war-ridden | 최연준

10 | darling.

[ 🌊 ]

Emotionless. That was the only way to describe Choi Yeonjun. He refused to walk back into the kingdom—knowing by now, they must've heard about everything. He sat in the sand of the beach, watching the waves crash at the shore. The rain still hadn't settled, continuing to hit him endlessly.

But he didn't care. His lover was gone, and there was nothing he could do about it—and nothing he should do about it.

She betrayed him. She lied to him—straight to his face for years, swearing that she loved him. They were going to be married, but he seemed to have been the only one hopeful for anything.

For some reason, he still hoped that from a distance, somebody would call out his name. That Akari would call out his name—but he should be angry at her. He should hate her for betraying him, as if she wanted him dead this whole time. She lied to his face every night, every day and every moment.

He held the two rings in his hands—it felt as if he were still holding onto her, hoping that this was all some sick joke. But she really let him go—forever. He swore to never go back to her, she wasn't worthy of him again.

His tears ran down his face, clutching the rings harder to his chest. He looked town at his clasped hand, her ring still there. Yeonjun's anger built up, with all his might, he threw the ring into the ocean in front of him.

It's time to let her go.

[ 🌊 ]

Akari was no better. She sat at her desk, sobbing and letting her tears decorate the wood of her furniture. A pile of crumpled papers rested on her floor from the hours she spent attempting a letter to Yeonjun. Her last letter to him—they had to separate.

She would give anything to embrace him once more, to kiss him, to love him again and again. But she knew she couldn't—this was the only way to save him.

Her tears ruined the ink on the letter, smearing the letters on top of one another. She slammed her head to the desk in her arms, sobbing to herself. Why couldn't she just be with her lover?

Upon her tears, she heard a knock on her door, ignoring it. Whoever it was, she didn't want to see them.

However, they peered through the door. It was Sophia.

"Your Highness, I brought you some food since you didn't eat at all at dinner today." She sighed, rubbing the girl's shoulder. The woman closed the door before grabbing a stool and sitting next to the princess. "I'm so sorry for what I—"

Akari threw her hands around Sophia, sobbing into the maid's shoulders. Above all, Sophia had always been like the mother Akari never grew up with. She complained to her about love, friendships, clothing—anything she never could do with her mother.

"I know," She patted the girl's back. "let it out."

Akari sobbed as hard as the midnight rain outside her window. Usually, she would've been asleep by now, but how could she be?

"I'm so sorry for Fiona's actions at the dinner table. We should've never done what we did, and I know you should've announced your love at your own accord. I'm deeply sorry and I can understand if you can't find it in your heart to forgive us or trust us again." Sophia said, still watching the girl sob on her shoulder.