Chapter 2

She always said she was busy, so I learned to spend my birthdays alone, my Valentine's Days alone, and travel to see her by myself.

Last month, on our anniversary, I took a day off in advance and traveled to her city to see her.

Six months ago, for her birthday, I turned down a work trip my company assigned me and lost my bonus because of it.

Last year, on my birthday, she said she was busy with work, so I spent it alone at home.

A friend once teased me. "They say a woman never remembers the man who goes through everything to reach her. You keep giving like this, and one day you'll be the only one left hurting."

But I said those words with absolute confidence. "She's not that kind of person."

Only now did I realize she had been right all along.

When I got home, a message came in from Sophia.

"Just got out of a meeting. I bought you a cake and had it delivered."

I opened the door and found the chestnut Basque cheesecake he'd packed from that very restaurant waiting inside.

But she'd forgotten that I was allergic to chestnuts.

She was treating me like a trash bin for whatever Arthur didn't need.

I replied. "You don't know I'm allergic to chestnuts?"

"I'm busy enough all day. Where would I find the time to remember little things like that?" Her reply came fast, and I could almost hear the impatience in his tone.

She couldn't even be bothered to remember my allergies, but she remembered exactly what kind of cake Arthur loved and where to get it.

Yet I still remembered when we'd first gotten together. I was late for one of our dates, and Sophia had ordered ahead. One of the dishes was braised chicken with chestnuts.

I didn't know, and my allergy flared up soon after I took a bite. Sophia panicked instantly, staying by my side and taking care of me for two days straight.

Her voice filled with guilt, she said. "Terry, it's all my fault. I'll never let you suffer like that again."

But now, she acted as if my allergy were nothing but a minor inconvenience.

I truly couldn't understand why Sophia treated me this way. She hadn't always been like this.

We were deskmates in high school. We used to joke that we were a pair of love-hate enemies.

After the SATs were over, Sophia suddenly asked me. "Terry, which city do you want to go to school in?"

I snapped back at her. "None of your business. What, are you planning to follow me?"

But Sophia went quiet. A long time passed before she said, "And if I said yes? I don't want to just be your classmate. Wherever you go, I'll go. I want to stay with you, always. Can I?"

I froze completely, and after a long while I said yes.

After that we went to New York together.

Even though we were on opposite ends of the city, every week she drove all the way over to see me, never complaining, just because she wanted to see me.

She was already building her company in college, and by graduation it had started to take off. She couldn't bring herself to walk away from it.

And for various reasons, I took a job back in our hometown.

It was the first time we'd been apart since we met, and I believed with all my heart that two hours of separation would never be enough to break us apart.

The day we parted, Sophia held me for a long time at the station. She told me, "Wait for me. I promise I'll have a future with you."

But it turned out I was wrong. Her company kept growing, while the time he spent with me became less and less.

Until now, when her heart had turned toward someone else, and the future he once promised me never arrived."Let's break up." I sent her that message.

The next day, a friend went with me to the mall to cancel the order for the wedding ring we'd picked out.

During our first year apart, Sophia had once told me, "Terry, within five years I'll marry you, no matter what."

This year was supposed to be the fifth year. Yet he hadn't mentioned marriage even once since.

I used to tell myself she was busy with work, that it was only natural she hadn't had time to think about these things.