To Ji Hansol, happy birthday! I miss you so much, NCT does, too.❤️ #HappyJiHansolDay

07

"Eomma!" Minji ran towards Sohyun, who just entered the house.

She hugged her leg and clung onto her like a koala. I swear, she's like Haejin when she's little. This is what I get everytime I let Sohyun hang out with Haejin when she was pregnant...

"Minjiiiiii~" Sohyun said, carrying Minji and kissing her cheek. "How was your day?" She asked, pinching her cheek.

Minji smiled sheepishly, "It was fine~ But why won't you let me go to the reunion?" She whined.

Sohyun looked at me and sighed, "You have classes, love... you can't just ditch it.." She said calmly.

Minji sulked and Sohyun looked at her sternly, "Don't pout. Look at your dad over there." She pointed at me. "He's also sulking."

Minji laughed, "Maybe because you didn't kiss appa, eomma."

She raised a brow, "Is that so?"

She hopped towards me and kissed my cheek, "Yah, Mark. You need to talk." She laughed.

I snapped back to reality and hugged them both. I kissed Minji's cheek and the same with Sohyun.

"What were you two doing before I arrived?" She asked.

"Appa was telling me a story!"

"What story?"

"Your love story!"

Sohyun's eyes widened, "What?" She looked at me, "Are you out of your mind—"

I shushed her by kissing her on her lips and smiled, "Let me finish the story."

Minji was covering her eyes while giggling.

***

"Mark."

I turned around when I heard her voice.

Heartbreaking but I have to do this. It's for the best. Even if it breaks my heart all over again.

"S-Sohyun-ah...." I started.

She looked down, "If it's going to be about us—"

I sighed, "Let's... end this."

She started crying while nodding, "I... I-I... I totally u-understand... wh-who am I kidding... it's been years... i'm j-just fooling myself by keep on saying th-that nothing changed... i kept on telling myself... that y-you still love me... b-but.. i guess not?" she laughed bitterly and wiped her eyes.

"Hey, Mark!" She tried to call me cheerfully, although her voice was cracking. "I hope after this, nothing will change between us. I mean, who am I kidding? We're already awkward with each other..."

It stings...

"You know.. M-Mark, I still love you... heck, I really do... I still h-hope that you still do too... but I guess, things are bound to be like this.." She wiped her tears away.

She sighed, "Remember the day before I left?" She looked at me and looked like she was waiting for me to reply.

I gulped, "Wh-What?"

"Wh-when I told you that I really wanted to meet Haejin... b-because you told me that she was a sweet girl... and turns out, y-you were right... she's an angel... she forgave me even if what I did, for her, was unforgivable... I really dreamt of h-having her as my sister-in-law, b-but... yeah things happened..." She breathed in.

I was looking down, it really hurts but I have to do this....

"Yah, take care of Haejin okay?" She patted my shoulder. "I-I don't think I can talk to her the same way now..." She sniffed.

She turned around and started to walk away. My heart started to break into pieces.

One step...

followed by another...

symbolizes that she's slowly leaving my life...

"Oh." She stopped on her tracks. "Take care of Minji, okay?" She smiled at me, I can notice the hurt in her eyes. "Do you still know who Minji is? She's the child we've been dreaming to have before..."

She left the room and I sat down, hugging my knees.

"Sohyunnie... my love... I'm so sorry... for everything..."