Chapter 1

Every time I visited my boyfriend Ethan's apartment, I was only allowed to use disposable items.

Disposable hotel slippers, paper plates, plastic forks...

Even when I stayed the night, he would pull out a set of disposable travel sheets for me.

"I'm just not used to other people using my things. I'll buy you your own permanent set next time."

For three years, I waited for countless "next times."

But every single time, I walked into his place feeling like nothing more than a temporary guest.

Until today, when he threw a birthday party at his apartment for his assistant, Amber.

The moment the door opened, Amber familiarly took out a pair of expensive, matching couples' slippers from the shoe cabinet and slipped them on.

Ethan's friends followed right behind her, grabbing the remaining pairs of disposable slippers until there were none left.

I was left standing alone at the entrance, empty-handed.

"Just walk in barefoot. It's summer anyway, it's not cold."

Ethan didn't even look up. He spoke to me as if he were calling in a stranger.

From the hallway, I looked at the dining table.

It was set with a beautiful, high-end tableware set featuring Amber's favorite anime character.

And in the far corner sat a cheap paper plate and a plastic fork.

That was reserved for me.

Suddenly, a realization hit me.

Since everything here was disposable anyway...

This relationship, which had never been allowed to see the light of day, was something I should throw away too.