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[Gone] - [Rosé]

It was one day before the engagement—Saturday. Of course, they would choose the weekend, the perfect time to draw a crowd, to have the entire city whispering about the grand event.

Iseul scoffed bitterly at the thought as she scrubbed the dishes at her family's restaurant, her hands moving with mechanical precision as if scrubbing away her own feelings.

The warm, soapy water didn't ease the cold ache in her chest. Her mind betrayed her, replaying memories she desperately wanted to forget—Sunghoon's laughter, the warmth of his hand in hers, the way he once kissed her like she was the only thing that mattered. She clenched her jaw, willing the tears to stay where they belonged.

But she wasn't going to cry.

Not now.

So she scrubbed harder, her fingers pressing into the plates until her knuckles turned white. The rhythmic clatter of dishes hitting the drying rack filled the air as she worked furiously, desperate to drown out her own thoughts.

And then she looked up.

Her breath hitched.

There, parked just outside, was his car. The familiar rolls royce she had memorized long ago. Her stomach tightened painfully, and before she could stop herself, her eyes searched for him.

He was there.

Through the window, his gaze locked on hers.

She saw him watching her. His expression was unreadable—cold, distant, but his eyes... they burned with something that twisted her insides. She couldn't tell if it was regret, pain, or something darker, but she didn't care to know.

Her heart thudded violently in her chest, a surge of anger boiling over before she could contain it. The nerve. The absolute audacity.

Her fingers clenched into fists, water dripping from her hands as she glared at him through the glass. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest, a silent declaration of defiance. Her eyes narrowed with fury, her lips curling ever so slightly into a bitter smirk as if daring him to come closer.

For a moment, the world stilled.

She was no longer the girl who had once loved him with everything she had.

And he was no longer the man she had trusted.

The glass between them felt like a barrier far thicker than the one between their hearts.

He didn't move. He didn't look away. But neither did she.

Finally, her glare sharpened, and with a pointed raise of her brow, she turned away, dismissing him as if he were nothing more than a speck of dust on her window.

Sunghoon knew he'd been caught, so he did what his pride wouldn't usually let him—he stepped out of the car. The cool evening air bit at his skin, but he ignored it.

A part of him, deep and buried beneath the layers of anger and hurt, missed moments like this—missed her. Their arguments, their fire. But he couldn't admit that. Not even to himself. He was getting married tomorrow. To avenge her. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

When he got closer, Iseul's voice cut through the silence like a blade.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"So now I can't park my car wherever I want?"

"You can't! You're getting engaged tomorrow, and you can't be near me!"

He stopped just short of her, her words sinking into his chest like stones, each one heavier than the last. He nodded slowly, the ache in his heart spreading. "You're right," he murmured.

"And you can't look at me," she added, her voice sharper now, desperate to build walls he'd already breached.

His eyes stayed on her, lingering over the face he had once traced with his fingertips, memorizing every line, every scar. This is what goodbye looks like, he thought bitterly. "That's also right."

Her chest heaved with frustration as she clenched her fists. "Is there anything you have to say to me?"

He paused. The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. His mind raced, a thousand words on the tip of his tongue.

I love you. I never stopped. I'm sorry.

"Nothing."

"Good. Just as I thought. Now go back to your car and leave me the hell alone."

She turned before he could see the tears welling in her eyes, her back stiff as she walked away. Sunghoon stood there, rooted in place, watching her retreat to the warmth of the restaurant as the cold consumed him.

He lingered, hoping—wishing—that maybe this was all a dream. That he could wake up and undo everything. But dreams were kinder than reality, and this wasn't one.

He finally turned back to his car, his chest hollow as he slipped inside.

Changbin, sitting lazily in the passenger seat, glanced at him with a raised brow. "Is this why you dragged me out in the middle of the night? Man, what did you even talk about?"

Sunghoon stared through the windshield, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his eyes never leaving the figure moving behind the glass window of the restaurant.

"We said goodbye."

With that, he rolled the window up, sealing the words inside where no one else could hear.

The next day came in a whirlwind of noise and motion. The engagement venue was alive with activity—event planners scurried from side to side, floral arrangements were being adjusted to perfection, and the gleam of crystal glasses reflected the late morning sun.

Though it was a small, private affair, it carried the weight of something much grander. After all, Sunghoon and Rena were not just two ordinary people—they were famous in the business world.

But across the city, inside the cold silence of his apartment, Sunghoon was anything but prepared.

He woke up with a splitting headache, the remnants of last night's liquor burning in his veins. The air was heavy with regret. His phone vibrated on the nightstand, the screen lighting up with calls—Rena, Sungchan, Changbin. The persistent buzzing filled the room, but he didn't move to answer.

Instead, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, fingers gripping at the roots as if the pressure could squeeze out the thoughts pounding against his skull.

These are the consequences of your actions, a voice in his mind whispered. He clenched his jaw. Decisions made in anger were always the worst ones. He had been so consumed with pride, with the need to win, that he hadn't stopped to think.

And now? Now he was trapped in this engagement with a woman he didn't love, walking willingly into a future he didn't want.

His gaze wandered to the suit hanging neatly in the corner. A perfectly tailored piece of luxury, the kind that commanded attention. It was meant to make him look powerful, like a man in control of his destiny. But as he stared at it, a bitter truth settled in his chest.

He didn't want this.

He didn't want her.

His eyes burned as he let out a shaky breath. "Iseul..." he whispered to no one. Her name felt like a prayer. A plea. She was the one he had always wanted—the one he had fought with, laughed with, loved. His whole body ached with the truth of it. He loved her. He had always loved her.

But love wasn't enough to undo everything. And now he had to face the storm he'd created.

The phone rang again. He closed his eyes, the sound grating against the hollow ache inside him.

