Chaerin leans her forehead on the window glass, starring down at the alley. There she is, Dara, walking out of her apartment lobby. Chaerin clutches her hand as she is waiting for Dara to turn her head around or even just turn back. But she didn’t. Her figure disappeared so quickly. And just like that, she’s gone. She’s going back to Korea this afternoon. That’s it. She’s going to marry Jiyong, Chaerin’s best friend, the one person she trusted, the person she asked to protect Dara. He betrayed her, just like that. Chaerin lost Dara.

A few weeks later, Chaerin received a text from Jiyong, asking to meet her when she’s not busy. Today is Sunday. Chaerin is obviously not busy, so she texted Jiyong back the place and time to meet. She is nervous, and of course, wondering what’s going on. Jiyong is not supposed to be in Paris. He should’ve gone back to Korea long time ago.

Spending time walking alone in the park is quite a routine to her so lonely life, especially on Sunday. She prefers spending time alone rather than having some stranger girl she made out the night before hanging around in her apartment, unless when she is in the mood. In fact, two girls already texted her last night asking to hang out and one girl called her this morning asking if she’s home.

She’s been thinking constantly about what to do now. After everything that happened, after everything with Dara is really over. Jiyong is probably going to apologize in person and tell her he is going to marry Dara and asking for peace. Chaerin can see it coming. She can only sweep it under the rug now. She can’t do anything else except forgiving him, well, he is happy now. It’s not his fault.

“You go here a lot?” Jiyong asks as Chaerin walks closer to him. Chaerin shrugs, putting both of her hands inside her coat pocket, she is trying to look calm but her hands are slightly shaking and it’s freezing cold.

Chaerin looks across the park. People seem to be having a good time and happy. “It gives positive vibe when you see people happy, hoping that somehow it can affect you and make you into thinking that you’re happy as well.” Chaerin murmurs and they start walking side by side.

“I didn’t know you could be such an optimist.” Jiyong responds with a chuckle.

“Living alone far away from home forces you to grow up.”

“Right.” Jiyong nods. “Coffee?” he offers his warm coffee. Chaerin shakes her head lightly without saying anything.

They walk in silence despite all the thoughts they’re having in their own minds, the battle they’re having inside, words that’s been held in waiting to come out.

They reach the bridge and decided to stop and enjoy the view.

“How are you doing?” he asks to open a small talk.

Chaerin sighs, “Nothing particularly interesting. Just work and work.”

“No dates?”

“You know dates tire me out. I don’t date, remember?”

“Didn’t even meet someone attractive?”

“I’ve met plenty of attractive women, are you kidding? Just-“

“You just never moved on-“ Jiyong says and takes a sip of his coffee, his eyes are wary.

“Never had intention to, until you decided to put your dirty hands on the person I care so much for.” Chaerin replies.

Jiyong smirks, “You think I steal her from you.”

Chaerin looks at Jiyong closely, “Whoa, you think you’re not?”

Jiyong bit his bottom lip and he tries to hold his anger. “I never steal her from you. You let her go.”

“I asked you to take care of her, to protect her, to lead her into a better life because I wasn’t available. I wasn’t capable of that.”

“No. You left. You left her. You left all of us. She wouldn’t stop crying when you left. She couldn't move on, we all know that. She loved you so much we all know that. But you- you’re just being you. You were doing exactly what Lee Chaerin would do, hurt people.”

“I told you why! I told you why I had to leave. Remember the conversation we had before I went away? Wasn’t it clear.”

“It was never clear.” Jiyong starts raising his voice. He then takes a deep breath and looks away. He couldn’t stand looking at Chaerin’s face. It makes him wanna punch her but he can’t do that.

“You, out of all people-“

“What? You’re gonna feel much better if it wasn’t me who decided to pick her off the ground and love her with all my heart?”

“So that’s what you are now? A hero? And I’m the bad guy?”

“Just-“ Jiyong clutches his hands.

“Why? Just explain to me why?” Chaerin says with her softened voice. She can’t raise her voice anymore. Her chest hurts too much. She is about to burst into tears.

They stare deeply into each other’s eyes. They miss each other miserably. Chaerin just wish this never happened. She can’t hate Jiyong. She never managed to hate him even when she heard he’s marrying Dara. She just can’t hate him.

“She deserves to be happy. I thought I could free her from you. You made her go through hell. I just wanted it to stop, to end. And I guess-“ Jiyong pauses. He wasn’t sure about this before but now he does and this is the perfect time to tell Chaerin. “Perhaps, I’d been in love with her even before I knew it. I’d been denying it because I know how you guys feel for each other. I had no chance-“

“You know Key loved you. And yeah, you pretty much also destroys our friendship.” Chaerin blurts out.

Jiyong frowns, “It doesn’t have anything to do with him.”

“Yeah? But you also did the same thing to him, didn’t you? You made him wait. You never told him exactly what you feel about him. You let him think he had hopes. He had the biggest crush on you, he confessed his feelings and you didn't say no. Oh and I’m sure I don’t have to remind you what you guys already did-“

“I don’t wanna talk about this. I was vulnerable. I was lonely. I loved Key. He is my best friend and so are you. I never meant to hurt him-“

“And yet you did. You hurt both of us, your best friends.” Chaerin says sternly.

“I left Dara because I wanted her to pursue her career. She had so much ahead of her. She was designed to be successful and look at her now. It is exactly what I wanted it to be. It’s perfect.”

“Yeah I know. And the reason you didn’t bring her with you is because you don’t want her to get in the way. You didn’t want her to be the reason you fail. You don’t love her as much as you love your career. Now I understand that but if you chose your career and yourself over her, you should’ve told her instead of leaving her with no explanation, you just whooshed, disappear. And you shouldn’t let her hope for you to come back to her like that, it’s just mean.”

“You’re wrong. The reason I didn’t bring her with me is that I love her so much and I wish to spend every single day and time with her. I can’t take her off my mind and I can’t keep worrying about her and I don’t want her to be lonely with me. I don’t want her to have a boring dull life. I wanted her to be a star, in order to do that she had to stay. You don’t understand this, Jiyong. You don’t understand how is it to be me, to love your dream to death you will sacrifice anything to reach it and then you realize you also love something else to deat