My Ex-Girlfriend Regrets Dumping Me

3 – Empty Farewell (3)

It was a traffic accident that occurred on the highway.

While returning home after the business trip, a large bus crashed into the car Ha-yeon’s mother was driving from behind.

A chain collision caused by the drowsy driving of the bus driver.

The bus, which was traveling at over 100 km/h at the time, continued to accelerate and crushed four vehicles in front before passing through. The first victim was Ha-yeon’s mother.

“Huh…huhuk… Yeon-ju…our daughter Yeon-ju! What if she goes before her mom… Oh my… what do I do?”

Seo Yeon-ju.

A grandmother sitting down with a thud, shouting Ha-yeon’s mother’s name.

Perhaps she was Ha-yeon’s paternal grandmother.

The somber atmosphere at the funeral home felt too heavy for me as a child, and it made me feel suffocated and uneasy.

“Huhuk…sob…”

Even my mom, wearing a black suit and tightly holding my hand, forcefully held back her sobbing by covering her mouth with one hand.

The voice of my mother calling me affectionately as “Yeonju” seemed to echo in my ears.

Just as Ha-yeon and I had grown close, it was natural for our parents to become close as well.

We had already played together countless times and had many conversations over drinks.

On our days off, I remembered my mother happily going out when Ha-yeon’s mother called her.

It was hard to simply see her as just another resident of the same apartment complex.

Perhaps it was only natural for two women who had shared similar pain to become close friends.

“…”

For some reason, I couldn’t cry.

Everyone else was crying, and I thought I should cry too, but no tears seemed to flow no matter what.

She was just a woman smiling brightly in the funeral photo.

The bright smile she had given me when she drove me to the hospital after I was bitten by a dog.

It didn’t feel real that I would never see that woman, Yeonju aunty, again.

It felt like next week she would come over to our house again, this time suggesting a outing to a different place.

“…Ah.”

And there was Ha-yeon, standing next to my grandfather, staring blankly at the funeral photo while wearing mourning clothes.

There was no sign of tears in her clouded eyes, just like mine.

Ha-yeon stood there, vacant and lifeless as if her soul had left her.

I couldn’t even begin to guess what she was feeling, so I just lowered my head.

…

…

…

After the condolence visits had mostly ended, and the day grew late and quiet.

Since it was a holiday tribute, my parents and I stayed at the funeral for a long time.

If we turned around and left now, it would feel like the end with Ha-yeon’s parents.

No one said a word about who should leave first.

“Mom, can I go see Ha-yeon for a moment?”

I asked my mom, who was sitting next to me absentmindedly, eating her meal.

Ha-yeon was sitting in a corner, taking a rest, her energy depleted.

She was still wearing mourning clothes.

Mom said to me with a sobbing voice.

“…Yeah. Go and talk to Hayeon, then come back… It must have been harder for you, seeing only adults.”

I nodded and headed towards the corner where Hayeon was sitting.

The corner of the funeral parlor.

As I leaned my head against the wall, I felt heartbroken looking at Hayeon’s slumped shoulders.

“Hayeon.”

Calling her name, I approached her side.

Her eyes, clouded enough that I couldn’t tell where she was looking, turned towards me.

As she recognized my face, I could sense some life returning to her eyes.

“…Yul.”

A thin voice soaked with moisture.

Her expression filled with exhaustion, even struggling to utter a single syllable of my name.

I had no idea what to say to her.

So instead of saying anything, I just pulled her into an embrace right there.

When Hayeon nestled in my arms, she reached out behind me, clinging desperately.

As if there was nowhere else to hold on but me.

“Yul… What should I do now? I… How should I live?”

“…”

“Dad… Mom has also left now… Sob…”

She, who seemed composed just a moment ago, quickly revealed her emotions to me.

As if I had just broken down the dam about to burst.

Tears that hadn’t flowed from the corners of her eyes.

I could vividly feel them wetting the fabric of my chest.

“It’s okay. Hayeon… It’s okay.”

“I… Sob… Now, no one is left… Sob… I’m alone now… Yul. What should I do now?”

Like a malfunctioning machine.

Hayeon kept repeating a question that even I couldn’t answer.

What can I do for a girl who lost both her parents at such a young age?

All I can do is simply hold her and pat her back gently.

“No, you’re not alone. I’m here, and our mom is here too. You’re never alone, Hayeon. Understand?”

And she only said words that lacked any convincing power, that she was not alone.

Because I felt a sense of my heart being torn apart with each word mixed with her sobbing.

