Chapter 10: What Still Remains

Something felt strange.

There was no reason for him to feel hungry or sleepy.

Yet the moment he sat in front of Kwon Se-ha, all the sensations that usually didn’t bother him came crawling out at once.

The coughing that had continued for a while finally stopped.

He wiped away the tears that had formed naturally with the back of his hand.

As if waiting for the rise and fall of his chest to settle, Se-ha opened that cruel mouth again.

“You’ll be fine.

You just think you can’t because you’ve never tried.”

Hae-su knew exactly what kind of “effort” he meant.

And that was precisely why he couldn’t do it.

The blind waiting he had endured until now had always been filled with hope and love.

A long time ago—

when Se-ha had woken up with no memory at all—

Hae-su once reached out his hand, only for Se-ha to flinch and step back.

At that moment, Hae-su understood what unbearable loss truly felt like.

To avoid getting hurt, should he have shaken off the lover who was on the brink of death and turned away?

Should he have let Se-ha die or live as he pleased,

and started loving someone new instead?

Chairman Kwon and Lee Do-yoon had told him it was okay.

That he didn’t need to keep holding onto Se-ha’s hand—

the hand that no longer bore the scars it once had—

and live his life waiting like this.

But back then, Choi Hae-su stubbornly grabbed Se-ha’s hand.

Even though he didn’t even have the strength to cry out.

Tears filled half of his large eyes, looking pitiful.

Whether they fell endlessly and soaked his face or not,

he had to shake his head violently.

To deny everyone who told him to leave Se-ha.

“I still don’t have any memories with you.”

“…I know.”

No one knew that better than Hae-su himself.

If their memories had been the same,

Se-ha wouldn’t look at him like that,

or speak with such coldness.

Sometimes he wondered if he regretted denying reality,

clinging to false hope,

and waiting foolishly.

But the answer was close to no.

That’s why there was no one he could blame.

“Now, become someone precious to someone else.”

“……”

“I’ve decided to do the same.”

Was the person who once shouted they would never break up gone now?

Maybe so.

Now he was throwing something even harsher than a breakup.

Until the words “let’s break up” were spoken,

Hae-su had believed there was no real ending between them.

One person would say it first,

and the other would accept it—

only then would it truly end.

Se-ha’s lips pressed firmly together after speaking,

adding a sharp edge to his already cold expression.

He wasn’t saying anything more—

as if giving time to Hae-su,

who trembled all over yet shed not a single tear.

Cry here if you want,

and let us go.

Accept that we won’t meet again.

But not yet.

For Hae-su, it was still rejection.

“Kwon Se-ha.”

“Yes.”

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

He carried both fear of a life without Se-ha

and a faint, distant hope.

But one thing was certain—

the fear was far greater.

He didn’t want to let go.

Not of this Se-ha,

but of the Se-ha he believed had disappeared.

There were too many things left unsaid.

He had once thought of saying the same words Se-ha said today.

But in the end, he couldn’t.

Those unspeakable words only piled up deep inside his throat.

He had been afraid—

that if he said such things to someone who had no memory,

he would be seen as insane.

So he stayed silent.

Even knowing it was an excuse,

he used it to delay the end of them.

Se-ha.

I kept us going this long.

All by myself….

“Shall we get up?”

“……”

“Thank you for the dinner.”

The answer didn’t match everything that had been said.

Se-ha’s brows furrowed.

One side lifted slightly, breaking their symmetry.

It was the face of someone dissatisfied with the answer he didn’t get.

Hae-su’s thin hand pressed against the table as he stood.

His frail body rose slowly.

No matter how Se-ha looked at him,

at least he hadn’t made a complete mess of himself.

He turned away.

His stubborn steps moved ahead of Se-ha,

who also stood up.

They left the restaurant one after the other.

Past the luxurious entrance,

they walked through a corridor with glass walls on both sides.

Since the place was reserved in a quiet area,

he hadn’t even noticed it had started raining during their meal.

Heavy rain was now beating against the glass.

Hae-su stepped closer, watching the rain.

Then he turned his head toward Se-ha.

“It’s raining.”

“Yes. It is.

I heard the rainfall would be quite heavy today.”

“Could you… give me a ride?”

For a moment, his expression looked almost pitiful.

Se-ha glanced between his face and his watch,

then shook his head lightly.

“That might be difficult.

I have another appointment.”

“…I see.”

What Hae-su felt then was unmistakable emptiness.

“Do-yoon will come.

He was overly worried when I told him I’d meet you.

I told him to come around the time we’d finish,

so he should be here soon.”

“I can go by myself.”

“You just asked for a ride.

And it looks like the rain will get worse,

so don’t argue.”

If he asked who the appointment was with,

would Se-ha frown?

Would he get annoyed and ask why it mattered?

A few years ago, he might have asked without hesitation.

But not today.

Se-ha gave a brief nod and left.

That back—

he was tired of seeing it,

yet couldn’t look away.

Just then, his phone vibrated in his hand.

Bzzz—

Without even checking, he lifted it to his ear.

There was no one else who would call him at this moment.

Only after Se-ha disappeared around the corner

did warmth rise to his face.

“Yes, Do-yoon.”

[Hae-su. It’s raining heavily. Stay inside.]

“I will. Drive safely.”

He had never told him where he was.

They hadn’t even planned to meet today.

Yet Do-yoon was already coming.

Se-ha’s coldness had shaped the people around Hae-su this way.

They feared he might lose control and collapse.

They worried he might wander alone in the rain like today.

Whatever had been said at dinner,

to Do-yoon, Hae-su would always seem pitiful.

[Aren’t you sleepy?]

“I’m okay.”

[I’ll be there soon. Three minutes.]

“Okay. I’ll stay on the line.”

Three minutes.

Thinking it wasn’t long, he began walking.

When he reached the spot where Do-yoon might stop the car,

he saw Se-ha still nearby.

Soon, Se-ha opened the driver’s door and got in.

The engine started,

and the car drove off smoothly—

without hesitation.

It seemed he hadn’t noticed Hae-su at all.

Se-ha forgot and forgot again,

without even having time to develop trauma from the accident.

Hae-su stood there, lost in thought—

but not for long.

A familiar car stopped in front of him.

Do-yoon’s car.

The call ended naturally.

“Hae-su, why are you dressed so lightly?”

Do-yoon had parked close to him,

opened an umbrella,

and rushed over.

His footsteps splashed loudly on the wet ground.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“Not really.

The night is always like this.”

Do-yoon looked like he might click his tongue.

Worry filled his face.

Hae-su brushed it off and opened the passenger door.

“We’ve been seeing each other often lately.

Even yesterday.”

“Still, it’s been a while since you got in my car, right?”

“Has it?

I don’t really remember.”

“It’s been a long time.

I even looked you up online because I forgot your face.”

“That’s not true.

Out of everyone in my contacts, I see you quite often.”

Do-yoon got back in after making sure Hae-su closed the door.

He folded the umbrella and placed it in the back seat.

Seeing Hae-su warming his hands near the heater,

he smiled faintly and fastened his seatbelt.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For making you my driver today.”

The car began moving amid their small talk.

Rain continued to hit the windshield relentlessly.

The wipers worked nonstop.

“I offered first.”

“I know.”

“Hm?”

“Can I ask why?”

At first glance, it sounded like a trivial question.

Like asking why he needed to come pick him up in such weather.

But this had always been the case.

Between Se-ha and Hae-su,

Do-yoon had always been the one taking care of the one who would be hurt more.

So to him, this question felt unfamiliar.

He didn’t fully understand it,

and only tapped lightly on the steering wheel.