Ji Wook's mind was in turmoil these past few days, weeks maybe?

After that wonderful night with Bong Hee, he couldn't resist but show affection for her and he surprised even himself. He had never really made the first move in a relationship before and he didn't know exactly how to start up the topic. He admits that he was really passive when it comes to these things but with Bong Hee, everything was just so natural.

He had actually gathered up his courage and planned something for the both of them so they could sit down and talk about their relationship when Anna suddenly showed up. It was too unexpected. He honestly thought that there would never be a time that he would encounter something or apparently, someone from his past again.

Then everything just suddenly came back. The memories that seemed to haunt him became all too real again and it was hard to focus on anything. He couldn't draw the line between being Je-Ha and Ji Wook. Everything was a mess.

It didn't help that Anna kept calling him because she finally decided to go to a psychiatrist to get help but the beginning stages were actually the most difficult. She needed as much support she can get to be able to continue and of course he had to help. It was just short harmless phone calls after all and he felt like it wasn't proper to tell Bong Hee about Anna's situation and her past especially since it had something to do with his past as K2 as well.

Until J4 called him that night, she was still Anna's bodyguard after all this time, and told him that Anna was drunk at some pojangmacha and was crying out for him. He hasn't seen her since she first visited him.

He had to go but the look on Bong Hee's eyes made him stop. He wanted to shoot himself after realizing that he had neglected her all this time even though he didn't mean to; he really had to get a grip on himself.

In the end, he could only promise her that he'll definitely be back and make it up to her. He had to at least tell her why he was always having the phone calls with Anna.

"Oh!Je Ha-yah!" Anna slapped his arm when he arrived and sat beside her.

"Let's go Anna, you're drunk." he made a move to help her get up but she just shooed him away.

"You don't really care about me do you?" she laughed but there was clearly no happiness in her eyes. "I'm just a burden that you have to put up with cause you're guilty. You must be impatient to have me move on do you?" The accusation she made seemed to hurt her more than him.

He pursed his lips and frowned. "That's not it."

"Don't lie to yourself Je-Ha." her eyes were welling up with tears and she drank the soju in one go. "Why?" she rubbed her face and pulled her hair back, settling her hands on her hair. "Why did it have to be you? Why did I have to fall in love with someone like you?" she sniffs and stares at him with grief in her eyes. "You're really cruel, do you know that?"

Ahh, there it was.

Ji Wook let out a breath. This was everything he was afraid of. A man like him didn't deserve to be loved. All he ever did was hurt the ones who were important to him. His family, his teacher, Young Shin, Anna, and now even Bong Hee. He was like poison, slowly creeping in the background and before you know it, he kills you in the end, literally and figuratively, giving you nothing but regret.

Regret.

How he hated the word.

"I'm sorry K2, i should've stopped her but you know how tough it had been. She's improving. Really. But she has her days." Mi Ran apologized as she finished off the last glass of soju Anna had failed to drink. "She's a very pitiful girl, but still, a strong one."

He nodded and turned to Anna, she finally fell asleep as if she was only waiting for him before she drifted off to nothingness and leaned on his shoulder. He carried her in his arms and settled her on the backseat of her car.

"It was nice seeing you again after all these years K2. You look better without wounds." Mi Ran gave him a quick pat in the arm and went to the driver's seat, waving him goodbye as she eased the car into the busy road.

He suddenly felt bone-weary. The stress of the past few days catching up to him as he drove home.

"i love you."

He should've been happy when Bong Hee whispered the words as she hugged him. If it were any other day, he would've hugged her back and twirled with her in his arms, kissing her senseless and whispering love to her ears as well.

This was wrong....he should be the one saying those words to her. He should've been the one taking her somewhere special to enjoy the view maybe and confess as he wraps her with a warm blanket. He should've been the one to approach this time....

But all he felt at the moment was fear and anguish and hurt.

He loves Bong Hee. He really did. But she was up for someone like him who will probably hurt her in the future. No......he will most definitely hurt her like how he did with all his past lovers. Bong Hee deserved better. She was lovely. She was sincere. She wasn't difficult to love.

After all, what kind of man would allow the woman he loves to stay with him knowing that she'll just suffer in the end?

His jaws grew taut with his effort to hold back his tears.

"Don't........fall for me...."

As the words escaped his lips, he instantly felt nauseous. His heart ached so bad he wanted to take the words back and grovel at her feet to apologize to what he just said. He wished that he could just take her to some place where it could just be the two of them and he wouldn't have to worry about anything.

But this was reality.

And reality hurts.

He feels her grip on his shirt and his shoulders becoming wet with her tears. She slowly pulls back and he sees the intensity of the hurt in her eyes.

"Why not?"

His lips refused to move. He could give her thousands of reasons not to love someone like him but he couldn't, because somewhere deep inside, he didn't want her to stop.

"Do you...?" still love Anna?

She didn't finish her question but he hears it all too clearly and it hurt him more than he expected. Had he not shown his love for her enough?

No, i never really loved Anna. I love you.

He could only answer in his mind as he avoided her eyes. The hurt and longing was far too much for him to bear.

"Then....have you ever really looked at me the way i looked at you?"

He stares back at her, confused. He always had his eyes on her. Heck, she was all he was seeing when they were together.

"Was all this just a game to you then? The kisses, the hugs, the gentleness, all the sweet things you did for me...was it all just a lie?" her voice was wavering and each question she throwed at him pierced his heart like a stab wound.

No! No no no no!

"Or did you just feel pity? Sympathy for a poor girl who couldn't afford to pay for her rent. I guess i should be really thankful then? That the whole package was given to me, a house plus the owner who is willing to give fanservice?"

He couldn't take this. He knew she was hurting herself with her words much more than he was. He took a step towards her but she stopped him.

"There's so many things i want to ask you.....but you're not going to answer my questions right?" her tears were trickling down uncontrollably from her eyes and he wanted so much to wipe them away.

Will i regret this moment?

"aigoo..." she drew a shaky breath. "I'm starting to regret confessing my love to you."

He clenched his fists when his chest suddenly got tight with her words. Like some balloon that popped and there was no air getting inside his lungs. He couldn't breathe.

"But i don't regret loving you."

The words took him by surprise and it nearly threw him off balance. He never knew how much he yearned for those simple words so much. To know that he was worthy of being loved. He had to avoid her eyes to stop from breaking down in front of her. This girl.......can he really let her go?

Before he knew it, he pulls her to his embrace, holding her tighter than he ever could; hiding his tears from her as he died inside. It was far too late. He had already hurt her. Just like how he predicted. Just like his dream.....

.

Later, he couldn't even stop her when she packed her things, gave him one last glance, and went out of his door; walking out of his life forever as she rode on the taxi she called earlier.

And just like that, his world shattered to pieces.