POV Iris
With her usual smile—but her eyes didn't smile.
In an instant, I immediately understood how Ash's mother felt about me.
Pure anger and disappointment. But why was it directed at me? Could it be... Ash had told her everything?
---
"Hello, Auntie," I greeted as normally as possible.
I hoped it was just my imagination. My heart trembled as I tried to smile, though it felt stiff.
"Yes, hello. What do you need?"
That cold gaze made me falter. Usually, when she saw me coming, she would say, "Oh, Ash? I'll call him for you."
"Um... Is Ash home?"
"He's inside. But for what?"
Her reply was so cold, without a hint of hesitation.
"Uh..."
I fell silent, unsure of what to say.
"I'm sorry, as a parent, I shouldn't interfere too much in your relationship..."
Her tone was so formal, almost like a complete rejection. I was on the verge of tears.
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it yourself. Actually, I already knew before Ash that you were cheating."
Those words stabbed into my chest. Before Ash? How was that possible?
---
It felt like all the blood in my body vanished in an instant.
"I happened to see you holding hands with another man while attending a meeting at the shopping center."
---
I screamed internally. No... Auntie had always been kind to me. She cared about me more than Ash himself. But I...
"It's true, if you're not married, the law doesn't forbid you from falling in love. You're still in high school—it's natural to hurt each other sometimes and have misunderstandings."
"But I thought you two had handled it maturely and agreed to part ways."
I tried to find words to defend myself, but nothing came out of my mouth.
"The reality was different. I only realized that on Ash's birthday. He said he wanted to go on a date with you, but then he came home looking devastated and locked himself in his room for days. That's when I knew—you had betrayed him."
Auntie had far more life experience than I did. I realized there was no excuse I could make to convince her.
---
"It's not like that, I..."
"Yes, I'm sure you have your own reasons. But I don't need to hear them."
"I don't want to hate you even more. So please, don't make unnecessary excuses."
It felt like an invisible hand was slowly choking my throat.
---
"I'm sorry..."
That was all I could say. I lowered my head, struggling to hold back my tears.
"I don't need your apology."
"We've known each other for over ten years, so I'll give you one piece of advice."
"Love is free. But no one has the right to toy with or trample on someone else's feelings."
"This may not be a crime in the eyes of the law. But to me, it's worse than that."
"At the very least, next time, be someone who takes responsibility."
---
"Can I meet Ash?"
With a slightly angry tone, Auntie replied,
"No."
"Is there a mother in this world who would forgive the woman who betrayed her son?"
"I'm not that kind-hearted."
"In the end, the decision is up to Ash. But at the very least, don't show up in front of me again."
"You're not worthy of my son."
---
My heart shattered into pieces.
Auntie, who had always treated me like her own daughter, like family, had just banished me from her life.
I tried my best to stand, but my legs were weak, and I collapsed onto the sidewalk.
---
"No... no..."
I cried like a baby.
Auntie looked at me briefly before delivering the final blow.
"Sorry, but this is in front of my shop. Don't cry here—you're disturbing the customers."
---
After that, she pulled down the store's shutter, glanced at me once more, and said,
"Goodbye, Iris."
Not 'See you later' like she usually did.
I couldn't move. My tears wouldn't stop flowing.
I fell onto the concrete, scraping my knees. Maybe it should've hurt, but strangely, I felt nothing.
My heart was already dead.
With great effort, I dragged myself away from Kitchen Rowan and went home.
Mom should be working the night shift today.
I didn't want to see her right now, but I knew she would be home.
"I'm home."
When I greeted briefly, Mom, who was watching a gossip show on TV, turned to me with her usual smile.
"Oh, you're home. Didn't school end at noon today? Why are you home so late?"
Her words made my already broken heart hurt even more.
"I stopped by Ash's place for a bit."
A response that could barely be considered a lie. But still, hiding something from Mom made me feel even guiltier.
"Oh, you two are still as close as ever. That's good. Ever since you were little, you always said you wanted to marry Ash. I'm glad you're enjoying your youth."
Those simple words felt like a dagger stabbing into my chest. I was forced to miss the times I could never reclaim.
"Stop it, don't remind me of such embarrassing things."
Usually, Mom's teasing would make me both embarrassed and happy. But this time, it was just painful.
I knew. I had always known.
Last year, when Ash confessed his feelings, I felt like I was floating in the sky. I was sure we would always be together. Next year, we would study for university entrance exams together. Then, in college, we could have fun, travel to different places, and work part-time to buy birthday or Christmas presents for each other.
After graduating and getting jobs, maybe we would argue sometimes, but in the end, we would get married, build a happy family, and grow old together.
I always imagined that foolish but happy future.
"Sorry, I need to study for my proficiency test. I'm going to my room."
"Oh, alright. I'll be heading out soon too. I made some curry and left it in the fridge. Just heat it up if you want to eat."
"Thank you. Have a good shift."
With great effort, I forced those words out, then hurried into my room.
Not only Ash and his mother—I had also betrayed my own mother.
Finally, I had to face the bitter truth of my actions. The future I had dreamed of would never come.
I locked my door and collapsed onto my bed.
My hands clenched tightly, gripping the pink bed sheets so hard that my nails dug into my palms, drawing blood.
I hated myself for drowning in my own desires.
"You're the worst! Why do you always betray the people who matter to you?!"
My inner voice screamed in anger and hatred.
I knew this was all my fault. I deserved to be punished.
But I was also hurt. I was suffering too.
The sting in my knees finally registered, as if my body had just realized the wounds were there.
I could feel my soul sinking deeper into darkness.
No. I couldn't let myself get swallowed by these feelings.
My rational mind tried to hold me back, telling me not to give up.
But my defenses had already crumbled. Ever since that moment.
Ever since Senior Pine forced himself on me.
There was no stopping my fall into this abyss.
"What's the point of caring about Ash now?"
"I've already betrayed him. It's too late for regrets, right?"
"I'm not the victim here. Ash is the one who suffered more."
"Besides, I didn't just cheat—I helped set Ash up to be ostracized. There's no reason for me to be forgiven."
My own voice bombarded me with hatred.
I was too weak to fight back.
I just wanted to escape.
I needed soft, comforting words—even if they were lies.
With trembling hands, I reached for my phone and called someone.
"Senior, I want to meet."
I knew I had taken the wrong path.
But this was the only choice left for me.
I would become the lowest kind of woman.
It didn't matter.
I hugged a photo of Ash and me from our school entrance ceremony.
I wanted to rip it apart.
But my hands wouldn't move.