It has been two and a half years since his wife left him and their child.

Two and a half years since he came frantically knocking on your door, asking you to babysit his two-year-old son because an ‘emergency’ came up.

When he came back, it turns out that his wife ran away.

She ran away with another man.

A man who she believes to be more secure in every way.

Oh no, Chanyeol is secure financially. Their house was beautiful and well maintained. He showers his wife and kid with gifts, but he was always away.

She’s left to cry to herself because she somewhat regrets marrying him early. Regrets that she gave herself to a man who never gives her the time of day.

You know this because she goes to you to vent out her feelings. She never misses a day without going to your house to whine and complain about her husband.

Although, she never told you about her plans. Her plans to desert her family. Because she knows you’ll guilt trip and convince her to back out.

Chanyeol came back to you a mess. A crying mess.

You can’t help but feel bad for the man because you experienced this yourself.

Your husband… Ex-husband left you for another. The first time he showed his face to you again was just to give you the divorce papers you needed to sign.

You never trusted another man after that.

But Chanyeol… God, Chanyeol broke the walls that you built around yourself.

You weren’t planning on sleeping with him, not at all.

But you were both vulnerable, both broken by your respective significant others. Both destroyed by the single person you thought will love and be with you forever.

You knock on his door twice, juggling your special baked scalloped potato on your right hand and your daughter, patiently waiting to see his friend, Chanyeol’s son, again on your side when the door opens.

You were met with her wide smile. Her wide happy smile.

She’s different now, her hair much shorter and red in color. Her skin and figure are much, much better. She’s glowing. And still beautiful. You feel like the potato you just cooked.

“J—Joy?”

“Aaah, it’s been a long time! Is this a homecoming surprise for me?!”

She greets you with a hug, careful not to drop the container on your hand.

“Babe, grab this from her will you?”

You can see the delight in Chanyeol’s eyes as he complied with Joy’s request.

His demeanor drops when he saw your stunned expression.

You have to make up an excuse so you can go back home and broke down, much to your daughter’s dismay when she found out she can’t play with her friend today.

“But mom…”

Your daughter whines. Your heart broke for your daughter. But your insides were wrecked as well. Because she’s back. And Chanyeol took her in his life again without hesitations.

You drove your daughter to your mother’s that afternoon because you needed alone time. The feelings you felt when your husband left you came back to you like a speeding truck on a highway to hell. You shouldn’t have let another man in. Especially Chanyeol.

You were awoken by your doorbell buzzing. You didn’t even realize you fell asleep on the couch after you got home from buying wine and ice cream.

The clock on your wall reads 11:30 pm, who would go to you at this hour?

Slowly, you sluggishly pull your heavy body to answer the door.

“Hi.”

Chanyeol greets as you open and you immediately slam the door. He was fast and blocked the door with his feet before you can close it.

“What do you want?”

“We need to talk.”

He simply said as he pushes the door. You used your whole body to stop him from entering.

“We can talk from here, you don’t have to enter.”

“Fine.”

He lets out an annoyed sigh. You crossed your arms over your chest as you wait for him to talk. To be honest, you have nothing to tell him, it’s pretty clear to you.

“Joy’s back.”

“Yeah, no , Chanyeol.”

There was silence. And your tears fell involuntarily.

“I’m sorry—”

“No Chanyeol. I’m sorry because I let another man hurt me once again…”

You paused when you choked on your own feelings.

“I’m sorry because I trusted you and I thought we’re in the same boat here.”

He was listening, letting you spill what you wanted to say.

“I’m sorry because I thought I found love again.”

Chanyeol let out a single humorless laugh.

“If you believe that, then you’re dumber than I thought”

Your jaw drops with the audacity.

“I thought it was clear to you? It was just the . I was lonely.”

You slam the door shut this time. Making Chanyeol back out slightly when the door was just two inches away from his face.

And with that, you’re sure you will never let another man in.