As he opened his hand, unbelievably, a ring fell into hers.

Confused about what was happening, Sarang looked up at him.

“You said you wanted one for your birthday.”

Sarang blinked blankly, then lowered her gaze to the ring in her palm.

‘Tell me if there’s something you want as a present. I’ll remember that too.’

‘A couple ring.’

The conversation from Dohan’s birthday five years ago echoed clearly in her ears.

Sarang was shocked that he remembered her birthday.

Moreover, he hadn’t forgotten her wish to receive a couple ring as a gift.

But soon, she felt miserable rather than touched.

How could he give her this ring now, after she saw him with another woman’s ring and even slapped his cheek?

Was he giving this gift now just because they ended up in the same team and it was her birthday?

Was he telling her to forget about that incident now that she has the ring?

Sarang felt like Dohan was making a fool of her, and clenched her hand with the ring.

Just as she was about to throw it away, he spoke.

“I got it matched after we broke up. Engraved with our names.”

Sarang’s fist loosened in an instant.

“I’ve been wearing it for a long time… I took it off before coming to work yesterday, and it felt empty.”

Dohan fiddled with his empty finger, where the faint trace of the long-worn ring remained.

He thought his heart might feel just as empty without Sarang, a bitter smile on his lips.

“I was scared you’d misunderstand again, so I couldn’t wear it.”

Dohan could endure being slapped, but he didn’t want to be misunderstood as having another woman.

To him, there was only Lee Sarang.

“What do you mean?”

“The ring I was wearing at the hotel that day. It wasn’t another woman’s. It was a couple ring engraved with your name.”

Sarang’s eyes wavered, realizing the ring she was holding was part of a set with the one Dohan wore five years ago.

“Then why, why did we…”

Did we have to break up?

Sarang suddenly felt her eyes burning and her throat tightening.

She had promised not to cry over Dohan again.

Even when they met in the office, in the elevator, on the rooftop, she had held back her tears, but now they were ready to fall.

“Birthday cake candles’ wishes really do come true.”

As Dohan stepped closer, Sarang bit her lip, fearing her tears would fall.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask, so much she was curious about, but she couldn’t utter a word.

The questions in her mind were so tangled she didn’t know which to ask first.

“That day, when I blew out the candles, I wished I could be with you on your birthday too.”

Finally, tears fell from Sarang’s eyes.
The original Korean paragraph consists of 50 lines. I will translate it verbatim into English, maintaining the same number of lines in the translation.

Dohan gently wiped the tears from the corners of Sarang’s moist eyes with his hand.

He was grateful for today’s company dinner, as it gave him the excuse of alcohol to wipe away her tears.

“If I knew my wish would come true this late, I would have said my next birthday, no, every year.”

Would we have not broken up then?

Would I have never hurt you?

Sarang trembled under Dohan’s affectionate touch.

Five years ago, fearing that he would find a couple ring burdensome, Sarang had asked for a different gift.

The kiss they shared that day.

Though she kissed Dohan every day, Sarang still longed for it on her birthday.

There couldn’t be a happier gift than that.

Did he remember that too?

Dohan was slowly lowering his head towards her.

She should avoid it. She should run away.

But Sarang’s eyes involuntarily closed, regardless of her will.

Dohan’s breath was close enough to feel. Sarang thought she should push him away now.

Just then, the sound of tires rolling on the gravel of the parking lot along with bright lights came from afar.

Dohan, who was moving closer to Sarang, stopped and turned his head towards the sound.

Someone got out of the driver’s seat and approached them.

Dohan’s face hardened as he recognized the man immediately.

Jeong Yunjae. The very sports college student everyone, even he himself, had thought was well-suited for Sarang.