They’re getting married.

That was all I could think about throughout the train ride to Seoul.

I would have thought that after cheating, they would at least have the decency to apologise and leave me alone. Instead, my ex-boyfriend and my no-longer best friend decided it was a good idea to send their wedding invitation to my place, the thick card emblazoned with their names in golden letters. As if to rub it in my face that my cheating ex-boyfriend was in his all-time low when he was in a relationship with me, and now the tides have turned.

Ironically, I was now munching on some abysmal brand of cup ramen on the train. I used to hate this flavour of ramen. Not that I was particularly into it now, but I had adapted to it.

I always felt that love is about adaptation. We adapt to the existence of someone taking up our personal spaces, our time and our thoughts. It could be odd at first, when you realise how much you let them infringe on your life. They appear out of nowhere to disrupt a rhythm you’d built up for years, rearrange it, and then it back to you. Who gave them the right? You.

Who gave him the right? Me.

I learnt to give in to his ways of dominating over the remote control, of cooking ramen that I didn’t really like but had no choice because we were broke, of his goodnight kisses and of his distasteful jokes that I would’ve never imagined I’ll enjoy. I suppose I was learning to lose a bit of myself so that he could be another part of me.

So was it wrong when I decided to reclaim this right?

I’d suspected those things between Henry and Yeonghee for ages. It didn’t have anything to do with the fact that she kept bringing food over to visit us, even on weekdays. Neither did it have to do with the fact that they were slowly having inside jokes that I, the supposed girlfriend of two years, did not understand at all.

It was because I felt that Yeonghee was slowly becoming more like myself. She was adapting to his words, his gestures and smiles.

So I did the one thing that any trustful partner wouldn’t – I spied on him.

I was the one who caught them in my own bedroom. I told them I was going to visit my grandma, the one who absolutely adored Henry. Instead of offering to go with me, he decided to let Yeonghee onto our bed. I couldn’t bear to imagine how many night’s I’d slept on the residue of their love, oblivious on my side of the bed.

So I cancelled this adaptation exercise. I broke up. Chased them out of the apartment. Threw my blanket and bedsheets after them. It was an absolutely terrible sight and I think I’ve a reputation among my neighbours now.

The last thing Yeonghee said though? My bed wasn’t even comfortable.

Growing up, Yeonghee was always the pretty one, the sociable one, the loved one. I wasn’t trash, but I blended in with the crowd well. I don’t stand out to anyone in particular. As friends, we used to be dubbed “the princess and the pauper”.

The one time the pauper finally thought she found love, the princess just had to snatch her prince away. She invaded her bed, and told her that because she was the lowly pauper, she was undeserving, and that the pauper’s bed was uncomfortable. As if this was some fairytale about a princess and a ing pea.

I wished I had peed on my bed instead, just to screw with her.

Alright, maybe that was too disgusting and lowly, even for my own taste.

So here we are today, them getting married back in our humble Busan town, while I was escaping to Seoul to avoid the whole farce and give myself some healing trip. I was determined to cancel on love.

I could do it.

I really could.

Right?

Unfortunately, I was not the only one to make a cancellation that night.

Unfortunately, your reservation has been cancelled.

Jul 23 – Aug 4 Mapo-gu #XXX5 mins from Hongik Univ. Seoul

Your original payment of 35,000won is available in your Airbnb account to book another place.

>Book another place

>Request a refund

Cheating boyfriend marrying my ex-best-friend? Not a problem right now.

I just needed a place to stay tonight.

-♥-

Thank goodness for the Instant Book function on the Airbnb, and friendly hosts who opened that option. The slight detour to the Incheon seaside, rather than the heart of Seoul, was a bit of a hassle, but nonetheless I was glad to have shelter for the rainy night. Dinner was a quick bibimbap pickup from the station’s convenience store, but I didn’t mind it one bit when I stepped into the seaside apartment.

The outside of the building indicated that it was one of those old apartments with gates and lighting redolent of old prestige. Perhaps a decade ago this would have been one of those highly sought-after residences.

The interior though was much more representative of the young host couple whom I had been talking to on the Airbnb chat. It was an airy abode that boasted a classy fusion of modern and nautical style interior. The white walls were speckled with blue-themed wooden ornaments of various shapes and sizes, seemingly of different origins. Maybe the couple liked to travel a lot? That explained why their house key in the flower pot had a dangling blue ‘B’ keychain on it then, even though neither of the hosts stated on Airbnb had a name starting with that alphabet.

The decorations were unique but not too cluttered, tasteful and befitting of the whole house. I thought I’d fallen in love with the space, and I couldn’t help but whip out my phone immediately to text my hosts on the app.

Me: Hey Suzy and Dongwook! I’ve checked into the apartment and I absolutely love it! Thank you so much for accepting my requests. 😊

Suzyo: Glad you found the place! Your room is the one labelled SPROUT. The one labelled FLOWER is our private room so do refrain from going in there! The TREE room will be locked as it’s for other guests.

Me: Alright!

Suzy: Dongwook and I are on a weekend trip to Sokcho, so feel free to use the facilities and stuff around the common area of the house. He will pass by tomorrow morning to hand you the guidebook and small gift we prepare for all our guests. :) Enjoy your stay here and feel free to text me anytime!

The profile picture showed a young couple beaming into the camera for a selfie by the Incheon seaside. A part of me was in awe that this young couple was gorgeous and already owned an apartment at such a young age. On top of that, they were such hospitable hosts. How the heavens could be so unfair was beyond me, but I suppose some people just get everything.

Like Princess Younghee and her inher