O1. C O L O G N E            

Hyunji beamed up at the night sky that was filled with smiling stars. She wrapped the thin blanket around her tighter and enjoyed the night as much as she could.

Hoya stepped out into the living room with dripping wet hair. He shook his head like a dog and spotted Hyunji curled up into a ball in front of the window. Smiling, he walked over and plopped himself beside her. “Ah~” a sigh of content left his mouth and he glanced at Hyunji.

Hyunji smiled, feeling his presence. Hoya wrapped an arm around Hyunji and she cuddled in closer into his chest.

No words were spoken and they just enjoyed the night together in silence.

After a few minutes, Hoya’s voice sliced through the silence like a knife, “Are you going to bed?” Hyunji closed her eyes and rested her head on Hoya’s chest, “Mm…”

Hoya chuckled and shook his head. She would always do that when she wanted him to carry her. He took her legs and back in his arms and lifted her, bridal style. He slowly walked up the stairs, but purposely stumbled over, making Hyunji squeal and wrap her arms around his neck tightly.

Laughing, Hoya continued walking up the stairs.

-

The weekend went by and it was Monday: work time for the couple.

They worked at the same office and everyone in their workplace knew about their relationship. Hyunji was pretty much Hoya’s secretary, which meant they were everywhere together: not hard to see each other have make-out sessions in the middle of lunch break.

That day, Hyunji left work early because she said she had an important appointment, leaving Hoya to go home alone.

Hoya was curious to where she went and decided to wait until she came home to question her. She just left without even a goodbye kiss. He was mad.

The clock clicked 11PM and the front door opened, having Hyunji quietly squeeze her body through the door. She gasped, being greeted with an irritated Hoya with his arms crossed.

She chuckled, “What’s wrong?” She took off her heels and walked into the house, Hoya following after. “Yah,” he called with his deep voice. Hyunji turned around, “Eo?”

When Hoya didn’t answer, Hyunji tilted her head, “What?” After a minute of silence, Hyunji finally got his message and sighed but smiled.

Good thing that they were together for three years because they would know exactly why the other was angry.

Hyunji looked at Hoya’s pouting face and chuckled. She gave him a short but sweet kiss on the lips and said, “Did that make up for it? Sorry, honey. It was so sudden, I forgot to call or tell you what happened.”

“No. It didn’t. Where were you?”

Hyunji hesitated. “…Well, Jimin just recently had a baby and I had to go see her to look after her. That was it, happy?”

“…Hmm…” Hoya squinted one eye.

Hyunji sighed. Her boyfriend was acting like a total baby.

“I’ll make up for it, okay, baby? Right now, I just need to shower,” she said, walking towards the door of the bathroom.

Hoya waddled behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “How will you repay me?” he asked in a low and erted voice. Hyunji squirmed and got out of his grasp. “Yah, it’s not the time to be a ert. I need to shower,” she said, eyeing him.

“Then can I join?” Hoya trailed behind and grinned.

Hyunji’s palm greeted Hoya’s forehead and before he could protest, she had slammed the door in his face. “At least give me your clothes so I can wash them!” he hollered. Hyunji didn’t reply. Scowling, Hoya went inside their room to wait, but before he could, the bathroom door opened and a black skirt, cream blazer, white dress-shirt with purple undergarments were thrown at him, having his head full of clothing.

“Thank you!” Hyunji giggled.

Growling, Hoya grabbed the clothes and went into the laundry room. One by one, he carefully put them into the washing machine. But something smelt awfully…weird.

Hoya frowned and raised the white dress shirt towards his nose. His sensitive nose picked up cologne that he doesn’t wear. He frowned even deeper.

After a few minutes of thinking, he just waved it away and thought that it was Jimin’s husband or someone like that…

That night, he just forgot all about it and went to sleep with Hyunji.

-

“Are you serious? You’re going to do that?” Woohyun asked, surprised.

“Yeah, do you have a problem with that?” Hoya defended.

“No, no, it’s just…I’m happy for you!” Woohyun smiled, causing Hoya to smile along. “Thanks man.” Woohyun nodded in approval.

“So is that the only reason why you called me out today? Not even wanting to catch up with me, your best friend?” Woohyun teased. Hoya chuckled, “I called you out because you’re my only best friend and I need assistance- you should feel special enough. I need your help to find me an engagement ring. This is going to be with her for the rest of her life.”

Woohyun smirked. “But what if she says no?” he joked. Hoya gave him a look. “She won’t,” he answered short, confident.

