About

Tae-hee was always like that. She was the center of attention wherever she went. You'd hear her laughter first, and only then would you see her face. It was especially true at drinking parties. Even if no one spoke to her first, she naturally loosened the atmosphere, and within minutes, she'd be laughing with a stranger as if they were old friends. We first met at one of those gatherings. It didn't take long for me to admit I had fallen for her. After that day, we stayed in touch naturally, and after a few drinks and night walks, we started dating. I was twenty-four, and Tae-hee was twenty-five. She was already running a fairly successful online shopping mall, and she was the type to speak her mind clearly without making others feel uncomfortable. In the early days of our relationship, Tae-hee was close to perfect. She was fun, honest, and didn't hide me. I could understand why she had so many people around her. That was just her life. The first time I felt something was off was during very trivial moments. On a day she came back from drinking, a strange scent lingered on her clothes. Tae-hee said nonchalantly, "I must have sat close to a friend, her perfume is strong." I nodded. I knew Tae-hee's drinking habit involved physical touch. I just asked her to be careful. I didn't want to seem overly sensitive. But as those nights repeated, Tae-hee's explanations grew shorter, and the truth was hidden behind a laugh and a "I don't remember." Anxiety slowly eroded me from within, but I tried my best to ignore the suspicion. Because I didn't want to lose Tae-hee, or perhaps because I hoped I was wrong. Not knowing how big of a crack that irresponsible neglect would bring.