Winter Flame [Book 4] | Pentagon ✔

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
Those Who Left Us
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[[ JIYOO ]]

I didn't know why at that moment but I held onto Changgu's arm as we were passing by Hajoon's table. I could feel his eyes on us. To my surprise, Changgu gently put his hand on mine that's holding his arm and squeezed it as if giving some kind of support. He smiled down at me and I smile back at him in gratefulness.

We made it out of the restaurant. I immediately let go of his arm and I could feel my cheeks burning as I apologized. "I'm so sorry!"

He held both of my shoulders so I looked up at him. "Hey, it's alright. You helped me so much too. Whatever just happened, I'm glad I was able to help you too."

I nodded, giving him a tight-lipped smile. "Thank you."

He returned the smile and asked, "Do you want to take a walk?"

"Sure."

We walked through the paved pathway surrounded by leafless trees and people covered in thick coats to shield themselves from cold. Changgu walked beside me with his hands inside the pockets of his blue coat. He was looking up the skies and for the first time since I've seen him ㅡ except the times he was sleeping ㅡ he looked pretty peaceful.

He wasn't asking but I felt the need to explain why I just ruined a lunch that was perfectly going well. I took a deep breath and then I sighed, fog swirling just before my mouth. "That's Hajoon back there. He's my... ex boyfriend." I said, squinting at the last word.

He nodded and gave me a sideway glance. "How long has it been? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, it's been... a long time. Almost a year, maybe."

"I don't think that's a long time." He said.

"Maybe for him, it is." I said, looking down at the path we were taking and remembering Hajoon smiling at the girl he was with, how beautiful she is, how different from me.

"I'm sorry you had to see him today."

"It's... alright. I was just taken aback. The way we ended things, the last time I saw himㅡit was bad."

"Did he hurt you?"

"In the physical sense? No. Emotionally?" I chuckled humorlessly. "He made me feel the worst. When we were beginning the relationship, there was already this... fear inside me. I asked myself, will this last? Could someone possibly love me for just the way I am? I gave it a chance. And then, we got into this big fight. The big fight before breakup, you know, where you're just basically saying words to hurt each other." I took a deep breath. "And he said, he... um... could never love me because I'm not making myself worth it." Changgu let out a gasp but I continued, "Now, Hajoon's a muscled guy with tattoos and all butㅡhe's accomplished a lot in a young age. He's from a well-off family and I guess, he needed someone like the girl he was just with. Someone he could be proud of to hold in his arms."