He was tired, more tired than the previous days, but it wasn't because of physical tiredness from a tiring job, but rather it was a complex thought that was piling up in his head. All the pressure of thought was visible on his discolored face, but he was good at covering it up with an infinite calm; covered his face with a domineering cold expression, so that no one would feel sorry for him.

In this room, there was only silence and dim light and the two of us still had not spoken to each other. However, even so, silence had revealed the feelings of each other, but they couldn't all be together. My sadness and hatred were contradictory things and would never fuse even if they were directed at the same person.

I didn't dare to say anything this time, it would only make his mood which had already worsened get worse, until his cell phone that rang like a storm that had come melted the atmosphere in the middle of the calm sea where we were both drifting.

Daehyun stared at his phone for a moment with a frown before answering the call while leaving the room to talk.

When Daehyun came out to pick up the phone, I slowly got up and leaned back weakly on the bed while staring blankly at the bedroom wall. I recalled the news that A Yeong had shown recently and dug up all the buried things, then reconnected them like a tangled thread.

I knew that Donghwa always did things beyond his senses. However, although I knew it clearly and thought about it all the time, I still left him like someone who didn't care even though I knew it would hurt my feelings.

So, is this my fault? Even with the mental pressure because of a painful lie he once committed to me, is this still my fault?

It was very difficult for me. Kept holding on to the lie; kept persisting with his attitude that seemed not to like me; everything required a strong heart and I had been strong enough to go that far.

I used to always say 'it's fine' and forgive him, smiled even though it hurt, and kept waiting without knowing when he would come back. However, I couldn't always do something like that. The more I said 'it's fine', the more the pain ripped through my heart.

How can I survive this situation?

Although a month he had shown his seriousness to change himself, it was only temporary, like a blink of an eye. Because his uncontrollable anger made him forget that I loved him, he always acted rudely where he thought that by doing so, I would be deterred from mistakes I never even made.

I barely even remembered what mistakes I had ever done other than the pain so I chose to leave him.

However, even though I knew I was hurt so much, now I could still worry about Donghwa. Even after I decided to break up with him, I felt that it was wrong, but I just didn't want to admit it.

When Donghwa came after looking for me for so long and asking me to go home and start over with his sweet reassuring words, is this still my fault?

But, even if I persisted and never left him or returned to him, would Donghwa admit his mistake, regret it, and cry over everything like that time?

If this day never existed, then it would still cover everything. I knew him quite well and how he behaved all this time. Even if he changed, he would never admit his mistake to the end. He would forget about it as if nothing had happened.

Our ten years of relationship and this past one were the worst. Summers were hotter and winters were more freezing. There wasn't the same warmth as in previous years for this relationship.

A few minutes later, Daehyun opened the door and entered. There was excessive anxiety on his pale and tired face. He looked at me while gripping his phone so tightly that it showed the blue veins in his trembling hand.

Seeing him put on such an expression, I immediately knew that the conversation he had on the phone was about something bad. I asked in a weak voice, "Daehyun, what's wrong?"

He forced a gentle smile on his face, and walked towards me like someone in confusion. Bending down a little, he touched my face, and answer hesitantly, "Nothing, nothing, go rest ...."

At first, he was about to kiss my forehead, but for some reason, he stopped and left a bitter smile on his face, which looked complicated. He stood up straight and walked to the bathroom.

My eyes followed the direction of his footsteps until his back disappeared behind the door, then stunned.

I took a deep breath. There was a worry that made me uneasy, and it almost became a suspicion that almost drove me crazy. Fortunately, consciousness still dominated, so I could control my current feelings.

Not wanting to dissolve in this thought, I laid down, closed my eyes, forced myself to sleep, and muffled the worries that I didn't understand at all what I was worried about right now.

However, no matter how hard I tried to close my eyes and how determined I wasn't to think about it, was just in vain.

I had been tossing and turning a few times so restlessly, but I was still having a hard time falling asleep.

The faint sound of running water came from behind the bathroom door. While Daehyun was still inside, the cell phone that he had placed on the table rang again.

The ringing seemed endless. It seemed, someone was constantly contacting him because of something urgent. It was so distracting and finally made me open my eyes, staring at his cell phone that was ringing.

At first, I didn't intend to take the cell phone, but a strong curiosity made my hand move by itself to reach for the cell phone that kept ringing non-stop on the bedside table.

Looking at the phone screen, it showed an unknown ID that kept calling again and again. It continued until the call totaled a dozen calls on the screen.

I frowned unconsciously. For the next call, with doubt suppressed with curiosity, I gulped hard, then tapped the green button on the phone screen.

On the other line came a familiar deep voice, speaking with desperation but suppressed anger in his tone, "President Kim! Wait! Please ... please don't hang up this time."

"...."

"Tomorrow his body will be cremated. At least, if you still have a conscience, pass the news to Chunghee ...."

Hah, me ...?

My brows furrowed and I suddenly got up. When the familiar voice called my name, I shivered through my bones and my heart was racing. This growing anxiety almost made me scream, but I immediately covered my mouth with my hand and pressed it hard.

"He was in pain all this time; his heart was aching, and you've been making it difficult for him all this time. But now, that he's dead out of depression, are you still willing to give him trouble to the end? You didn't let him meet Chunghee while he was dying in the hospital until the day he died, but at least you should tell Chunghee this news, please."

"I know this will sound ridiculous, but let him have some of that happiness before his cremation day; let them meet one last time. And, as his best friend, I am Bae Yunhee, pleading on his behalf."

"President Kim, let Lee have that little bit of happiness ...."

When Yunhee repeated those words once more, there was a clear sadness stuck in his throat, made his voice tremble to get hoarse.