Love After Betrayal

Introduction

Ryun Hyun Woo

Age: 35

Profession: Doctor → Professor → Secretly the most powerful white mafia leader, and heir of Maison Group.

Personality: Brilliant, composed, disciplined, emotionally guarded. His cold demeanor hides a deep sense of justice and loyalty to those he truly cares for. He's ruthless when confronting injustice or corruption but deeply compassionate toward family.

Deana Suyeon

Age: 31

Profession: Doctor (Emergency Unit) and heir of Trinity University Group.

Personality: Intelligent, talented, confident, compassionate, and calm under pressure. She can handle intense medical emergencies while maintaining emotional balance.

Chae Yi Jin

Age: 35

Profession: Doctor and Daughter of CYJ Hospital Group

Personality: Ambitious, intelligent, strong-willed, but also vulnerable emotionally. Can be jealous and controlling when emotions take over.

Park Arum (Friend)

Age: 35

Profession: Doctor

Personality: Loyal, witty, supportive, and somewhat playful. Acts as Ryun's confidante and moral compass among friends.

Choi Sae Joon (Friend)

Age: 38

Profession: Doctor

Personality: Protective, slightly hot-headed, loyal, humorous, often acts impulsively.

Park Min Jae (Friend)

Age: 36

Profession: Doctor

Personality: Calm, analytical, mediator of the group. He's the friend everyone turns to for advice.

Lara & Kevin

Age: 4 years old

Personality - Kevin (boy): Curious, protective of his sister, shows a strong bond with Ryun, Lara (girl): Sweet, playful, confident, and slightly mischievous.

****

He came back not to heal —

but to remind them what they broke.

And this time, even God won't stop his scalpel.

******

Sorry, cuz they need to fulfill their word limit.

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First Encounters

The autumn morning was crisp when Park Arum first walked into Seoul National University's medical school. She was carrying three coffee cups, her backpack hanging loosely on one shoulder, and her short hair was messy from the wind. Unlike most girls in her class who wore pretty dresses and makeup, Arum wore loose jeans and a simple hoodie. She didn't care what people thought.

"Move! Coming through!" she called out cheerfully as she rushed down the hallway. She bumped into someone and one of the coffee cups flew out of her hand.

A hand caught it smoothly before it hit the ground.

Arum looked up and saw a tall young man with sharp eyes and black hair. He wore a plain white shirt and black pants. His face showed no expression at all. He looked at the coffee cup, then at her, and handed it back without saying a word.

"Oh! Thank you so much!" Arum said with a big smile. "That was amazing! You saved my coffee!"

The young man nodded slightly and started to walk away.

"Wait! I'm Park Arum, first-year student. What's your name?" she called after him.

He stopped for a moment, turned his head slightly, and said in a quiet voice, "Ryun Hyun Woo." Then he continued walking.

Arum watched him go, her eyes sparkling with interest. "Interesting guy," she muttered to herself.

Over the next few weeks, Arum kept running into Ryun. She noticed he always sat alone in the library, reading thick medical books. He never talked to anyone. During lectures, he never raised his hand, but when professors called on him, he always gave perfect answers. Students whispered about him - some said he was rude, others said he was just shy.

Arum didn't care what others thought. She was curious about this cold, mysterious student.

One rainy afternoon, Arum found Ryun in the library again. She walked over and sat across from him without asking.

"Hi, Ryun!" she said cheerfully.

He looked up from his book, his expression unchanged. "Hello."

"What are you reading?"

"Neurology textbook."

"Wow, we haven't even started that yet! You're really smart, aren't you?"

Ryun didn't answer. He just looked at her as if trying to understand why she was talking to him.

Arum pulled out her own books. "Mind if I study here? The other tables are full."

He shrugged slightly and went back to reading.

From that day on, Arum made it her mission to sit near Ryun whenever she saw him. At first, he barely acknowledged her presence. But slowly, very slowly, she noticed small changes. When she asked him questions about difficult topics, he would explain them in simple words. When she brought him coffee, he would nod in thanks. When she made jokes, she sometimes saw the tiniest hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

One day, about two months after they met, Arum asked him, "Ryun, why don't you have any friends?"

He was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, "I don't need friends."

"Everyone needs friends," Arum said softly. "Friends make life better."

"Do they?" His voice was cold, but Arum heard something else underneath - maybe loneliness.

