Tears on a Withered Flower – A Love That Shouldn’t Bloom, Yet Does! Na Hae-soo gave everything to a life that shattered her. A cheating husband, a lost child, and a heart that stopped believing in love. She’s broken. Numb. Done. Then he appears. A younger man. Bold, vulnerable, and aching in his own way. He asks her to teach him love, and without meaning to, she starts to feel again. This isn’t a sweet romance. It’s messy, mature, and heart-wrenching. A story of betrayal, healing, and a reverse age-gap love that shouldn’t make sense… but somehow does. Dive into the story of flawed characters, raw emotion, and the kind of romance that hurts so good in Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 1-9.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 1: Wilted Petal
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 1 begins with Na Haesu waking up with bad dreams. Her husband, Mincheol, was with another woman, a scene too vivid to forget. She glances at her phone; time to return to her shift. Her boss calls, letting her know the advance she requested has been approved. She thanks him and slides back into her routine at the grill. The conversation turns to debt and Mincheol’s new job. He’s still on probation, earning little, but at least working. Her boss finds comfort in that, thinking they’re both giving their all.
Couples around her glow in their affection. Young love is loud, bold, and radiant. But what about her? Is she still capable of being seen? The coworker says she’s pretty, and the words stay with her as she walks home. Is she? Or has her youth been buried under exhausting debt?
At home, Mincheol makes a comment about her appearance. Makeup, as if she has time or money for that. Their love, once warm, now feels like the damp, semi-basement apartment they live in. Did she lose herself trying to hold things together? Or was her mistake choosing someone who never truly saw her? The next morning, her friend reads Haesu’s exhausting schedule—grill shifts, motel nights, flower shop mornings, and jokes about her MBTI being something dull.
A flashback hits. Mincheol’s betrayal. Loans in her name, debt piling up. She felt numb. His love had already faded. Just then, a man in a black jacket enters the shop. “The rose guy,” they call him. He always buys a bouquet. But today, he taps the counter in front of Haesu. She finds him odd, but he seems oddly glad she remembered his order, ending Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 1.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 2: Roses And Gifts
In Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 2, Haesu arranges the bouquet of red roses carefully, her thoughts drifting. Some people love to be in the spotlight, living like the main character of a novel or movie, while others like her are content to stay in the background. The mysterious man, sitting quietly on the couch, definitely seemed to belong in the spotlight. When she hands him the bouquet, she can’t help but wonder about him. Later, her coworker mentions that the man had been watching Haesu as she worked, and she suggests that he might be coming to the shop just for her. But Haesu doesn’t remember him. How could she? She’s too busy with work. Besides, he looks ten years younger than her. She brushes it off, telling her coworker that she’s already taken. “What’s he like?” her coworker asks.
When Haesu gets home, Mincheol asks if there’s anything to eat before heading straight to the shower. She gets into bed, and Mincheol joins her soon after. As he lies beside her, his gaze shifts over her body, lingering on her curves. He wonders how she keeps such a figure without working out or dieting, something even his friend’s girlfriend couldn’t manage, even with makeup. Haesu’s body is amazing, but she hides it under those clothes. He feels a stir of desire, but it quickly fades as he grows frustrated. He calls her name, asking if she’s asleep. She replies she isn’t. Mincheol snaps at her, accusing her of not doing anything to make him happy. Haesu, too tired to argue, responds that she’s exhausted. Mincheol turns away, his mood sour, and falls into a restless sleep.
A Silent Connection
The next morning, Haesu wakes up early to make breakfast for Mincheol. She skipped her breakfast. Her stomach growls, but she ignores it. Soon after, the mysterious man enters the shop again. He orders his usual red roses. She can’t help but notice how his voice matches his handsome face. As she hands him the receipt, her stomach growls louder, and she wonders if he heard it, feeling embarrassed. Meanwhile, he texts someone to get a coffee and a sandwich.
After receiving his order, Haesu watches him leave, but when she looks down, she realizes he left his sandwich behind. She runs after him and catches up, offering the sandwich back. He smiles, telling her that it’s a gift for her. Haesu quickly refuses, but he assumes she needs coffee to go with it. He hands her his coffee, saying it’s not poisoned. With that, he leaves her standing there, holding the coffee, full of questions and confusion, ending Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 2.