Because I wanted to see the lively appearance she always showed me.

“…Really?”

Her voice, responding to my words, seemed to have a little more vitality.

I had no choice but to continue saying the words she wanted to hear.

“Well then… sniff… Of course… Hiccup… I’ll continue to stay by your side.”

“You’ll stay with me?… Really, continuously… with me… Huuuh!”

Seeing Ha-yeon crying in my arms while wailing for her mother and father.

I swallowed my tears and patted her back for a while, thinking to myself.

That I should become a place for this lonely girl who might collapse with a slight push.

For her, who had nowhere else to rely on.

…I had to become her support.

*

In the end, Ha-yeon’s whereabouts were entrusted to Aunt Seo-yeon, who is the younger sister of Mrs. Seo-yeon.

Although she could have lived with her grandparents, her aunt also pitied Ha-yeon.

Above all, it was because she hated the thought of Ha-yeon being separated from me.

Since she couldn’t attend the same school as me if she followed her grandparents.

Following Ha-yeon’s insistence, her aunt moved near our house.

That way, we continued our relationship, or rather, became even closer than before.

Our mom and I never stopped showering Ha-yeon with attention.

We continued our relationship as if nothing had happened.

We still played together on weekends, and if Ha-yeon got bored, she would come to our house in a flash.

Just like now, after school.

“Hey… Hey, don’t fight like that. Try to calm down.”

“I told you, who’s fighting like that? Just stay still.”

As Ha-yeon entered middle school, her appearance shone even brighter.

To the extent that countless confessions continued despite her glasses hiding her face.

But contrary to her appearance, since losing her mother, her lively demeanor had diminished greatly.

Except in front of me, she was always quiet and showed very little emotion.

The feeling that I had fewer words to say than before, but now even more so.

“But why do you always stay in my room instead of going home?”

“…Just because.”

Since living with my aunt, Hayeon started coming to my room much more often.

Even now, she was on top of my bed, applying ointment on my face.

Anyway, from her shortened words, it seemed like she didn’t want to talk about it.

Although I could already guess to some extent without her saying anything.

“Are you still uncomfortable?”

“Yeah. Aunt told me not to worry about it. It’s just me.”

No matter how much she tried to act like a substitute parent, she wasn’t for Hayeon.

Perhaps it was because she felt burdened by taking care of her, she seemed rather uncomfortable.

Naturally, her visits to our house increased in frequency.

I quickly changed the subject seeing Hayeon’s gloomy expression.

“So, you don’t have to apply it?… Ow… It hurts… It really hurts!”

“That’s why. You should just ignore it and let it go. You’re getting hurt fighting like this. Even if they tell you to go to the health center, you don’t go.”

Like training an unruly dog.

Hayeon calmed me down by pressing her index finger against my face.

After getting into a fight with a boy from the same class at school, I had injuries all over my body.

“Aren’t you angry? He was making fun of your parents.”

“Well, it’s partly true. And I don’t want to fight because of that.”

“Damn it. It’s frustrating. Because you’re like this, I have no choice but to fight. Idiot.”

One of the guys in our class who was always bothering Hayeon.

I don’t know if it was out of resentment or revenge.

I just couldn’t stand how he found out about her family situation and teased her for not having parents.

Rather, I was frustrated by Hayeon’s cold demeanor.

Because I knew how much pain and scars were festering inside her.

“Enough. Now we just need to put on a bandage.”

Holding back a smile, Hayeon removed her finger from applying ointment and slightly smiled.

That smile contrasted with her usual expressionless face, making me unintentionally look at her.

Taking out a bandage from the first aid kit, Hayeon stated confidently to me.

“…Don’t fight for my sake anymore.”

“So, should I just watch and do nothing?”

“Yeah. Just watch. Because if you ignore it, you’ll eventually leave.”

How can she be so indifferent?

I’ve heard stories that girls mature faster emotionally, but I couldn’t understand at all.

As I shook my head, Ha-yeon continued with a sigh.

“Yul.”

“…Why?”

“No matter how angry or frustrated I get, I hate it more when you get hurt from fighting.”

Her cheeks, which she lightly brushed behind her ears, were slightly flushed.

I knew that was a behavior she showed when she felt embarrassed.

“…So please don’t fight. No matter what happens, don’t get hurt or in pain. Got it?”

All I could do in response to her sincere voice was nod.

That made me realize how much she valued me as a friend.

…So, I hadn’t known that she didn’t consider me just a friend until now.