Silhouetted buildings stretch across the horizon and blink with flashing colors of light, as they reach for the limitless sky of Seoul on a Friday night. Your fingers press against the cold glass, as you etch the beautiful sight into your mind. Your head whips back, away from the breathtaking view, when your phone begins to ring.

With light footsteps you approach the low wooden coffee table, reach out for your phone, and press it against your ear.

“Hello?” you ask.

“Hey, _____,” a familiar voice says. “It’s Chen.”

You’re about to hang up, when he speaks hastily.

“Before you hang up, I just need to ask you about the divorce papers.”

You gulp before you ask, “Divorce papers?”

“Yeah,” Chen replies. “We just need to meet up one last time to legalize the papers.”

A moment of silence, and Chen wonders whether you have hung up on him or not.

“Okay,” you answer.

You hang up.

You feel a pair of arms wrap around you from behind, pulling you into a warm and comforting embrace. You turn your head back to see Chanyeol, smiling down at you.

“You’re back from work,” you say.

“Was that Chen?” Chanyeol asks.

You nod.

“Is it about the divorce papers?”

“Yeah,” you say, voice trembling. “Chen wants to meet up to legalize them.”

The words come out more dejected than they are meant to be, each syllable strained and choked withed tears.

“It’s alright,” Chanyeol says, still holding you in his arms. “Whatever happens, I’ll be here for you.”

“Thank you,” you choke, a tear rolling down your cheek.

Chen finally understands what it means when you had told him how desperately you wished for your places to be exchanged.

Now, as he watches the lawyer hand you the papers and a fountain pen, your face expressionless, he can finally feel the reality of the moment. His head is spinning, and he wants to wake up. He wants everything to return to the way it’s supposed to be- to him, working in the office all day and coming home to your comforting words and steaming dishes.

He will not allow himself to believe this.

As he examines you carefully, he notices things he had never discerned before. The subtle highlights in your long hair. The way you bite your lip when you concentrate on something. He watches you lift the pen and read over the terms printed on frayed papers. He wants to take the papers and tear them to shreds. He’s about to get down on his knees and beg- beg for forgiveness.

Perhaps he will never truly love the way a husband loves his wife, with longing smiles exchanged between deep kiss and nights spent in each other’s embrace, but he needs you to be by his side, supporting him and keeping him on his feet as you used to.

Chen grimaces as you sign the papers, the sound of the pen scratching against paper echoing in his ears.

The lawyer smiles.

“Since both parties have signed, the divorce is legalized.”

You are absolutely miserable, filled with the false hope that maybe Chen will give the relationship a chance. But you presume that he is probably enjoying his new relationship with Sua and that he’s probably even thinking of a way to propose to her.

“I guess that’s it,” you say, a sad smile on your face.

“I guess so,” Chen replies.

A moment of silence passes before Chen insists, “If you need a ride, I can drive you back. As good friends.”

You shake your head. “Chanyeol’s waiting outside for me.”

Chanyeol.

“Is this goodbye?” Chen asks.

Not even a moment of hesitation is needed for you to nod.

Chen his lips before continuing, “Remember, _____, our families are good friends, so if you ever need something-“

You’re on the verge of tears. “Listen,” you interrupt, biting your lip. “I don’t want anything to do with you after this. I don’t want to be friends; I just want to be left alone. No matter how hard you try to mend things, you still broke my heart.”

Chen is silent.

“I’ll be off,” you say.

Chen watches as you leave the room.

“How’d it go?” Chanyeol asks, once you enter the car.

“It went well,” you lie.

When Chanyeol sees your pained expression, he holds your hand in his, causing you to feel a pang, a sudden twinge of pain in your heart.

Chen had never held your hand before.

“It’s all over now,” Chanyeol says. “We can live happily now, and maybe we can even get married.”

You smile.

You are more than obliged to be married with a man as sweet as Chanyeol.

Maybe you can get over Chen.

But it will take time.

Chen takes a sip of alcohol, the bittersweet liquid burning his throat and mouth. He’s sitting at a bar stool, intoxicating his pitiful self with alcohol.

His phone rings.

With bleary vision and shaky hands, he fishes his phone out of his pocket.

Lee Sua

He lets out a sigh and shoves his phone back into the pocket of his trousers.

He lifts the bottle of beer to his lips, swallowing a long swig of the pungent alcohol. When he sets the cool glass bottle down, his eyes widen, for there’s a familiar figure smiling back at him in the barstool next to him. He squints his eyes, for his vision is blurred, and recognizes the figure as-

You.

Chen chuckles bitterly and mutters to himself, slurring his words as he speaks, “I’m seeing things, now.”

Another moment passes, and he murmurs a “I’m sorry, _____.”

He’s not sure whether he’s still talking to himself or to the apparition of you, but before he can even answer himself, tears are rolling down his face. He wishes you are here to hear his sincere words.

“I’m sorry,” he says, sobs muffling his slurred words. “I’m sorry! Please come back!”

He spews out more apologies and heart-wrenching words, before he ends his soliloquy with a choked, “Let’s meet again.”

“In our next lives, let’s be reborn as lovers.”