"Chunghee, I already know everything. You don't need to hide anything from me again. The most important thing right now is your recovery. Even though I really wanted to accompany you, but I can't ... I can't. You have decided it and I have to obey you. So, for the last time, I beg you to strive for your recovery." He smiled at the pause of his words, revealing a sadness that was shrouded in his heart, then said deeply, "You can hate me, but don't let your hatred make you have to ignore your own condition. This is the last time, so please listen to my words this time, okay?"

I was stunned when I heard his words. After all, those words seemed to be breaking my heart at once. The pain in his words was so intense, made me want to run and scream as loud as I could, vomiting up the feelings that had weighed on me all this time.

When I heard the words "for the last time", all the light in my life disappeared instantly as if I was going to live in darkness all my life.

I never thought that those words would be spoken by either of us one day. And today, I just heard it directly from his mouth.

Heh ... for the last time ...

Yes, since separating from him, today was the beginning of our meeting and it would also be the last for us.

That's the final decision I chose.

There was no longer words 'next time' or even a hope of returning to the way it used to be.

When that sentence came out, then that's the truth. This meeting was the last meeting between a couple who used to dream of having a lifelong relationship.

But, are we really not in love with each other anymore?

It was my decision and selfishly, I forced this on him.

Is this what is called a one-sided decision?

Will there be consequences someday?

Thinking about it, I felt that this situation was unfair. By deciding something like that, I intended to make him stay away and find some peace. However, it's far from what I expected. Everything felt broken and what hurt the most was me, who seemed to destroy this relationship with my own hands.

The peace I hoped for never existed. There was only misery that I could clearly see in front of my eyes at this time.

But, why did I still decide this?

Was this foolishness or carelessness?

It didn't feel that different from cutting my own veins. It all ended bitterly even though it sounded so convincing at first.

Why, why did that decision backfire which hurt me even more?

That's totally unfair.

"Chunghee?"

His gentle voice snapped me from my reverie. I stared at him for a moment before asking in surprise, "How did you know? Who told you?"

He answered without hesitation, "Daehyun said it ... accidentally." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Actually, I wanted to ask your reasons, why didn't you tell me about your true condition? Why weren't you honest with me in the first place? But, with our current situation, I better not ask that. It's useless. I know that. Now, I just want you to get well. Continue your treatment. You have to live well in the future."

He paused for a second, then laughed hollowly. "Actually I'm mad at you. I'm really mad at you about this. I don't know why you didn't want to be honest about this from the start. What's wrong with you?"

I gripped the blanket tightly. Hearing those words, I felt displeased. I knew I wanted us to break up, but as soon as I heard words that seemed to depict our breakup, I realized that it was too painful to bear.

"Just so you know, much wrong with me. But, like what I said before, you can't fix me."

After this conversation, the silence between us lasted quite a while. The room was completely silent without any of us talking.

I turned my gaze out of the window, gazing at the sunny weather, now became cloudy with a strong wind. Then, I swept my gaze again towards Donghwa who seemed to be thinking about something while lowering his head.

In this silence, I voiced, "Why are you still here?"

He slowly lifted his head, looked at me with a smile but it didn't reach his eyes. He replied in a low voice, "You want me to go right away?"

I nodded slowly in response. Even if it's hard, this was the decision I had chosen. I knew that I wasn't okay with this decision and was in great torment mentally. But, this was how it ended.

In the past, we imagined a bright future, but the reality was far from what we had ever imagined.

"Okay, then, go to sleep. I'll leave when you're asleep," Donghwa said.

I frowned and looked at him in surprise. Previously, I had intended to ask the meaning of his words, but I felt that it was nothing important again, so I just said, "I'm not sleepy."

"Then I won't go either. You don't sleep, so I don't leave."

Even though he said the words gently, the sentence itself had a pretty strong 'urging' meaning. Then, as if without a choice, I heavily close my eyes.

After all, what happened today wouldn't make me sleepy. Nor was I sure that I would sleep well tonight.

However, a few moments after I closed my eyes, Donghwa's body started to move and his hands were already hugging me from behind. Now, he was laying behind me, hugging me tightly.

This sudden action took me by surprise. I immediately looked back and exclaimed, "Donghwa, what are you doing?!"

Donghwa didn't answer while closing his eyes.

I was momentary stunned. The gentleness on his face seemed to repeat the past — a classic tale of our good times — it seemed to make me want to go back to our past story. As difficult as it was, that time was better than all the obstacles that existed today.

Without opening his eyes, Donghwa spoke, "Go to sleep. I promise, when you wake up, you won't see me here."

I wanted to ask, "Why? For what?" But I was speechless. The feeling that was channeled from his tone made me lose my words. So, as soon as I heard his sentence, made me believe that he would keep his words.

After a few moments, his deep and deep voice was heard again, "Chunghee, I don't like seeing kiss marks on your neck. Next time, if Kim forces you, you have to firmly refuse him. Don't let him touch you again. I know I have no right again to say this but I beg you, don't let him touch you again."

The tone of his voice sounded conveying many feelings in his heart as if the deep sorrow he felt he could no longer express. So, as he spoke again, I could hear a terrible sadness in it. "Chunghee, don't let him touch you. I don't like it ... I don't like it ... I shouldn't be angry anymore, but now I'm really angry."

He's not lying. Even though he said the words gently like saying, "Go to sleep, good night", the anger in his heart couldn't be hidden. He clasped his hands together as if he was going to crush something.

Hearing his words, I slowly opened my eyes. Then, without moving, I said, "He never forced me. We did it because I allowed him. Stop prejudice against him. He's done so much for me. I'll be mad if you always blame him."

"Heh."

The word "heh" already revealed how annoyance was blooming on his chest. He then sneered softly, "Now, you always seem to defend him. I have known you for a long time and I know that you will never want to do that for real. I know you have to."

He took a deep breath and said in a warning tone, "Don't be with him anymore. It's better if you leave him. I'm not lying to you if he's getting married. It doesn't matter if he loves you, he will still leave you. Even in the end, you two are together, your relationship will not be last long. I don't want you to suffer."

I fell silent, couldn't reply to those words. I knew that it would happen and I didn't care about myself as if I had lost all hope in my life. So, being abandoned once again won't be worth my split with Donghwa today.

Not getting any reply, Donghwa also fell silent behind my back. Then, moments later, he suddenly asked, "Do you really like him? Do you really love him?"

I lost my mind for a moment before replying in a low voice as if a lot of burdens were on my tongue as I churned out the words. "Don't mind my business. Mind your own business."

He was heard laughing hollowly. "All right, you're right."

A few seconds after those words, he asked again, "Then, what about that scarf? Do you always wear it?"