The distant lights of the bridge blinked in the dark night, like the stars descended to fix themselves upon the beams and chains of the structure. A chilly wind blew past the rooftop, 17 stories above the filthy streets of New York City.

Seungwan could feel every slice of the ice like wind on her skin. A half burnt cigarette glowed dimly in her hand, the thin strands of smoke rising up to curl and writhe around her fingers. She brought it up to , inhaling the foul smelling air into her lungs. The windows from the neighboring buildings lit up orange, like hellish eyes that stared at her emotionlessly, ripping out and laying out every secret she hid in the confines of her heart. Seungwan stood at the very brink of the rooftop, past the bars that confined her from the edges. She looked down at the warm yellow glow of the shops that lit up the streets of the city that never sleeps. Small buggies cluttered and clogged up the space beside the ambling pedestrians, like beetles that growled and spouted out black smoke.

A door creaked open behind her, soft steps tapping up the stairs to the roof accompanying the rustle of a long coat.

“Seungwan, I presume you didn’t just ask me to come up here just to have a smoke with you?” A gentle voice with a raspy undertone sounded behind her.

Seungwan turned around, the yellow light of the nocturnal city behind her merely turning her into a silhouette. “No, I didn’t, but a smoke with you would be nice while we talk.”

The woman stepped past the bannister to stand next to her. They stood close enough to touch, shoulders teetering near each other but never near enough to make contact. Seungwan handed a box of cigarettes to her companion, while flicking open a lighter. The flame lit up the woman’s delicate features in a dark orange glow as Seungwan held it to the end of the cigarette.

The woman blew a small cloud of smoke into the air, watching the web of streets that weaved out between dark, towering monsters with rectangular eyes of yellow light.

“Irene, we can’t keep doing this anymore.” Seungwan started, a mouthful of smoke billowing out into the night sky.

Irene stood in silence, save for the soft drags on her cigarette and quiet exhales of smoke. She finally spoke, voice even. “Why not? They don’t suspect anything.” Seungwan could even believe she wasn’t upset if she didn’t notice how the end of her sentence quivered.

“It’s not them I’m worried about. It’s us.” Seungwan paused, her breath suddenly caught in . “This won’t work if we both don’t love each other like I love you.”

Irene coughed, throwing her cigarette off the roof into the busy street below. “But I do love you.”

Seungwan shook her head. “Would you leave him for me?” She smiled bitterly, lips numb from the cold. “If we were to pack up our things and leave tonight, together, just the two of us, would you?”

“I would.” Irene replied, voice coming out shaky like the way Seungwan quivered in the cold.

“You hesitated.” Seungwan threw her cigarette out into the street as well, stuffing her freezing hands into her pockets. “That’s a clear answer for me.” She stepped back behind the safety of the bannister as she drew another cigarette out.

“I love you too much to cut this affair off.” She said, bringing the lighter to life with a flick of her wrist. “But I won’t just stand and watch your husband kill you slowly with his ways.”

Seungwan walked away from Irene, who stood alone on the edge of the rooftop. The yellow windows watched unblinking, while the maze of yellow streets glowed steadily in the city that never sleeps.