[March 2012]

Park Hyungsik gritted his teeth, enduring the pain he felt in his chest while he’s walking back home. Everything was over, he had lost his fight and comprehending the fact that she didn’t have the slightest love for him hurt his heart like hell.

‘Is it because of Nam Woohyun? If he’s not here, if he didn’t show up in your life, then-then is there a chance for me? Even the slightest?’

Silent.

He squeezed her arms even harder.

‘There’re lots of other girls out there but why me?!’ Jihyun suddenly burst out, looking straight into his eyes. Both of theirs were red but the two of them were in the different kind of outermost sadness. Hyungsik loosened his hold and turned around, back facing his beloved.

He couldn’t accept this. The reason. It frustrated him more to know that Nam Woohyun was the reason and thinking if that rotten piece of human didn’t appear in any of their lives, Kang Jihyun could already be his now.

He could kill that rotten piece of human now…

But suddenly he paused when a thought came to him.

Maybe it’s his own fault for not being quick. He’d known that lady for years but he still didn’t have the guts to confess but that rotten piece of human, he even got married to her without any doubt. Nam Woohyun was quicker in his acts but he, Park Hyungsik who had known her for the longest time acted like a coward.

And because of that, Hyungsik felt more horrible.

‘Please, Hyungsik Oppa. Forget about me. No, forget about your feelings for me. Let’s be friends, like we used to.’ Jihyun pleaded with a hoarse voice. She was tired.

And carefully, she walked to face him and gave the distressed lad a kiss on his lips.

‘I’m sorry.’

Instead of feeling a little comfort when she kissed him, Hyungsik felt more hurt.

So now she was feeling pity for you? What a pathetic man you are, Park Hyungsik! He could hear those voices inside his head, mocking him, laughing at his pitifulness. It was his own conscious and right after he entered his house whilst pressing a hand on his chest, Hyungsik’s legs gave up on him and he fell, alongside some of the furniture in his small home.

But still, he got up and the sound that he made definitely woke his father up as the man the lights inside the house.

And it didn’t take long for him to catch his son and call the local hospital.

‘Abeoji-I-can’t.’ He gasped as breathing was a painful action for him.

‘I-can’t-take-it-take-this-pain-anymore.’

Beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead while he held onto his father’s arms and all the old man could do was to squeeze his son’s hand tight and whisper consoling words to his ears. But no one knew that seeing his dear son hurting like this hurt him more.

‘I’m-sorry. Soyu. I-broke-my-promise. Sorry, Abeoji.’

Finally, his eyes came to a shut and he lost the hold on his father.

It’s true that Park Hyungsik broke his promise to his father on bringing Kang Jihyun back to his arms but he didn’t lie when he said he’d lose his life if she couldn’t be his.

He sadly died because of a cruel unrequited love.

***

Kang Jihyun walked sluggishly towards her bed, still clad in her black dress and a grey cardigan looking all wretched. She just got back from Hyungsik’s funeral and as soon as she lied down on the small mattress, she felt an outermost loneliness and sadness that were slowly engulfing her lifeless soul.

Not only Woohyun left her, Hyungsik also did and the fact that he won’t ever come back hurt her heart more. She did felt guilty when she saw his lifeless face. Pale. And thinking that he won’t ever open his gentle eyes and smile to her anymore made her cry.

Was she being greedy? She once had a thought of being with them both but now, the two of them left.

Then, her thoughts unintentionally flew towards the particular person. The one who gave different feelings to her heart, happiness, anger, sadness, frustration, confusion, everything. The one who left without saying goodbye after whispering words of love the night before.

Nam Woohyun.

She abruptly got up from her bed, feeling a sudden rage inside her chest when she thought of him. How could he leave just like that? Not after what he promised to her, to her father. Such a bastard, she thought. 

Jihyun’s eyes landed on the jar of stars on her desk and without hesitation, she took it and smashed the glass jar against the cold floor. It shattered, scattering countless paper folded stars around the floor. But then, something caught her eyes, not the wedding ring or the one Hyungsik gave her or neither the gold bracelet which were shining amidst the stars.