"Yes, they do," she said firmly. "And I'm going to be your friend whether you like it or not."

Ryun looked at her for a long time. Finally, he said, "You're very persistent."

"Thank you!" Arum grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

For the first time, Ryun's lips curved into a very small, almost invisible smile.

Around the same time, Chae Yi Jin entered their lives like a bright light. She was beautiful, intelligent, and confident. Her father was Chairman Chae, the owner of CYJ Hospital Group, one of the biggest hospital chains in Korea. Despite her wealthy background, Yi Jin was serious about becoming a doctor. She wanted to prove she could succeed on her own merit, not because of her father's name.

Yi Jin first noticed Ryun during a practical anatomy class. The professor had asked a very difficult question, and the whole class was silent. Then Ryun raised his hand - which was unusual for him - and gave a detailed, perfect answer. The professor praised him highly.

After class, Yi Jin approached him. "That was impressive," she said with a smile. "You really know your material."

Ryun looked at her briefly and said, "Thank you," before walking away.

Yi Jin was surprised. Most boys tried to talk to her, to impress her. But this one just left. She found herself thinking about him for the rest of the day.

The next time she saw him, he was in the library with Arum. Yi Jin watched them from a distance. The tomboyish girl was talking excitedly while the cold young man listened quietly. There was something peaceful about the scene.

Yi Jin walked over. "Mind if I join you?"

Arum looked up and smiled widely. "Of course! The more the merrier! I'm Park Arum, by the way."

"Chae Yi Jin," she said, sitting down.

"Oh! You're Chairman Chae's daughter!" Arum said. "Everyone knows you."

Yi Jin's smile faded a little. "Yes, that's me. But I hope you'll get to know me as just Yi Jin, not as the chairman's daughter."

"Deal!" Arum said happily. "And this quiet guy here is Ryun Hyun Woo. He's brilliant but doesn't talk much."

Ryun nodded at Yi Jin politely, then went back to his book.

Yi Jin found herself intrigued. She had grown up surrounded by people who wanted something from her - her father's influence, her family's money, her connections. But Ryun didn't seem to care about any of that. He treated her the same way he treated everyone else - with polite distance.

Over the following weeks, Yi Jin started joining Arum and Ryun in the library. At first, Ryun seemed uncomfortable with the attention, but he gradually got used to their presence. Arum did most of the talking, Yi Jin asked thoughtful questions, and Ryun listened and occasionally contributed to their discussions.

Yi Jin realized she was falling for Ryun. It wasn't just his intelligence or his mysterious nature. It was the way he noticed small things - when she was tired, he would push a cup of water toward her without saying anything. When she struggled with a difficult concept, he would explain it patiently. He was cold on the outside, but she sensed kindness underneath.

But Ryun showed no romantic interest in her at all. He treated her the same way he treated Arum - as a study companion, nothing more.

*****

He came back not to heal —

but to remind them what they broke.

And this time, even God won't stop his scalpel.

The Group Forms

It was during their second semester when Choi Sae Joon entered their lives. Despite being three years older than most first-year students, Sae Joon had started medical school late after working various jobs to save money. He was tall, muscular, and had a loud, friendly personality that contrasted sharply with Ryun's quiet nature.

Sae Joon first met the group in the cafeteria. He was carrying his lunch tray when he accidentally tripped. His food flew through the air and landed right on Ryun's table, splashing soup all over Ryun's textbook.

"Oh no! Oh man, I'm so sorry!" Sae Joon said, grabbing napkins and trying to clean up the mess.

Arum and Yi Jin gasped, expecting Ryun to be angry. But Ryun just calmly moved his now-ruined textbook aside and said quietly, "It's okay. Accidents happen."

"No, it's not okay! That book looks expensive!" Sae Joon said, still apologizing frantically. "Let me buy you a new one. Please!"

"It's fine," Ryun said, his voice still calm.

Arum laughed. "Don't worry about it. Ryun isn't the type to get angry over small things."

Sae Joon looked relieved but still guilty. "At least let me buy you all lunch tomorrow to make up for it. I'm Choi Sae Joon, by the way. First year, but yeah, I'm older than most of you."

"We can tell," Arum said with a grin. "I'm Park Arum. This is Chae Yi Jin, and the guy you just baptized with soup is Ryun Hyun Woo."

