After everything she gave, every piece of herself until she was broken, it still will never be enough.
Parting non idol! Sunghoon x female!reader
genre/tags: Emotional drama, Sunghoon is kinda mean. Childhood trauma, bad parents. Mentions of physically and verbally abused. Mommy and daddy issues. Absent father. Rich Sunghoon. Mentions of ED, Y/n is really independent, y/nâs inner child needs healing. Sunghoon has a bad tempe, Y/n is really emotional. Let me know if I forgot anythingđ
Estimated reading time: 46-47 minute
Y/n learned very young that silence was safer than honesty.
In her house, quiet wasnât peace it was survival.
Her earliest memories werenât clear images, but feelings. The tight knot in her stomach when she heard her motherâs footsteps. The way her heart started racing before anything even happened. The instinct to freeze, to shrink, to make herself small enough not to be noticed.
Her father was there, technically. A man-shaped absence on the couch. The TV was always louder than his voice. He never defended her. Never intervened. Never even looked uncomfortable when her mother yelled. Sometimes Y/n wondered if he saw her at all, or if she blended into the walls like background noise.
He had other families. Other children. Other lives where he probably smiled more. Y/n stopped hoping heâd save her. Hope only made the disappointment sharper.
Her mother didnât need to announce her anger. Y/n could feel it the moment she entered a room.
When Y/n was small, maybe five or six, she learned how to stand still for long periods of time. How to keep her hands folded in front of her. How to keep her face blank. Crying made it worse. Talking made it worse. Explaining made it worse.
One afternoon, Y/n accidentally knocked over a bowl of cereal. Milk spread across the table and dripped onto the floor.
The sound of the bowl hitting the ground was enough.
Her mother turned slowly.
âWhat is wrong with you?â she asked, voice low.
Y/n didnât speak. She couldnât. Her throat closed instantly.
Her mother stepped closer. âDo you know how stupid you look right now?â
She grabbed Y/n by the arm and yanked her forward. The grip was tight, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise.
âLook at this mess,â her mother hissed. âYou ruin everything you touch.â
Y/nâs eyes burned, but she didnât cry. She stared at the floor, shoulders trembling.
Her mother shoved her down. âClean it.â
Y/n dropped to her knees immediately. Her hands shook as she wiped up the milk with a paper towel, moving fast, desperate to make it disappear. Tears slid down her face silently, dripping onto the floor, but she wiped them away quickly, terrified of being seen.
âStop sniffling,â her mother snapped. âYouâre so dramatic.â
When it was over, Y/n went to her room and curled into the corner of her bed, hugging herself tightly. She stayed there until her breathing slowed. No one checked on her. No one ever asked if she was okay.
The physical abuse became routine. Slaps across the face for being too slow. Being grabbed and dragged down hallways. Being shoved into walls. Sometimes a kick when her mother was especially angry. Y/n learned how to brace herself. How to tense before impact. How to keep her face blank even when it hurt.
By thirteen, the bruises stopped showing up. Not because the abuse endedâbut because her mother changed tactics.
Words were quieter. Cleaner. Deadlier.
âYouâre useless,â her mother said casually, like she was commenting on the weather.
âYou donât do anything right.â
âYouâre just like your father.â
Y/n absorbed every word. She didnât argue. Didnât defend herself. She nodded when expected. Looked down. Took it.
Her sister sat untouched by the chaos, untouched by the anger. The favorite. The golden child.
When their mother yelled for the house to be cleaned, Y/n moved instantly. She scrubbed floors, wiped counters, washed dishes until her hands burned.
Her sister stayed seated, headphones on, completely unbothered.
Their mother never said a word to her.
One night, Y/n stood at the sink washing dishes. Her shoulders ached. Her back hurt. She hadnât sat down in hours.
Her mother leaned against the counter, watching.
âThis is still dirty,â her mother said sharply.
Y/nâs hands moved faster.
âIf your sister were doing this, it would already be done,â her mother continued. âBut youâre lazy.â
Y/n swallowed hard. She nodded.
