Lady Spring

It seemed like it was taking her an hour to walk down a flight of stairs. When she saw the exit, Saeun could feel the tears just about to roll down from her eyes. Wooyoung’s pale face and empty eyes were going to haunt her forever. 

She wished she could kiss him and make his pain go away. Rub her lips against his and tell him that she had lied to him. That she loved him more than anything in the world… How happy would her life be if she could spend it with Wooyoung? If she was just a normal girl who could make him happy… 

Saeun loved Wooyoung, and he loved her back. After all, wasn’t love the most important thing in this world?

But unfortunately, one needed more than love to live in this world. 

“Wait,” a quiet voice from behind stopped Saeun. 

Biting her lip again to stop herself from crying, Saeun put on a brave face and turned around. She found Sehyun walking slowly towards her. Afraid her voice might crack, all Saeun could do was glare at him. With a blank face, Sehyun handed her something. Dazed, she accepted it as he explained,

“My business card.”

His voice was blunt as usual. Blinking her eyes to fight back the tears, Saeun looked at it. It included Sehyun’s name and phone number. 

To her surprise, he murmured to her,

“Hurting yourself like this is useless. No one will thank you for it.”

Still fighting back her tears, Saeun managed to look up at him. Sehyun scratched his head and frowned as he continued, 

“I’m telling you that sacrificing yourself isn’t going to get you anywhere. If you want something, you must take it no matter what. Even if it means someone might get hurt later, you have to. Whatever happens in the future is something you can deal with later. You need to live for now.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

When Saeun replied in a shaky voice, Sehyun gave her a crooked smile. For some reason, his smile looked too mature for his age. 

Sehyun added, 

“You… just have the same face as I did a long time ago. If there comes a time when you can’t take it anymore, just call me.”

With a cryptic message, Sehyun turned around and left without waiting for her response. Saeun had no idea what he was talking about, but it didn’t matter. She was never going to call him. This she knew for sure. 

Then suddenly, she saw Wooyoung running down towards her. When he spotted her, he began to pant as he yelled, 

“Yun Saeun, don’t leave me! Don’t go! It’s all my fault. I was wrong! I’ll do anything you want. If there is anything you don’t like about me, just tell me and I’ll fix it! I’ll never ask you where you’ve been all day! And I won’t jump you at night either! So please don’t go! I said it’s all my fault! I’m sorry! Please don’t leave me!”

Wooyoung kneeled in front of her and looked up at Saeun. Biting her lower lip hard, she replied, 

“Are you crazy? Min Wooyoung, get up!”

Her voice wasn’t working, but she did her best to look uncaring. Saeun stabbed her palms with her fingernails and glared at him.

“Please Saeun! It’s all my fault… Please don’t do this! I can’t live without you. My life has changed ever since I met you that night! I can’t let you go! I just can’t!!”

“I’m so sick of you, Wooyoung! I can’t do what you want. Let’s just end it, okay?”

“You don’t have to do anything! I’ll do everything. I’ll do anything you want me to! W…what do you want? I’ll do anything! D…do you want gifts? I…I’ve never bought you anything, have I? I… What an idiot I am! S…shall we go out shopping right now? Do you want anything? Clothes? Jewelries? I’ll buy you anything you want! I have money! I have enough money to buy you anything you want, so please Saeun… If you tell me what you want, I’ll buy you anything! I’ll do anything for you! So please don’t do this! Don’t leave me!”

Wooyoung sobbed hysterically. Watching a 28-year-old man crying and kneeling on the cement floor was a hard thing to do. Shaking her head, Saeun replied,

“Stop it, Min Wooyoung. Nothing will change even if you do this.”

“Why not? What’s the problem? I…I said I’ll change! Please tell me! D…don’t you love me? You can’t love me? What do I have to do?”

Just then, Jaejun ran down and screamed Wooyoung’s name angrily, 

“Min Wooyoung!”

Jaejun grabbed Wooyoung’s arms and began to drag him away. Fighting Jaejun, Wooyoung cried out,

“Tell me what I did wrong! I’ll change! Why are you doing this? I’ll die without you!”

“You idiot! Snap out of it!” 

Jaejun swore and smacked Wooyoung’s head, but Wooyoung continued to cry and watch Saeun desperately. Unable to take it anymore, Saeun turned around and ran out of the apartment. She could still hear Wooyoung’s screams and Jaejun’s swearing.

“Saeun! Yun Saeun! Don’t go!”

“Just let that bitch go, Wooyoung! You don’t need her! Just get up already, you idiot!”

“Saeunn!!!”

The cold wind hit her face as tears rolled down from her cheeks. Saeun couldn’t breathe as she whispered,

“Wooyoung… You idiot… Why do you love a stupid girl like me…”

She should’ve never met him that night. If she hadn’t, their lives would’ve continued on smoothly. Why… Why did she take him home that night?

“What do I do now…? What have I done…?”

Hugging her bag tightly, Saeun sobbed in the middle of the street.