Chapter 6

Back in my tiny studio flat, traces of Jack were still everywhere.

The ceramic bowls we made together, the coasters we wove, and our matching slippers.

I packed everything away one by one.

And that’s when I realized—we didn’t even have a single photo together.

A thought formed in my mind.

Maybe Jack had known all along that this was just a game.

That’s why he didn’t want to leave any proof of our relationship.

I opened his Instagram profile.

There wasn’t a single post about me.

It was as if we had never officially been together.

Our relationship had begun out of nowhere, and now it was ending just as mysteriously.

I clipped my bangs behind my ears and washed my face.

Cold water soaked my cheeks, and the scar on my forehead stood out clearly.

I closed my eyes and was transported back to the car accident.

At the time, Jack had gone out to buy me a cake.

A car came speeding by, and I pushed him out of the way with all my strength.

I was the one who got hit, and though the physical wounds had healed over time, the scar on my forehead never fully went away.

How foolish.

For the first time, I used concealer.

It was as if I were trying to fill the hole left in my heart.

Or maybe, I was just deceiving myself.

My hand trembled violently as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

I almost couldn’t hold onto the makeup brush.

A car horn sounded outside, and I jumped.

The brush slipped from my hand into the sink, soaked with water.

Nina, you’re such a failure.

All the disappointment and anxiety I had bottled up finally erupted.

I wasn’t even sure why I was crying.

Was it because my hands could barely hold a pen?

Or was it because of this secret relationship that no one knew about?

I curled up, slowly sliding down to the floor, my back against the wall.

I don’t know how long I stayed there.

The silhouette of the window merged with the darkness outside.

Finally, I moved my dry lips.

Jack Stevens, I don’t want you anymore.

From today on, this is goodbye.