[Flashback]

The sun was steadily hanging up there in the sky. The cloud was nowhere, probably blown away by the today’s smooth wind. The chirping birds happily chatted on the branch as if discussing whether they should go fly away or feel the perfect atmosphere around, under the leaves. Yes, it was such a perfect day.

He was walking with a smile that could ever be erased from his lips. He brought a beautiful bouquet in his hand, not minding the girls’ stare that from his face back to the bouquet as if wishing he would give it to them. He just simply didn’t care. He only had one thing inside his mind and it was his girlfriend.

He smiled at the thought. Every time his mind drifted to that beautiful girl of his, he would literally hopped in joy and unconsciously curved a smile. She always brought him in happiness.

He put his hand on his left pocket and felt a small blue box inside it. His lips curved a wider smile and his heart unexpectedly palpitated. He let out a chuckle, realizing he wasn’t ready enough. He thought he was ready enough that he wouldn’t feel any nervous crawling its way to his entire body yet he was feeling edgy and restless. He stretched his lips into a thin smile and told himself that no matter what happened, he had to be ready. For her, he was willing to fight and sacrifice. It was indeed all or nothing.

He walked and walked till he arrived in a public park. Everyone seemed to enjoy the good day there as if breathing in an open park has never been this relieved and warming. Such a perfect place for a perfect moment. And there, from where he stood, he saw a beautiful girl clad in white knee-length dress, a black mini sling bag hanging on her shoulder and a decent flip-flop. She stood in silence as she roamed her gaze around her. Everything seemed to amaze her that she could barely stop gazing around. She was the girl who owned his heart and probably his life. She was the girl he hoped to spend his life with. She was everything he couldn’t ask for more. If only she knew, just like the surrounding that warmed her heart, she has always done the same thing to him.

He warmly smiled and walked to her. They were agreed to meet there after a call just this morning. She called him and asked if she could see him today. And he, beyond glad, concurred right away. He was actually wanted to ask the same thing as he had planned something for both of them. For their future.

“Hey,” Jiyong called, gently. He stood right before her. Her head automatically turned to the source of the voice. She was a bit taken aback as she didn’t think she would meet him this quick with him smiling sincerely to her. But then, she returned an equal sweet smile after. He put his arms around her as he pulled her closer to him, giving her a warm hug. She was wrapping her arms around him too when something pricked her heart and a bitter and painful thought flashed on her mind. In such an instance, she could feel a warm liquid on the brim of her eyes. She had no idea it was this painful. Before she met him here, maybe around the time after she called, she had cried. Yes, the pain had already announced its existence inside her heart. It was painful, yes. But this moment, this second, she finally met him and she finally had him in her arms, the pain felt like softly killing her. Poisoning her then breaking her apart.

He pulled away and saw those unshed tears. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he inquired. His voice was too gentle, too soft and too precious for her. She didn’t lose a second to let her tears fall. She couldn’t help it anymore. “Honey…,” he cooed, pulling her again in his embrace. She unexpectedly sobbed on his shoulder as if trying to bury her sorrow so that people wouldn’t notice her crying, so they wouldn’t recognize how cry baby she was, or so they wouldn’t realized how weak and fragile she was at the moment.

“Tell me, is there something wrong?” he asked again, softly. He caressed her hair comfortingly. When he felt she stopped sobbing, he pulled away and fixed the hair strands that stuck on her wet face.

She looked at him straightly to his eyes. “I can’t,” she suddenly cried again. He instantly grew worried, his brows furrowed in confusion. “W-why? What is it?” he asked. He didn’t understand why she was acting like this. Is there any problem in her family? Or is there any problem between her and someone?

It… It couldn’t be about both of them, right?

“We can’t…,” she whispered, struggling to voice out between her cries. His heart throbbed wildly, anticipating her statement. No, no, this isn’t exactly like what he’s thinking, right? He was unwantedly afraid. “..continue t-this,” she completed, looking down with those warm liquid once again rolling down on her face. She just continued to shed tears, not realizing he was in the verge of what she was doing.

His eyes moisted in disappointment, confusion, betrayal and somewhat anger. What happened with them? They were doing good even for the past few days when they spent a little time together. They were happy just like how they used to be. Just like how they supposed to be… Nothing interrupted their blissful feeling. Nobody ruined their treasured relationship. And what is it now?

“What do you mean?” he asked. His voice were shaking and so was his heart. She continued not to look at him cause she knew she would definitely torn apart. But, she couldn’t let him being torn apart too. It was better that she suffered it herself. He didn’t need to sacrifice that much. She didn’t deserve it. And most of all, he deserved better.

Yes, you deserve better, Jiyong-ah, she muttered inside her heart, wishing the best for him.

“We can’t go on.. like this,” she forced herself to shove him that lie. He was stunned and his heart seemed to be done the same thing too. This is what he fears… No, please no!

He framed her face, forcing her to look at him. “Honey, look! Look at me!” he, tearfully, demanded. She still poured her tears out endlessly then finally, she forced herself to look at him. Her tears gushed down more seeing his eyes bubbled with tears. Seeing her crying without any explanations was enough for his hidden tears to make its appearance and now, hearing her breaking up with him, still without any considerable explanations, was way beyond his capable. He broke down, knowing she was torn apart.

“Tell me why, honey. We’ve been doing well… Why? Why are you suddenly being like this?”

She shook her head repeatedly. “No, we can’t,” she sniffled. “You don’t understand.”

“Then just make me understand!” He shrieked in pain. Tears flowing down on his face. Hell, he didn’t give a damn to every single person in the park who was watching them between awe and curiosity. He didn’t care anymore.

“We just can’t!” She replied in the same harsh tone. It was devastating.

Jiyong fell in silence before he decided to do what he had planned all these whiles. It was the reason why he was so eager to see her today. It was the reason why he didn’t think twice to agree on her about meeting each other here. It was the reason why he was so tearful when she declared those ty statements. It just felt so wrong.

He put his hand on his pocket, taking out what he had inside. The small blue b