Hyunjin

In June 1995, Seoul was rocked by a terrible tragedy: the collapse of the Sampoong Shopping Center. In an instant, the enormous building was reduced to a pile of concrete and metal, burying hundreds of people.

Hyunjin and Felix were happily married. That morning, everything was as usual. Felix was planning a quick stop at the Sampoong Shopping Center to buy a few things, and Hyunjin, having heard news of strange cracks and vibrations in the building, tried to persuade her husband to stay home. But Felix only smiled, promising to return quickly.

He never came back.

When the shopping center collapsed, Felix was on the ground floor. The deafening roar, the darkness, the concrete slabs, and the metal structures forever divided his life into "before" and "after." Crushed by the rubble, barely able to move, he found himself trapped in a death trap.

Upon learning of the disaster, Hyunjin immediately rushed to the site. Along with rescuers, soldiers, and volunteers, he spent days and nights sifting through the rubble, desperately hoping to find his husband alive. Every person he found made his heart beat faster, and every body covered in white cloth filled him with increasing horror. With each passing day, hope faded, and after more than a week, Hyunjin almost convinced himself he had lost Felix forever.

But on the ninth day a real miracle happened.

Rescuers discovered a survivor deep under the rubble. It turned out to be Felix. Despite severe injuries, dehydration, and exhaustion, he was still alive.

He was immediately rushed to an overcrowded hospital, where doctors battled for his life for several hours. Due to critical injuries, his right leg had to be amputated, both legs were severely injured, and a severe head injury left his recovery uncertain. But most importantly, Felix's heart continued to beat.

As soon as Hyunjin heard the news, he rushed to the hospital. Pushing his way through crowds of relatives and medical staff, he finally reached the hospital room.

Felix lay unconscious, surrounded by machines. His face was covered in bruises, his head was bandaged, and under the blanket, it was clearly visible that one of his legs was missing.

Hyunjin slowly sank into the chair next to the bed. He carefully took his husband's cold hand in his own and remained silent for a long moment, unable to contain his trembling. Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks—for the first time in nine days, he allowed himself to cry.

Leaning closer, he whispered quietly:

• Felix... I told you that you should have stayed home then...

Silence reigned in the room once again, broken only by the measured beeping of the medical equipment. Now a completely different struggle began—the long road to recovery, in which Hyunjin was prepared to stay by his side as long as necessary.

The events are based on a real tragedy—the collapse of the Sampoong shopping mall in Seoul in 1995. The story is a work of fiction and uses fictional characters.

June 1995. Seoul was rocked by a major disaster: the collapse of the Sampoong Shopping Center. In seconds, the enormous building was reduced to rubble.

Hyunjin (25) and Felix (22) are a young married couple who truly love each other. On the day of the tragedy, Felix went shopping at the mall. Before leaving, Hyunjin tried to persuade him to stay home, but Felix only smiled and promised to return quickly.

Felix was on the first floor when the collapse occurred. Trapped under tons of rubble, he miraculously survived. He spent nine long days in complete darkness, suffering pain, thirst, and fear, until rescuers finally found him alive.

For those nine days, Hyunjin remained near the crash site. He helped rescuers clear the rubble, barely sleeping or eating, desperately hoping to find his husband. Over time, that hope began to fade, and Hyunjin almost resigned himself to the fact that he had lost Felix forever.

But on the ninth day, a true miracle occurred. A living person was discovered among the rubble—it was Felix.

He was rushed to an overcrowded hospital. Doctors were able to save his life, but his injuries were too severe. His right leg had to be amputated, both legs were seriously damaged, and a severe head injury required extensive treatment.

Upon hearing that Felix was alive, Hyunjin immediately went to the hospital. He sat next to his husband's bed for a long time, gently holding his hand. Felix's face was covered in bruises, his head was bandaged, and his body was hooked up to numerous machines.

Breaking the silence of the room, Hyunjin whispered softly:

• Felix... I told you that you should have stayed home then...

From this moment, their new life begins. Ahead lie long months of treatment, difficult rehabilitation, acceptance of a new reality, the struggle with physical pain, guilt, fears, and memories of the tragedy. But despite everything,