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Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 3: The Weight Of Secrets
In Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 3, Haesu stands frozen, trying to process the events that just unfolded. Her coworker eagerly insists that the mysterious man is clearly interested in her, but Haesu quickly dismisses the notion. “I’m married,” she says, a hint of discomfort in her voice. Her coworker’s excitement deflates. Her mind drifts back to the painful memories of her past, the divorce from Mincheol. It was all due to the mountain of debt that crushed them, but what hurt most was the fact that Mincheol had asked her to keep their marriage a secret. The thought stings again, and Haesu can’t help but wonder if it was her fault.
Mincheol, on the other hand, is at work, surrounded by colleagues, one of whom is Ari, a 25-year-old with an easy charm. Ari brings him coffee, and as the men take a break, they comment on how Ari seems interested in Mincheol. None of them knows the truth. At 33, still single, Mincheol starts to entertain the idea of pursuing Ari. Back home, Haesu, tired and worn out, asks him how his day went, but he brushes her off, demanding money for a new perfume. She refuses, but Mincheol sulks, retreating to his own space. Haesu, feeling the weight of her efforts, slips some extra money into Mincheol’s coat pocket, hoping it will bring back even a hint of happiness. But Mincheol only grows more distant, dismissing her attempts to talk about their marriage, telling her it makes him sick.
Crossed Paths
That night, Haesu’s shift at the BBQ grill begins. As she heads to work, Taeha, the mysterious man, arrives with a friend. He’s in an unusually good mood, and his friend notices how different he seems. Taeha, ever eager, suggests calling more friends to join them at the BBQ restaurant. As they enter, Haesu is already in motion, serving customers, her mind still occupied. She overhears a conversation between a group of men who believe that women should always be pretty to keep their partners happy. The words strike her hard—was Mincheol happy with her when she was pretty? If he was, then what went wrong? Was it her fault?
Just as these questions consume her thoughts, Haesu hears the familiar sound of the restaurant door opening. Her gaze meets Taeha’s, and in that moment, their eyes lock. He’s here again, with his friends, ending Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 4.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 4: Unspoken Tension
In Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 4, as Haesu continues her shift, she finds herself face-to-face with Taeha once again. Her attention is immediately diverted to him, but her thoughts quickly shift when she notices the girl sitting beside him—Huiji. Does Taeha really like her? She never asked for this. Haesu assumes Huiji is his girlfriend, a cute couple in Haesu’s eyes. Huiji, however, seems to notice more than she should, questioning Taeha’s distraction and why he keeps looking around. Her friend, trying to ease the tension, jokes that Huiji is acting too possessive for someone who has just met Taeha. But just as the conversation begins to spiral, Taeha signals his friend to silence him. The silence breaks when Huiji asks if Taeha knows Haesu. A smile creeps onto Taeha’s face as he simply replies, “Yes.”
Back at home, while folding laundry, she notices the seam of her dress has split. She sews it back together, but Mincheol, ever the critic, notices her actions and misinterprets them. His words sting, but Haesu says nothing, her silence speaking louder than any response. Mincheol taunts her, reminding her that if it weren’t for him, no one would put up with her “tantrums.”
Unforeseen Encounters
The next morning, the weather forecast predicts heavy rain. Haesu, ever the caretaker, leaves the good umbrella for Mincheol and takes the old, battered one for herself. At work, Ari offers to make coffee for everyone. Mincheol happens to be there, and as Ari opens the cabinet to grab something, she lets out a startled scream, clutching Mincheol’s arm for support. Ari confesses that she’s terrified of bugs, and Mincheol smirks. He can’t help but compare this moment to his relationship with Haesu—if it were her, she wouldn’t have flinched. Ari, he thinks, is a refreshing change. He moves to the cabinet and inspects it, finding no bugs, and the moment passes without incident.
