The days following their decision to go public with their relationship were both exhilarating and agonizing. On one hand, Min Ho and Chanyeol were able to express their love freely, without the constant pressure of hiding it. They spent their nights wrapped in each other's arms, their connection deeper than ever before. The world outside, however, had proven to be much more unforgiving than they had imagined.
At the office, the reactions to their relationship were mixed. Some of their colleagues had been supportive, but many others looked at them with skepticism or disapproval. Whispers continued to circulate, fueled by the scandalous nature of their office romance. While HR had handled the situation professionally, the damage to their reputations had already been done. Min Ho felt the weight of it every time he walked into work. The once-innocent glances from his colleagues had turned into uncomfortable stares, and the tension in the air was thick.
Chanyeol, as the CEO, was always under scrutiny, and now that the nature of his relationship with his secretary was known, people were watching his every move. Min Ho, once content with his role as Chanyeol's assistant, now felt like a constant reminder of their scandal—a living, breathing symbol of the company's "inappropriate" relationship. He hated it. But even more than that, he hated the toll it was taking on Chanyeol.
The pressure weighed heavily on Chanyeol. Despite his outward composure, Min Ho could see the cracks forming in his usually unshakable confidence. Chanyeol was no longer the carefree, powerful CEO Min Ho had admired when they first met. He was stressed, constantly watching his back, trying to shield Min Ho from the worst of the fallout. But it wasn't enough. The more Chanyeol tried to protect their love, the more they both seemed to sink under the strain.
One evening, as they sat together in their apartment, Min Ho felt the shift between them. It wasn't just the tension in the office that was affecting them—it was the constant fear of losing each other. They were both suffering, and it was becoming unbearable.
"Are we doing the right thing, Chanyeol?" Min Ho asked, his voice barely above a whisper. They sat on the couch, facing each other, the soft glow of the lamps casting a warm light over the room. Chanyeol's hand rested on his knee, his fingers twitching slightly, as if he wanted to reach out but was holding back.
Chanyeol met his gaze, his eyes dark with the weight of everything they were facing. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice laced with worry. He knew exactly what Min Ho was asking. He'd been asking the same question himself for days.
"Are we really strong enough to handle this?" Min Ho continued. "I see how hard you're trying, Chanyeol. But I can't stand seeing you like this—torn between your company and me. You're suffering, and I… I can't bear to be the cause of it."
Chanyeol reached out, placing his hand gently over Min Ho's. "I'm not suffering because of you. I'm suffering because I'm losing myself. Losing control of everything I've worked for. But I won't lose you, Min Ho. I won't."
Min Ho's eyes filled with tears as he looked at Chanyeol, the man he loved so deeply, yet felt helpless to save from the world that was pulling them apart. "I think I'm the one who's lost, Chanyeol. I love you more than anything in this world. But I don't know if I can continue watching you destroy yourself for us. I don't know if I can stand by and see you lose everything you've built."
Chanyeol's chest tightened at Min Ho's words, but he couldn't deny the truth in them. He'd spent so much time trying to protect their relationship from the consequences of the world around them that he had neglected to see how much it was hurting Min Ho. How much it was hurting them.
For the first time, Chanyeol looked at Min Ho with a quiet understanding, his gaze softening as he slowly pulled his hand away. "So what do you want, Min Ho? What do you think we should do?"
Min Ho closed his eyes, fighting back the tears. The decision weighed heavily on his heart, but he knew it was the only way to save them both. "I think... I think we need to let go."
Chanyeol's breath caught in his throat, the words hitting him like a physical blow. "What do you mean?" His voice was a soft plea, filled with disbelief and pain.
"I mean that maybe we need to take a step back," Min Ho said, his voice shaking. "Maybe we need to separate, at least for now. For both of our sakes."
Chanyeol shook his head, his expression hardening. "No, Min Ho. I won't let you go. I won't lose you."
"But you're already losing yourself," Min Ho replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're sacrificing everything for us. Your career, your reputation... You can't keep doing this. It's tearing you apart, and I can't watch it anymore. I can't be the cause of it."
Chanyeol stood up suddenly, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know how to fix this. I don't know how to make you understand."
Min Ho stood up too, his heart aching with every word he said. "I'm doing this because I love you, Chanyeol. I love you enough to let you go. If we keep going like this, we'll both lose everything we've ever worked for—and we'll lose each other."
Chanyeol looked at him, his chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. "You're asking me to choose between my career and you."
Min Ho nodded, his eyes filled with tears. "I'm not asking you to choose. I'm asking you to save yourself. Let me go, Chanyeol. Let me go so you can have a future without the weight of our love dragging you down."
For a long moment, Chanyeol stood frozen, his face a mixture of disbelief and pain. Then, slowly, as if the weight of Min Ho's words was too much to bear, he dropped his gaze to the floor. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered.
Min Ho stepped closer, his heart breaking at the sight of the man he loved more than anything, broken before him. "You won't lose me," he said softly. "I'll always be a part of you. But this... This isn't working. Not like this."
Chanyeol closed his eyes, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "I'll let you go, Min Ho. But please know this: I love you. And I will always love you."
Min Ho nodded, his tears falling freely now. "I love you too, Chanyeol. And maybe one day, we'll find a way back to each other. But for now, this is the only way."
And with that, they parted—each of them carrying the weight of the decision they had made, both hearts broken in a way that only true love could break them.