Jennie

Mino seems tense and angry as we walk into our bedroom. Attending Thanksgiving dinner has been so draining for me that I didn't realize that he's been as quiet as I have been. He inhales deeply and runs a hand through his hair as I close the door behind me.

He turns to look at me, his shoulders stiff and his jaw clenched. He's radiating rage in a way he never has before. I don't think we've had even one bad argument in the last couple of years.

His eyes look cold as he looks up at me, and I shudder involuntarily. Mino inhales deeply and walks up to me, and I tense.

"What's wrong?" I whisper, my heart racing. He's making me uncomfortable, and another shudder runs down my spine.

Mino narrows his eyes and grabs my chin, pinching hard. I flinch but don't pull away from him. Somehow, I'm sure that'll just anger him more. "Tell me, Jennie," he says, speaking slowly. "Are you sleeping with Lisa? Are you fucking her?"

I freeze and look at him with wide eyes. "What?" I whisper, in disbelief. "No. Of course not."

"But you want to, don't you?"

I shake my head and place my hands on his shoulders. "Mino, no. What are you even talking about? What has gotten into you?"

Mino looks into my eyes as though he's searching for something, a hint of a lie, a sign of betrayal. But there are none. I may have been tempted, but I never acted on it. I wouldn't. I'm not a cheater.

Mino moves his hand to my hair and tangles his fingers through it. "I know it's her you want. She's the one your dad prefers too. Did you think I didn't notice you sneaking out of the room early in the morning, just to have coffee with her? I've never said anything because I trust you, but now I'm wondering if that trust was misplaced. If it was all so innocent, why did you stop right after I caught you standing in the living room with her in the middle of the night?"

He tightens his grip on my hair and I whimper slightly. My heart is racing, and though I want to protest, I can't make myself.

"I called your dad a while ago. I told him I was going to ask you to move in with me, and that I wanted to propose to you soon after. I asked for his blessing, but he was just quiet for a while and thanked me for calling him, but you know what… he never actually gave me his blessing. Just a day later he called you, telling you that he was sick and asking you to come here. At the time I was so worried for both you and your dad that I didn't think much of it. But now? Now it's obvious. He'd been sick for months and only just decided to tell you then. Why do you think that is, Jennie?"

I shake my head. I know what he's trying to say, but there's no way dad would do that. Dad would never scheme like that.

"And Lisa… it's obvious she still wants you. She had me fooled for a while, you know? I thought she was such a great person, and she was so nice to me. It's like she genuinely wanted you to be happy. But that didn't last, did it? Did she make a move on you?"

I shake my head, my eyes wide. "She wouldn't," I whisper.

Mino laughs, and the sound sends chills down my spine. "If she hasn't yet, then she will. And once she does, you'll give in, won't you? Your heart is already there. I spent years fighting to win you over, but just a few months with Lisa and you're bloody lovestruck. I see it in your eyes. In the way you move. The way you smile at her."

Mino works his hand deeper into my hair and pulls on it, yanking my head closer to his. His lips come crashing down on mine, and he kisses me harshly, forcibly. I try to protest, but every sound I make is smothered. I bite down on his lip as hard as I can and push him away, breathing hard.

"What the hell is going on with you?" I shout, my eyes filling with tears. I inhale shakily and wrap my arms around myself.

Mino inhales deeply and closes his eyes. "I can't do this, Jennie. I've given you the best years of my life. I pursued you for six years. It took six years for you to even consider going on a single date with me. I've done everything I could to make you happy. I've given you my all for years, and here we are. Just a few months here with Lisa, and you…"

I inhale deeply and look away, my feelings conflicted. "I never asked you to spend years pursuing me," I whisper. "If anything, I made it very clear that I wasn't ready to date. That I might never be."

Mino nods. "I know. I know, but I was so sure we were perfect for each other… and for a while, we were. For a while, we were happy. But not the way you are here. Despite everything going on, you radiate happiness when you're around Lisa. The way you smile at her, the way you laugh with her… Jennie, you've never once even looked at me that way, and you know it. And that playful side of you? It didn't exist around me. It hurts to see who you are with her. I didn't think you could get even more beautiful, or even more perfect… but you do, for her. Only for her."

I look away guiltily. I've done my best to stay away from Lisa lately, to be as respectful to Mino as I possibly could be, but I can't help but be happy when Lisa is around. I can't control my feelings.

Mino walks up to me and brushes the tip of his fingers over my cheek. "I can't be here, Jennie. I want to be there for you throughout this all, but I don't think I can. I can't be here and watch you distance yourself more and more every day. I can't stay and watch our relationship crumble into dust, right before my eyes."

I nod. The fact that I feel relieved makes me feel even worse. I should want my own boyfriend with me through times as tough as these, but I don't.

"I think we need a break, Jennie."

My heart stills and I look down at my feet. Mino has been my constant for years now. He was always the friend I could count on, the guy that I could depend on. I managed to convince myself that I could be with him, that I was happy… but being back here puts it all back into focus. I decided to date him because it was easy, and it was safe. My heart was never fully in it, no matter how hard I tried. Being with her meant I wouldn't get hurt again, and I could convince myself that I was okay, that I was moving on with my life.

"Mino, I think we should break up."

It should hurt to say those words, but it doesn't. If anything, it feels like a relief to set both of us free.

Mino looks at me, and the expression on his face breaks my heart. I expected to find disbelief and pain in his eyes, but instead I'm faced with reluctant acceptance.

"I'm changing my flight," he tells me. "If I can, I'll fly out tonight. Otherwise, I'd like to go tomorrow."

I nod, and a single tear rolls down my cheek. This is the man I so desperately wanted to make it work with. I tried so hard, but you can't force love into existence.

"You and I could have had it all, Jennie. We were perfect together. You can't see it now, but you're throwing away your chance at happiness. You're a fool if you think you can be with Lisa. Didn't you notice Lisa's sister left dinner halfway through because you were there? How long do you think you and she will last with her family standing between you like that? The novelty of being together is going to wear off soon enough, and you'll be left facing the fucked-up mess that your life together would be. You'll flee to London all over again, begging me to take you back. And I? I'll have moved on."