Chapter 84 Chapter 84
Lee Soo Hyuk ran into Soo Won Hee-ja by chance at Incheon Airport. Coincidentally, he had originally planned to return the next day, but because of a sudden change in the news surrounding Kwon Ji-yong, he had his assistant reschedule his flight for the day. It was already evening when they landed.
He was at the end of the line at immigration. He glanced around and unexpectedly spotted Mizuhara Kiko, who was waiting in the foreigner's lane. It looked like she wasn't on a work trip. She was dressed modestly, and there were no staff members around.
A man stood alone in the team. The two were not familiar with each other, but because of Quan Zhilong, they had met at a few gatherings of mutual friends. The friend's relationship lasted for two years. In a sense,
They were acquaintances—although in Lee Soo Hyuk's eyes, this familiarity was more of a one-sided knowledge. In terms of relationships, Lee Soo Hyuk never agreed with Kwon Ji Yong's approach. He was a man who ended relationships decisively.
Whether he initiates the breakup or is abandoned by the other party, he can cut ties with them without hesitation. Quan Zhilong is different. He may take the initiative when he likes someone, but when it comes to breaking up, he often drags his feet.
Hesitant. Lee Soo Hyuk always thought that his relationship with Miwon Heeko should have ended a few months ago, but due to Kwon Ji-yong's avoidance, it was dragged on until now. Even when Miwon Heeko said she wanted to find him,
There was no difference in his tone, as if she was still the one who occupied an important position in his life. Lee Soo Hyuk's English was not very good, and they exchanged a few simple words on the way here.
They just looked out the window in tacit understanding, which was not awkward at all. So now, the two of them were standing together in the elevator of Quan Zhilong's house. "Ding——" The moment the elevator door opened, Li Zhuhe's heart was slightly shaken.
Before coming, he had clearly texted Quan Zhilong, saying he'd run into Mizuwon Xizi. ... The four of them sat in silence in the small space, the atmosphere suddenly becoming somewhat tense. Surprisingly, the calmest person was Lia.
She bowed politely and greeted the two people in the elevator. She knew Mizuhara Kiko; although they had never met directly, she had occasionally heard Kush mention her and had even searched her online out of curiosity. They seemed like a good match.
This was the only comment she could think of at the time. Now, seeing Miwon Heeko in person, she still had the same thought. Lee Soo Hyuk, looking dazed, was the first to step out of the elevator. Miwon Heeko followed him and glanced at Kwon Ji-yong.
"Well, I'll be leaving now." Lia said goodbye to the three of them, walked into the elevator, and casually pressed the button for floor 1. "Wait—" Just as the elevator door was about to close, Lee Soo Hyuk quickly reached out to stop it.
"I'll go back first and come back next time." Before anyone else could react, he stood in the elevator and waved to the two people outside. Are you kidding me? He's staying in this kind of situation. Is he afraid of dying?
Mizuhara Kiko chuckled and waved back, and the elevator door closed. "Great..." Lia and Lee Soo Hyuk were the only ones left in the elevator. After a long moment, he let out a low sigh.
"What's that?" Lia glanced at him curiously, a little confused. He was quite considerate at this point. Otherwise, having another third wheel would have really made the atmosphere awkward.
Li Zhuhe looked at her in surprise for a few seconds, then seemed to realize something and couldn't help laughing. He was not an ordinary person with good eyes.
Just now, upstairs, Quan Zhilong's expression was clearly panicked and concerned. What was happening now? One of the protagonists was completely unaware of this. He suddenly felt a sense of sympathy for his friend.
"Ani, it's nothing." Li Zhuhe shook his head slightly, hiding his chuckle, and a hint of interest flashed in his eyes. "Have you eaten yet—" He just opened his mouth to ask if Lia wanted to eat something together, but Lia's face suddenly changed drastically.
—She had an appointment tonight. And she hadn't remembered it until now. She frantically pulled her phone out of her bag, and sure enough, there was a missed call on the screen. Almost two hours had passed since the appointment, and she felt like she was in a cold cellar.
Mizuhara Kiko sat quietly on the sofa. Her smile faded, replaced by a cold expression, and her eyes were devoid of tenderness.
On the way here, she was filled with joy. The moment she saw the news, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, though she shouldn't have. She thought she had finally figured out the reason for his recent apathy—how painful and anxious he must be after such a major event.
Those long-delayed appointments, those hastily replied texts, suddenly seemed natural. She was incredibly grateful that she had made the time to fly to Seoul. She couldn't wait to see him.
The moment the elevator door opened, she subconsciously wanted to go forward and hug him. However, he was not the only one in the house.
She didn't think he shouldn't have anyone around him, especially at a time like this. He was surrounded by staff, colleagues, and friends; it all seemed perfectly normal. The woman, with a frank expression, politely greeted him and then said goodbye, unconcerned.
What really frightened her was Quan Zhilong's expression. He subconsciously glanced at the people beside him before turning to her. At that moment, she suddenly remembered what she had said to Youguo: she didn't understand him.
It was ridiculous. It turned out she understood him better than she thought. In just one look, she could see his concern, his panic, his reluctance to leave—but not his joy at her arrival.
She should have just turned around and left, but she still held on to a glimmer of hope. Maybe, maybe she was mistaken? She lowered her eyes, clutching a pillow tightly in her hands, as if it were her last remaining piece of driftwood.
Quan Zhilong dragged his luggage into the guest room, his footsteps pounding on the floor. He went to the kitchen, and after a while, the sound of running water was heard. He placed the glass in front of her, leaving a circle of water marks on the bottom of the glass. "Why are you here?"
She could tell he was trying to sound more relaxed, but the smile on his face was too unnatural. Poor acting. "Unhappy?" She looked at him intently.
He lowered his eyes, his fingertips gently turning the cup. The ice cubes in the water swayed, making a slight clinking sound. Silence. The air was as still as the water. He didn't look at her, nor did he deny it.
Her heart slowly sank, like it was falling into a bottomless abyss, with no light at all. He didn't even respond to her. "Why?" She heard her own voice, a hint of uncontrollable tears.
She hated this the most, the indecisive, the humble. It was as if she was still hoping he'd explain why, as if she could salvage something. He avoided her gaze, his eyes settling on the glass of water again.
The ice cubes in the cup floated, occasionally bumping against the wall. Water vapor in the air condensed thinly on the wall, gradually gathering into tiny water droplets, one by one, and then slowly sliding down.
After a long pause, his Adam's apple moved slightly: "...I'm sorry, Xizi." Love seemed to have vanished into thin air. Or perhaps, it had always been just an illusion. "What about her...does she know?"
She heard her humble question, then saw him, hesitantly shaking his head. How unkind. He had just severed her last shred of hope with his own hands. There was no misunderstanding, nothing else. He simply didn't love her anymore, that was all.
She suddenly realized that she was not as carefree as she had imagined. At that moment, she was willing to do anything to win him back, and even wanted to beg God to turn back time and stay at the moment when he loved her.
Strong emotions, too intense for her to discern, raced through her body, and her words tumbled out in vicious, hurtful language. She had never known she could vent her malice on someone so painfully. She just wanted him to feel the same pain she was feeling.
"What? Do you think things will be different if you change someone?" "You only love yourself, don't you?" "It won't have a good ending. Just like us." "..." She heard herself say coldly.
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