“I’m not worried about that. I believe that Mr. Ban Jaehyuk is a person who keeps his word.”

For some reason, Arin’s heart lifted.

“Yeah. I’ll keep the promise with you. Without fail.”
One thing was certain: Jaehyuk drew a clear line with Arin. Arin distinctly knew that she didn’t want anything to do with Cho Arin in this situation, whether or not the issues stirred up by Jaehyuk were related to Cho Arin.

Arin, too, acknowledged that it had been a long time since her divorce with Jaehyuk, and she had no right to meddle in his affairs. Until just a while ago, she thought she shouldn’t even pass by Jaehyuk.

So, did she avoid him? When she was with Jaehyuk, Arin felt like a moth jumping into a flame. Despite knowing this, she couldn’t pass him by, no matter how many times she tried to control her feelings.

Why?

“Is it because I felt sorry for my brother’s cheek?”

Or.

“Because my name came up from both Mom and my brother’s lips? If not that… what is this emotion?”

Turning her back first on the bewildered Arin, Jaehyuk said, “Go. There’s nothing good about facing Mom right now.”

Since Jaehyuk had turned around, Arin couldn’t see what expression he had. Arin stood still for a moment before finally responding, “…Yes.”

“I’ll make sure not to bother you from now on, so don’t worry.”

Arin bit her lower lip tightly. She had to come to a conclusion about what emotion was bubbling up inside her.

“Was it because I felt weird seeing my brother’s right scene? It’s just sympathy. I would have acted the same way no matter who the other person was.”

Arin forcibly defined her emotions.

Anyway, trying to forcibly fix a broken vessel or fill the gap completely was impossible. Unless it was completely melted and remade anew, it was clear that even a weaker stimulus than before would break it.

So Arin had to steady herself as she faced Jaehyuk.

“Former lovers can’t even greet each other warmly when they meet. Let alone couples, especially if they parted ways badly. So, I just need to go back to my place. I’ll try not to run into him and live as if I’ve forgotten that time.”

Arin moved her feet that seemed unwilling to part.

“I’ll go first. Take care.”

“…Take care.”

With his back turned, Jaehyuk lifted his hand.

Arin turned and walked towards her car. Somehow, the gaze that felt like Jaehyuk was watching her closely as she turned around was vivid.

So she couldn’t look back any longer.

Jaehyuk fully captured Arin’s leaving figure with his eyes.

“…Arin.”

He didn’t want someone to witness this kind of scene.

But to be caught by someone, especially when that someone was ‘Arin’?

Unable to contain the surging emotions, Jaehyuk bit down hard on his lower lip.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t intend for you to overhear.”

Arin’s hesitant words were accompanied by her eyes meeting his.

His heart was preparing for an intense dance as Arin closed the distance and approached him.
It felt like my heart was about to burst. My head was spinning from the scent lingering around her nose.

The sound of a strong heartbeat echoed in my ears.

“Are you okay?”

Finally, she stood in front of me. The distance was close enough to reach if I stretched out my hand.

I felt like I might mistake her worried gaze.

“Don’t delude yourself. Ban Jaehyuk, Arin is a good person. Even if it were someone else, she would worry in this situation.”

Jaehyuk tried to somehow grasp his shaking heart like a reed in the wind.

“Get a grip, Ban Jaehyuk. Pull yourself together. Are you going to make things difficult for Arin again? She’s doing well. Don’t unnecessarily shake someone who’s doing fine. Get yourself together.”

A sense of confusion at being caught in the situation and joy at seeing Arin overwhelmed Jaehyuk simultaneously.

Jaehyuk was bewildered by conflicting emotions.

As her white face and clear eyes turned toward him, his heart began to beat even faster.

He got scared that she might hear his heartbeat and discover his feelings.

“Don’t shake Arin. You don’t even have the right to do that as a human being. Don’t forget that.”

Having already overheard the conversation between Arin and Jung Yeosa, Jaehyuk was now tasked with containing the spilled water.

Jaehyuk clenched his fist so hard that his veins bulged.

He swallowed the surging emotions behind his throat. Jaehyuk restrained his expression.

The rapidly fluctuating emotions on his face gradually disappeared.

He firmly grasped a mind that had no intention of being caught.

“Our Arin is still kind. I made such a kind person suffer so much.”

Jaehyuk loathed himself for hurting such a kind person.

In resentment towards himself, Jaehyuk bit down hard on his lower lip. In the most collected voice he could muster, he said,

“Please don’t let her notice my lingering feelings… I beg you.”

“I love you, Arin. I still love you.”

Otherwise, he might not have been able to control his emotions and would have mistaken her pity.

That’s all.

“If I hadn’t seen the scene where Mom hit me, you wouldn’t have approached me first, right?”

Choi Arin had completely erased Ban Jaehyuk and was living well.

“I’m still an uncomfortable presence for you, and if we don’t meet, you…”

She probably wouldn’t make such a complicated expression as now.

The expiration date of this uncomfortable truth seemed eternal.

In a short time, Jaehyuk filled his eyes with Arin’s figure. Since he wouldn’t be able to see her this closely in the future, he tried to capture as much of her as possible, hoping to endure the long time ahead.

His eyes grew warm with the overwhelming emotions.

“It seems I’m really stupid. I don’t need you to pass by me.”

“I really like you, Arin. Even in this situation, seeing you makes me smile.”

It seems I’m really crazy about you.

Unspoken words lingered on his tongue.

Instead of countless words, Jaehyuk uttered a different phrase.

“Take care.”
Jaehyuk gently wrapped the handkerchief that carried Arin’s scent.

A precious item emerged that could remind him of the fact that she was once by his side.

Perhaps, looking at this handkerchief might lead to more regrets, but…

He hoped that he could smile, remembering the attention she bestowed upon him.

Instead of letting emotional words burst out, Jaehyuk made an effort to wear a bright smile as he looked at Arin.

“I’m fine. So, don’t be swayed by something like this.”

Remembering you is my responsibility.

I’ll be more careful not to appear before your eyes in the future.

So, don’t be swayed.

Even after Arin left, Jaehyuk stood there for a long time.