✦

The sound of his own steps, is the only thing that reveals any sign of life inside the walls of Seonghwa's home. As always, he leaves the lights off, when he returns home from work, to the emptiness and the silence - the suffocating silence. 

As most other nights, he is alone. Tzuyu is off to God knows where again, and Seonghwa can't possible care less about her whereabouts. He should just leave her, he has told himself that so many times already, but whenever he is about to make take the step he ends up backing out. 

A divorce would be the ultimate failure, and it would rip up the sore wound that seems to never truly heal - it would be proof that what he did, when he broke Yeosang's heart and pushed him away, had all been for nothing. 

Not to mention how upset his parents would be. They have been keeping a close eye on him since his marriage, but forcing himself to keep up the charade that he and Tzuyu are happy together, has become so fatally tiring. The few social gatherings where both of them forces a smile on their faces, and act so happily in love, have been a struggle harder anything else.

With a sigh, as heavy as his body feels, Seonghwa lays down on the bed - staring at the ceiling, while wishing he could just vanish into the silence that surrounds him. 

Like any other night, he questions himself how he could end up like this. He used to be such an outgoing person, who was used to having people around him almost constantly. He had his friends, his crazy, loud and loyal friends, and he used to enjoy standing in front of lots of people.

Now he just wants to hide himself away all the time. 

He has lost everyone he ever cared about. No - Seonghwa shakes his head at this thought, he has pushed them all away, and he has no one to blame but himself. But tonight, the truth hurts a little more than it use to.

On his way home from work, he had seen Mingi again - they had passed by each other on the street, like strangers who had never met before. They pass by each other quite often, as Mingi works at a law firm on the same street in Gangnam, as Seonghwa does. 

Mingi had never been afraid to speak the truth, or how he felt in certain situations, so of course he had been the one to be the first to say what was on all of their minds, even Seonghwa's. But the truth he was afraid to admit to himself, had hit like a bullet to the heart, and it made him react in a way he has regretted every day since. 

He had lost his friends, on the playground in Hongdae, on the same spot their friendship had started, and he had left it all behind him although it had hurt - although it still hurts. But Mingi's words has followed him ever since that day, and they has caught a hold on Seonghwa's own doubt. Every time a co-worker has complimented the family photo on his desk - saying "your daughter is so beautiful, she looks just like her mother" he soon realized that no one, ever, says she looks like him. And despite it being comments he probably shouldn't overthink, he just couldn't stop.

Seonghwa turns in the bed, his eyes drifting to the wedding photo on the bed stand, and even in the dimness of only the faint light from the city outside the window, he sees every lie clearer than ever. 

There was a time, where Seonghwa cried himself to sleep because of losing Tzuyu, and now he is back to crying because of her again - but of a completely different reason. 

In the darkness of the night, Seonghwa makes up his mind. He might have lost the last chance of collecting the pieces of his broken relationship with Yeosang - the last chance of saving what they used to be. But maybe it's about time, he finally saves himself...

✦

"Where have you been?" Seonghwa asks, the following morning, the second Tzuyu walks into the apartment. 

She looks at him, a brow slightly raised at the sudden interest - Seonghwa never asks any questions, actually he tries to ignore her as much as possible. 

"Just out," she simply replies, as she hangs her trench coat in the hallway. 

"Could you come sit down, please?" Seonghwa gestures towards the living room, and she slowly follows him - although she doesn't try to hide how skeptical she is of his strange behavior. 

As they sit down, in front of each other, Seonghwa briefly asks himself if this is what he really wants - should he actually do this? Or should he stay silent, like he has for years already... But as it has happened way too many times before, Seonghwa's mind doesn't get to react before his mouth starts speaking words it wasn't quite allowed to yet. 

"You are seeing someone else, aren't you?" 

Tzuyu, who has been moving around on the chair, looking at her nails and fiddling with her necklace, suddenly freezes. Her eyes hesitantly sway back and forth between Seonghwa and the wall behind him. 

"What... What makes you say that?" her voice is tiny, insecure in ways that are so uncommon for her. 

"I can see why you'd believe I'm a complete idiot. I know I've been one, for too long now. But the least you could do is try to hide the stink of another man's cologne when you come home, to our home," Seonghwa then says, hands folding in front of him on the table between them. 

When Tzuyu's eyes finally find his again, the insecurity is gone, and she glares at him while slowly flipping her long hair behind her lean shoulders. 

"This isn't our home, Seonghwa. I doubt it ever has been, although I tried to do everything right for you in the beginning! But you kept pushing me away. We haven't been intimate for years, so what did you expect of me?" 

"To tell me the truth," Seonghwa bites at her, and she quickly flinches at the harsh tone in his voice. 

"Why don't you start doing it yourself too then?" she quietly mumbles back. 

And it is in a moment like this that Seonghwa should probably stop for a minute, and think his next words over. Or maybe... He shouldn't... Maybe, it's time to finally let it all out.

"Fine," he sighs, "I'll be honest with you. I don't love you, and I know you don't love me either. I doubt we've ever actually loved each other, Tzuyu. And I know you've been lying to me about things that are too serious to even mention..." 

Tzuyu bites her lip, her eyes slowly moving away from Seonghwa's now raging glare. 

"What do you want me to do about it now?" she then, quietly, asks. 

"Get out of my life. Sign the divorce papers that I'll send to you. Leave all the credit cards that are connected to my bank account. And don't ever try to mess with my life again, or it will have serious consequences Consequences you should've felt when you first decided to lie to me." 

