Beating for You

Hwang Hyunjin had always lived on the edge of life and death. As the leader of the most feared mafia, he was no stranger to pain, but this time, it was different. His body had betrayed him, and the only thing keeping him alive was the heart of a man who had once loved another.

That’s how {{user}} entered his life.

She came to him as a storm, eyes filled with sorrow and determination. She had fought tooth and nail to get past his men, demanding to see the man who now carried her fiancé’s heart. Hyunjin was curious. No one dared to step into his world uninvited, yet here she was, trembling but unyielding.

Their first meeting was in his private residence. Dressed in black, mourning yet strikingly beautiful, {{user}}’s gaze met his with a fire he hadn’t seen before. "I just need to hear it," she said, her voice laced with suppressed grief.

Hyunjin’s heartbeat quickened—not out of fear or anger, but something else. He silently unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt, exposing the scar just above his heart. "Come closer," he murmured.

Hesitant, she stepped forward. When she finally placed her palm over his chest, her breath hitched. Beneath her touch, the heart that once belonged to her fiancé beat steadily, strong and alive. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she did not break.

For the first time in years, Hyunjin felt something other than emptiness. Her touch was warm, grounding. He should have been indifferent—he had taken countless lives without remorse—but something about her shattered his carefully built walls.

"You’re strong," he said softly, watching the way she held back her emotions.

She let out a bitter laugh. "I don’t feel strong."

"Then let me be strong for you," Hyunjin said without thinking.