Don't Forget | ✔

Three

If there was one thing Arya hated, it was being dependent. With the wealth Kim's family had garnered over the years, Arya could just sit at home doing absolutely nothing and have everything delivered at her feet.

Instead, she chose to work for her own money. Her mom prioritised her father over graduation. In her mother's view, what she did was justifiable. She was in love and for her, love had more value than everything else.

After Arya's dad passed away in a car accident, they were left with no penny. Arya's mom took it upon her to run the household, but having no degree, she could only earn so much by performing minor jobs. Arya helped her mother by working part time, which was how she met Taehyung.

Arya didn't want to make the mistake her mother did. She didn't want to put herself in a position where she had to choose between a roof over her head and food to keep her alive.

Arya reached her cubicle and relaxed in her chair. She was out of breath from walking all the way from where Taehyung had left her. There were no cabs around. Her nose was red and her eyes watered from the cold.

"Are you okay? You look a bit under the weather." Her colleague, Ji Ah, stated examining Arya.

"I'm fine," Arya said, sneezing. "What about you? You are smiling today. Did you and your boyfriend made up?"

"Nah! We broke up. Never felt so free." Arya looked at her, puzzled. It was the same woman who cried over how she couldn't live without her boyfriend just a few days ago.

"I realized a little too late that I was holding onto an empty string."

Does giving up really feel so liberating?

Sometimes Arya felt like running away from the relationship that was going nowhere, but every time she was reminded of Suni's words, the promises she made and Taehyung's radiant face before all went down the hill. She willed herself to stay and make things better for her husband.

In the destructive process of bettering Taehyung, what was the assurance that she wouldn't lose herself?

"Miss Arya, the manager is calling you." Informed the office boy. Arya nodded and made her way towards the manager's cabin. She knocked on the door before opening it.

"Yes, Arya. Come in. Please have a seat." Arya complied and sat in front of Hoseok.

"How is the current project going?"

"Smooth. We have faced no difficulties so far." Arya replied, politely. Hoseok nodded. Arya noticed that his heart-shaped smile had been playing on his lips.

"If you don't mind me saying this..." Arya began, "...you are smiling a lot these days."

Hoseok chuckled.

"Am I?"

Outside the workplace, Hoseok, and Arya were friends. Not good friends, but close enough to be acquaintances and reach out for coffee from time to time. Close enough to share joy, but not sorrow.

"Me and my wife are planning a second honeymoon before settling down and have kids." The love Hoseok held in his eyes whenever he spoke about his wife, anyone could see the woman in his life meant the world to him.

"Do you have any places to suggest?" He asked, taking Arya off-guard.

"M-me?" Arya asked, flustered. "My husband and I went to Switzerland for our honeymoon. He likes the cold. It was beautiful."

Truth to be told, it was nowhere near beautiful. Thinking about those days, Arya wished she could erase it from her memory. In those fifteen days of time, Taehyung worked her up and made her go crazy. He made her feel worthless of love.

It wasn't a honeymoon, but a taste of how her life was going to be with Taehyung from thereon. He left her in the hotel room and hadn't returned till the day of departure. It turned out Arya wasn't the first woman Taehyung had brought there. It was Mia. It had always been Mia.

Arya was concerned something had happened to him, but Taehyung took his own time reminiscing memories he had with his ex-girlfriend. It was her first major heartbreak. Arya couldn't face Taehyung for a long time without breaking down.

"The real reason I called you is..." Hoseok rested his elbows on the table, turning serious. "The management has noticed your work and promoted you."

Arya's mood inflated instantly as her lips grew into a wide smile.

"That's splendid news, Hoseok. Thank you so much!" Hoseok chuckled at her excitement.

"And you deserve it. However, there's a catch. It needs you to transfer to another city."

Arya's grin dropped as quickly as it went up. She sighed, deciding.

"I think I might want to let this one go."

"Why? It's such a great opportunity to move up in your career."

Hoseok was making it harder for Arya. She made an oath to herself that she would put nothing else above her career, but here she was deciding against her principles. Sometimes sacrifices were needed now and then, didn't they?

Why was she the one making sacrifices all the time?

"Let me guess. Is it because your husband can't live without you?" Hoseok said, laughing out loud. More like I can't live without him.

"It's alright, I understand. I can't live without my wife either. If you ever change your mind, the offer still stands."

Arya thanked Hoseok and left his cabin to get on with work. Arya loved her job as a developer and she considered herself lucky because not everybody got to work in their fields of interest. It took her mind off everything. Sure, it was stressful, but not more stressful than dealing with Taehyung.

His words from that morning rang fresh in her mind. Taehyung called her an embarrassment. Arya knew it was his way of getting under her skin, to make her lose patience and bring her to the point of breaking. He wanted Arya to disappear from his life. Arya learned his ways with time, but it never hurt less.