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Third Person's POV

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Valarie waited by the entrance of his apartment. She hoped that her gift will be enough. This will be the last time she will see him. She's planning to live in Paris. Alone, this time. And starting anew. She took a breather, before ringing the bell. She waited a while, before pressing the button again and hearing the same ring. Is he not home? She wondered to herself. Maybe she should've called. The door opened so suddenly, making her jump. Hyungwon appeared, his hair was wet, dripping at the end of his hair.

"I'm sorry. I just came out of the shower" He greeted.

"Uh... it's fine. I just wanted to drop by for a moment"

"Come in" He stepped aside for her.

"Thank you" She replied, before slipping past him. Hyungwon went towards the kitchen.

"Have a seat" He said, and she sat at one of the high chairs.

"Are you okay with coffee?" He asked, which she nodded and gave a small smile too.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, while he moved around the kitchen, preparing the coffee.

"I'm good. Healing" She said.

"I felt relieved hearing he is in prison. But, I couldn't face him" Valarie said, Hyungwon nodded in understanding.

"I made brownies" She placed the box of brownies on the table.

"You made them?" He asked, which she nod to. He admits, his impressed.

"Thank you" He said.

"Here" He passed the cup of coffee to her.

"Thank you" She grabbed the cup from him and slowly took a sip.

"Mr. Chae. I came here to thank you, for saving me that night. If it wasn't for you. I wouldn't know what would've happened to me"

"Don't mention it. I would've done it for anyone" She felt a sting at her heart.

"You're right" Her face fell at that. Hyungwon tense up. He doesn't mean to hurt her.

"I mean, even if it wasn't you, I still would have saved them" He tried to explain, but clearly still hurting her.

"I understand. I don't mean anything to you" She got up, walking away. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"That's not what I meant!" He protested. F**k! What is he trying to say?! He doesn't mean that! But the more he tried to explain, the more worse the situation gets.

"I'm so stupid to actually think that maybe you cared a little for me!" Her voice cracked.

"Why do you care if I care about you, or not? You have other people to care for you!" He raised his voice. That's when she's had enough and bursted.

"No one loves me enough to care about me!!" She yelled, making him freeze. Flashbacks of Emiko yelling the same thing flashed in his mind. His past lover said the exact same thing as she did. Hyungwon watched as her tears rolled down her cheeks like waterfall.

"My mother didn't love me enough to stay with me! She loved my dead sister more and decided to take her own life! She didn't love me enough!" Hyungwon couldn't believe his ears. He never knew how much pain she's in.

"My father kept himself busy for years, not wanting to look at his daughter, who reminds him of all his pain! He turned away from me when I needed him the most!"

"And you left me when I needed you the most! You left me alone to comfort myself in grieve, when the only family I had died!" She added. Hyungwon felt a pang in his heart. He shouldn't have listened to his mother and followed his heart instead.

"I hate you!" She yelled. He felt like he got slapped multiple times.

"You made me hate myself even more! You made me feel worse about myself!"

"Why do you despise me so much?! Why do you hat-?!" She was taken aback when he used his speed coming towards her, he leans in and kissed her parted lips. No! She instantly grumbled and went to push him. He quickly pressed her against the wall. She hit at his shoulders and went to push, but he wouldn't budge. She bit down on his lip and he pulled away grunting in pain and cupping his mouth. The both of them look at each other in anger, their chest heaving in a fast pace. She watched as the cut on his lips healed quickly, but her lips still felt numb.

"Don't think my feelings for you will change after you kiss me"

"You're wrong about how I feel towards you. I don't hate you!" He stated, making her eyebrows scrunched together.

"I'm confused. Then, why?" She asked.

"Why do you act the way you do with me? You acted as if I disgust you so much" Hyungwon contemplated whether to tell her the truth.

"I know I can never compare to you when it comes to status, or ranking, or wealth. You are way beyond me in this stupid, goddamn bloodsucking community!"

"It's not you, that I hate. It's the way you are!" Now, she's even more confused.

"Huh. I don't understand" She shake her head.

"You don't hate me, but you hate the way I am?" Hyungwon was trying to come up with a way to explain to her, but he doesn't know how.

"Why did you leave when I needed you the most?" She asked the question that has made her wonder in agony for so long. She needed to know why, maybe it will make her feel better.

"Because I was scared" He said.

"Scared of what? What could scare a heartless person like you?" She asked, in an angry manner.

"I'm scared to fall in love with someone other than her" He replied.

"Her who?" Valarie asked.

"Come here" He said and gestured for her to follow him. Well, that escalated quickly. She followed him as they entered his room. He pointed to the portrait.

"Her! The way you are, you remind me so much of her! And I hate that!" He stated. She observed the portrait, not getting it.

"I'm starting to believe you might actually be her!"

"What? Mr. Chae, I don't understand" Valarie look at him in utter confusion. He hates that she reminds him of the girl in the portrait.

"The way you talk! The way you smile! Your attitude! Your eyes! Your scent! It's so much like her!" Is that a bad thing?

"Who is she to you?" She asked.

"Nae sarang! I love her!" He yelled, making her take a step back. Now his eyes were the ones that are teary. But still, she doesn't get it.

