trust me?"
"Have you gone insane? Stop making up things and tell me where you are."
"Seungmin brought me here for a trip," he admitted. "I don't know when we'll be back. He's not telling me properly."
Jiwoo's voice sharpened. "Han, you already knew our plan, and you went on a trip. Do you want to die? Don't you love yourself?"
Her words struck him.
"Noona… yes, it's true. I don't love myself. And why would I even love myself? What better person am I? When I look back… all I ever did was watch people suffer and do nothing… just to stay in a safe spot."
His fingers trembled slightly.
"Noona, do you believe in God? I don't know if you do or not But I do. My whole life has been hell. I don't want to end up in hell after I die."
He exhaled shakily.
"Going back to England… will only bring out the worst in us. The way Christine's dad treats others like toys and food… I can't stand it anymore. I'm going to spend my remaining days here with the only person I love. And when I go back, I'll ask Dad to disown me. Or if he wants to kill me… fine. At least I'll die with honour."
He ended the call, slipped the phone into his pocket, and whispered to himself, "Everything is fine, Han."
Then he turned.
Chaewon was standing there.
Panic flickered in Han's eyes for a moment — how much had he heard? But he didn't comment on the call. He gave only a small, tired smile.
"Hyung… wanna go to the beach?"
Han swallowed and forced calm onto his face. "Yeah. Let's go."
Chaewon's steps were uneven. Without asking, Han took his arm, crossing it over his own to support him.
A shy, grateful smile curved Chaewon's lips. Han stayed silent, steadying him with each step.
"What happened to you?" he asked.
"I took some medication… it reacted," Chaewon replied.
"What medication?"
"…an expired one."
Han sighed. "You should've checked it properly. Look at yourself, you don't take care of yourself. Are you really fine because you don't look fine. And how can a person just take medicine without looking for an expiration date."
Chaewon only chuckled weakly. I'm fine.
---
At the beach, they sat close to the water. The cool wind brushed against their faces. The weather was really cold. Chaewon leaned his head on Han's shoulder, closing his eyes.
"Hyung… the sky is full of stars… it looks so beautiful, doesn't it?"
Han smiled faintly, eyes sad, fixed on the night sky. "Yes. It is."
A soft pause passed, peaceful and heavy, before Chaewon whispered, "Hyung… let's run away."
Han exhaled. "Okay, let's run away. But it won't solve anything for me."
Chaewon tensed. "You turned me down twice. First for me, and now… for yourself? Hyung… do you really think you can solve this on your own? In the last few days I have learned if you can't do something by yourself you can ask for help. It makes things better. I'm worried. What if something happens?
"Nothing will happen. It will be solved.," he said quietly.
The other boy's eyes darkened with worry. "If you get away… if it works… will you run away with me?"