
"Everything is too late" Ayumi said in a raucous voice, her eyes slowly starting to open, his palm was still above Erik's chest and he could feel the man's heart beating violently behind his white shirt, just as his own heart could not beat normally.
"It's all too late, it's all done" he repeated, looking at Erik, who was still confused by his reaction.
After realizing what Ayumi meant, Erik shook his head strongly, "No... just give me a chance to fix everything and we'll get back together."
"No. It's all over, Erik. between us there's nothing."
"No... Iris, listen to me, don't say that. I beg you. I beg you forgive me, it's all my fault, I'm too selfish and stubborn… I promise I won't repeat the same mistake."
"Erik... You're engaged, remember?" Like being struck by lightning Erik fell silent when reminded of his status, "You're engaged to Yuri... the girl who accepted you for who you were even after you dumped her. The girl who is now lying in the Hospital.The girl who is going to have a kidney transplant today, do you remember her!" Shouted Ayumi desperately, without feeling tears began to roll over her smooth cheeks.
As in Erik's slap now just standing by, his eyes looked at Ayumi softly, "But the girl I love is only you." Erik's voice sounded soft.
Ayumi shook her head, "It doesn't matter anymore.it doesn't matter who you love because when you agree to get engaged with her then it's your duty to protect and love her."
Erik shook his head, "I'll talk this over with my father, I'll beg him to call off the engagement, I'll kneel down before Yuri and the family to apologize."
"And you think I'll come back to you after you leave him?" Ayumi's question desperately made Erik wide in disbelief to accept such a reaction.
"You think I'm gonna live happily with you when you find out an innocent woman is getting hurt?" Ayumi's eyes were squeaking with anger looking at Erik who was still speechless.
"I'm a woman who knows what it's like to be hurt when betrayed.Do you think I'll let another woman feel the same pain I did yesterday?" Ayumi shook her head.
"No, I won't let anyone experience what I've been feeling, let alone it being caused by myself."
Ayumi looked at Erik who was still silent, "Yuri is not wrong, Erik. her mistake is only one, the same mistake I did. which is to love you too much," ayumi said softly while looking at Erik with a wounded look. "Don't you ever hurt a woman for another woman because it's the same thing you hurt your mother."
Erik was still silent digesting all Ayumi's words, this was all because of his stupidity that took the decision in an emotional state and rushed, he did love Ayumi but what the girl said was right, he said, he couldn't have hurt Yuri who was now lying sick.
"Don't you love me anymore?" Ayumi let out a heavy sigh hearing the question.
"That's not important, Erik."
"That's important to me!" Erik exclaimed in despair, "Say, Iris, please, say. Don't you love me anymore?"
Ayumi was trapped in Erik's scarred eyes that made her heart shake, her throat choked, her eyes began to tear up.
"No. I hate you!" Shouted Ayumi in tears, "I hate your selfishness, I hate your stupidity, I hate it because you have made me like a madman these past three years, I hate that you left me.. I hate you so much!"!
His hands were pushed aside but it did not make him give up, he stepped his feet closer to Ayumi who was still sobbing, then unhesitatingly pulled her into the arms, without caring about the girl who was rebelling, he further tightened his arms.
Ayumi tried to push but the man's burly body did not budge, now he was beating his chest but his embrace was getting tighter. Erik could feel Ayumi's punch getting weaker, now all that sounded was the sobs of the girl's heart-wrenching cry. Erik just went silent to let Ayumi spill all the emotions that had been a burden on his life.
"I'm sorry" Erik whispered in a raucous voice, "It's all my fault that you're hurt like this" he continued without letting go of a hug from Ayumi's still sobbing body.
I don't know how long Ayumi cried in Erik's arms, but she could feel the burden and pain that had been squeezing her chest slightly raised, slowly she broke away from the arms of the man who was looking at her with sadness. Now Ayumi could look into the man's eyes again without any hatred and anger she felt.
"We have to end it all here, Erik."
Erik shook his head weakly but he knew for free he argued it because what Ayumi said was true, all was fine when he decided to get engaged to Yuri, the decisions he makes when emotions overpower logic and feeling.
"Forget me, learn to love your fiancee. Be the man in charge of what has been your decision, be a real man who always keeps his promises, be a grown man who can suppress his own ego. Let no other heart be hurt by your selfishness."
"But how can I forget you, even when all my memories are gone, my heart is always looking for you."
Ayumi's heart trembled at all of that, but no! He must not falter anymore, because now there are several hearts to be guarded, not only Yuri, Erik's fiance but also the heart of the man Ayumi had just chosen to learn to open up again.
"Treat me like you've been treating me lately, let's just say you don't know me. I'm sure you'll slowly get hooked on that."
Ayumi looked at Erik gently, she understood his feelings very much because she also felt the same way, but the rice had become porridge, all had happened. What Kevin and his father say is true, it's time he went on with his life not just fixated on the past and wallowing in grief, because we live for today and the future, not for the past. Let the past be only the history that raised us, and the memories that we will remember.
"You must go on with your life, Erik, and you have someone to fill it with. whereas I, let me seek my own life.you will always be a part of my life, but maybe you're not destined to be part of my future.Now, let's end everything that binds us in the past so that no heart will be hurt."
Erik's heart was plunged from a height to hear all Ayumi's words staring at him gently.
"You're wrong. We don't know what the future holds, maybe God will be kind enough to put you back in my arms, if that time comes please do not try to run or hide because I will chase you even though you have to go to a different world."
Ayumi fell silent, her heart trembling again at the sincere remark of the man who was looking at her heartily. If indeed God is kind enough to unite them, how could he escape while all he wants is to spend the rest of his life with him.
"We will not be able to escape from the destiny script that God has made for us in the future, the one whose hand you need to hold as an encouragement to his life.remember, Erik, you were the one who first stretched out your hand to him, he was just someone who had trusted you to keep his fragile heart, so don't ever let go of your grasp just because you're still holding on to the past. Let's forget it all. Let's start from the beginning to organize our future, you have taken your own path when you decide to get engaged, then allow me to choose my own path."
It was autumn three years ago when the flowers and leaves fell in love they began to grow under the yellowed maple trees. And now in spring, when all the flowers start blooming they must end the tangle of love that binds them. The sun shone brightly over Songjeong beach and shone on the two, embracing them in warmth as if promising a happy start, but for Ayumi and Erik it was all over, the destiny that binds them in the past has been severed, love and memories will be buried together with half of their hearts.
*****