Two years earlier:
She set the bottle of wine on the kitchen island, leaning precariously on it, struggling to keep the glass steady so she wouldn't spill a drop. Her bare feet soaked up the coolness of the marble kitchen floor, but it did nothing to cool her anger or her pain.
Her gaze was fixed on the document on the counter. He could be home at least tonight, their last night. He could at least act like husband for once, not just on their anniversary. But no, work was always going to be his priority, she's just a tool to get to the top.
Aera took the document, downing her wine in one gulp and tiptoed towards the office her husband used on the rare occasions he was home. Not bothering to turn on the lights, guided only by the moonlight coming from the huge window behind his desk, she placed the document above the others in the center of the desk and her empty glass next to it.
"What are you doing in my office?" his deep tired voice startled and Aera flinched slightly. "It doesn't matter anymore" she shrugged, walking towards him. "You look tired, get some rest" Aera walked past her now ex-husband heading towards her bedroom. "Are you drunk?" she turned and looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Tell me, Jimin, do you know what day it is?" Aera asked calmly and Jimin lowered his brows.
"I think it's Wednesday?" he muttered, watching as her lips curled into something that only resembled a smile. "How much did you drink, Aera?" he asked walking over to her something was wrong, Aera never drank and her current state made him tense. "Another irrelevant question" she tilted her head slightly, turning back to her bedroom.
Jimin rubbed his face with both hands. Aera was behaving strangely, she usually greeted him with a smile, asking about his day, they both shared the same passion and that was the reason for their marriage. Even though it was just for convenience and business, Jimin actually had a crush on her, but the friend zone she put him in never gave him the chance to show her that.
The fact that he was constantly busy at the office while Aera worked from home didn't really help the development of the relationship between the two either. It wasn't just her friendly attitude, it was also his fault and he realized it, if he spent more time on his wife, now he wouldn't be enjoying her body just from far and she wouldn't be sleeping in a separate room.
When the two had met two years ago, everything was business, the idea was to found a company, RJ Fashion Agency, however, soon they both realized that as separate individuals, this couldn't happen. Even though he understood business and she was more than an excellent and talented designer, the banks refused to give such a large loan to any of them. Things changed when it was accidentally hinted to them that if the two were married, things would be different.
So the two turned out to be married, with the arrangement being for the period in which the agency grew and began to function as a full-fledged fashion company and brand. Jimin's flair for business and Aera's models soon shot them high and now RJ Fashion Agency was more than famous. In just one year, the two of them had accomplished more than either had done in a lifetime.
Anyway, Jimin kept telling himself that he wanted to give this marriage a better chance than just an arrangement, but somehow he kept putting it off. He acted like a coward, of course, but Aera wasn't just anyone, she was his partner and wife, he couldn't just get her into his bed and then act like nothing happened, he wanted to make sure he really had feelings for her before he jumped into the deep.
"Aera?" he knocked on her door, when he got no answer, he opened the door slightly and peeked inside. She was lying in her clothes and he approached, studying her posture. "Aera?" he repeated, crouching beside her bed. She mumbled something, sighing heavily and he smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Her alcohol flushed face looked so peaceful, so beautiful, she pursed her lips in sleep and Jimin wanted to feel and know what it felt like to taste them. "You're an idiot, Park Jimin" she muttered, turning her back on him and he scowled. Was he the reason she was so drunk, did he done something to make her angry?
Jimin sighed, deciding he would talk to her in the morning when she was sober and quietly left the room, heading to his own bedroom. Undressing, however, her question kept running through his mind. "What day is today?" he muttered to himself as he entered the bathroom. No matter how hard he tried, nothing came out, it wasn't their anniversary, it was a month ago, it wasn't her birthday, nor his, so what was Aera asking about.
The warm water slowly made his tired body relax, while his mind continued to work. "What am I missing?" he asked himself again, leaning against the wall, occasionally wiping the water from his face, staring at some invisible point. Aera's face popped into his mind, her tired darkened and somewhat sad look, the anger in her eyes clearly visible, anger definitely directed at him.
"Come on Jimin, it's not that hard!" he tried to cheer himself up, but he still couldn't find a reason for her behavior. They hadn't fought, he hadn't forgotten a date that was somehow important to her or to them, so what had made her get drunk? Whatever it was, it was connected to him, and that bothered him even more.
Jimin turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist, using another to dry his hair and sat on the bed staring at the other side. The empty side. If he had been more determined, he would now lie down next to her body, instead of between the icy blankets. "You really are an idiot, Jimin" he shook his head, laying back on the covers and staring thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Closing his eyes, he imagined Aera turning and curling into him, her hands touching him, seeking his warmth. A month ago something similar had happened. On their anniversary, Jimin had stayed home, hoping that the two of them would go to a higher level. They had spent the day together, shopping, eating ice cream while walking in the park, and in the evening she had prepared dinner, after which the two of them watched a movie and Aera had fallen asleep on the couch next to him, snuggling on his chest in her sleep.
The feeling hadn't left him yet, fueling his fantasies about her. He really wanted to be able to read her mind, to find out how she felt about him, whether she also fell for him, whether she would give him a chance,to him and their marriage. With these thoughts he drifted off to sleep, more determined than ever that the time had come to find out if there was any hope at all for the two of them.
"Aera?" he lowered his eyebrows, looking around her empty bedroom. "Where can she be so early in the morning?" he thought as he turned to leave but his eyes suddenly fell on something on her nightstand, he frowned even more walking in and approaching the nightstand. "What the..." he reached down and took her wedding ring and the letter underneath it.
"We did it Jimin.
I want to say that I am happy, that I am proud of what has been achieved, that while reading the annual financial reports, I feel proud of everything we have achieved. But the truth is that it hurts. It hurts me because this success means it's time and I have to release you from this obligation that our marriage is to you. I'm sorry, Jimin, but maybe it's better that way, maybe we just weren't meant to be. The divorce papers, as well as those in which I transfer my share of RJ Fashion Agency to you, are on your desk.
Good luck Jimin, maybe one day, who knows, if we meet again, things will be different and when I look at you, I won't want to be anything more than a tool for you, maybe then I will be able to accept you the way you accept me and we can only be friends.
I love you, Aera"
"No..." he turned sharply and ran to his bedroom, grabbing his phone, Jimin tried to call her but her phone was off. "Damn it, Aera, why do you make such decisions alone!" he growled, pocketing her ring and grabbing his car keys and wallet. "Come on, baby, turn your damn phone on!" he tried to call her again as he walked out of their apartment and waited for the elevator.
"Holy shit!" he went down to the parking lot and got into his car. Rummaging through his phone, he called the only person he could think of. "Haw, where is she?" he nearly screamed when Aera's best friend answered his call. "I don't know Jimin, she didn't even want to tell me where she was going" Haw huffed and Jimin cursed angrily, hanging up and throwing the phone on the passenger seat before heading off with a dirty gasp to the first place that came to his mind,at the airport.