He needed to move. He needed to own up to his mistakes.

With heavy steps, he walked toward the suit, his fingers hovering over the fabric as if it were some kind of chain. His reflection in the mirror stared back at him, a man trapped between pride and heartbreak.

And with that, he let out a bitter sigh. It was time to play his part. Even if every step felt like walking toward his own ruin.

Some people were getting married to the one they loved, while others—like Iseul—were left in the aftermath, watching someone else take the place they once thought was theirs.

Iseul buried her head in her folded arms, the tears flowing freely, soaking the fabric of her sleeves. Every heartbeat felt like a reminder that she was losing the person she had once called hers, and no matter how much she wanted to scream, to fight, she couldn't change the reality of it all.

Chaeryoung, having spotted her from a distance, felt her heart twist in sympathy. She knew better than anyone that Iseul's stoic exterior hid a pain deeper than she could fathom. Without hesitation, she made her way toward Iseul, sitting down beside her with a gentle, caring expression.

"Iseul," she began softly, her voice full of concern, "what's wrong? Do you want to talk?"

Iseul's body stiffened, her tears not ceasing. She wiped her face quickly, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "Why does everyone keep bugging me today?" she snapped, her voice raw and sharp, but the pain behind it was unmistakable. "For your information, I'm not crying. Just a... just a speck of dust got in my eyes."

Chaeryoung's heart broke at the sight of her friend's obvious struggle. But before she could speak further, Iseul stood up abruptly, brushing past her without a word, her movements sharp, desperate for space.

"Iseul—" she called after her, but she was already walking away, her back turned, leaving only the echo of her footsteps behind. She needed to be alone, away from everything and everyone. It was a defense mechanism, a desperate attempt to shield herself .

Chaeryoung wasn't blind to the situation. The engagement shouldn't have happened like this, not when there were so many unsaid things, so many truths that needed to come to light.

She knew one thing for certain: if she didn't step in now, things would spiral beyond anyone's control.

Without hesitation, Chaeryoung pulled out her phone, her fingers moving swiftly across the screen as she dialed a number. "Changbin," she said urgently, her voice sharp with purpose. "Where's the engagement taking place? I need to talk to Sunghoon... urgently."

Meanwhile, Sunghoon stood by the window of the grand venue, his eyes scanning the horizon. The sound of laughter and chatter from the growing crowd barely registered. He wasn't focused on them. He was lost in his own thoughts, and despite the happiness around him, there was a dull ache in his chest.

Was he waiting for someone? Or was he just lost in the wave of emotions that seemed to sweep through him every time he thought about her? Iseul.

Rena, in her pristine white dress, appeared behind him. Her voice was light, teasing, but there was an undercurrent of tension in her words. "Are you expecting anyone?"

Sunghoon turned, a small smile barely tugging at the corners of his lips. His eyes, though, remained distant, as if still caught in a world that wasn't his own. "No, just looking," he answered, his tone quieter than she had expected.

Rena tilted her head, her smile still present but with a hint of curiosity. "How are you so calm, Sunghoon? You need to teach me." Her words were playful, but there was something off about her too.

Before he could respond, the event planner entered the room, looking flustered. "Ms. Rena, are you free?" she asked, glancing at the details in her clipboard.

Rena's smile widened, and without a word, she nodded and followed the planner outside, her steps light but purposeful.

Just as Rena exited, Chaeryoung entered the venue through a back door, moving swiftly and quietly, as if she were a spy on a secret mission. She knew exactly where Sunghoon's room was, and she made her way to it without hesitation.

She had no time to worry about the prying eyes that would inevitably catch sight of her; all that mattered now was getting to him.

Sunghoon stood still in the room, his eyes empty, even as the soft hum of the wedding continued around him. He wasn't focused on the people. He wasn't even sure why he was here anymore, but he couldn't bring himself to leave.

A knock echoed at the door.

His eyes didn't leave the window, but his voice was steady, low. "Come in."

The door opened, and in stepped Chaeryoung, looking more determined than he had ever seen her. She didn't waste any time.

"I need to talk to you," Chaeryoung said quietly, the door clicking shut behind her.

Sunghoon finally turned to face her, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Iseul... she suffered a lot during your marriage. She worked side jobs, did everything... for you, for your future... and you never even noticed."

The weight of it crushed him. His breath hitched in his throat, and his body tensed as the realization sank in, but Chaeryoung didn't give him time to process before she added, "The real reasons she divorced you..."

His heart dropped, the words stinging with an intensity he had never felt before. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of everything, his pulse pounding in his ears.

The anger, the hurt, the confusion—it all bubbled to the surface, but it was mixed with a deep, aching regret. He had been blind, selfish, and had failed to see the woman he had once vowed to cherish.

He felt a crack deep within him, as if something inside was breaking, something he couldn't fix. His hand shook as it gripped the chair, the pain in his chest so raw that it almost took his breath away.

In a blur, he stood up, his face drained of color, his eyes wide with realization. He didn't even hear Chaeryoung's voice calling out to him as he rushed out of the room.

The only thing in his mind was Iseul.

His car roared to life, his hands gripping the wheel with a desperate urgency. He didn't care about the engagement. He didn't care about the wedding. All that mattered was Iseul—he needed to fix this. He needed to find her.

How could he have been so blind? How could he have let her go through all that pain alone?

He pushed the car to its limits, the streets blurring beneath him, the ache in his chest growing with every second. He had to see her. He had to tell her he was sorry.

And as the distance between him and the venue widened, so did the distance between the man he was and the man he wished he could have been—the man who would have seen Iseul for the strong woman she was, the man who would have fought for her, not let her walk away.

His heart broke with each mile.

And then, finally, he arrived—hoping it wasn't too late to fix what he had broken.

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this is why I couldnt make them get togther after one kiss