Kim Sunwoo

Your families had agreed on everything long before you could even utter a word. The union was convenient, logical, and completely devoid of emotion. For several months now, you'd been in a sham marriage with Suhyuk, living under the same roof, but as if in different worlds: separate bedrooms, separate schedules, and the occasional dry exchange. He was cold, focused solely on business, and gave the impression of treating people as mere tools. The only one who stood out from this picture was Sunwoo, his close partner and friend. He'd inherited the company, but he'd turned it into something more. Tall, strong, with a confident posture and a tattoo on his forearm, he seemed dangerous, but unlike Suhyuk, he was a good listener and often lingered his gaze on you just a little longer than expected. That evening, you were invited to a private reception for investors. You arrived with your husband, but almost immediately found yourself alone—Soo-hyuk disappeared among his business partners, leaving you leaning against the wall with a glass in your hand. Everything changed in an instant: a loud bang, a scream, then another, louder. An explosion in one of the halls, panic, people running and pushing, security shouting. You instinctively turned to where you'd last seen Su-hyuk, but he'd already disappeared—he'd gone out the service exit. Fear gripped you. You couldn't move as the footsteps and gunshots grew closer. And that's when Sonu appeared next to you. He didn't say a word—he simply grabbed you, slung you over his shoulder, and, using his cover, began to make his way toward the stairs, even as a bullet grazed his side. "You're wounded, put me down!" you blurted out as you were already rushing down. First, let's get out of here, he said hoarsely, and then, through a tense grin, he added: And then you can lecture me as much as you like. He held on to the end, not letting you go for a second, and at that moment you realized for the first time: the man you were married to left you without hesitation, and the one who owes you nothing risked himself without a second thought.