Meanwhile, at Haesu’s flower shop, her coworker waits for Taeha. When he finally arrives, Haesu is overcome with embarrassment. However, Taeha’s eyes are not on her coworker—they are searching for Haesu. The tension in the air thickens as Haesu wonders who this man really is and what his intentions might be. How does he know her? What is he trying to do? As Haesu leaves work, the rain begins to pour, and her old umbrella breaks as soon as she opens it. Just then, Taeha appears, holding his umbrella over her. He offers to share it, but Haesu refuses. He doesn’t budge, ending Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 4.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 5: Silent Tension
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 5 begins with Haesu walking alongside Taeha in silence, the tension between them palpable. As they make their way to her home, Haesu, unable to stand the quiet, breaks the silence, jokingly telling Taeha that if his girlfriend saw them, she would be furious. To Haesu’s surprise, Taeha calmly tells her that he doesn’t have a girlfriend. He even steps in to protect her when a car speeds by, his coat drenched by the rain, while she remains safe. Haesu, feeling uncomfortable, insists that they should remain strangers, but Taeha wants to remain acquaintances. Despite her insistence, he promises to be a good boy and walks away.
Haesu arrives home, only to find that Mincheol hasn’t taken his umbrella. Concerned, she heads out to pick him up from work. When she calls, he doesn’t answer, and Haesu’s heart sinks when she finally sees him accompanied by another woman. Her feelings of betrayal rise when Mincheol introduces the woman as his cousin, Ari. As Ari leaves, Haesu and Mincheol are left alone, and Haesu asks who the woman is. Mincheol snaps back, dismissing her concerns and accusing her of lacking social connections while others enjoy friendships. But as Haesu listens, something inside her stirs. Acquaintances. Taeha’s calm, gentle voice echoes in her mind.
The next day, Haesu and her coworker finally finish the long day’s work at the flower shop, exhausted but relieved. As Haesu begins cleaning up, Taeha enters. She’s about to offer him her help, but before she can speak, he brushes past her, walking straight to her coworker with an unreadable expression. Haesu stands frozen, her face betraying the confusion and hurt inside her. And just like that, Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 5 ends, leaving her feelings unresolved.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 6: Unwanted Encounters
Two weeks have passed since Haesu told Taeha not to talk to her, and aside from Mincheol being consumed by work. During her shift at the BBQ grill, an obnoxious man proudly announced that he’s recently divorced and now looking for women to fill the void. Haesu overhears him boast about how he’ll “lure her in” with his wealth. He continues to make crude comments about her body, unsettling her as he orders a drink. Haesu refuses, but the man insists, causing a scene. The owner steps in, apologizing, but the man demands Haesu kneel and beg for forgiveness. Desperate to avoid further trouble, Haesu kneels.
Later, at home, Haesu reflects on her life. Her struggles with debt, the constant fear of loan sharks, and how she’s spent her days running between jobs, her sense of dignity eroding little by little. Meanwhile, the drunk man from the BBQ grill stumbles home, drunkenly mumbling about a woman—Haesu. From the shadows, Taeha watches, his onyx eyes gleaming with a quiet fury. He approaches the man, slapping him and holding him by the hair. Taeha dares him to hit back, and when the man does, Taeha decisively teaches him a lesson he won’t forget.
Later, Haesu runs into Taeha at the convenience store. She can no longer deny that it’s more than a coincidence, though she feels helpless, unable to stop the pull between them. As she takes his order, her gaze lingers on the bandage that he is buying, and their eyes meet—an unspoken understanding passing between them. Taeha’s calm demeanor hides something deeper, something manipulative. Haesu can’t help but wonder what he’s really after. Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 6 ends with her feeling more unsure than ever about the mysterious man who’s entered her life.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 7: Between Pity and Pretense
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 7 begins with Haesu staring at Taeha’s bruised face, lips busted, and skin swollen. Her voice is barely above a whisper as she tells him he should apply ointment before it scars. Her mind races. Didn’t she tell him they should stay strangers? Isn’t this stepping over the line? Embarrassment creeps in, but Taeha’s quiet chuckle interrupts her spiraling thoughts. He leans across the counter, his breath warm against her ear as he teasingly asks her to teach him how to do it right. There’s something calculated in his charm, something that feels like a game, but Haesu plays along. He’s younger, after all, and she doesn’t see the harm in speaking informally.
They end up sitting outside the convenience store on a bench. Taeha, helpless with the ointment, lets Haesu dab it gently onto his skin. He then shares that he comes from a broken home, and something inside Haesu softens. It reminds her of her own childhood filled with shouting, silence, and the sharp sting of poverty. When he notices the shift in her eyes, he calls her out for pitying him. She admits it. Then, as though revisiting a past promise, she agrees to be acquaintances. Taeha jokes he’ll call her Noona, then changes it to Ahjumma, poking fun.