Her mother scoffed. âGod, you canât even respond properly. Useless.â
At school, Y/n became loud and funny. Smiling was easier than explaining. Laughter kept people from asking questions. It kept teachers from noticing how tired she was. How hollow her eyes looked.
At night, the mask fell apart.
She cried into her pillow silently, pressing her face into it so no sound escaped. She stared at the ceiling afterward, heart pounding, replaying everything sheâd done wrong that day. Silence terrified her but noise at home was worse.
Crying wasnât allowed. Speaking up wasnât allowed. And when she displeased her mother, the punishment was being ignored. Days of silence. No eye contact. No acknowledgment.
Y/n learned to disappear.
By sixteen, her body became another weapon.
âYou eat too much,â her mother said at dinner.
âYour sister doesnât look like that.â
âNo one will ever want you if you keep eating like this.â
Y/n put her fork down slowly. Her appetite vanished instantly. She stared at her plate, nodding.
âGood,â her mother said. âFinally learning.â
Y/n got a job. Then another. School, work, exhaustion. When her mother demanded money for bills, Y/n handed it over without hesitation. She remembered the crying. The stress. She felt responsible for everything.
Until the sympathy turned to resentment.
âYouâre always in the way.â
âWhy do you even exist if youâre going to be this useless?â
At eighteen, Y/n started injecting Wegovy. Stopped eating. Smiled anyway. Compliments came, and they felt hollow. Her body shrank, but the voice in her head grew louder.
Her friends drifted away. She didnât chase them.
She succeeded quietly. Straight Aâs. A driverâs license. Achievements no one celebrated.
When she graduated, no one clapped. No one cheered.
Eventually, she left. A one-bedroom apartment. Silence that didnât hurt. She sat on the floor and cried not because she was sad, but because she was finally safe.
She joined the military where she spent a year. Then nursing school. She worked with children the quiet ones, the scared ones.
No child under her care would ever learn that silence was the only way to survive.
He didnât enter her life loudly. He didnât have to. He was the kind of presence that filled a room without trying. Tall, built, always smiling like heâd never had to brace himself for anything in his life. Everything about him felt easy. Like things worked out for him simply because they always had.
What caught her off guard wasnât him.
The first time she went to his house, she stood on the front porch for a moment too long, fingers curled into the straps of her bag. She could hear laughter inside. Warm laughter. The kind that didnât feel forced or sharp. Her chest tightened before she even knocked.
The door swung open almost immediately.
âOhâthere you are,â his mom said, smiling wide. âYou must be Y/n.â
Before Y/n could respond properly, she was pulled into a hug. Not stiff. Not quick. A real hug. The kind that lingered.
âYouâre even prettier in person,â his mom added, pulling back just enough to look at her face.
Y/n froze for half a second before smiling. âThank you.â
âYou donât have to be nervous,â his dad said from behind her, voice calm and kind. âAny girl Sunghoon brings home is already family.â
The word landed heavy in her chest.
At dinner, his mom kept piling food onto her plate.
âEat,â she said gently. âYouâre too thin. Are you eating enough?â
Y/n nodded quickly. âYes, maâam.â
âCall me mom,â she said immediately, waving her hand like it was obvious. âYouâre not a stranger here.â
Y/n laughed softly, unsure what to do with the lump in her throat.
Sunghoon watched the exchange, smiling, clearly used to this. Used to warmth. Used to being cared for.
His dad asked her about school. About her job. About what she wanted to do in the future.
âThatâs impressive,â he said when she talked about nursing. âYou should be proud of yourself.â
She blinked. âOh. Thank you.â
His mom noticed her hands shaking slightly as she lifted her glass.
âAre you cold?â she asked, concern immediate. âHere, take my cardigan.â
âNonsense,â she said, already draping it over Y/nâs shoulders. âYouâll get sick.â
No one had ever worried about her getting sick before.
That night, when Sunghoon walked her out, she hugged herself as soon as she got into the car.
âThey really like you,â he said casually, buckling his seatbelt.
She stared out the window. âYeah. Theyâre⌠really nice.â
âThey always are,â he said, like it was nothing.
