A white furball comes bounding towards them when they stepped in, a bell on its collar tinkling its arrival. It yips loudly at the intruder and jumps up and down in a futile bid to chase her away. 

She tries to avoid stepping on the little creature as she lugs the man towards the closest giant beanbag in the living room. She dumps him unto it before collapsing tiredly unto his marble floor. 

She didn't know Jongkook got himself a dog. 

The little furball continues to bark at her and the man behind her starts grumbling. 

"Ring-ah, stop barking." He says in a low whisper, his voice dry and gravelly. 

He leans forward to gather her close, mistaking her for his dog. 

"C'mere Ring," he mutters, folding his strong arms around her. "Appa's home."

Jihyo freezes as a forgotten memory assaulted her. 

Jihyo-ya, I got you Ring. It's my promise to you. 

She remembers that after she met his mother and learnt about her plan for Jongkook to settle down early, she was in low spirits for awhile. He had asked her to come by his place a few weeks later, saying that he had a surprise in store for her.

Usually, she would be excited about it. Jongkook was a loving boyfriend and romantic in his own way. But she had refused, giving him excuse after excuse, worrying about meeting his mother again. 

And he had persisted, finally coming clean about a ring... 

Jihyo had thought that it was a real ring... not this Ring. 

The white Pekingese settles in front of the beanbag, resting its face on its furry paws and keeping a watchful eye on her as she lay in its owner's embrace. 

The thought of sealing their relationship with a ring at that point scared her. Especially when she was still so unsure. The obstacles in front of her - worries that she was treating him as a rebound for Jihoon, her studies, his mother -  felt insurmountable.  

The thought of him committing himself to her, especially when he had plenty of girls waiting for him, frightened her.

The thought of him settling for her frightened her. 

She never did return to his place after that and never knew about Ring's existence. 

With some effort, she extricated herself from his arms and approached the little dog. The white fluffy creature backed away slowly into the kitchen.

Her mind starts to race. 

This man never fails to surprise her, even after all this time. She didn't even give him a chance to tell her about Ring. How did he feel when she refused to meet him? 

Tears slide down her cheeks and she sniffles.

She kneels down on the kitchen floor. "Was your Appa very hurt when I didn't turn up, Ring-ah?" She thinks about the sensitive, tender heart behind his gruff exterior. "He must have been very sad, wasn't he, Ring-ah." 

It only his head at her words, not understanding.

This man who has always given all that he had to her. Why didn't she allow herself to trust him?

She had been so silly. So self-absorbed. 

Tears continue to run down her face as she regrets her impulsive and selfish actions, yet again. She leans back to sit down on the cold kitchen floor as she continues gazing at the dog.

Ring, alarmed by her tears, slowly approaches her, sniffing her curiously before giving her a tentative on her exposed knee.

Her lips curve into a small smile as it crawls into her lap and settles there, snuggling up against her.

"Do you know it's me? Ring-ah."

She sees a collar hidden under its white fur and takes a closer look - Kim Banji. 

Behind it, was a simple engraving.

With this ring, I promise you.

The memories of the past three years rush back to her.

The sleepless nights that she had spent thinking about him, missing him. And now that they've finally meet again, how he had helped her to make peace with their past, how easily they resumed their friendship.

How pleased she was to learn that he's never been able to let someone into his heart.

Doesn't this tell you something, Song Jihyo? 

She stares into the soulful eyes of the dog he had been taking care of for the past three years, a promise that he had made to her and kept so well. 

Leaning her head back against the wall, she felt her heart bubble with emotions, overwhelmed by what this man has done for her.

And all she did was push him away. 

Jongkook was slowly roused from his drunken stupor by the sound of a woman crying. With a hand pressed against his head, he stumbles into his kitchen and finds Song Jihyo sobbing heavily, with Ring in her lap. 

He kneels down next to her. "Hey what's wrong. I'm sorry I got so drunk. Are you okay?"

She lifts her face up from her palms, her eyes streaked with tears and mascara running down her cheeks. 

He tries to rub the black streaks from her cheeks but only succeeds at smearing it further. "Wha- What's wrong, Jihyo-ya. Did you hurt yourself? How did you manage to bring me back?"

She choked back a sob to look at the man in front of her. 

His heart wobbles at the helpless look in her eyes and he sits heavily down next to her. "Why are you crying, Jihyo-ya. Talk."

Ring slips down from her lap to settle next to him. His dog gives him several and he rubs his belly absentmindedly. 

The woman says nothing but her tears continue to fall