Chapter 17

“It is something to live and see for a long time in the world. The day comes when you ask to go out drinking.” Ji-yoon made a strange expression when she was sitting face to face with Ha-yeon in a meat restaurant full of smoked pork belly opening a bottle of alcohol.

Actually, for Jiyoon, this situation was curious. Ha-yeon didn’t drink alcohol for some reason. She called her to drink first. She wondered if the sky would split tomorrow morning.

“Is something going on?” Jiyoon asked, pouring alcohol into Hayeon’s glass.

She glanced at Ha-yeon’s expression, but couldn’t read it. Because Ha-yeon’s expression didn’t change.

“Huh.”

“What happened? Did something happen at work? The photographer wants to take off some more clothes? Or maybe an advertiser like an old grandfather has a drink while eating together?”

“No. Not all.”

“Then?” Jiyoon asked with dryness. It wasn’t that,then what was going on?

“We broke up.” Hayeon’s answer was plain.

Jiyoon wondered if Hayeon was talking about someone else. And waited for a while thinking about it. But when Hayeon didn’t say anything else, she realized that it was about Hayeon herself.

“… What? No way, you and Kang Tae-wan?” Even though she knew it, Jiyoon asked her without even knowing it.

She couldn’t believe it that much. Ji-yoon knew about them longer than anyone else beside Ha-yeon. On the day they graduated from high school, after asking for a blind date, Ha-yeon reluctantly confessed,’I’m dating Tae-wan.’ It was just over 10 years.

At first she couldn’t believe it. The two did not appear to be together at school. Moreover, it was even harder to believe because Ji-yoon had Tae-wan in her heart.

Then Ji-yoon completely gave up on the day Ha-yeon brought him out to introduce Tae-wan.

They only had eyes for each other.

Jiyoon congratulated her sincerely because the two people fit together like a puzzle.

From that day till now, the two have never been apart. That’s why Na Ha-yeon and Kang Tae-wan. It seemed to her that the names of the two were always attached.

“Huh. Me and Kang Tae-wan.” Hayeon replied vaguely.

“Surely. Did you two  fight?” Jiyoon asked with disbelief.

“No. We broke up completely.” After Hayeon answered, she emptied the soju glass at once.

“… Why did you break up?”

“Why can’t we break up? In a world where there are divorces happening.” Ha-yeon asked with her eyes closed.

At that moment, Jiyoon was speechless. Like Ha Yeon’s words, even couples who have lived for over 50 years are breaking up. It’s a breakup after a 10-year relationship, a story that’s common enough to be heard often enough. Crossing her leg, Jiyoon’s cheek tingles , as if she had been slapped suddenly.