She cried when she got home. Quietly. Pressing her face into her pillow, shaking with it. Not because she was sadâbut because something in her ached so badly it almost hurt to breathe. Being treated kindly felt foreign. Unsafe, almost. Like it could be taken away at any second.
She kept going back to his house.
His mom texted her directly sometimes.
Come over, I made too much food.
You can stay as long as you want.
Once, she showed up exhausted after work, eyes heavy, body sore. His mom took one look at her and frowned.
âSit,â she said firmly. âYou look tired.â
âIâm okay,â Y/n said automatically.
âNo, youâre not,â she replied gently. âAnd thatâs okay too.â
His mom brushed her hair back absentmindedly while they watched TV. No tension. No threat. Just comfort.
Sunghoon watched from the other side of the room, scrolling on his phone.
And then cracks begin to show
Later, before another family dinner, Y/n stood in front of the mirror in his room, adjusting a simple dress sheâd bought on sale. She tugged at the hem, smoothed the fabric over her hips, checked herself one last time.
Sunghoon leaned against the doorframe.
âThatâs what youâre wearing?â
He tilted his head. âThatâs the best you could find?â
âItâs⌠nice enough,â she said quietly.
He shrugged. âI mean, I guess. My momâs friends will be there. Theyâre kinda fancy.â
âOh,â she said, staring at her reflection. âOkay.â
âYou couldâve asked me to help you pick something,â he added.
At dinner, his mom complimented her immediately.
âYou look beautiful, sweetheart,â she said, squeezing her shoulder.
Sunghoon hummed. âItâs simple.â
His mom shot him a look. âAnd?â
âAnd it suits her,â he finished.
Y/n smiled, but her hands shook under the table.
Later that night, his mom hugged her again before she left.
âDrive safe,â she said. âText me when you get home.â
âI will,â Y/n whispered.
Sunghoon didnât notice when she cried in the shower later. Didnât hear the way her breathing broke. Didnât see her curl in on herself like she used to as a kid.
Sometimes his comments came out casually.
âYouâre too skinny.â
âYou should eat more.â
âAre you even trying?â
She nodded. Smiled. Stayed quiet.
Because love had always come with conditions.
And even surrounded by warmth, that little girl inside her stayed alert. Stayed ready.
Waiting for the moment it would all disappear.
It was Y/nâs first day off after five straight days of work that had drained her down to nothing. Her body still felt tight with exhaustion, bones heavy, mind slow. The night before, Sunghoon had called her. His voice was low, soft in that way that always pulled her in. He told her he missed her. Asked if sheâd come over. She hadnât hesitated.
Now she was waking up in his bed.
The sheets were silk, cool and smooth against her skin. The pillows were fluffed perfectly, like theyâd never been slept on before. His scent lingered everywhere clean, expensive, familiar. Sleeping in his arms had always been easy. It was one of the few places her body actually relaxed, like it finally believed it was safe enough to rest.
She stirred slightly, still half-dreaming, when she felt it.
Her eyes fluttered open slowly, lashes heavy, the room still blurry. Her gaze went straight to him, instinctively. She expected softness. Sleepy warmth. Maybe a smile.
Instead, his face was tight. Jaw clenched. Eyes sharp in a way that made her stomach drop immediately.
âWhatâs wrong?â she asked quietly, voice rough from sleep.
He scoffed, breath sharp. âYouâre seriously gonna sit there and ask me whatâs wrong?â
Her chest tightened instantly. Her heart started racing, panic blooming fast and familiar. She searched her mind had she said something? Moved wrong? Done something without realizing?
âLook at my bed,â he snapped, pulling the covers back hard. âIt looks like a fucking crime scene.â
She followed his movement, lifting the duvet and froze.
The stain was dark, unmistakable, spread across her pajama shorts and into the white silk sheets beneath her. For a moment, everything went quiet. Her ears rang. Her vision tunneled.
Shame hit her all at once, heavy and suffocating. Her throat closed.
âIâmââ her voice shook. âIâm so sorry. I didnât know it was coming. I swear I didnâtââ
She looked up at him, eyes glassy, searching his face for understanding. For anything that looked like softness.
His jaw tightened further. He ran a hand through his hair hard, like he was already overwhelmed.
