“But it’s what you bloody did. You’re the worst person I have ever had the misfortune of encountering,” he said, his voice low but full of venom. “You’re selfish. You knew about Jiwon, and you used her, twisted her heart for your own amusement. You’ve hurt her more than your conceited mind could ever comprehend.” His breath came in ragged gasps, the words tumbling out like shattered glass. “I regret ever—”
“Ah I see what this is about.” Hannah folded her eyes wiping a tear away. “You know what your problem is, Wynter? You think everyone should care as much as you do. But not everyone’s wired that way, and I’m not going to apologize for being honest about it.“
“You’re right, it didn’t mean anything—because you’re incapable of meaning anything to anyone. You think being cruel makes you powerful, but it just makes you empty.” He declared then tossed the rest of the letters at her leaving her standing there agape and in shock.
But then, he stopped. His eyes darted to the living room beyond the door, where the sound of voices reached him. Sydney. Jax. Cahya. All of them. The people he cared about, were all there, oblivious to the storm that raged within him.
His words faltered. The fury that had driven him here, that had burned through him just moments before, evaporated as he stood there, caught between his rage and the realization that thiswasn’t the place for this confrontation. Not in front of them. Not now.
“I’m sorry.” He apologized to them, then back at Hannah. “But nevereverto you.”
Hannah, still holding the letters in her hands, stood unmoved, her eyes as cold as ever. “I didn’t ask for any of this,” she said, her tone sharp and distant. “Don’t you think I’ve been fighting my own battles too? Don’t you dare make this about me.”
Wynter’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, he wanted to shout, to break her down piece by piece. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t bring himself to do it in front of everyone. His anger, now simmering beneath the surface, felt dangerous, like it would consume him whole if he let it.
Yesoh was standing there right outside, she had silently trailed behind him. She always seemed to be there. He was ashamed; for how he had acted, how he’d spoken he couldn’t bare to face her. He felt betrayed by the first girl he’d ever let in and it was a massacre that wasn’t enough to be witnessed by only him but everyone had seen him be taken to the slaughter.
He walked right past her and kept walking and she thought he didn’t notice but she followed, every step away from March house, in her own way it was her assuring him that she wouldn’t let him hurt alone.
But when he didn’t turn back, even Yesoh knew that she couldn’t push. And so she let him be.
Her hand reached and then retracted— he wouldneverreach back.
Yesoh was a silent witness to the unraveling of everything he thought he knew. For the first time, she saw him—reallysaw him—as more than just the caretaker, the protector. She saw the cracks in his armor, the pieces of him that had shattered under the weight of everything left unsaid.
And in that silence, everything began to change.
The air in the living room felt thick, heavy with everything unsaid. Wynter stood in front of his sisters, his heart wrapped in a thousand knots. He had no script, no rehearsed words. Only the raw ache of regret.
Bae and Beck sat side by side on the couch, arms folded, watching him with silent contempt. Jiwon stood by the window, her back to them, as though she couldn’t even bare to look her big brother in the eye. Wynter took a breath, steadying himself.
“I owe you all an apology,” he began, his voice low, as though it pained him to speak at all. “I invited someone into our lives who shouldn’t have been there. I let her into your space without consideration of how you might’ve felt. And I think it’s very important that I express that I won’t let that happen again.”
“She ate my Mac and cheese.” Bae complained eyebrows furrowed.
“She left her underwear on the bathroom floor.” Beck pointed out.
Jiwon nervously bit her fingernails in silence.
“I thought I was keeping control,” he went on, his eyes scanning the room, but never quite meeting their gaze. “I didn’t realize she was being obnoxious and leaving her stuff around the house for you to pick up after her. I should’ve seen how she made you feel— but I was clouded by how she made me feel, too—too wrapped up in her to see you. I let her invade our space. And I’m so sorry.”
Wynter sat down on the floor in front of them.
“Do I get my Mac and cheese replaced?” Bae wondered out loud. “If not I can never restore your honor!”
“I’ll turn on the food network and make you a whole pot just for yourself. I know I can’t erase what’s happened. But I promise you, I’ll never let anyone do that again—never again will I let something or someone come between us. Especially someone you guys don’t take a liking to. If I ever bring a girl around next, I’ll ensure that she’s someone with strong character, who you guys love to be around as much as I do. You are my family. And I will do whatever it takes to protect your peace too.”
He bowed deeply, his forehead brushing the floor as he spoke the words that had been haunting him. “Jeoreul yongseohae juseyo.”Please forgive me.
Bae was the first to budge, her expression softening. “You’re a total idiot, Wynter. Always have been.” Her voice was a whisper, almost tender. “But you’reouridiot. You don’t get to mess this up again, okay?”
Beck simply nodded. “Yeah, don’t screw this up, or you’ll really have something to apologize for.”
A sense of relief washed over him, and for the first time in what felt like forever, his chest felt lighter. But his gaze drifted back to Jiwon, who had yet to speak. She stood by the window, her face hidden from him, as though she were afraid to let him see the storm inside her.
“I’ll leave you two,” Bae said softly, pulling Beck by the hand as they exited the room. Her voice lingered in the hallway, a quiet reminder of what he had to do. Fix this.
Wynter moved toward Jiwon slowly, each step feeling like it might fracture something delicate between them. He stopped a few feet away, giving her space but never looking away.
