Finishing my words, suddenly his grip on my arm grew stronger and his face turned serious in an instant. He spoke gently to me, but there was an emphasis on his words that made the sentence sound firm.

"What? You're afraid you will embarrass me? Just so you know, I don't have any shame anymore. Even if it was to embarrass my own family, I would have done it a long time ago. It's already fallen to the ground. So you don't have to think about whether you're going to embarrass me in there or not. It's not a big deal at all. Don't worry."

I looked at him in disbelief. He was very stubborn to always keep his words. During my time with him, he had never licked his own saliva without compulsion. When he made a promise, he would keep it even if it didn't benefit him at all. Therein laid his pride, therein the shame was in his words — his actions were just selfishness — his selfishness that made him think he had no shame anymore.

Even so, I knew that he did it only to me. He was not a fool in the eyes of the other people, but he was very stupid in my eyes.

How could someone like him be born in this world? In fact, it would take a hundred years longer to find someone like him again in this world full of pain curses.

However, without realizing it, an affectionate kiss landed on my forehead. I was instantly taken aback, but couldn't avoid it because it was done in the blink of an eye. Even if I wanted to dodge, it happened so suddenly in a situation like this, where I lost my mind for a moment and didn't have time to think that dramatically.

But, still, the warmth of the kiss seemed to penetrate my skin and run through my blood. It was the long-lost warmth of someone who kept hurting me, yet I still loved him deeply to this day.

People said that if someone kissed you on the forehead, it was a sign that someone loved you so much and I knew that pretty well. I knew that Daehyun really loved me — I admitted it.

This was the first time I confessed that feeling, since all the lies and pains I gave him. Even without a direct word, I knew that he was aware of it by now.

"Daehyun!"

Suddenly a familiar deep voice pierced the air and turned the warmth into cold grains of fury that emanated from the voice. It surpassed even the winter chill and was more freezing.

I slowly turned my head towards the voice, looking at the person to confirm that it was the same person I thought.

"You beast!"

My eyes widened open instantly and I was twice as surprised as before. It was Mr. Kim Myungdae, Daehyun's father. With a fit of clear anger on his face, he was looking at both of us with rage.

At this time, a question crossed my mind and caused anxiety which ended in extreme fear. Did he see Daehyun kiss me?

With a frown on his face that showed displeasure from within, he began to walk towards us. His hands were clenched into fists tightly with blue veins protruding on them. This was a rare sight, considering that Mr. Kim Myungdae was someone who was always calm but now, that attitude showed a different side of him.

However, suddenly Daehyun immediately stood in front of me, blocking my view with his broad and strong back as if hiding me or even ... protecting me?

His tall posture made me almost drown behind him, so no one would know that I was currently crying silently behind.

I didn't know why I was crying. All I knew was that the sadness of everything that had happened today made me think that it was all my fault.

Had not solved one problem, other problems just kept coming and it was piled up into a mountain of problems.

I thought that being born in this world brought me a lot of misfortune.

With tears rolling down my face, I hooked my index finger on Daehyun's left pinky who was currently standing in front of me without moving an inch.

Until the sound of "slap!" hard and painful was heard in silence. Daehyun staggered slightly to the side, then knelt on the ground while touching the left side of his face.

It was a hard smack in the face!

I was immediately surprised with a pale face. I could even feel my face getting colder and colder because the area didn't seem to be flowing with blood.

I was about to help and check the wound from the painful smack on his face, so I reached out. But, before I touched Daehyun's face, he immediately dodged. Holding his face in one hand and the other hand gestured for me not to come any closer.

He then inhaled and exhaled heavily in silence before turning his head slightly at me behind him. He said in an almost whispering voice, "Don't come any closer. I'm fine."

In this situation, a voice with clear anger rang out, "After all your disgraceful behavior — humiliating me in front of investors — you still dare to show your face in front of me apparently, you bastard!"

Suddenly Mr. Kim Myungdae swept his gaze at me who was standing helplessly behind Daehyun, and instantly the cold aura that radiated from his eyes pierced my heart. He then shifted his eyes back to Daehyun who was trying to stand up, then snorted in annoyance. "You said you didn't like him. But it looks like you've just proved to me that you're crazy about him. You son of a bitch!"

"You still remember what I said that time to you, don't you? Regarding the consequences that I will give if you dare to set foot in this city again. I will never go back on my words. Don't call me Kim Myungdae if I do. I'll teach you manners from scratch again to be a kid I hoped for." With a pause, there was a strong command to his words, "Now, come with me. This is a day of mourning, I don't want to use violence to drag you under my feet."

Hearing the words, guilt instantly gathered in my chest. I could feel my heart beating fast as if it was about to explode.

I was the one who caused his son, Kim Daehyun, whom he was honorable and very proud of before to become what he was now ....

If there was anyone to blame, then it was me.

I was the one who caused the esteemed Mr. Kim Myungdae with his great hospitality to be as angry as he was now ....

If only I was strong enough to get rid of Daehyun earlier, maybe these two people wouldn't need to be hostile to each other.

And, I was the one who caused Lee Donghwa, the one I still loved to die so soon ....

If it wasn't for me being so weak at making decisions, then none of this would have needed to happen.

There was no need for anyone to be hostile to each other and there was no need for anyone to die.

If it was a hit, I was the one who deserved it. If it was a death, I was the one who deserved it either. I deserved punishment from the ground as well as the sky.

With tears rolling down my face, my eyes misted up. I couldn't see the situation well, until Daehyun's gentle voice that sounded like satin touched my ear, "Chunghee, let's go in. Don't mind the words."

He grabbed my hand and started walking into the building, followed by me behind him doubtfully. His grip was so strong that I had no choice but to follow him like a crybaby who was crying behind his back.

As we were about to pass Mr. Kim Myungdae, his words made us stop, "So you don't want to listen to what your own father said before, the one who raised you all along, huh? You had been so disobedient to me by ignoring those words, you bastard."

Upon hearing his words and seeing his angry face, a strong aura of hostility grew between them.

They both were no longer like father and son, but rather like competitors in the business elite who wanted to bring each other down.

Unable to see the tension between the two of them any longer, I quickly looked away and wiped my tear-soaked eyes.

Meanwhile, Daehyun didn't give any response. He only paused for a moment and then started walking again indifferently, while pulling me so that I couldn't help but have to follow him from behind in fear.

This was a mourning day and I should mourn the death of someone I still loved. But, what can I do? No one expected that this would happen here. So now, my heart felt like it was splitting in two where the other side was grieving, while the other was terrified.