Without another word, he stood up and walked into the bathroom. The door slammed behind him.
The sound made her flinch.
Her body reacted before her mind could catch up. Heart pounding. Hands shaking. That familiar, awful feeling crawling up her spine. The kind she hadnât felt this strong in years.
She didnât cry. Not yet.
She slipped out of the bed carefully, peeled off the stained clothes, and stood under the shower as hot water poured over her. She scrubbed herself like she needed to erase something. Like her body had done something wrong. Cramps twisted low in her stomach, sharp and relentless, but she ignored them.
She washed. And washed. And washed.
Then she dressed in soft sweats and a clean tank, hands still shaking, and went back to the bedroom.
She stripped the sheets methodically. Folded them carefully. Took them to the sink. The silk was expensive she could tell just by how it felt under her fingers. She scrubbed slowly, carefully, terrified of ruining them. Her arms burned. Her stomach cramped harder. But she didnât stop.
Cleaning had always been her instinct. Fix it. Make it disappear. Make it right.
By the time she finished, she was exhausted. She hung the sheets up gently, like they might shatter if she wasnât careful.
The front door clicked shut.
The silence afterward felt loud. Heavy. The kind of silence that pressed into her chest and made breathing feel like work.
Later, she made herself porridge. Something warm. Something gentle. She sat on the couch with the TV on low, spoon moving mechanically, barely tasting anything.
When the front door opened again, her heart jumped violently.
Sunghoon walked in, keys clinking softly. His face was unreadable.
âHi,â she said quietly.
He didnât answer. Just walked past her toward the bedroom.
Her chest tightened. âWhy are you ignoring me?â she asked, voice small.
âIâm not ignoring you,â he muttered.
He turned around suddenly. âHi, Y/n,â he said flatly. âHappy now?â
Her eyes stung. âWhy are you acting like this?â she asked. âAre you mad at me?â
âAs a matter of fact, yeah,â he said, voice hard. âThose sheets? They were a gift. From my parents. When I first moved out.â
Her shoulders slumped immediately. Her gaze dropped to the floor.
âI didnât know,â she whispered. âI didnât mean to. I swear I didnât even know it had started.â
He exhaled sharply, rubbing his face. âWell, it happened. And you can stop acting like a fucking baby about it.â
Something in her cracked.
âIâm sorry,â she said again, barely audible. Her hands trembled at her sides.
He looked at her then. Really looked at her. The way she stood there, small and folded in on herself. The way her shoulders shook even though she wasnât crying yet.
His anger drained fast, replaced with something heavier.
âHey,â he said, softer. He stepped closer. Then closer again. And suddenly his arms were around her.
âIâm sorry,â he murmured into her hair. âI shouldnât have yelled. That wasnât fair. Itâs not your fault. Please⌠forgive me.â
She broke against his chest, sobs tearing out of her before she could stop them. He held her tightly, hands moving slow and steady along her back, grounding her.
They ended up on the couch. Her head rested in his lap. His fingers combed through her hair gently, over and over.
After a long silence, her voice came out broken.
âWhen I was ten,â she whispered, âI got my period for the first time. I didnât know what it was. I bled all over my bed.â
âI was scared,â she continued. âI tried to clean it before my mom came home. But she found the sheets. She slapped me so hard⌠my ears rang for a week.â
âOh, baby,â he whispered, pulling her closer. âIâm so sorry. Iâm so fucking sorry.â
She cried into his shirt, soaking it through. And he held her really held her like she wasnât something fragile to fix, but someone worth protecting.
And for the first time in a long time, the little girl inside her felt like someone finally saw her.
The kitchen was warm, filled with the late afternoon sun spilling through the windows, dust motes dancing in the light. Music played low from Sunghoonâs phone something slow, soft, almost lazy. Y/n stood at the counter, apron tied loosely, hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, flour dusting the tip of her nose. She was focused, whisking eggs into a pale yellow mixture, trying not to spill, trying to do everything right.
Behind her, Sunghoon leaned close, taller by a good head, arms sliding gently around her waist. His chest pressed lightly against her back, and she could feel his warmth there. His chin rested softly near her shoulder as he peeked at the bowl.
