A day later, Haeoseok's eyes fluttered open, his mind hazy with the fog of anesthesia. He looked around, panic setting in as he searched the room.
"Min Ju... where is Min Ju?" he croaked, his voice hoarse.
The doctor approached slowly, his eyes filled with a quiet grief.
"She's in your heart now," he whispered gently.
Haeoseok let out a strained, broken laugh, shaking his head.
"She's always in my heart," he replied, his voice cracking, "forever."
His parents moved to his side, their hands trembling as they placed them over his, their faces streaked with fresh tears.
"Min Ju gave her heart for you," his mother whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
Haeoseok froze, his mind refusing to accept the words. His pulse raced, the reality crashing down on him like a tidal wave.
No," he gasped, his body shaking as sobs ripped through his chest. "Why... why did she do this? I have nothing - no qualifications, no future. She had everything... a bright future, a family that loved her."
Unable to contain his grief, he dragged himself out of the bed, ripping the IV lines from his arms. Ignoring the pleas of the nurses, he stumbled down the hall, collapsing in front of Min Ju's parents.
He bowed deeply, his forehead touching the cold hospital floor, his tears pooling beneath him.
"I'm sorry," he sobbed, his voice breaking. "Please... forgive me. I took your daughter's life... I don't deserve this."
Min Ju's parents knelt beside him, pulling him into a tight embrace, their own tears mingling with his.
"She was always our favorite," her father whispered, his voice trembling. "But you... you were her world. You were her everything. Don't blame yourself. She made this choice out of love."
They handed him a small box, the contents filled with Min Ju's belongings from childhood - her diary, their old guitar picks, a tiny heart-shaped locket with their childhood photo inside.