Jong Hyun’s POV

I could still see the image of Gyu Ri’s disappointed face in my mind. The look of hurt in her eyes was undeniable.

I don’t know why, but I was feeling uncomfortable about the whole thing. It wasn’t like as if she’s the first girl I’ve done it to.

She knows it; she knew what she was getting herself into. No promises, no strings attached. That’s the way I like it. You could say I’m afraid of commitments.

But I guess Gyu Ri was different from other girls I’ve known before.

And ever since she left, emptiness is all I’ve been feeling.

Damn it. Why am I feeling this way?

I tried to shake off all the negative feelings.

I must be crazy thinking to even think about it.

Gyu Ri’s POV

The burning taste of the vodka was scorching my throat but it had already been 5 glasses and I wasn’t going to stop.

The alcoholic drink was making me lose my senses but somehow it wasn’t enough to numb the pain and hurt I was feeling.

I reached out my hand for the sixth glass which the bartender had set in front of me but before I had the chance to take a sip of it, I felt somebody yanking the glass away from me.

“Yah! What do you think you’re doing?” I yelled at the unknown stranger.

“You’ve had enough of this,” he said calmly.

I turned my head lazily towards him.

“Who are you...to stop me?” I slurred.

“Take this back and don’t give it to her anymore,” he told the bartender and handed the glass back.

“Go away!” I said irritably.

“You’ve been drinking non-stop from just now. I saw you. Enough,” he said firmly.

“You...don’t know anything! So don’t ever...try to stop me!”

I signalled for the bartender to hand me over another drink but he grabbed hold of my hand.

“Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

“Let me go!”

But he had a very tight grip on me and it was clear he was not going to let me run back towards the pub.

“Don’t worry. I don’t mean any harm okay? I’m just taking you out for a walk to clear your mind.”

“How do you know I need to clear my mind?” I muttered.

“Because I’ve never seen you at the pub before and the first time I saw you, you’re downing 5 glasses of alcohol? Spells trouble for me.”

“Even if that’s the case, who are you to stop me?”

“I just don’t like seeing any girl getting drunk.”

“Don’t tell me you do this to every drunk girl?”

He gave me a crooked grin.

“Honoured to be the first one?”

“Whatever.”

Suddenly, the nauseous feeling came over me and I threw up everything I’ve had for the day. It wasn’t that much though.

I felt him my back gently, trying to calm me down.

“Here, take this,” he handed me over a packet of tissue.

I took it hesitantly from him and wiped it across my mouth.

After about 5 minutes of silence, I finally spoke up.

“He cheated on me.”

To my surprise, he just gave me a small smile.

“I trusted him...And he cheated on me,” I repeated, finally getting the chance to take everything off my chest.

He still remained quiet beside me.

“I loved him so much...”I finally cracked, not being able to hold back the tears any longer.

“Why? Why did he do that?” I asked in a hoarse voice.

“It wasn’t your fault,” he said quietly. “Don’t take it too hard.”

I shook my head.

“I must have gone wrong somewhere. I thought...I thought I could change him...”

“Things don’t always go the way we want them to.”

I bit hard on my bottom lip and sniffed back my tears.

“I can’t carry on...” I mumbled.

He placed both hands on my shoulders and looked at me in the eye.

Though my vision was still partially blurred and it was dark, I could see the sincerity in his eyes.

“Listen to me. There’s no one else who can help you except for yourself. So you have to get back up and start afresh. Okay?”

“Can I?”

“I have faith in you.”