"By the way, who was that young man? Why did he cry like that?" I asked calmly while enjoying the apples candied. "Do you always treat your employees like that at work?"

Lee Donghwa slightly lowered his gaze and could only apologize in a low voice without answering my question first, so I said, "Why are you apologizing to me? I told you that you shouldn't apologize to me, but to that kid. Apologize to him tomorrow or do I need to do it for you?"

"Chunghee ...." Donghwa lifted his eyes, gazing at me with a complicated gaze that I couldn't understand, whether it was guilt or fear. He took my hand, held it tightly, and said deeply, "Chunghee, do you love me?"

Hearing that question, I looked straight at him. I was reluctant to admit my feelings anymore, but what could I do? He was as if forcing me to do it. "Sure, so what?"

"Then tell me that you love me. I want to hear it more clearly," Donghwa said. He raised his eyebrows, expressing how pathetic he was.

Taking a deep breath, I replied, "I love you. Now, tell me, what happened?"

Lee Donghwa smiled with satisfaction, there was relief in his teary eyes before he spoke in a deep voice that almost whispered, "I love you too. If I have something wrong with you, please forgive me. I beg you."

Frowning, I asked, "Why do you say that?"

"I ... I just want you to forgive me ... then I won't repeat the same mistakes ...."

Paused for a moment, I asked, "What's your mistake? Then I will forgive you. How can I forgive you if I don't know your mistake?"

In my heart, I kept asking him to be honest, saying about the affair. I swore to myself that if he said the truth, then I would withdraw all the words that I had said in my heart previously. I would forgive him and I could pretend that nothing happened.

However, I waited quite a while but he didn't say a word. He turned out to be even more cowardly than I thought. He was tall half a head away from me, manly, but completely distant from what we saw and how he acted, where he was violent, emotional, jealousy, possessive, and manipulative. So, I understood how he was.

Since it was already late in the afternoon, I stood up, left Donghwa who was still silent at the dining table, and started preparing dinner.

After dinner, Donghwa stood by the window smoking a cigarette while I sat on the bed. I opened a book but didn't read it. Only looking at the writing with misty eyes, where I didn't realize my tears were running down my face. The pain as soon as I remembered the incident this afternoon truly felt all over my body. It truly hurt more than before.

I quickly closed the book, then immediately wiped my eyes that were filled with tears, holding them back from tearing up more profusely, but in vain. I didn't want Donghwa to notice my crying, but he already knew it as he heard my groaning.

"Chunghee! What's wrong?" Donghwa exclaimed, coming to me immediately. He sat beside me and embraced my body while stroking my hair gently. "Honey, say it, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

I unconsciously embraced his body tightly, as if he would leave me and go with someone else. I was scared and cried hysterically.

"Honey, it's enough. Don't cry anymore. Are you sick? Stomach ache? Headache? Tell me, don't make worry," Donghwa persuaded.

I was angry, and I was angry because of him.

I was hurt, it was also because of him.

I was crying, it was because I was hoping him, to tell me the truth but he fell silent.

I wanted him to be honest, but why is it so hard for him?

Is it because he was afraid that I would leave him?

How can I leave him after what we've been through?

He exactly didn't know himself. He was good at managing the company, but not good at taking care of his lover. He didn't even know how I felt; why I was crying; why was I resigning; and what were the medical drugs for? He was a gullible person. Or, is he indeed an apathetic person?

I wasn't the type to be straightforward, he should have known that for a long time ago. But, why had he never taken the initiative to find out the truth of my feelings all this time?

He had said that he would never let me down, and now he just did it — even many times.

Alright, now I'll shut up ...

With great effort, I tried to string the words, "It's ... It's been a long time since I visit my grandma's grave. I don't know, why I miss her a lot lately," paused for a moment, I lifted my head, staring at him with hazy eyes. "Donghwa, what's wrong with me? Why do I always miss someone who have died lately? Am I okay?"

By saying those words, Donghwa immediately tightened his embrace even more. "Chunghee, please don't scare me. You will be fine. Nothing will happen to you."

His words might not be a lie. I could hear his heart pounding as soon as he said the words.

"Honey, go to sleep. You're just tired today," he continued.

Donghwa helped me to lie down. Next to me, he was staring at me with a warm smile on his face, caressing mine gently. I could see that beauty long enough to fall asleep.

The next morning, Donghwa wasn't in the apartment. The bed was tidy, but he left a letter on the bedside table.

"Honey, I left early, but I'll be back at dinner."

After what had happened already, I couldn't feel anything at those words. It tasted bland, or it was me who was numb already?

I walked to the bathroom, then came out a few minutes later. Spending time alone was truly bad, I probably didn't need to resign from the company, but I already did it and I would never return there and would keep holding my feelings here.