For the past few weeks, Jiyong realised something was wrong with his girlfriend. Summer break just started and the weather was getting extremely hot. Jiyong loved summer. He loved going out in shorts and sleeveless shirts and sunglasses with a cone of ice-cream in his hand. He’d go to the beach with his friends and do whatever young people do in summer. 

   Not this year though. He’d asked Jessica to go to the beach with him and their friends but the answer was no. The second time he asked was a no as well. She said crowded places weren’t her liking. 

   He’d asked her to go on ice cream dates with him one morning. Jiyong smiled when she said yes. He loved summer and spending summer with Jessica made him so happy. 

    She’d worn a cardigan that day. Jiyong didn’t question. 

   The next few days, he’d asked her out for a smoothie, she nodded. Jiyong smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She blushed.

    She was wearing a cardigan that evening and again, Jiyong didn’t question.

   Jiyong frowned when he saw her coming into the coffee shop wearing a thin sweater. Every time he saw her, she’d be wearing long sleeved clothing and at first, he didn’t bother but on the 5th date they went that summer, he asked and she just shook her head and said it was nothing. 

   The weather was getting hotter and Jiyong swore, he wouldn’t mind walking around without any clothes on but of course he didn’t. He asked Jessica out to a summer music festival and that day, she was wearing the same cardigan she wore when they went out for an ice-cream.

   Jiyong asked her again, and she said it was nothing and he just liked the cardigan a lot. Jiyong knew she was lying. She was sweating throughout the date but refused to take off her cardigan. Jiyong asked her again what’s wrong and why, this time he was a bit angry. She said it was nothing. He’d asked and asked and she walked faster ahead of him to avoid the question and him. 

   He grabbed her by the arm and she groaned. “Arh!”

   Jiyong pushed her sleeve up. He expected she’d been hiding something whether it was a tattoo or anything. Anything but scars.

     “Jessica..”

   Jiyong looked up from her arm to her face and saw she was crying. He gently dragged her to the nearest bench and let her sat next to him. 

   “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

    She cried harder. Jiyong embraced her and let her tears soak his shirt. 

   “I’m sorry.” she managed to say.

   Jiyong tighten his hug and cried. Jessica had been sad and he didn’t know. 

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked again.

   “I didn’t want you to be disgusted and leave me. I’ve lost a lot of people and I don’t wanna lose you too. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please stay,” she begged and held onto his shirt, not wanting him to leave.

   “Oh god, why would I leave you? I promised to stay forever didn’t I? God, I love you so much, I’m never gonna leave.” 

   He broke the hug and kissed her on the lips. Gently, so so gently. When the kiss ended, he took her arm and kissed all her scars. Each and every one of them. There were eight. Eight times he had not been there when Jessica needed him the most. 

  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you.”