Before we say Goodbye

Prologue

Sitting on the floor, she stared at the luggage on the corner of their room.

She's tired. So damn tired that she didn't have the energy to get angrier anymore than she already is. Her throat dry and her voice hoarse from all the yelling. Her eyes exhausted from trying to hold back tears. Her heart torn from the pain of... everything.

Her face feigned nonchalance as she looked at the figure of the man a few meters away from her, clutching his bottle of alcohol so tightly she was afraid for a second that the bottle would break under his touch.

The thought of leaving this house bugged her mind for several months now, to the point that she shoved her luggage out of their storage to put it somewhere accessible, so she can easily pack her things and go.

...but she couldn't do it.

She was never the sentimental one, and there are only a few things she held sacred.

Her vow is one of that very few.

Remember that I am your Se-Ri- Your diary, your shoulder to cry on, your partner, your best friend, your lifelong companion, your wife, your family.

I will never leave your side.

She went to sit beside him and harshly grabbed the bottle of alcohol to herself. One, two, three gulps to try to drown herself with it. She laughed bitterly, in contrast to the alcohol that tasted strangely sweet to her lips.

He looked at her in disbelief, as if asking how could she laugh at a time like this.

"Did you know that when alcohol tastes sweet, it means that you are having a really shitty day?"

He looked at her intently, getting lost in the eternity of her eyes.

Her eyes that previously held eternity of euphoric bliss, now looked like it were now trapped for eternity in the depths of despair.

Was he the one to blame? All he can do is sigh.

She gave back the bottle to offer him another taste. Somehow finding amusement in all of this, he snickered but obliged anyway, and a smile crept up to his lips when he realized she was right. It was indeed sweet.

They sat in silence. Sitting beside each other, her shoulder was almost touching his. He can feel her warmth as his arms accidentally and softly brushed against hers. Forearms resting on her knees, her beautiful soft hands were clasped together, and a shine from her finger caught his eye.

He stared at the golden ring band on her finger. How can such a small piece of jewelry hold so much meaning in one's life?

He wasn't a Catholic, but he remembered including in his vow something he read before.

Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

I am your Jeong-Hyeok. I will always protect you. I will always trust you. I will always hope for our happiness, I will always persevere for us. My Se-Ri, our love will never fail.

He took glances from her ring to his own golden ring band. He grimaced at the sudden pang of pain that hit his chest.

He was also tired. Tired from explaining himself, tired from all the accusations, tired from all the hurt.