♦ ♦ ♦

 

I got out from my car and walked into the building. There's a big banner about the seminar so I I got the room figured out. I pushed the elevator button and waited. 

What am I doing?

I should've stop long ago.. 

I should've forget her the moment I decided to leave her.

I sighed and pushed the elevator button once again, as if it would make it open faster. A couple of minutes later, the door opened, revealing Insoo who has a shocked expression just like I do.

"You! What are you doing here? I told you to leave, didn't I?" He stepped out from the elevator and shoot me an angry glare.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Aish. Follow me." He walked outside and I followed him. He stopped when he reached a secluded spot at the backyard, "What do you want?"

"I want to see her."

"And what? She doesn't want to see you."

"Did she tell you that? No, right?" I said. He rub his face in frustration and continued.

"Look. She's hurt enough. She doesn't need to see you and reminded of her old memories, she's happy now.."

"I know.." I looked down, "But I need this.."

It seems like he caught my desperate tone and decided to lower his tone, "You're selfish, you know that right?" He rested his back on the wall and so did I.

"I am, but I don't know what else to do. I regret what I've done.."

"You should've thought it through three years ago. It's too late now."

"What do you mean?"

"You told me to take care of her, so that's what exactly what I'm doing. I took care of her the moment you left her, I still do and I intend to do it in the future."

"Wh–"

"I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"You.." I felt my heart sank upon hearing what he said. 

"So, can you leave now? Not only from here, but from her life too. Unlike you, I will make her happy just like she deserves to be." He continued.

 

I was going to answer but someone's presence cut me off, "Yah! Insoo! Where have you bee–"

I turned my head and.. there she was. Aeri stood there with her eyes widen in shock.

"...Seungho, is that you?"

"Aeri, it's been a long time.." I bowed slightly.

"Insoo, what's going on? Why are you with him?" She still hadn't recovered from her shock as she looked back and forth between me and Insoo.

"It's nothing. He's leaving, let's go back inside." Insoo walked to her side and grabbed her wrist. But not like I was expecting, she stood there frozen, "Aeri, come on."

"I want to talk to him."

"Eh?" I said in disbelief.

"What?" Insoo also couldn't believe what he heard coming from Aeri.

"I said, I want to talk to him. I'll meet you upstairs later.." She freed her wrist from Insoo's hand and approached me, "Can we talk?"

"Yah! Aeri!"

"Insoo, please.."

"Aish. Don't be too long, the seminar will start in thirty minutes." He then glared at me, "Seungho, don't forget what I said earlier. And you better leave after this."

 

Don't worry Insoo, I will.

 

♦ ♦ ♦

 

"It's been a long time.." I said once we sat at a table at the first floor's coffee shop.

"Too long.." She took in a deep breath and continued, "Why are you here?"

"Actually, I want to see you."

"Why? You want to see how am I doing after you freaking left me with no words whatsoever?" She said sharply. I looked up in shock, I never knew Aeri could say something pretty harsh. Well then, what do I expect? Of course she wouldn't be nice to me after what I've done.

"Aeri, I'm sorry.."

"That was three years ago, Seungho, forget it. I don't want an apology now."

"But still..I'm sorry..I know I should've apologize to you years ago."

"Yeah you should've, but you know what, you shouldn't have left me at all. You didn't have faith in me for a slightest bit? Why didn't you even let us talk before you decide?"

"Aeri.."

"Why did you gave up on us?" She said almost in a whisper.

She's still hurt.

My heart was breaking once again when I realized that. She's still waiting for an explanation..

"Tell me everything. What happened back then, and why did you...leave?" She looked up. Her eyes were teary but I could see determination in them. She demanded me to make her understand about the hurt she feels all these times.

So she could move on and forget me.. I realized.

 

♦ ♦ ♦

 

I told her everything.

What I did back then and the reason why I did it. But more than that, I told her what made me decide to end our relationship without words.

"Did you even love me?" She asked.

"Of course I did.." I looked deep into her eyes, "and I still do..Aeri."

"Please don't say that.."

"It's the truth.."

"You can't just popped out and say you love me, Seungho. Not after all these times." She looked out the window and sighed, "I'm with Insoo now.."

"I know.." I mumbled.

We were drowned in silence for some time. Without having to talk, I know that our minds were in the same place right now.

 

Memories.

 

Pains. 

 

Regrets.

 

Explanations.

 

and..

 

 

 

Closure.

 

I grabbed the present box from the seat besides me and put it on the table. I was hesitated when I decided to buy it earlier, but I've made up my mind now.

"It's for you, happy birthday.." She looked at me and opened the box.

Her eyes moistened when she realized what was in the box.

"Seungho.. this.."

 

 

"A pair of shoes!!" I shouted in delight when I saw what Aeri gave me for my birthday. 

"Do you like it?" She asked cautiously.

"Of course I like it! I love it!" I grabbed the shoes from the box but I feel that something was off, "But..."

"What?"

"Yah! Aeri! Do you even know that giving someone shoes means goodbye???"

"Ehh??? Really?"

"That's what my mother told me!"

"Put it back, put it back now Seungho!!" She gestured towards the shoes I was holding and I threw them back into the box. 

"That was close.." I sighed.

We looked at each other and laughed when we realized how silly we acted just now.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know...I'm going to ask for a refund and buy you something else. Mianhe.." She pouted.

"It's okay.." I put my hands across her shoulder and kissed her head, "From now on, shoes are big no for us, okay?" 

"Okay.." She smiled, "I won't give you shoes anymore. Well, maybe except for a breakup."

"Mwo??? What did you say? Repeat it now!"

"I said, 'I'm going to give you shoes when it's our breakup'" She grinned michiveously and I stared at her in disbelief when she continued, "What? It's less painful that way, right? I hate breakup words. If I gave you shoes, that means bye bye, and vice versa." She freed herself from my arms and started running from me while laughing.

"Yah! Aeri!"

 

 

I looked up at her and smiled, doing my best not to let my voice shake from the pain I was feeling.

"Yes, I think this is goodbye.."

 

 

 

 

♦  ♦  ♦    END   ♦  ♦  ♦ 

 

 

 

---

A.N

I think it somehow become far from how the song supposed to be about, but oh well..

Thank you for reading, I hope you like this short fic :)