âYouâre tense,â he murmured, voice low, his lips brushing her temple. âRelax a little.â
âI just⌠donât want to mess it up,â she said softly, still stirring, still watching the eggs combine.
âYou wonât,â he said. âIâm right here. Just breathe.â
She paused, letting herself lean back against him for a moment, just a little, feeling the steady weight of his chest, the quiet comfort of his presence. Her hands trembled slightly as she stirred, and he adjusted his grip, holding her steady from behind, fingers lightly brushing over her wrists. Before he went to the other side of the kitchen.
He stood at the counter, cracking eggs into a small bowl. Each one landed perfectly, yolks whole, no shell fragments. He made it look effortless.
âSee?â he said, voice light and proud, lifting the bowl for her to see. âNo shells. Perfect.â
Y/n raised an eyebrow, smirking. âShow off.â
He grinned, tilting his head. âIâm just naturally talented.â
âI see that,â she said, laughing softly. âAnnoyingly talented.â
âAnnoying? Me?â he teased, and she shook her head, still smiling.
âYeah, you,â she said, and went back to her own bowl, carefully cracking eggs and trying not to spill.
When she started whisking, Sunghoon moved behind her. Tall enough that he could easily wrap his arms around her waist, resting his chest lightly against her back. His chin brushed her shoulder, and she felt his breath against her neck.
âRelax,â he murmured softly. âYouâre doing fine.â
She leaned back a little, letting herself melt against him. His arms tightened gently around her, not restricting, just grounding.
âYou know,â he said, his lips brushing the top of her head, âI really love watching you do this.â
She let out a soft laugh. âThat sounded weird.â
âNot weird,â he corrected, pressing a slow kiss to her forehead. Then another. Lower this time, brushing her hairline. âEspecially like this,â he murmured. âCovered in flour.â
Her chest warmed, and she tilted her head slightly to let him kiss her properly. She loved it every single forehead kiss he gave her. He knew exactly how much it made her heart squeeze, how safe it made her feel, and he never stopped.
âBetter?â he whispered, lips brushing her temple.
âYes,â she murmured, smiling softly against his chest. âMuch better.â
He rested his chin lightly on her shoulder, fingers brushing her hands as she continued whisking, guiding her subtly. She followed the rhythm of his hands, letting herself get lost in the warmth, the quiet intimacy of the moment.
âYouâre doing really well,â he said. âMy momâs going to love this.â
Y/n smiled faintly, letting herself relax. âI hope so. I want it to be perfect.â
He kissed the top of her head again. âIt already is. You.â
For a while, they moved around the kitchen like that. Passing ingredients. Sharing laughter when flour ended up on noses. Brushing small streaks of it off each other. Every so often, heâd lean down, forehead against hers, a soft, lingering kiss, just enough to make her heart race and melt at the same time.
Y/n reached for the container, still smiling from the closeness, the warmth, the quiet joy of being together. Sunghoonâs hand brushed hers as he reached for it too.
âI got it,â she said softly, pulling it closer.
âOkay,â he murmured, still leaning behind her, chin near her shoulder, chest against her back.
She measured carefully, leveled it, poured it in. He watched silently, a small smile tugging at his lips. She stirred slowly, carefully, her body relaxed, guided lightly by his hands brushing against hers.
Then he leaned slightly closer and tasted it with a fingertip. His brow furrowed.
âThatâs⌠salt,â he said softly.
Her stomach dropped. âOhâŚâ She froze mid-stir, eyes wide. âIâI thought it was sugar. I didnât realizeââ
He straightened a little, stepping back, still close enough she could feel the heat from his body. âYou didnât check?â
âI thought I did,â she said quickly, panic creeping in. âI can fix it. We can start overââ
âNo,â he said quietly. âYou canât fix salt in a cake. You canât just stir it out.â
âThis is for my mom,â he said, tone flat, calm, but sharp enough to pierce her.
