I didn't respond. I then shifted my body back a little, then leaned back to relax without saying a word.

"Chunghee, why are you so angry with me that you don't want to forgive me? Is it because I lost my ring? I already said that I never lost it on purpose." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Actually, I don't know why I forgot to put it on back then. Sunyeon said that he found it under the table—"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I interrupted before he finished talking, "I don't even care if you want to put it on or not. I don't put it on anymore either. So you don't have to do that if you don't want to."

"What ...."

Donghwa immediately turned his eyes to my finger. As soon as he saw a different ring at the place where our ring once coiled, he suddenly grabbed my hand roughly. He lifted his eyes to me and gave me a look of disbelief. He asked in a trembling voice, holding back the rage within him, "Chunghee, where's your ring? Tell me, where's your ring? Where did you hide it?"

Before answering, I pulled my hand back, then turned my face away to the side without caring. I said indifferently, "I threw it away. It's useless. I don't need it anymore."

Hearing that statement, Donghwa suddenly fell silent. The look on his face still showed an expression of disbelief and surprise at the same time. It was as if he felt a tremendous disappointment that he had never felt before.

However, a few seconds later, he suddenly pulled my hand back roughly, then angrily tried to take the ring off from my finger. "This ring is useless. Kim must have given you, right? You have to take it off and put your ring back on."

Even though Donghwa didn't shout like when he was angry, his voice sounded cold and there was anger in it.

As for me, I struggled to prevent Donghwa from taking off the ring. I clenched my fists as hard as I could while trying to hold onto Donghwa's hand which was actually much stronger than mine.

Unable to stand it, I shouted, "Stop!"

As soon as Donghwa heard that one word, he froze instantly. He slowly loosened his grip before letting go of my hands.

I glanced at him angrily before reaching out to the bedside table, then took my ring on it. I showed the ring right in front of Donghwa's face with a sneer, "You want me to put this on back? For what? Look, there's nothing important here anymore. It's also not as attractive as me." I paused, took a silent breath before continuing, "You already have a new one. I deserve to do it too."

After I convinced him that this rusty ring was really worthless, I immediately threw the ring to a random place. The sound of iron resounded in the silence between us, echoing the many feelings that made two people who were once lovers now had mutual hatred.

His surprised gaze suddenly turned delicate. There was affection running through his eyes before shattering with a tear in the corner of his eye.

He slowly stood up without saying anything, then started looking for the ring that I had thrown away. He searched all corners of the room with tears in his eyes, then soon he found it.

However, as soon as he walked towards the bed, he suddenly stopped. He gasped, gripping his left chest before he fell with both legs bent.

Seeing Donghwa suddenly fall on the floor, I was immediately shocked. I asked worriedly, "What's ... wrong?"

Donghwa didn't respond, but I could hear his gasping breath, and I immediately concluded that he was experiencing shortness of breath.

With great worry, I tried to get out of bed, then walked over to him. Once there, I sat by him, touching his arm gently as I asked anxiously, "Donghwa, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Actually, I didn't want to care about this person anymore no matter what. However, running and hiding was my own choice, while my feelings for him were instinct. So, after all, my body moved on its own when I saw someone who had spent ten years with me in difficult circumstances and didn't rule out crying. It's beyond my control.

Moreover, as far as I knew, he had no history of asthma, so when I saw Donghwa suddenly experience shortness of breath, I couldn't help but worry about his condition.

Donghwa struggled to catch his breath. He coughed now and then, so he immediately took out his handkerchief from his pocket with trembling hand.

Coughing a few times while lowering his head, he immediately wiped his lips, then hurriedly put his handkerchief back into his pocket.

However, since his handkerchief was gray, I caught a glimpse of some dark red stains before he folded it. I didn't want to conclude that it was blood, so I just asked once again to confirm his condition, "Donghwa, are you okay?"

He's probably feeling better already, so he lifted his head, and looked at me with a smile so that how he cried earlier seemed like it never happened. If it weren't for his red, teary eyes, I might think that I saw him cry as unreal.

He touched my face with his hands that held the gentleness and warmth that I always admired in the past, saying, "You were worried about me, so now I feel so wonderful."

I was stunned for a moment, thinking that I shouldn't show him my weak side again. But who's to blame? Meanwhile, my body moved instinctively, and it was beyond my control.

However, thinking that he was feeling better now, I put his hand away and stood up. However, before I stepped towards the bed, Donghwa suddenly hugged my legs.

"Chunghee, I don't want to break up. Come home with me." With a pause, he added, "You once promised me that you would never leave me. You said you would always be with me. So now I want to collect your promise."

I didn't look at him and only hear him speak, bringing up the promise of the past that made me have to bear the burdens because of his actions. So, with a sore heart, I said, "Yes, but because of that I also feel pain. I suffer because of that promise. I shouldn't have said stupid things like that to you."

"Don't you think and realize everything? That all this time, because of that promise, I let you out there to play with anyone. I always forgive you. But, you seem increasingly to be taking advantage of my kindness. Don't you know how much suffering I endured because of those damn words?" I smiled bitterly, then continued. "Now, let me go. Let me go. I've dedicated my life long enough to be with you, so now, I beg you, free me. I just want to spend my time without any more love. I want to recover from all of this nonsense."

Without letting go of his hands, he muttered, "You mean ... you want to live without romance, but why are you living with Kim and having a relationship with him? I will never let you go by his side."

Taking a deep breath, I replied, "Then why? Do you think I lied to you? You often lie to me too, so why can't I?"

Donghwa didn't give a response and just kept silent without a word.

He might have realized how often he lied to me or maybe was lamenting something, like how he had fun out there, while his lover was waiting for him in solitude.

I could tell that he was really hurt by loneliness. However, didn't he ever think that I had been lonely for three years but never said any complaint?

Now, does he feel the pain when he waits for someone but that person doesn't come?

I had even experienced it many times.

He just didn't know how I felt when I called him just to make sure if he wanted to go home or not but he rejected all my calls. Also, he didn't know how much it hurt when I called someone who should be mine but he was wrestling in joy of lustful with someone else on the other line. He didn't know how that young man's moan rang in my head, but I had to keep hiding it with a smile on my face.

He would never feel what I had felt all this time.

After all, I had always thought of him as a flower that I would always care for in my heart. However, seemingly, the flower withered as time passed, and instead grew in someone else's heart. And since I didn't have the talent to snatch things from other people, I allowed myself to watch the flower bloom with a bitter smile.

In the long silence, I said with a low voice, "Let me go."

Donghwa kept being silent. So, out of his unresponsive attitude, I repeated the same words emphatically, "Let me go!"