A House Divided - Changbin Ending

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Staring into an empty glass of Soju, Elena occupied her mind with thoughts of work while the man across the table droned on. Though the conversation was of subjects she once adored, it was obvious that nothing would cure the numbness inside. It had been almost eight months since the final settlement, eight months since she last heard his voice. Just when she thought progress had been made, she'd hear a certain song or see a restaurant they used to frequent and fall apart.

The proceedings were civil, he got the house and she kept the cat. Neither of them needed the other for financial gain, and the finalization was easy. As they left the courthouse, Changbins mother stopped her former daughter-in-law. Eyes filled with tears she apologized for the way things had panned out. He stood behind, watching as his own mom held the mistress close and sobbed over their separation. Of all the people who discouraged their elopement, Mrs. Seo had been the most adamant.

Now everyone, all their friends and family, lamented behind closed doors of their untimely end. Even his mother begged them to reconsider, but the decision had been made and they both refused to renege.

"Everything okay?" The man whose name she forgot asked. Blinking back at him, it was clear that she hadn't heard a word he said.

"I'm sorry." Another insincere apology to another nameless date. "I'm afraid I'm not feeling well. I really hate to do this, but -"

"It's fine, I understand." His tone was anything but, allowing Elena to shamelessly stick him with the bill.

For months now she kept seeing him everywhere. Walking home from the shop or in the convenience store where she bought cup noodles most every night. Except, it wasn't actually him. The worst nights were the ones where she could have swore she heard his laugh from another room. He had become her own personal ghost, haunting her relentlessly.

Leaving the restaurant, she stepped out into the chilly night air. She barely made it onto the street before she absentmindedly bumped into another pedestrian.

"Mian." Bowing slightly, she politely apologized to the passerby.

"E?" The utterance of a single letter made her blood run cold. Looking up, her specter became flesh and blood and lovingly held the hand of another woman.

Feeling nauseous, the mistress did her best to withhold the panic-induced sickness. She smiled before exchanging a greeting, fooling no one with the half-hearted gesture. His date was truly beautiful and her face strangely familiar. She was small, no taller than five feet even. Her thin frame and small features made Elena feel like a giant. Long chestnut brown waves hung past her shoulders and her perfectly structured face was highlighted by curtain bangs.

It was hard not to feel inferior in her all black ensemble. She looked like a gloomy stange-hand while the date looked like the star of the show.

"How are things at the shop? I heard Sunye and Jin got engaged, hate that I missed it."

"They're very excited and planning a date for next spring." She smiled genuinely, but it still couldn't reach her eyes. The unmentioned woman began to look uncomfortable, tugging at the rapper's arm.

"Well, it was good seeing you, but we better head in. I'd hate to lose our reservation."

For a second it seemed like he was disappointed to leave, but Elena knew it was all in her head. Leaving things with a pleasant goodbye, she proceeded on the trek back to the apartment. From the safety of her private abode, the mistress popped open a bottle of red wine and sank into the kitchen floor. Somehow her life had turned into a Taylor Swift music video, and she felt like she couldn't possibly hate herself more.