"Nice to meet you all. Even though this is the worst first impression ever," Sae Joon said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

The next day, Sae Joon kept his promise and bought them lunch. He sat with them and started talking about his life - how he had worked in construction, as a delivery driver, and at a convenience store to save money for medical school. He talked about wanting to become a doctor because his younger sister had died from a disease that could have been treated if they'd had money.

"I don't want other families to go through what mine did," Sae Joon said seriously. "That's why I'm here."

Arum was touched by his story. Yi Jin respected his determination. Even Ryun, who rarely showed emotion, nodded in understanding.

From that day on, Sae Joon became part of their group. He was protective of all of them, especially Arum, who reminded him of his late sister. He often acted without thinking, which got him into trouble, but his loyalty was unquestionable.

Park Min Jae joined them a few weeks later. He was one year older than most first-years, having taken a year off after high school to volunteer at medical camps in rural areas. Min Jae was calm, analytical, and had a gentle way of speaking that made people trust him.

The group met him during a particularly stressful group project. They had been assigned to work together with another team, but that team's leader was arrogant and refused to listen to anyone's ideas. The situation was getting tense.

"Maybe we should try looking at this from a different angle," a quiet voice said.

Everyone turned to see Min Jae, who had been silent until then. He calmly presented a solution that combined everyone's ideas in a way that made sense. His approach was so logical and fair that even the arrogant leader couldn't argue against it.

After the meeting, Arum grabbed Min Jae's arm. "That was amazing! You totally saved us. Want to join our study group?"

Min Jae smiled gently. "I'd like that."

He fit into the group perfectly. When Sae Joon acted impulsively, Min Jae calmed him down. When Arum got too excited and distracted, Min Jae helped her focus. When Yi Jin felt pressured by her father's expectations, Min Jae listened without judgment. And even Ryun, who kept his distance from most people, seemed comfortable around Min Jae's peaceful presence.

Now they were five - Ryun, Yi Jin, Arum, Sae Joon, and Min Jae. They studied together, ate together, and slowly became inseparable.

But becoming friends with Ryun wasn't easy. Even as months passed, he remained distant. He joined their conversations but rarely initiated them. He studied with them but never shared personal information. He helped them when they needed it but never asked for help himself.

One evening, after a particularly difficult exam, the group decided to go out for dinner to celebrate. They chose a small Korean barbecue restaurant near campus.

"Finally! That exam was brutal!" Arum said, dramatically collapsing onto her chair.

"You did fine. You always do," Sae Joon said, ruffling her hair like she was a little sister.

"Hey! Don't mess up my hair!" Arum protested, but she was smiling.

Yi Jin looked at Ryun, who was sitting quietly as usual. "Ryun, how do you think you did?"

"It was okay," he said simply.

"Okay? You probably aced it like you ace everything," Min Jae said with a gentle smile.

Ryun didn't respond, just looked at the menu.

Arum leaned forward. "Ryun, we've been friends for almost six months now. But we barely know anything about you. Where are you from? What do your parents do? Do you have any siblings?"

The question made everyone uncomfortable. They had all wondered these things but hadn't dared to ask. Ryun's expression didn't change, but his eyes became even colder.

"I don't like talking about my family," he said quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry," Arum said quickly.

"It's okay," Ryun said. "But I prefer to keep my personal life private."

There was an awkward silence. Then Sae Joon, trying to lighten the mood, said, "That's fine! We all have things we don't want to talk about. What matters is that we're here now, right?"

"Right!" Arum agreed enthusiastically. "The past doesn't matter. We're friends now, and that's what counts."

Ryun looked at each of them - Arum with her bright, forgiving smile; Sae Joon with his honest, open face; Min Jae with his calm, understanding eyes; and Yi Jin with her warm, accepting expression. Something in his chest felt strange, like a wall was starting to crack.

"Thank you," he said softly. It was perhaps the most emotional thing he had ever said to them.

That night marked a turning point. Ryun was still quiet and cold, but he became slightly more open. He started sharing his opinions more. He laughed - very quietly and rarely, but he laughed. He even joined them for non-study activities sometimes.

The group began to understand that Ryun's coldness wasn't rudeness - it was protection. He was guarding himself against something, though they didn't know what.

*****

He came back not to heal —but to remind them what they broke.

And this time, even God won't stop his scalpel.

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