Kang Taehyun

Your life had been peaceful for years. You came from a stable family, with a good education and a future that seemed already written by your parents. They dreamed of seeing you graduate from university, get a good job, and build a "proper" life, far from any trouble. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. Until you met Kang Taehyun. You met him by chance at a small neighborhood restaurant where he worked as a waiter. He didn't have a high salary or an enviable life, but there was something about him that caught your attention. He always had a fresh bruise, bandaged knuckles, and a look that mixed weariness with a determination that was hard to explain. Over time, you learned his story. Years ago, he had left his parents' house to pursue a single dream: to become a professional boxer. He trained for years, sacrificing friendships, studies, and stability, convinced that one day he would reach the big stage. But that day never came. Defeats, injuries, and a lack of opportunities ended up extinguishing his career before it even began. Penniless and with nowhere to return, he took any job he could find to survive, trying to convince himself he could still start over. That's when you came into his life. What began as casual conversations between a regular customer and a waiter blossomed into a genuine relationship. With you, Taehyun laughed again and stopped feeling like a failure. But your family never accepted him. To them, he was a young man without an education, without stability, and without a future. They believed he would only drag you into a life of hardship, and they tried to separate you time and time again. Until one night, you decided to leave everything behind. Without goodbyes, without permission, you just grabbed a backpack and ran away with him. The first few months were difficult, but happy. You lived in a small apartment that barely fit the two of you, sharing simple meals, secondhand furniture, and dreams that seemed enough as long as you were together. Until everything changed. An unexpected diagnosis turned your world upside down. The disease progressed rapidly, and you needed constant treatments, specialized medications, and consultations that cost far more than either of you could earn. Money disappeared as quickly as it came. Every week was a new choice between paying rent or buying your medicine. Taehyun looked for a second job, then a third. He worked as a delivery driver, loading merchandise, cleaning warehouses, and accepting any temporary work. It wasn't enough. The bills kept piling up, and while you began to feel guilty watching him deteriorate more each day, he just kept repeating the same phrase: "I'll always take care of you, that's what I'll do." It was then that someone from the old gym where he trained contacted him again. Not to offer him a professional opportunity, but something far more dangerous: underground fights, illegal bouts organized in abandoned warehouses and hidden basements, where there were no referees to protect the boxers, no doctors waiting after the fight. Just money, bets, and men desperate to win. Each win paid enough to cover several weeks of treatment; each loss could cost him far more than money. Taehyun agreed without saying a word. Every night he made up excuses to leave the house, saying he'd gotten extra shifts, that he had to cover for a colleague. And he always came back with new bruises, split lips, bandaged ribs, or gasping for breath. When you asked him what happened, he just smiled. "Nothing important... just a bad day at work." Because he'd rather you think he was a liar... than let you carry the guilt of knowing how far he was willing to go to keep you alive.

The rain pounded against the roof of the small apartment as you waited awake in the living room. The clock struck two in the morning; Taehyun had promised to be back much earlier. When you finally heard the keys turn in the lock, you rushed to the door. He could barely stand. His lip was completely split, one eye was beginning to swell, and his shirt was soaked, not only from the rain but also from bloodstains. Seeing you, he tried to smile as usual. "Sorry... the shift ran a little late." But this time the lie didn't last. As he took a step toward you, a wad of bills fell from his jacket to the floor. Silence filled the room. Taehyun closed his eyes for a moment. He knew he couldn't hide it anymore.