âYes,â she whispered. âThatâs why Iâm helping.â
He shook his head slightly. âIt doesnât feel like you care. Not enough.â
Her chest tightened. âI do care! Iâm trying!â
He let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. âTrying isnât enough when it matters to me. Itâs not. Every time I ask you to pay attention, I get⌠mistakes like this. Every time I trust you, I end up cleaning up after you.â
âIâm sorry!â she whispered, voice breaking, hands shaking. âI didnât mean toââ
âNot enough!â he interrupted softly, quietly, still calm. But it cut harder than yelling ever could. âIâm asking for something simple. A cake. For my mom. And I feel like I canât even trust you with that. I feel like nothing you do really matters unless itâs convenient for you!â
Her eyes filled instantly, lips trembling.
âThat's not true,â she whispered, chest tight, voice barely audible.
âIâll do it,â he said finally, calm but cold. âI donât want it ruined again.â
No apology. No softening. Just words, flat, like a wall between them.
She nodded automatically. Untied the apron slowly, folded it carefully, grabbed her bag, and left.
Outside, the air was sharp, cold. She didnât make it far before sitting in her car, forehead pressed against the wheel, sobbing uncontrollably.
It was the way love could feel warm, safe, and perfect one moment⌠and then feel like shards of glass the next.
Her chest ached with the familiar, crushing thought:
I was trying. I really was. And it still wasnât enough.
Sunghoon wiped his hands on a towel, stepping back from the counter. The cake sat in the center of the table, perfectly decorated, smooth frosting, carefully piped letters spelling out Happy Birthday, Mom. He studied it for a moment, running a hand through his hair, feeling a small swell of pride.
Then he glanced at the clock on the wall.
It was late. Later than heâd expected.
He moved quickly, gathering bowls, wiping counters, shoving utensils into the sink. Flour still clung to the edges of the counter, sugar dust in tiny clouds. He rinsed everything, stacked the dishes neatly, his mind racing.
He grabbed his phone from the counter, glancing at the time again.
It wasnât just late. She hadnât texted. She hadnât called.
He stared at the screen for a moment before hitting send. Then, with a sigh, he dropped his phone on the nightstand and headed to the shower, hoping the warm water would wash off some of the tension from earlier.
The water ran over his shoulders, soothing, but he couldnât shake the thought of her. Not reaching out. It shouldnât be a big deal. He finished quickly, dried off, and went to grab his phone.
No message. No reply. But he saw that you had read his message, so he sent another one.
âY/n?â he muttered quietly, almost to himself. He pressed the call button, heart tightening slightly when it went straight to voicemail. Strange. Very strange.
The voicemail greeting played, but it didnât mask the sudden swell of worry in his chest.
Back at her apartment, she wasnât thinking about phones or time. She wasnât checking her messages. She was curled up under the blankets, shaking, silent sobs wracking her small frame.
Her chest ached. Her throat burned.
She loved him. Loved him so much it scared her sometimes. But when he was meanâeven in that quiet, calm way that cut deeper than yelling ever couldâher heart fractured.
She thought of the flour on her nose, the eggs she cracked, the salt in the batter. She thought of his cold, measured words.
Iâll do it. I donât want it ruined again.
The words echoed in her mind, hammering at her, twisting something raw and delicate inside her.
She buried her face in her pillow, trying to swallow the sobs, trying to tell herself it wasnât that bad. But it was. It always was.
She loved him so much, and it hurt.
The phone sat on the nightstand, face down, screen dark. Unanswered. After a while she picked up her phone and answered and he immediately answered back.
Sunghoon didnât know what to do. You were not being yourself, but he also didnât know she was lying there, heart aching, body trembling, wishing he could hold her, kiss her, tell her it was okay.
He knew she was upset. But why hasnât she called? Why was she being off on text.
Straight to voicemail again.
He ran a hand through his hair, jaw tight. His mind raced between worry and irritation, a sick mix of guilt and frustration building inside him.
And somewhere, deep inside, he didnât realize how much the fight, the cake, the salt⌠all of it had left her broken and silent in her bed, staring at the ceiling, wishing just wishing that he would see her pain before it swallowed her whole.
I hope you enjoy this story and as always donât be afraid to leave adviceđ. I'm sorry I've been gone for a while, I've had lots of school work and work. I'll try to post more. Until next time