What Had to Come, Finally Came
Even as I forced the words out of my mouth, it was ridiculously childish and contrived. All to keep just you by my side—I'd dangled that graphics card as bait and spun this idiotic play about a nonexistent fiancé.
Dojin stayed silent for a long time, even after hearing my pathetic confession to the end. Normally, he'd have exploded with, "Hey, you crazy bitch, have you lost your mind?" But instead, he just quietly swept his hand over his forehead and let out a deep, heavy sigh.
In his calm, dark eyes, a chaotic mix of emptiness, bewilderment, and emotions I couldn't even begin to read swirled around.
How much time passed like that? Instead of flying into a rage, Dojin just exhaled another long, deep sigh. His face was colored more with futility and absurdity than anger.
"I need some time to think alone."
His voice, when it finally came after what felt like forever, sounded a little weary. With those short words, he turned away. I couldn't bring myself to grab him as I watched his back recede into the distance.
I felt so pathetic and wretched for fabricating this absurd novel just to keep the one guy I like nearby with forced premises.
Left utterly alone in the end, I trudged heavily back to the empty house. As soon as I opened the front door, cool air brushed my cheek. The living room where Dojin and I used to bicker with silly jokes felt wider and quieter than ever without his warmth.
That day onward, not a single casual check-in message came from him. Still, with a sliver of hope, I turned my black screen on and off dozens of times a day.
Wait—how many hours have I been doing this? Staring at a phone that didn't even ping with notifications was truly soul-draining.
What if I lost Dojin forever like this? That terrifying thought coiled around my throat, squeezing tight.
That night, I couldn't even turn on the light in my room. In the darkness, my breath came in choking gasps. The excruciating illness that felt like someone strangling me—painful, sleepless—had finally relapsed.
I don't even know how the day passed.
I dragged myself to school in a daze. It was in the quiet hallway corner of the building on my way to morning class. Of all places, that's where I ran straight into Dojin, like something out of a lie.
Seeing his face after so long, a helpless surge of joy hit me before I knew it. Part of me wanted to drink him in just a little longer, but in this mess of a state, pretending not to see him and dodging was the right move.
Ah, I need to get away quick. My head knew it, but my feet stuck to the floor like glue.
Spotting me frozen in place, Dojin approached without hesitation. He looked at me standing blankly in the middle of the hall, then silently grabbed the end of my sleeve. Without even glancing around, he pulled me into the empty lecture hall right next to us.
Click. The front door shut, leaving just the two of us in the cold, silent space.
In the silence, Dojin's dark eyes landed on my face—from my sunken, sleep-deprived under-eyes to my pallid, wrecked complexion. As he quietly took in my pitiful state, his lips slowly parted.
"Han Sea."
His voice was low and steady. I forced my lips apart, but my response trembled miserably.
"……Why."
"What's with that look on you."
His blunt tone carried an unfamiliar warmth. My throat felt dry and tight inside.
He knew better than anyone why I was like this—why ask like that?
"None of your business."
A sharp retort slipped out before I knew it. Wait, what am I even saying? My honest feelings weren't this, but my anxiety kept twisting my words.
"Just mind your own and keep walking."
"How is it none of my business."
His immediate reply let my hurt spill out unfiltered.
"You didn't send a single message."
My eyes stung, but I held back. "Now you care what I look like?"
Dojin met my gaze head-on without flinching.
"Those lies you told me."
He enunciated each word deliberately.
"I've been busy going over them from the start."
Ah, so that's it. The final verdict after digging into my rock-bottom desperation. I bit my lip hard and dropped my eyes.
"So. You said you needed time to think alone—done now?"
"Yeah. All done."
His clean, resolute answer left no room for hesitation. The moment I heard it with my own ears, I knew there was no turning back. My fingertips felt ice-cold.
"If you've made your decision…… just go."
I didn't want to cling pathetically anymore.
"I don't have the guts to hear you say it's over from your mouth right now."
I had zero courage left to face the cold words he'd throw with that hollow, complicated look in his eyes.
I dialed the familiar number and opened the door to my rundown studio. It was so empty inside, I could've moved out right then. Thinking about it, most of my decent stuff had already migrated to Sea's place.
In the end, I plopped down alone in the dark room without turning on the light. I planned to calmly retrace where it all went wrong from the beginning.
