“I came here to tell you something.” I say, running my hand along the sweating cold plastic cup of iced coffee. I just ordered one for myself. I try not to let my voice shake amidst the growing fear inside my chest. The water bites coldly in my nails.

“You better tell me now. Don’t waste my time.” Tae Woong replies. He sips from his cup and looks straightly at me.

“Just leave us alone. Shi Won, JoonHee and me.”

He slams his cup on the table, spilling some of his coffee and scaring nearby customers.

“I won’t! I need Shi Won back and I won’t leave you alone until I get her.”

“You have to remember that we’re already married! You just can’t lay a finger on her anytime you want to.”

“I love her. And I will do anything in my power to have her.”

I clench my teeth in anger. I say the most selfish thing I can say in my entire life.

“I wish Song Ju didn’t die so you won’t fall in love with Shi Won.”

He throws the cup on the floor and the whole coffee shop is shattered by silence. I see a trickle of blood on his fingers.

“Say it again.” He says, eyes burning with rage it starts to prick on my skin.

I make no effort to conceal my anger.

“I wish-”

“Tae Woong-ah.”

I turn behind me and Tae Woong shifts his gaze. Shi Won folds her arms across her chest.

“Are you dumb?” she asks. A staff rushes to clean the mess Tae Woong made. He makes no response.

“If it’s not easy for you to leave us alone, then I’ll leave all of you behind. Would that be fair enough?”

Tae Woong attempts to stand but she raises a hand to stop him.

“Shi Won-ah”

“Now you decide or I’ll slam this table on you!” she threatens.

Tae Woong just swallows and clenches his fist. His wounded hand turns bright red with blood.

“We’re leaving.” Shi Won says and drags me by the tie. We walk out of the coffee shop and turn on a vacant corner.

“What the hell was that?!” she yells at me.

“I was just telling him to leave us alone.”

“Do you think for one second he’ll listen to you? You don’t know him as much as I do.”

“He’s my brother, in case you forget.”

“But-”

I swat her hand away and push her off me.

“But if this continues, he might end up hurting Yoo Jung or Sung Jae or even your parents/ now I suggest you leave the apartment!”

I see disbelief cross her eyes. “What?”

“You heard me. Leave the apartment. Go to a place where Tae Woong won’t find you.”

“No!”

I held her backpack before she can get away. I get the small card from my suit and slap it on her forehead.

“Here’s the address. It’s within Seoul and Tae Woong won’t find it.”

She takes a card and gives it a look.

“I want you be out by tomorrow.” I say. Leaving her alone is the best I can do. At least for now.

“What made you come here?” I ask Hyeon Jae, my co-intern in the hospital, as I put the iced rea ad chocolate cake on the table.

“I just want to see you. I heard you got injured.”

I put a hand on my shoulder. “Oh.”

“Are you okay now?”

“I’m trying to be.”

“How about things with Yoon Jae?”

He slices the cake and takes a bite, his eyes examining me like a dissected frog. If there’s only one person in my college life who knows how I feel about Yoon Jae, it’s him. Good thing I didn’t fall for him – given how their names are almost similar.

“I’m…I’m still getting along with him just fine.”

He rolls his eyes. “You’re always giving me that answer. You’re always making me worry.”

“It’s true.” I insist.

He stands up and puts his hand on my uninjured shoulder.

“You know I’m always here to listen. I hate to see you cry over it again.”

I feel overwhelmed in his genuine concern. I pull him in a hug.

“Thank you, Min Hyeon Jae.”

He pulls himself away from me. “Yah, get well soon okay? I miss having a partner-in-crime.”

“I will.”

“So, how are things with your girlfriend?”

He looks me in the eye. “I’m still getting along with her.”

I punch his arm lightly for copying my answer.

“Yah, that’s my line.”

We end up laughing on small and petty things that we didn’t notice Yoon Jae came in. hyeon Jae has his arms around my waist. When he clears his throat, Hyeon Jae steps away from me.

“Annyeong, Yoon Jae-ah.”

“Yoon Jae smiles then turns to me.”

“Is there some cake left?”

I nod, but I see jealousy burning in his eyes.

The traffic is smooth on my way home. It’s almost one in the morning and the small card Yoon Jae gave me is staring at me like a thief in the night. I didn’t mean for everything to come into this. I played a part, but I know Tae Woong did much worse.

Maybe Yoon Jae is right. I need to leave so there can be peace in our lives. I was the fuel to the fire. I should be the one to put it off.

When I get home, I pick up my things and leave a note on Joon Hee’s bedside table.