"If you still love me, let me go. Give me up, if you want me to be happy."

I look at her with pleading eyes that make her tear her gaze away from me immediately. She seems to hesitate for a moment, only to eventually turns her back on me and walks out from my life.

But of course, I will not let that happen.

Lunging my body forward, I pull her wrist and bring her body toward me as I swiftly engulf her in a tight embrace.

"I might be a fool when it comes to you, but I still can recognize the hidden feeling underneath your eyes. You need me, Fany-ah. And you're still in love with me, there's no way that you'll be happier without me. I can't let you go."

Tiffany still remains in my arms as I can feel her body starts to relax as she sighs in contentment. "Do you remember when I tell you I feel safe whenever I'm wrapped inside your arms? My body still reacts the same way. My heart beats rapidly, the butterflies are real and my chest is feeling the warmth." My eyes reflect the relief that I feel after hearing that. But when she looks up straight at me, my heart immediately falls. 

"I'm in love with you. That's why I'm happy that you're not listening to me. But still..." She looks really troubled and confused right now that I tighten my hold on her, to tell her that I'm here. As Tiffany stands on tiptoe, she whispers something beside my ears.

I gulp, as she looks at me again to reassure something. Nodding my head reluctantly, I release my arms around her as she eventually turns her back on me, taking her steps further away from me. 

"What are you doing? Go chase her!" Yuri presses her hand on my shoulder as she keeps on encouraging me to move. But all I do is keeping my eyes on her until she fades away along with the dark.

So this is how seeing you go feels like.

===

Tightening my hold on the handle, I try my best to keep my body upward. Letting my eyes wander to the skyline through the bus window, I wonder how is it feel like to go home with you holding my hand. Sighing for the nth time, I curse myself in my mind for even think about that when the fact is I am the one who left and hurt you.  

Reaching the lobby of my apartment building that is too familiar to me, I glance at the bench as suddenly the hurtful memory comes back again. I saw you covering in pain and hearing the weak voice conveying the emotions deep inside you, I was crying in silence as I watched you eventually closed your eyes to sleep due to extreme exhaustion. I remember I sat at the other bench a bit far away and end up looking at you until the sunrise appeared. 

Arriving at my own door, I clench my fist so hard that my nails are scraping my own skin because of the flashbacks of spotting you waiting for me. Suddenly I feel so dizzy that I need to press my hand on the nearby wall. The guilt is eating me up that made me whispered those words to you back at the café minutes ago, I do not care about anything else right now as I am not in my right mind. All I can think about is only you, I do not want to think about the problems that will happen later because of it.

Stepping inside, I busy myself with cleaning the dusk and everything out of my way as I lit up candles, relying on the scents that successfully calm me down. Quickly cleaning myself up while changing to a short dress, I look at the mirror every now and then to make sure I am pretty enough, I take a deep breath to clear my complicated mind.

Hearing the doorbell rings, I quickly make my way to the front door. Seeing the person behind it when I turn the knob, my heart immediately races for a whole different reason. 

​​​​​Is this the only kind of ending that I deserve?

​​​​

===

The way to her home is still the same. Driving in silence with one hand as the other is clutching a bouquet of roses that I do not want to let go, my eyes wander around the familiar road. The same small trees, the tiny vendors selling spicy food that can make her face turns so red, that red swing in the children playground that she insisted me to help her fly, all the way to a tall skyscraper that we once watched the fireworks together from its rooftop.

"Don't follow me, please. But I'll come back home tonight, maybe we can have one more night together."

As much as I am glad to hear that she is coming back but that one more night bothers me a lot that my head starts to spin again. Although eventually, I have to get it together and be the strongest person that I will ever be because I will get to see her in a few minutes. As I go out from the lift, my eyes immediately catch a well-built man who is looking inside the door that is slightly opened.

Do not know what to do, I can only find a spot for me to hide. Fortunately or not, I can see Tiffany's expression from this angle.

"Why are you here?"

"What? Are you expecting someone else?"

"Of course not!" I frown at the way she quickly snapped while swiping her tongue across her lips, her own sign that screams she is lying. Which is the fact, because I know she was waiting for me.

"I just thought that it is really weird for you to suddenly go back home after you went to that café. So suspicious."

There's come the fire raging in her eyes as she is starting to get pissed. "So you really hire someone to follow me?"

"I've told you, right? If you don't want me to, just say it to me." I cannot see the man's voice but analyzing from his voice, I figure he is definitely mocking her. While Tiffany, I do not know what happens to the strong tough woman as I watch her lower her gaze down to the floor. "Just tell me what you want."

A mad chuckle is all over the place and the rough voice comes along. "I thought I've made myself clear before. I want you." I unconsciously clench both of my fists so tight that I do not even care if I am hurting myself. 

"Aside from that."

"Well, stay away from your lover, if you don't want me to destroy their life." My heart stops for a moment when I heard that. Did Tiffany leave me because of his threat? But she is not the kind of woman who would go down easily without fighting. I shake my head as I know, I will keep believing in her no matter what.

"I've done that, right? Don't you feel satisfied with it already?"

"But you guys will definitely meet again tonight. Are you playing secrets with me-"

With the look on her face, I already know what is coming. "I really don't ing understand what you are aiming for but I've done enough! Why should I listen to all of your stupid babbling?"

"Oh, you just asked why? Easy, your family, your lover and everything about you is in my control, how dare you to raise your voice at me?" I cannot stop myself anymore after seeing those filthy fingers grasping Tiffany's arm. I rush forward as I stand beside her in no time. With the kind of glare that screams danger and rage, I exclaim sternly, 

"Let go of her! Don't you even dare to touch my woman!" 

===

All of this happens so fast that the only thing I am aware of is the gentle touch of their arm around my waist. It is making me feels like all of the troubles in my heart and my mind is being lifted as I lean my weakening body in their embrace. Hearing voices in a not so clear way, I try hard in keeping my eyes open.

"Oh, the hero is here, huh? Where were you hiding all this time?"

"You better go away in this instant and never come back." I gulp when their deep voice is full of loathing that I believe it would fear the people around, including the man in front of us.

I know it because of the way his voice shakes a bit when he utters, "You should know that I'm the heir of the biggest company in this country, that I'm capable of turning your life upside down with just one call, that the law and justice cannot even hurt me-"

"Stop!" My heart aches a lot when I hear him saying justice that I have tried so hard to achieve. Moving away from the warmth beside me, only to have their hand intertwining with mine immediately, I find the courage to look at him in the eye to say, "If you have a tiny piece of kindness in your heart, please leave us alone for tonight. I'm not asking much, just tonight. Please."

A few seconds pass with me trying to make him give in with my eyes. There's a glint of pity flickering inside his black orbs that catch me off guard. Finally seeing him out of my sight, I bite my lip as I really do not know how to face the taller figure beside me. My mind is blank and guilt is still consuming me up to the point I find it hard for me to breathe.

"You're not going to invite me in?"

Glancing up to see the same dark brown eyes, although devoid of emotions this time, I open up the door wider as I can only voice out these three words, "Come in, please."

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter