"This has all happened because of you, so don't blame me for your choices, girl," the orange-haired man said, casually sipping his beer, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked at her.
"My fault…?" she whispered, staring at him blankly.
For a moment, everything around her went silent. Time seemed to stop as her entire life replayed in her mind. Shock, anger, pain, and betrayal all mixed in her eyes, yet she said nothing. Without another word, she turned around and walked out away from him, away from that house, away from everyone.
Outside, heavy rain poured down onto the empty road. Not a single vehicle or person was in sight. The sky was dark, filled with raging thunderclouds as flashes of lightning tore through the silence.
In the middle of that road, she walked alone in a torn white gown, now soaked and clinging to her body. Her head hung low, her shoulders slumped as if carrying a weight too heavy to bear. Her eyes were swollen from endless tears, her throat sore from screaming, and her legs trembled as they struggled to keep her standing.
Her heart felt like it could stop at any moment, while her mind was consumed by memories of only one person… a man with black hair, the one her heart had been silently craving all this time.
The same thoughts echoed inside her head again and again.
What have I done…?
How could I make such a mistake?
Why didn't I see the truth sooner?
I destroyed myself…
I destroyed him…
Her legs finally gave out, and she collapsed onto the cold road. Clutching her chest tightly, she broke down completely as the pain inside her only grew sharper.
"Please… forgive me," she cried weakly. "I ruined everything. I deserve to die… but these memories… they won't let me go. The guilt, the regret… It's tearing me apart. This is worse than death…"
Her sobs blended with the thunder roaring across the sky.
"I should have listened to my heart that day. I should have stopped myself… but I didn't. How stupid was I to think I could walk away from you so easily… when I was already lost in your love? This is all my fault… my unforgivable mistake."
As those memories resurfaced, her pain deepened. There were no tears left to cry.
She remembered the first day she saw him… the moment their eyes met, the way his gaze softened instantly. The warmth she felt when their hands touched was a spark she had ignored. His gentle voice woke her every morning, followed by that quiet, sincere smile.
And then…
That one day.
The day everything shattered with that one act of hers.
A hollow laugh escaped her lips.
Now she understood his pain, the pain he must have felt every time she pushed him away when all he wanted was to stay by her side. The roles had reversed. She was the one longing for him now, craving his presence… but he was no longer within her reach.
She was supposed to be happy.
After all, this was what she had wanted.
So why did she feel so empty… so broken?
Why did it feel like she had lost everything?
She kept questioning herself, unable to understand these emotions. She had always told herself she never loved him, repeating it over and over again until she believed it.
Yet now, the man whose presence made her feel alive…
…was the one she once claimed to hate.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Her gaze slowly shifted to the bracelet on her wrist.
It was something precious… to both of them.
With trembling fingers, she gently traced its surface, but she felt nothing, no warmth, no cold, nothing at all.
And then his voice echoed in her mind.
"I know this isn't worth much… but it's more than a gift. It's a promise I made the moment I saw you. When my heart told me you were the one… I'm putting this on your hand, and I promise I won't let go until my last breath. You can take it off if you don't like it… But please don't throw it away. Will you do that for me?"
Maybe…
That was the only thing she had ever done for him.
Her breath trembled as the memory played vividly in her mind. She could see his eyes, filled with love and hope, as he placed the bracelet on her wrist with care.
And her…
She had looked at it with nothing but indifference.
Now, the weight of that memory crushed her.
She looked at the bracelet again, this time with care.
It was a delicate gold piece, decorated with tiny white gems. Simple, elegant… just like the jewellery she used to wear. At its center was a small pendant engraved with her initial.
"V"
As she turned it slightly, her eyes fell on something engraved beneath it.
Her vision blurred as she read the words.
"I'll choose you… even when you don't choose me."
That was it.
The last piece of her will shattered.
She had no reason left to live.
Slowly, she gathered the last of her strength and stood up. Her legs trembled as she walked toward the bridge, each step heavier than the last. Her face was empty now, devoid of emotion, like a lifeless shell.
Reaching the railing, she climbed over it and stood at the edge, staring down at the dark water below. It felt as if it was calling her… waiting for her.
She looked up at the sky, her voice hollow.
"I know I don't deserve to say this… but I want him back. I don't want anything else… no money, no status… just him. His presence is enough, because I…"
Her voice broke.
"I love him."
Tears streamed down her face once more.
"I want to love him the way he deserves… to make him happy… to show him how much he means to me. God… please… just give me one chance. One chance to make things right…"
Her sobs echoed into the night.
"I don't want this life anymore. I ruined everything… I destroyed him."
Her hands tightened.
"If he's not here… I don't want to live. Take this life… and give me one chance to go back. Please…"
Memories flooded her mind every moment, every smile, every touch.
And then…
She let go.
Her body fell into the cold water below, which swallowed her instantly.
Under the surface, she opened her eyes slightly, looking up at the faint moonlight reflecting above.
Her vision blurred.
One chance… just one chance…
As darkness consumed her, his voice echoed in her mind.
"Valary…"
His voice sounded like a melody.
"See, I made this for you. Did you like it?"
"It's fine… don't feel pressured. I'll stay away so you won't feel uncomfortable."
"Valary, look… I dressed the way you like. How do I look?"
"Why did you hate me so much…? Am I really that disgusting?"
"If this is what you want… I'll do it for you, love…"
His words echoed endlessly.
With the last of her strength, her lips parted.
"Lian…"
A tear slipped down as her voice faded.
"I was wrong… but I love you. I always have. If there's even one chance left… please let me be yours again."