The day we first got tangled: that unusually quiet, empty lecture hall. Han Sea smashed her lips against mine out of nowhere and held hostage the expensive thing I'd been dying for.
Something about needing to shake off a germaphobe chaebol arranged-marriage candidate. That was her plausible excuse for needing a fake boyfriend on the spot.
Ah, of course, I was the idiot who fell for that nonsense because I was blinded by that item.
Living crammed together in the same house, same room, rubbing elbows—I'd ignored that precarious distance under the excuse of it being fake.
But thinking back, where did the real end and the fake begin?
That damn fiancé never even existed. The woman who'd blocked my path and warned me recently? Just an actress Han Hyun-soo hired for the role.
So from start to finish, it was one massive con job Sea orchestrated to tie me to her side.
Absurd. Utterly deflating.
Then was all that body heat that reached me, those tremors—fake too?
Her lips trembling as she scooted closer first on that cramped single bed. Her face flushed beet-red to the ears in the narrow tub, scared out of her mind.
No. The desperate feelings barreling toward me without brakes—that much was undeniably real.
Wait—why did I keep accepting it?
I didn't think Sea would actually marry a fiancé she didn't love…… No, that's not it. Truth is, I didn't want her to marry that fake fiancé either.
Yeah. I was hiding behind the shield of our "fake" relationship, pretending not to know my own heart.
Honestly, I just wanted to pull Han Sea into a tight hug without a second thought.
Now I was facing that feeling head-on, no escape.
But colder reality gripped my back. That fake fiancé's chilling words kept echoing in my ears.
Could a broke college kid like me survive in their world?
The prof's analogy of us as a massive-ticket item kept nagging me. Han Sea was the real deal—Hanul Group's only daughter, capable of upending my entire life.
Did a nobody like me even qualify to stand beside her?
A bottomless inferiority complex choked me.
I should be furious at this girl who played me for a fool. But her stubborn face, fabricating absurd lies just to keep me close, kept sticking in my mind.
What the hell do I do with this infuriating girl?
Should I finally know my place and back off? Or cover all those lies and just hug her tight?
My head was a tangled mess—no answer in sight.
"No one's breaking up."
"I dunno. I'm leaving."
No sooner had I finished than she turned to flee. I urgently snatched Sea's wrist.
"Don't run. You look like you haven't eaten or slept properly."
"What are you talking about? I ate fine and slept great."
Her stiffly raised chin, desperately hiding weakness, just looked pitiful.
"Stop lying. Your under-eyes are pitch black—how was that 'great' sleep?"
At my point, Sea's eyes darted wildly, lost. I stepped forward without hesitation. Pushed back by my momentum, her back hit the chalkboard of the empty lecture hall with a thud. She flinched and froze like a stone.
Ah, what am I gonna do with this idiot?
"I've been thinking hard this whole time. Tricking me that thoroughly? Pisses me off to no end."
At my lowered voice, she ducked her head, face crumpled.
"……."
Looking at her tiny crown, on the verge of tears, I let out a short sigh.
"Seeing you fall apart alone like this? Can't stand it."
No sooner had I said it than fat teardrops fell from her eyes.
"Dojin-ah……."
Her watery voice calling my name melted a corner of my heart helplessly.
Will there ever come a day I win against this girl?
"Give me your hand."
I grabbed her hesitating hand first, our fingers interlocking tightly, no gaps, sharing warmth.
"If you're gonna tie me to your side that hard, don't run—take responsibility to the end."
Sea snapped her head up, tears pooling in her eyes.
"Let's date. You and me."
At my straightforward pitch, her eyes went wide, then she sniffled loudly.
"......."
She blinked blankly, like she couldn't process it. Then tears streamed down as she bit her reddened lip.
My sudden confession had blanked her mind white.
"Why no answer?"
"......."
At my light prod, she rubbed her wet eyes with her sleeve. Shoulders trembling faintly, she finally spoke the most ridiculous line.
"Dating or whatever—we're already engaged……."
I almost laughed at the absurdity. I squeezed our clasped hands and leaned in toward her.
"So. You won't date me?"
At my teasing push, she clutched my collar desperately with her free hand.
"I-I will!"
Her voice, thick with tears, shouted it loud. That wrecked face looked especially beautiful.