"Oppa," I bit my lip before continuing my words. "I can't do this anymore."

There was no reaction from Minhyuk’s face when I said those words. His lips, however, curled and formed a thin smile. I couldn’t watch his face any longer, so I was looking at the floor. Slowly, tears were pooled on my eyelids, before falling down to my cheeks. Minhyuk was still silent, wasn’t able to say even one word.  He didn’t even try to console me, like he always used to do.

We sat at the corner of the coffee shop, quite far from other visitors. Those happy voices were the opposite of our condition. I wasn’t still able to look at Minhyuk’s face. He didn’t move nor say anything. I couldn’t even imagine what kind of face that Minhyuk had.

“Why is it?” Suddenly Minhyuk’s voice was heard. His voice was calm, ironically.

I lifted my head to look at his face. Surprisingly, his face was quite different from his voice. He looked blank and confused, like someone who was just received a bad news. Well, HE DID.

“I just…cannot.” My voice was shaking.

“Is it because of our parents?”

Damn. Why should he mention it really clearly?

“Is that your biggest concern?”

“Oppa…,”

“Don’t you remember that we’re going to make it…together?”

“I know, but…,”

“Then what is this, Yujin-ah?”

Those sharp remarks made me shrink a little. I couldn’t believe that Minhyuk could be this frustrated.

“I’m tired, oppa.” Those bitter words came out of my mouth. I felt my eyes were heavy and I was struggling not to cry again. “I’m tired that we have to pretend like nothing happened between us. I’m tired of lying to our parents as well.”

“Do you think I’m not, Yujin-ah?”

“That’s why,” I bit my lip again. “That’s why I said I can’t do this anymore.”

Silence came again between us. No words were spoken from us. I took my cup of coffee and sipped it. The bitterness soon filled my throat, but the situation between me and Minhyuk was bitterer.

“I truly understand the situation between us, oppa. I didn’t come with this decision easily, either. For the past two weeks, I kept thinking about it.” I inhaled some air before continuing my words. “Both our parents don’t want this relationship. Your mother doesn’t like me, and my mother doesn’t like you as well. So far we’re trying hard to change their perspective, but nothing came up well, right? We just hurt ourselves.”

Minhyuk didn’t answer me. His face was trying to digest what I just said.

“It’s not only my mother who doesn’t like you, oppa. But almost the entire family of my mother’s side doesn’t like you too.” Was I too cruel for saying those words? I was just too desperate because he seemed reluctant to accept my decision earlier.

It was another silence between us. Minhyuk seemed like he wanted to say something, but I saw uncertainty on his face. Deep down inside my heart, I knew very well that Minhyuk was the type who didn’t like to show or speak his trouble. He preferred to keep it for himself, which was…quite hard for me as well. We often got trapped in misunderstanding due to his character.

“Yujin-ah…,” Minhyuk spoke again and I could only lift my head to face him. “Can’t you wait a little bit longer?”

I hung my head lower again then I shook my head. “I’m sorry I can’t, oppa. It’s too difficult to bear it anymore.”

Minhyuk sighed harder than before. He leaned his body against the sofa with another frustrated look. He ruffled his own hair so it became messier.

“I’m so sorry, oppa. It is really hard for me to bear the trouble any longer. The pressure is just too much. Two years, remember?”

Minhyuk didn’t answer me again. I was trying to arrange some words so that he would finally understand before accepting my decision.

“Oppa…,” I leaned forward to reach his hand. Cold. Minhyuk’s hand was cold. “Being in a relationship is one of the most amazing things between a boy and a girl. I’m happy as well with this relationship and I’m so thankful because for the past three years, you take a really good care of me. You’re such a warm and kind man who will do anything for my happiness. I’m the one who should feel ashamed because I give up easily like this when you’re trying hard to protect this relationship. I’m sorry, oppa. I really am.”

I felt my face was getting warm again. I bit my lip as hard as I could so that my tears wouldn’t fall, but it was such a waste. My cheeks were getting wet and tears were flowing continuously from my eyes. Minhyuk reached my hand and held my fingers tightly. I was trying to remove tears on my cheeks carelessly. I don’t care if my eyeliner and mascara were off.

“No, I’m sorry, Yujin-ah. I’m sorry for not being able to understand you. I know that your position is difficult too, yet I’m still trying to force you to hang on. I think I’m being too greedy because I just love you without considering the situation between you and your family. I’m sorry about that, Yujin-ah.”

“Oppa…,”

“Yujin-ah…, thank you for being honest with me about this. You are surely a really good girl. Though we’re not an item anymore, I hope that we can still continue to be friends. I will never ever leave you so whenever you have trouble don’t be hesitate to find me. I’ll always be there for you. You’re the one that I cherish the most in my life besides my family. Finding you was the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my whole life. You’re really precious, so don’t you feel small about yourself ever again.”

I couldn't hold my tears any longer. I hung my head low so that people wouldn't notice it. I let them fell down on my cheeks and I was struggling not to make sound. Soon my cry turned into hiccups. My body shook quite hard. That afternoon, we finally met after two weeks, only to accept the reality of break-up.

 

***