Yongguk locked himself in his study the next day, just staring silently at the walls around him, unmoving. He couldn't stand to go to their room and see her side of the closet empty and he didn't want to go downstairs because he didn't want to interact with anyone yet. He felt like he had no place else in the house to go even though Eun Ah had spent a lot of time in his study.

He felt like if he looked up she'd be sitting on the couch reading.

But when he lifted his head, the couch was empty.

One day felt like torture, he had no clue how he was supposed to survive the rest of his life without her.

He had this urge to go out and find her but then he remembered that this was what she wanted. She didn't want to be with him anymore and he had to respect that.

He wasn't responsible for her anymore. She wasn't his to care for and look out for. He didn't have that right anymore.

He grabbed his phone and went to check his messages since he had shut off the device since the night with her parents. He accidentally opened his photo album.

 He was about to close the app when he noticed that he had about 100 new photos. He frowned and clicked on his pictures only to be welcomes by 108 pictures of the face he missed the most.

He squinted and tried to remember when these photos were taken. He swiped his thumb and looked at each picture as Eun Ah made cute and silly faces at him. He got a glimpse of her hair and dress and suddenly he remembered.

It was the day she was kidnapped.

His heart tightened as he looked at each picture and she just kept looking more beautiful than the last. He gently her picture with his thumb, caressing her face like he would in real life. A nostalgic smile curled up his lips as he saw her take pictures even as she fell off the bed. 

How did he mess up so badly that he lost someone like her?

How did he lose the best thing that ever happened to him?

What did he expect when he dragged her into a world of gangs and violence?

His smile burnt away and was replaced with a permanent frown. When he finished looking through all her pictures, he moved on to look at his text messaged. He clicked his messages and instead of reading the newest ones he got, he scrolled down to find Eun Ah's messages from before they broke up.

From: The Wife  

"Okay, so this guy, who looked about 40, tried to hit on me today. It was so weird, I actually laughed out loud bc I thought he was joking. Turns out…he was not."

"What did he do?"

"Asked me out for a drink and for my #."

"Did you give it to him?"

"Of course I did, I always wanted a 40 yr old sugar daddy."

"Funny. Is he still there?"

"Yup. He keeps using these tacky lines on me."

"Did he not see the ring on your finger? -.- "

"What can I say? I'm a stud magnet. Better step your game up Bang."

                                                                   "Who is this guy? Put him on the phone with me."

"Why? So you can talk him to death?"

"Damn right I will, no one messes with my girl."

"My hero."

"That sounded sarcastic."

"Good, bc it was."

"I'm glad marriage didn't change you. You're still sharp tongued and troublesome."

"ikr, it's part of my infinite charm."

"What charm?"

"The same damn charm that you fell in love with."

"Charm? Please, I was only after your money"

"Well the joke is on you bc I have no $."

"Which is strange for someone who has a job."

"LOL, I have to go back to work now."

"Ok, love you."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Say it back Hwang."

"ily2"

"Use your 26 yr old vocab pls."

"Finnneee, I love you too. You're so clingy."

"Isn't that why YOU fell in love with me."

" -.- "

He wanted to delete the conversation because he knew that if he kept them, he'd just keep re-reading them and reminiscing about how much he treasured their relationship.

At the same time, he didn't know whether or not it would be the last thing he'd have that would remind him of her.

He found himself making time in his day just to laze around with her and suddenly his priorities changed. He found himself making time not only for her but for the rest of B.A.P too. He was able to grow closer to all of them and act like a real family. 

She did that.

She was the reason he was like that, she was the reason he was better. He no longer put work above everything else.

Work.

Maybe that's what he needed to do. Maybe he could just drown himself in work and cases for Woon. It would be a lot easier than sitting around all day thinking about Eun Ah.

He yanked open one of his desk drawers and did a double take when the light reflected off of something.

Eun Ah's ring.

He stared at it in the drawer before slowly picking it up. He couldn't exactly keep it could he? That would be disrespectful to her, if she wanted to move on, he shouldn't make her feel burdened by keeping the ring, not that she'd even know that he still had it.. He felt a lump forming in his throat as his eyes traced the ring.

He only had one choice.

One choice to help try to get over her.

-----

Jaehyun hadn't come back from work when Eun Ah woke up the next morning. He did, however, leave her breakfast on the table with a note, apologizing for being so busy, leaving her alone and bored.

After eating and getting dressed she decided to walk down to the ramen shop.

Or the remains of what used to be the ramen shop. Jaehyun's apartment complex was closer than Yongguk's house so she was able to get the