"You're out of your mind, Seonghwa!" Tzuyu rises from her seat with a sudden move, and slams her hands against the table.

Tears are filling up her eyes, and her lower lip is trembling, but whether it's from hurt or the embarrassment of finally being confronted with her lies, is unclear. 

"Am I? Why don't we go to an actual doctor this time, one neither you or my mother can interfere with?" 

"Are you insane?" Tzuyu shouts, the tears rolling down her cheeks as she walks around the living room with frustrated sounds. "Do you have any idea how that would affect Rosie? She is your daughter and she loves you!" 

"Stop lying to me, Tzuyu!" Seonghwa shouts back, getting up as well. "You never let me see her anyway! So tell me this one goddamn thing! Is she, or is she not Kris' daughter?"

Tzuyu stops moving, frozen in her spot, her arms dangling so lifelessly at her side when the words both of them have been dreading, are finally being spoken. She doesn't respond, and it seems like forever is passing by, while only silence lies between them - and it is in that silence that Seonghwa gets the answer he needs. 

"Why... Why did you do that to me? To her?" he whispers, his voice being caught in his own throat. 

"Because I was scared... I was so fucking scared!" 

Seonghwa had never heard her curse before, not even once, and the way she looks at him while speaking does manage to hurt his heart a little. Tzuyu sits down on the couch by the window, hiding her face with her hands, as her shoulders start shaking uncontrollably. 

Her next words are a mumble between sobs, but Seonghwa still hears them as clear as day. She was scared, he understands. She had just discovered her pregnancy, and when she told Kris he freaked out and left her. She couldn't tell her parents, they would cut her off in embarrassment of her foolish, incautious actions. And when she then ran into Seonghwa's mother a few days later, it all came together. 

Seonghwa's mother had been so happy to see her, and she had always been so nice to Tzuyu, and when Mrs. Park had, not so subtly, implied how much she wanted Tzuyu to get back together with Seonghwa, it was like a lifeline had been thrown at her. 

She didn't even think twice about how it would affect him, or her in the end - and they did share a past together, where Seonghwa had been so good to her, while she had taken him for granted. 

Her voice cracks several times, when she admits how she did start feeling bad about her plan, how she had tried to confess to Mrs. Park about the pregnancy, how it might not be Seonghwa's child - putting in a little white lie, although she so desperately wanted to come clean. But Mrs. Park had swept that under the carpet in an instant - saying that Tzuyu was just a little stressed out because of the sudden pregnancy, and it was perfectly normal, she just needed to relax and let her take care of things. She seemed so set on the idea of Seonghwa and Tzuyu getting back together and starting a family. Too set, almost. 

And Seonghwa instantly knows the reason why. 

"Seonghwa... I'm so sorry..." Tzuyu cries from the couch, her eyes still watery and her cheeks red and puffy. "Please, I'll do anything, as long as you think of her too. Please, don't report me or anything, I-" 

"Just get out, Tzuyu..." Seonghwa mumbles, tugging his hair while trying to get control over his own breathing again. "Everything with Rosie... We will figure that out later. But for now... Just... Get out of my sight..." 

Tzuyu nods, as she walks towards the door. And without even looking at each other, they say goodbye in a storm of complete silence. When the apartment door opens and closes, Seonghwa falls to his knees on the floor. 

For the first time in more than four years, he can finally breathe.

But at the same time, he feels like he is drowning 

✦

Seonghwa walks down the street, on his way to pick up some suits at the tailor's, and even surrounded by people he neither sees or hears anything - nothing but his own heart beating like a drum all the way into his ears. 

It's been a week since Tzuyu has signed the divorce papers, and he has slowly started to come to terms with how his life will be from now on. He has ignored the calls from his parents, his mother wouldn't want to talk to him now anyway, if she knew the reason for the divorce. 

Turning a corner, Seonghwa quickly looks up to check if he made the turn at the right street, and suddenly - he stops. 

Outside a small cafe, only a few meters ahead, is a sight he would've never thought he'd see. And just as he is about to turn around and walk away, already knowing it will be the best decision - to left without being spotted - a pair of dark eyes catches onto his. 

A smirk spreads on the face that Seonghwa still remembers to this day, Hwang Hyunjin. The one who had tried to tear him and Yeosang apart, the one who had messed Yeosang up years before, and... The one who is now sitting so casually, at a cute cafe, with his arm around the one who still holds Seonghwa's heart in his hands. 

Yeosang is busy, reading through the menu card, and is oblivious to what is happening around him. And Seonghwa suddenly feels smaller than ever, and all he wants to do is to run away and hide. 

But Hyunjin's eyes are burning into his, even with the distance between them, and the smirk only grows as the seconds pass by. Hyunjin then slowly turns to look at Yeosang, and he places a finger under the younger's chin to make him look up. An adoring smile shows on Yeosang's face, just before Hyunjin leans in and kisses him. 

The plump lips leaves a few extra small kisses on the younger's, before letting go of him again. Hyunjin then ruffles Yeosang's hair, and whispers something in his ear that makes Yeosang smile. And although they are too far away for Seonghwa to actually hear it, it's like he is right next to them, and the words Yeosang speaks ram through his ears like thunder on a sunny day.

"I love you too."

____________________

OOPS WAS THAT ENOUGH DRAMA FOR YOU GUYS? ;) In the next one, let's go back and see how Yeosang is actually doing! ~