After bailing Inha, you take him to a restaurant close by and ordered two bowls of hangover soup.
Inha was not comfortable at all, kept surveying the place with a revolted expression.
A middle aged woman comes back with a tray and placed the steaming bowls of aromatic soup on your table, added some toppings to the side.
You motion for Inha to eat as you begin to dig into the delicious soup. He watches you with concern, "Are you really eating this? What if you get food poisoning, what then?"
You cast him a glance, "Of all the hundred people that eats from this place, I am the only one who would get food poisoning? Are you being serious right now?"
"It's not that I am looking down on them because they are poor, I am just saying you are not used to eating this and might get sick from it!" He explained.
You pause, lifting your judgmental gaze, "I never ate it because I was never allowed to, but that doesn't mean I don't want to!"
Your words thrusted Inha back to the moments when he did awful things to you. He lowers his gaze,
"I am sorry. My mother said she wouldn't give me any money unless I join her in bullying you. I called you so many bad names, also treated you badly but …it's not like I had no choice, I just didn't bother to care about your feelings because I was hurt by what you did."
You've always known Inha was a good boy even when he'd treated you badly.
He struggles to speak and had to grit his teeth, "I used to look up on you, you used to be so daring when we were young, and even though you hated the fact that our father cheated on your mom with my mother, you never treated me badly. You were a bit rebellious back then too and always fought with my mom but then after the accident, you never spoke to me again. You changed, you became soft to my mother that you once hated and pushed me away instead of loving me like you used to." At this point, Inha's eyes are red with tears, "I did everything to go back to the way we were before but it didn't work, you never gave me a second chance. That is why i also decided to treated you badly but I was very wrong. I am sorry, sister."
You sigh, gulping a massive lump, "I am so sorry Inha. Back then, my entire world revolved around Gong Joon and he was the only dream I had, my only ambition. I didn't realize how many people I have hurt just to make him mine. It is my biggest regret. I am sorry too, for pushing you away the way I did, but I never stopped loving you Inha. You had always been my loving little brother and that is why no matter what you said to me, I never took to heart because i knew that one day you will realize your mistakes and apologize. You are a good boy Inha, you've always been."
"I am so sorry sister." He broke into tears, crying loudly - diners nearby glanced over.
You chuckle, taking his hand in yours, "How can a grown handsome man cry, huh? What if your future father in-law sees you and rejects you when you ask for his daughter's hand?" You teased, "You should stop crying now. I have forgiven you so please, forgive me too."
He sniffed, wiping the tears off his cheeks, "I have forgiven you too."
You chuckle, gently caressing his hand, "I love you, Inha."
He smiled and said, "It's good to have you back, sister."
You had the best lunch and reminisced about your beautiful childhood memories before the unfortunate incident. After that, you both went your way.
You are in the taxi on your way home when a call comes in, it's Gong Joon. You hesitated for a brief moment, heart racing in your chest. You let the call cut and instantly, another one comes in.
Sighing, you nervously answer, "Hello?"
"My dearest fiancé, how are you?" His voice is deeper than normal and he drags his words which means, he is drunk.
You scoff, "Gong Joon you are really an asshole aren't you? What makes you think you can still call me whenever you get drunk? How about you go and fuck another one of your mistresses?"
"Ari wait!" He begged, "It hurts." He weeps, "I miss you badly."
As soon as the words 'miss you' leaves his mouth, your entire body starts to shake.
"What?" You had to ask again.
"Please, come and see me or else, I might just die." With those words, he hanged up.
After a lot of contemplation, you decide to meet Gong Joon at the same hotel where you attempted suicide. He is also in the same room, room 565.
It took you a lot of courage to return to this room. Knocking, you reluctantly enter.
Gong Joon is sprawled on the couch like a lifeless corpse.
But upon seeing you, he sharply gets to his feet and clumsily approaches you. He missed a step and comes falling at you. Reflexively, you grab him and helped him back on the couch.
Then you settle across him.
"You really came." He chuckled, "I thought you got so heartless that you wouldn't care even if I were to die."
You clench your fist, "I really don't care, I just came here to see you in a pathetic state. I just came here to watch you beg me like I used to beg you back then. I would even pop a popcorn in my mouth when you decide to kill yourself."
He gave a bitter chuckle, "You really hate me now, don't you. This is always what I had wanted but why am I hurting? Why does it feel like my heart is on fire? Like I might die any moment?"
You look away from him so not to pity him, "Are you expecting me to give you an answer? You know what Gong Joon, I think you are intentionally doing this, but I don't have the time for your nonsense, you can sulk all you want but take me out of it."
You are about to stand when suddenly, Gong Joon falls on your knees, "Don't leave me, please." When he looks up at you, his eyes are overflowing with tears. You've never seen Gong Joon cry, never.
He sniffed, "I was wrong Ari. Do you remember that night after we got engaged? When you showed me that ring around your neck?"
"Yes, I remember." You growled, "All I did was thank you for saving my life and told you how much I loved you but ever since that day, you started treating me badly."
"Yes, I did." He nodded, "But, you said you fell in love with me from the moment I saved your life. How can you love me when I am not the who saved you that day? My father lied to you Ari. I was never the one saved you that day."
Your eyes snapped open, "WHAT?" You sandwich his with your hands face, forcing him to look at you, "What are you even saying? What is that supposed to mean? If you weren't the one who saved, who was? And why did you lie to me?"
"I never lied to you!" He yelled, jerking his face out of your hold.
He ducks his head with regret, "I never lied to you Ari. I truly loved you. I started loving you the moment I set my eyes on you fifteen years ago and I had wanted nothing more than to spend my life with you but then, when you said you started loving me from the day I saved your life, I felt betrayed because it wasn't me who saved your life. I felt guilty and the guilt wouldn't let me be with you so I treated you badly so you could stay away from me. I wanted you out my life because I can't keep lying to the woman I love more than anything."
"Gong Joon." You slide down to the floor, gripping his hands, "What are you even saying? You hurt me because you couldn't keep lying to me? How does that make sense? Also, if not you then, who saved me?"
He sobbed, "I hurt you so much that you decided to take your own life. How could I be so monstrous? How could I be so stupid? I thought I would be fine seeing you with another man but, whenever you are with Jiho, I feel like slaughtering him. I can't bear to see you with another man but I practically pushed you to it. It must be karma."
You feel flattened with confusion. "Gong Joon, look at me." You lift his face, "Tell me, who saved me fifteen years ago?"
"Are you saying you really have no idea?" His question sends you thinking about everything.
"Do you really have no idea about the one who saved your life?"
You blink, breath slowing down. You've always had your own questions in your mind, how did Gong Jiho get such a weird condition and why are you the only who can cure him? Now it all makes sense.
You look up sharply at Gong Joon with tears in your eyes, "No, no it can't be."
He weakly chuckled, "Yes it is. Fifteen years ago, Jiho saved your life."