The next morning, Soo-kyung and I woke up and started getting ready for work. She lent me one of her dresses and her makeup. "Are you ready, Hye-jin?" Soo-kyung asked as she grabbed her purse and coat. "Yes, I'm ready. Let's go," I said, leaving the room with my things. "You look good. The dress I gave you suits you very well." We left her apartment and headed to the company. We went inside and put our identification to the sensor to let us into the office.
"Kang Hye-jin!" we heard someone call my name. Soo-kyung and I turned around. "Damn it... it's Eun-ho. We'd better go, Hye-jin," Soo-kyung said, tugging at my sleeve. "No... let's let him speak," I said calmly, crossing my arms and waiting for Eun-ho to say what he had to say.
"Hye-jin... How dare you show up at my house like this?! Are you crazy or what?!" I burst out laughing as I listened to Eun-ho. "There's no doubt you're a hypocrite! You're the one who slept with another woman! You're a damn cheat, Choi Eun-ho! A damn bastard!" I yelled at Eun-ho, and in his desperation, he slapped me, knocking me to the ground.
hat's going on here?" the boss asked from the doorway of his office.
"Mr. Park..." I said as I stood up and bowed my head, as did Soo-kyung and the others.
"Why are you arguing here?... Have you forgotten you're at work?" "I'm so sorry, Mr. Park..."
"Everyone back to your work now... Miss Kang... to my office," Mr. Park said, a little annoyed by the shouting earlier. I put my things away and headed to the office.
"Tell me, boss... how can I help you?" I said, lowering my head, looking at the floor, my hands clasped in front of my stomach.
"What happened outside earlier?" Mr. Park asked, sitting down at his desk and clasping his hands together. "Well... something personal happened between Mr. Choi and me..."
"Why are you suddenly calling him Mr. Choi? You used to call him something special... it's unusual for you to address him like that," Mr. Park asked, looking at me.
"Well... there was a problem between Mr. Choi and me, that's all."
"Why are you addressing him so formally?" "You always speak to him affectionately," Mr. Park asked. He knew this situation was personal, but... it was necessary for him and everyone in the company to know.
"You see... my wedding was canceled. I'm not marrying Mr. Choi anymore," I said in a serious and expressionless tone. It was true that it hurt that Eun-ho had betrayed me like that, but I had to remain strong for now.
"I see... I won't ask why the wedding was canceled because it's none of my business, but I'm very sorry about your situation, Miss Kang. Things happen for a reason. Don't be discouraged." Mr. Park's words had a small impact on me. Maybe he was right... if I didn't marry Eun-ho, it's because it wasn't the best thing for me.
"Thank you for your words, boss... By the way, I'll have the report ready as soon as possible," I mentioned. "It's not necessary, Miss Kang... I'll give you more time to finish it. I know that the situation you're going through distracted you a bit from this... so don't rush it - Mr. Park replied, looking me in the eyes. Noticing how he was looking at me, I felt an inexplicable sensation - Okay, thank you for the extra time you gave me, but I'll still try to finish it as soon as possible.
Leaving the boss's office, I headed to my cubicle where my things were. I sat down and turned on my computer.
"Hye-jin, how did it go? What happened in Mr. Park's office?" Soo-kyung asked, approaching me. "Oh, it wasn't anything important. I just wanted to know why we had that fight earlier," I said, continuing to work on the report. "Eun-ho is crazy for coming here to cause you trouble. I can't believe he's such a hypocrite. He wants to make you look bad for canceling the wedding when he's the one to blame." That was true. Eun-ho is an idiot. After sleeping with some damn slut, he's trying to make me look bad for canceling the wedding... what did he expect? That I'd agree to go ahead with the wedding even though he cheated on me? "You're right, Soo-kyung, he's a damn bastard, but we shouldn't talk about him anymore. We're giving him too much importance," I said as a message from Eun-ho arrived. It said, "We need to talk"—Eun-ho wants to talk to me—I put my phone down on the desk to get back to work, but it kept buzzing with messages—he's being really persistent...
"But why? What does he want now?" Soo-kyung asked. "I'm not sure... but I have a feeling this isn't going to end anytime soon."
I confessed as I clicked the mouse on my computer. I had to meet with Eun-ho again. What could he want now? He knows there's nothing between us anymore, so why would he ask me to talk?
"Hye-jin... are you really going to see him?" Soo-kyung asked. "I don't plan on seeing him. Eun-ho has to leave me alone. I know him; he'll pester me until I pay attention to him, but even so, I have to set boundaries between us."
