Sa Rang struggled to compose herself.

She had no energy left to sit there.

“Even knowing all the facts, I won’t go back to you, Do Han. So, just leave me alone.”

“It’s okay if you don’t come to me. Just break up with Jeong Yun Jae.”

“You wished for me to meet someone better.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to break up.”

“If Yun Jae isn’t a good person, then who is?”

In his eyes, who could possibly be a good person?

Anyone she met would be better than him, Sa Rang asked with her eyes.

Do Han answered without a hint of hesitation.

“Someone who can give you a greater love than I can.”

Sa Rang was momentarily frozen.

The music that had been playing in the cafe until a moment ago was now completely inaudible.

Whether she was frozen or time had stopped, she couldn’t tell.

Now, five years after breaking up, she finally heard him say he loved her.

When Sa Rang returned home, Ji Woo was setting the table with the packed galbi-tang.

“Why are you so late? Don’t tell me you were with Do Han until now?”

Sa Rang sat down opposite Ji Woo and picked up her spoon.

She was drained after dragging her sick body to the hospital and then meeting Do Han. She wanted to go straight to bed, but she needed to eat to take her medicine.

She was tired of getting severely sick every spring.

Whether it was because of the alcohol she drank yesterday or meeting Do Han, this year seemed even worse.

“What did he say? To break up with Yun Jae right away?”

Sa Rang stopped eating and looked up, surprised.

“Are you eavesdropping on me?”
The original Korean paragraph consists of 40 lines. Here is the verbatim English translation with the same number of lines:

“Do Han found out about us, about me and Yun Jae.”

“What?”

Sa Rang put down her spoon, which she had been about to use to scoop up some soup.

It was strange how Do Han’s attitude had suddenly changed, and this was the reason.

She didn’t think the lie would last forever, but it was disheartening how easily it was exposed.

Then, Sa Rang sensed something odd.

“But why did he tell me to break up with Yun Jae? He thought you two were a couple.”

“He thought we were seeing each other behind your back.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He misunderstood, thinking Yun Jae was cheating on you with me.”

Sa Rang sighed after a brief loss for words.

“Who can we blame? We started the lie, after all. It’s only natural for him to misunderstand.”

“But still, do we really deserve to be talked to like that by Do Han?”

Ji Woo, visibly upset, vented her frustration, but Sa Rang finally understood Do Han’s words.

That’s why he told her to break up with Yun Jae.

Because her boyfriend was cheating with her friend.

How could things get so twisted?

“Why didn’t you just tell the truth? Didn’t you say anything?”

“I was so angry. He looked at us as if we were bugs. He has no right to judge us. So, Yun Jae retorted back.”

“So, what am I supposed to do now? Pretend I know about you and Yun Jae cheating? Or play dumb, living in the same building yet clueless?”

How did life get so complicated?

Her goal was to live simply, but life had become so varied after becoming an adult.

All she wanted was to find love and be loved.

It was unbelievable how difficult even that one thing could be.

“Knowing seems ridiculous, and being oblivious hurts my pride.”

“So, what are we going to do?”

Sa Rang scooped up her rice, her face showing resignation.

Perhaps understanding that life doesn’t always go as planned, the galbi-tang in front of her seemed more important.

Meanwhile, Ji Woo, who had been deep in thought, finally spoke up.

“Let’s pretend we don’t know.”

“Why?”

“That way, it will torment him. Telling you the truth would hurt you, and pretending not to know would make you look pitiful. Let’s see how Do Han will react.”

Sa Rang shook her head.

Would I be happy if he’s miserable?

Will I be able to forget him if I take my revenge and feel relieved?

Sa Rang couldn’t figure out what she really wanted.