Borderline Cheating
Elsewhere, Mincheol sits in a dim restaurant, sulking with colleagues over drinks. He mutters about how pathetic the company is, frustrated by its mediocrity. The topic shifts to life partners, and when they ask about his type, he avoids mentioning Haesu. Instead, his vague descriptions lean more toward someone like Ari—young, vibrant, and easy to talk to. Meanwhile, Haesu saves a new contact in her phone. Taeha Beom. Mincheol, on the other hand, is with Ari, who’s visibly drunk. She clings to him, confessing she likes him, sobbing quietly into his chest. Her drunken affection is intentional. She knows exactly what she’s doing as she offers him another drink, just the two of them. And with that, Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 7 ends.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 8: The Scent
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 8 begins with unanswered messages from Mincheol pulling Haesu deeper into doubt. She doesn’t know he spent the night with Ari, caught in a moment of intimacy. When morning comes and she calls, Mincheol snaps, claiming he passed out after a company dinner. He hangs up fast, voice cold and distracted. He’s already back with Ari, trying to reassure her nothing is wrong, though even she senses something is off. Haesu is left with silence and worry, wondering if love always dies like this—slow and quiet.
Somewhere else, Taeha trades his designer shoes for his old classmate Jihu’s scuffed sneakers. Taeha was always with the popular crowd, so why talk to him? Maybe Taeha’s not as shallow as he once seemed. He sits, music in his ears, listening to a weird song. Huiji passes by and scoffs. A group of boys passes as well, and one of them gives Taeha a bitter glance at the sight of him sitting with her.
At the flower shop, Haesu and her coworker rest after a long day. Her coworker admits she was wrong about the rose guy. Maybe he wasn’t interested in Haesu after all. Haesu doesn’t respond, unsure of how to explain what they are now. Then the bell above the door rings, and Taeha walks in, not even glancing at the coworker. He goes straight to Haesu. As she quietly picks and wraps his roses, he stands near her like it’s the most natural thing. He tries to start a conversation, asking about discounts, pretending it’s casual. Then he asks if she has plans after work. Haesu warns him to behave or she’ll scold him. Taeha chuckles, thinking he’d like that more than he should, ending Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 8.
Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 9: Unspoken Distances
In Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 9, Taeha insists on walking Haesu to her next shift, his presence as casual as it is warm. Her eyes drop to his shoes, which are worn out. She’s surprised. Someone like him should spend his money better, not waste it on flowers. He chuckles, telling her he buys them for himself. She notes how tall he is, easily over six feet. Her mind flickers briefly to Mincheol—only five-foot-nine. Taeha observes her quietly, amused by how sincere and unaware she is. Haesu thinks that she’s made countless bouquets for customers but never once thought to keep one for herself. She thanks him for walking with her, and he tells her they should do it more often. His words linger.
Cracks in the Surface
Back at Mincheol’s office, he’s chatting with the assistant manager. The man makes a crude remark about Ari, surprised she’s now clinging to someone like Mincheol after acting so high and mighty. Mincheol defends her, unaware that Ari is right around the corner listening. As soon as Mincheol enters the building, she hugs him tightly. He doesn’t pull away. They share another moment, deeper than the last. He told himself it would fade after one night, but it hasn’t. Ari, on the other hand, wants more. She wants him. Meanwhile, back at home, Haesu has cooked dinner. It sits cold and untouched. She doesn’t know Mincheol is out with Ari, laughing and drinking. Her heart quietly adjusts to the familiar ache. Then her phone lights up. A message from Taeha. He wishes her a peaceful shift. There’s something comforting in the way he talks like someone his age should.
At the motel front desk, a man unexpectedly books all the rooms, startling Haesu. But outside, hidden in the alley, Taeha receives a message from one of his men. The man has been sent away. Who is Taeha Beom, really? With the motel full, Haesu gets an early night off. She returns home and finds the dinner still there, untouched. She should feel something. But all she feels now is quiet. And with this, Tears On A Withered Flower chapter 9 ends.
What do you think about Tears On A Withered Flower Chapter 1-9? Do you think Na Haesu will know who Taeha is? What are his real intentions with Haesu?