"If you say so... I still remember when he pestered you in college to talk to him. It was so annoying; just thinking about it makes me angry, Hye-jin."
"I know, Soo-kyung, I remember it very well."
★ ~ Sungkyunkwan University. Year 2017 ~★
"Miss Kang Hye-jin! Please do me the honor of going out with me," Eun-ho exclaimed.
"It's Eun-ho again, Hye-jin. He's a stalker. He won't leave you alone. Don't you think he's unbearable?"
"Maybe... but he's cute," I said, looking at Eun-ho, who was bringing me a chocolate bar. He gently took my hand and placed the chocolate in it. "It's a gift from me... Please accept it, Kang Hye-jin..."
"Okay... I'll accept it."
"Thank you so much! I hope you like it."
"Hye-jin, it's time for our next class! Let's go!" Soo-kyung exclaimed, pulling me by the arm toward the classroom, leaving Eun-ho with a satisfied smile.
After class, I stayed in the library studying until late. Exams were coming up, and it was stressful, but all this effort would be worth it.
"Kang Hye-jin," Eun-ho called, holding a banana milk and offering it to me with a polite and kind smile.
"What are you doing here, Eun-ho? I don't have time for your gifts and declarations, I need to study." I got up from the table to look for a book I was missing.
"I know, Kang Hye-jin, I know you were studying here all afternoon."
"Were you spying on me?" I turned to him, looking him in the eyes.
"I've been watching you since 3:45, when Shin Soo-kyung left," he said, leaning against the wall.
"You're crazy... ah!" I cried out. Eun-ho grabbed me by the waist and pinned me against the wall.
"Yes, I'm crazy... Crazy for you, Kang Hye-jin... Please accept me... I can be the perfect man for you and treat you like a princess."
"W-what are you talking about?" I stammered.
"I want to build a life with you, Hye-jin. I want to be your boyfriend, your lover, your husband... Everything. I want to be the person you start a family with."
"Eun-ho..."
"I love you, Kang Hye-jin..." he whispered, sealing his words with a kiss.
Present Day ~★
" Something I have to admit about Eun-ho... is that despite stalking someone and not giving up... he has his charms."
" Hye-jin... We have to get over it... As your best friend, I'll support you through this. Count on me."
"Thank you so much, Soo-kyung... What would I do without you?"
"Maybe you'd be acting like a crazy woman and would kill the bitch who slept with Eun-ho."
"Do you want to die?"
"I'm just kidding, Hye-jin. You wouldn't do something like that. Just try to clear things up with Eun-ho tomorrow so he doesn't bother you."
"I know... But I have a bad feeling."
n't worry, Hye-jin. Whatever happens, I'll support you. That's what friends are for."
"Thank you so much, Soo-kyung... You're the best," I said, hugging her.
The next day at lunchtime, I snuck off to Eun-ho's company, which, coincidentally, is right next to mine. I arrived and waited for him, wondering what he wanted this time.
"I'm just kidding." "Kang Hye-jin..."
"What do you want now, Eun-ho?"
"Hye-jin... please come back to me. Let's forget everything that happened," Eun-ho said, clasping his hands in supplication. What would he be capable of now? Getting down on his knees?
"But you know very well what you did. You cheated on me, Choi Eun-ho. You slept with another woman just weeks before the wedding. I'm not going to forgive you for this."
"Hye-jin, you can't do this to me. We had everything planned: the wedding, our house, our children... Do you want all of that to be thrown away?"
"Just because of a stupid trick?" - Upon hearing those words, I clenched my fists, feeling the blood rush to my head from the anger.
Do this to you? Ha! You ruined everything. Everything was thrown away because of you. That's all I have to say. Goodbye, Mr. Choi. Don't look for me."
As I turned to go back to the company, Eun-ho grabbed my wrist tightly, squeezing. "Let go of me, Eun-ho! You're hurting me!" I yelled at Eun-ho as I tried to pry his hand off my wrist.
"Don't be stupid... without me, you're nothing... what will you do alone without a man?"
You're wrong. I can take care of myself. I don't need you. Now let go of me!"
"I won't let go, stupid... until you understand that you can't live without me. You're mine~ Do you understand?!"
Eun-ho raised his hand as if he wanted to slap me. I closed my eyes, bracing for the blow.
"Let go of Miss Kang..."