"You love her, but you hate that I remind you of her. Yet, you have a portrait of her?"

"Because, I don't want to be swayed by you! I don't want my love for her to disappear! Don't you get it?!" She whimpered when he stepped closer and gripped her arms, yelling at her face.

"Is she still around? Is that why you pushed me away? Because you don't want to cheat on her?" If it's true, she would feel better at the fact that he pushed her away not because he hated her, but its because he already has someone else. But the fact that he has someone else and never told her, kinda hurts her.

"She's gone a long time ago. And I still can't let her go" Her heart breaks seeing the hurt in his eyes.

"What happened?" Valarie softly asked, looking concerned.

"We were gonna get married, but just before the wedding she was raped and murdered" Valarie's eyes teared up at that, she felt her heart ached. Her sister died the same way.

"Just like my sister" Valarie stated, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"We should've been more honest and open with each other" She stated, truthfully.

"Even though we were together, we still had that barrier between us. I'm sorry, I hurt your feelings" Hyungwon apologized, hugging her.

"I'm sorry too. I never really tried to understand you" Valarie cried on his chest.

~~~~~~~~~~

The both of them ended up cuddling on the bed, just holding each other in the comfort of their arms. Valarie felt at ease, but still what Hyungwon said is still lingering around her head.

"Are you actually planning to not fall in love ever again?" She asked, looking up and cupping his face. He look down at her, both of their eyes still swollen.

"I don't know. I feel guilty" His eyes glanced at the portrait.

"I hang that portrait up as a reminder to myself"

"Why?" She asked.

"Emiko died because of me. I wanted to meet her near the forest. And when I show up,..." His eyes teared up once again. She instantly understood.

"I'm sorry" She inched closer and their cheeks are pressed against each other as they hugged closer.

"I swear to god, if I get who did that to her. I'll torture him endlessly, until he begs me to kill him" He said through gritted teeth.

"I feel the same. Whoever killed my sister, destroyed my family. I hope he suffers" Valarie stated.

"But Mr. Chae. I don't think Emiko would want you to suffer just because of what happened. And I'm sure, my sister wouldn't want her own family to always be sad"

"How would I know that?" Hyungwon asked, his eyes clouded with tears.

"You love her, don't you?" Hyungwon turn to look at Valarie.

"Then live on and love for her sake. Loving someone else, doesn't mean you love her any less, right?" Valarie asked. Hyungwon can't help but think she is right. She leans closer and place her lips on his. Ultimate bliss was what he felt. He kissed her back, but he couldn't go through with it. He gripped her shoulder and held her back and he pulled away. He looked into her eyes that was wondering why he is pushing her away.

"I made a promise to only love her. For a century, I've kept that promise" He stated. There was silence for a brief moment as the both of them were in their own thoughts.

"You're breaking my heart here" Valarie stated, her voice cracking a little, as her fist gripped the sheets. So, in the end, he picked her.

"I understand" Valarie said. She slowly got up, Hyungwon felt the loss of warmth. He just stared at her, as she got off the bed and stand to look at him. She forced a small smile. This will be the last of him that she will see.

"Goodbye, Mr. Chae. This will be the last time I'll see you"

"What do you mean?" He asked, balancing himself on his elbows and his eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"I'm planning to move to another country. Set up my career elsewhere"

"Where?" He asked, but she just reply with a small smile.

"Who are you going with?"

"Alone this time"

"And Raeven?"

"She's planning to continue her studies" Hyungwon didn't know what to say. He glanced at the portrait behind her and he looked back at her. Maybe this is for the better. This is the greater good for the both of them. This is the solution that will make it less painful for the both of them.

"I guess this is goodbye" He said, getting off the bed as well. She gave a soft smile as he opened his arms for a hug. She gladly hugged him. Hyungwon took in her scent and his eyes teared up, as well as hers.

"For all it's worth, I really love you. I never felt this way with any other man" His heart skipped a beat at her confession.

"I really hope you find happiness in the end, Mr. Chae"

"Call me Hyungwon, please" He said. She smiled at that.

"Goodbye, Hyungwon. Thank you for being my pretend boyfriend for a month. That was the greatest month of my life" She admitted.

"I'll hold onto that memory forever and I'm glad we end this on good terms" She added. He just stayed silent, holding her in his arms.

"Me too" Was all he could say.

~~~~~~~~~~

Valarie glanced out the plane window, seeing the night sky. The moon was bright and she could see the pattern of bright dots in the sky. She felt a sense of longing in her heart. She loved that man, deeply with every cell in her body. Now that she knows the truth, that he doesn't actually hate her, she somehow thought that they could be together. But she has to respect his decision of keeping the promise he made to his past lover, Emiko. What a lucky girl. Valarie's tears rolled down her cheeks. If only there was someone in the world who loved her just as much as Hyungwon loves Emiko. That even after a century has gone by, he stayed faithful.

"Emiko, I envy you" Valarie stated, looking out at the dark sky. She wiped her tears and breathed in.

"I was lucky enough to get a little taste of his love. And that felt like pure bliss" She added, closing her eyes momentarily.

"If the price to pay for his love was my own life, I would take it" She murmured, before her eyes fluttered shut and she fell into the sweet relief of sleep.

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