A full minute passed before Sooyoung trusted herself to speak again.

“Could you at least tell me why?” asked Sooyoung, fighting to keep her voice steady.

“I thought I had already let go of Sohyun. But turns out I was wrong. I still love her. We’ve already made plans. She will go back to the US with me when I go for exchange. After that, I will enroll to the university I have my eye on as a full-time applied music major since Sohyun needs to go back to the US with her family and will be studying there as well. That university will give me better prospects in music anyway,” said Sungjae.

Sooyoung took a deep breath as she internalised everything that Sungjae had just said. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare. She wanted Sungjae to shout “Just kidding!” at her. She wanted anything that would tell her that what she had just heard was not true. That the boy she loved still loved her and still wanted to be with her. That he had not brushed away everything that they had shared.

“Has everything we’ve been through meant nothing to you, oppa? We fought so hard to be together, oppa. Is everything that we’ve been through in the past 2 years meaningless to you, Yook Sungjae?” asked Sooyoung.

“What makes you think Sohyun and I didn’t fight to be with each other? You think it was easy for us when we had to break up back then? Just because we were younger doesn’t mean we didn’t face challenges, Park Sooyoung!” retorted Sungjae.

“What about Minjae? Does Minjae mean nothing to you? Do you know how he felt when you brought Sohyun to see him?” ranted Sooyoung.

“Nothing more than what he must have felt when you brought Dohwan to see him, I’m sure,” retorted Sungjae. “Don’t try to use Minjae to guilt me.”

“So what do you think Minjae is going to feel?” asked Sooyoung.

“I can’t possibly be responsible for him forever, Sooyoung. You know as well as I do that we can’t parent him forever. It’s not my fault if he can’t move on from us,” shot Sungjae.

“Then why did you try to win me back in the first place when I was dating Dohwan-oppa, if you still had feelings for Sohyun?” asked Sooyoung.

Sungjae closed his eyes and bit his lower lip hard, before replying, “I didn’t realise that I still had feelings for her before she came back. Maybe I mistook our friendship and camaraderie that we shared when we worked together on the project for the orphanage as love. Whatever it was, it wasn’t love.”

“So everything we went through together since our project was nothing but friendship and camaraderie? A few weeks back together with Sohyun made you believe that everything we had was nothing but friendship and camaraderie?” asked Sooyoung in disbelief. “You honestly expect me to believe that, Yook Sungjae?”

“Take it or leave it, Park Sooyoung. Look, I don’t want to fight about this anymore. Sohyun’s waiting for me at the café. You can have this if you want. I don’t want it anymore,” said Sungjae, as he took off his ring and handed it to Sooyoung.

Sooyoung looked away from his outstretched arm, unable to accept what she was seeing. Sungjae grew impatient and let the ring fall on the ground, before walking off. Sooyoung waited till his footsteps died away, before squatting down to pick up Sungjae’s ring. A tear rolled down Sooyoung’s cheek and clung on to her chin, much like how she still clung to the memories and feelings that she shared with Sungjae. She wrapped her arms around her knees in her squatting position, trying to stop herself from going to pieces. Sooyoung didn’t care if people were looking at her. All she cared about now was that her biggest pillar of support that she had come to lean on had been ripped from her. The emptiness of the hole it left behind clawed at her heart and stomped on her tear ducts. But funnily enough, the tear that still clung to her chin was the only tear that she shed. Her pain and helplessness was beyond tears. Sooyoung closed her eyes and buried her face in her knees. How long she remained in that position, she had no idea. Sungjae was gone. That was all that still mattered.

…

The following day, Sooyoung tried going for a walk to deal with her feelings. But her feet had other ideas and without realising it, she found herself outside Sungjae’s house. She didn’t want to let go this easily. She had fought so hard to be with Sungjae. There was no way she was going down without a fight.

“What are you doing here?” asked a voice behind her.

Sooyoung turned to see the person she least wanted to see in front of her.

“I came to talk to Sungjae-oppa,” said Sooyoung in a clipped voice.

“Sungjae-oppa already broke up with you. What more do you want?” said Sohyun.

“That’s none of your business. This is between me and him,” replied Sooyoung.

“Oppa told me he made it clear to you that it was over between you two. He wants to be with me now. Can’t you just take a hint and not come between us?” said Sohyun tartly.

“Not come between you two?” asked Sooyoung disbelievingly. “Coming from you, Kim Sohyun? You dare tell me not to come between you two? After what you’ve done?”

“What have I done? I knew oppa way before you did. We loved each other and were only forced to break up because my family had to move to the US. It makes perfect sense now for me to claim what belongs to me and pick up from where we left off. If anything, you’re the third party! So back off before – AHHH!!!” Sohyun had barely finished before Sooyoung dealt her a sharp slap across her left cheek.

“So you think you can just walk in to our relationship and take Sungjae-oppa from me?” said Sooyoung in a cold voice, though she was seething with rage. “Were you there when Sungjae’s brain aneurysm ruptured? Were you there when his heartbeat nearly stopped?”

“How dare you slap me, ! And don’t make yourself sound so great! You pushed Sungjae-oppa away when he confessed! You caused his brain aneurysm to rupture! You obviously can’t appreciate him! So don’t make me laugh and claim that you’ve been there for him. You put him in these situations in the first place!” spat Sohyun.

At these words, Sooyoung launched herself at Sohyun without thinking. The pair ended up on the ground in a struggle, with screams of pain and anger from both Sohyun and Sooyoung.

“ENOUGH!” shouted a loud voice, as a strong pair of hands pulled the fighting duo apart.

Sooyoung was pushed to the side and looked up to see Sungjae towering over them both and glaring at Sooyoung.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Park Sooyoung? Why the heck did you attack Sohyun?” demanded Sungjae. “Don’t try to deny it! I saw it all from my window. You pushed her over and started attacking her on the ground! No, you know what? I don’t need to hear the reason. Come on, Sohyun, you’re bleeding. I’ll help you tend to it.”

The pair walked towards Sungjae’s house. Before reaching the front door, Sungjae turned to Sooyoung and said, “I warn you, Park Sooyoung. If this happens again, I can’t promise what I’ll do to you. Now pick yourself up and get out of my sight!”

Sungjae and Sohyun walked into Sungjae’s house, leaving Sooyoung still sitting on the pavement.

Has your heart really hardened, oppa? Is this really the end for us?

…

Changsub was sipping his morning coffee at home when his doorbell rang. Changsub got up to answer it and was surprised to see Joohyun outside his door.

“Hi Changsub, can I come in?” asked Joohyun.

“Sure!” replied Changsub, as he stepped aside to let Joohyun enter.

Changsub poured Joohyun a drink as she sat down.

“Changsub-ah, what’s been going on with Sungjae?” asked Joohyun, half in frustration, half in concern. “Why is he suddenly treating Sooyoung this way? It’s not like the previous time. This time, Sungjae seems to literally have cut off all ties with Sooyoung to be with Sohyun! Is it really the rekindling of an old flame?”

Changsub looked at Joohyun helplessly and said, “Look, Joohyun. This is something that’s out of my control this time. I can’t do much to help this time, if at all.”

“What if Sooyoung goes to pieces like she did previously? Can’t y