Hoya and Woohyun spent at least an hour scanning through the women’s rings. Nothing had caught his attention. All of them were either too fancy or too simple- he knew Hyunji wouldn’t like that.

After the hour of searching, he had finally found that one ring he wanted. It was simple and elegant but attention-capturing at the same time. The employees placed the ring neatly into a red velvet box and into a bag.

“But you know what was funny?” Hoya pondered, grabbing the bag from the table. Woohyun looked at him and said, “What?” “Hyunji’s clothes smelt like cologne. Why do you think that is so?”

“Well, one, as weird as this may sound, she wears cologne, two, you wear cologne, or three,” Woohyun leaned in close and whispered, “she’s cheating on you.”

Hoya pushed him away and glared at him, “What? No way.”

“It can be possible,” Woohyun muttered while shrugging. Hoya gave him a look, “I need hardcore evidence and proof.”

Woohyun nudged him and asked, firmly, “Do you want proof?” Hoya didn’t answer. “We’re buddies-“ Woohyun stopped joking and his eyes widened. Hoya turned around, “You’re , what-“

They both froze.

Hoya’s eyes widened and his heart started to race. Woohyun worriedly glanced at Hoya and back at to what they were staring at before.

Hyunji. There she was, her arm around another man’s arm, laughing and smiling brightly. The man laughed as they walked into the same jewellery store Hoya and Woohyun was in.

Instinctively, the two ducked and spied on Hyunji and the mysterious boy.

There were two elderly people following them with bright smiles on their face, one a woman, the other a man. They were watching how happily Hyunji and the man interacted and they smiled, happy.

Meanwhile, Hoya and Woohyun eyed the four people sternly behind a table of latest necklaces.

“H-Hoya, I think we should ask her what’s going on-“ Woohyun whispered, but was cut off with Hoya’s ‘sh’. “No. This isn’t like Hyunji. Just wait.”

After minutes of watching, Myungsoo’s mother said with glee, “So what kind of wedding rings are you searching for, Hyunji? Just tell me the one you like, and I will certainly buy it for you!”

Hyunji smiled and shook her head. “Anything is fine, eomonim.”

Hoya’s eyes widened. *Eo-Eomonim?! Wedding ring?! What the hell is going on?*

=

Devastated and filled with melancholy.

“Hey, baby, what’s up?” Hyunji whispered through the phone.

Hoya watched her actions closely and asked, “Hey, I was just wondering where you were…”

“Oh, me?” Hyunji uneasily looked around and then smiled, “I’m at Jimin’s house, playing with her newborn…Is there something wrong?”

Without even replying, Hoya hung up and Woohyun dragged in outside of the store and into his car.

*…She lied…She-She…*

Determined to find out what was going on, Hoya went to sleep, thinking up a plan.

A few days later, Hyunji left the house without a notice. Meanwhile, Hoya was in their room wearing all black and a hat. When he had heard the door shut, he quickly followed behind.

Hyunji passed by a house and the same people he saw before entered her car, excited and laughing. Another round of driving was done before stopping at an Italian restaurant in the city.

Hoya sat and watched in the car while the four walked into the restaurant, easily getting a table.

The whole dinner, Hyunji and Myungsoo were being all cuddly and sweet by feeding each other while Hoya was stopping himself from running into the restaurant and pulling Hyunji away.

He was about to but stopped when Hyunji and Myungsoo paused to look at each other. They stared on and on into each others’ eyes like they were deeply in love. Slowly, Myungsoo leaned in and pressed his lips against Hyunji’s.

Hoya’s heart had just stopped beating. That was his girlfriend right before his eyes kissing another male that isn’t him.

Myungsoo pulled back and smiled. Hyunji smiled back while Myungsoo’s parents clapped in joy.

Hoya’s tears fell onto his hand. The girl he was going to propose to was cheating on him. The girl he spent three years with had just gone behind his back without another man. All the memories he had with that girl washed away with the tears Hoya had cried.

They didn’t mean anything now.

Without even wanting an explanation or thinking, Hoya quickly drove back home and packed up all his belongings into his bags.

After spending less than minutes doing so, Hoya barged towards the door. He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around, eyes filled with tears. He looked at the now half-empty apartment and let out a sob.

*I gave her everything…everything I had. My love. My heart. My trust. And she repaid me by throwing a knife through my heart. I don’t need her…*

He blinked back the overflowing tears and let out a low, shaky sigh. *But three years of being together…three years filled with happiness and love…How could she do this to me?*

Thinking about it even more, made him more upset. So turning around once again, he opened the door and left, never turning back again.

The red velvet box was long forgotten in the nightstand drawer. 

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