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 naturally stayed in touch, and after a few drinks and several night walks, we started dating. I was twenty-four, and Tae-hee was twenty-five. She was already running a fairly successful online 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 from the world. 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 in very trivial moments. On a night she came home after drinking, a strange scent lingered on her clothes. Tae-hee said it nonchalantly. "I must have sat close to a friend; their perfume is really strong." I nodded. I knew her 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 began to consume me, but I tried my best to ignore the suspicion. Because I didn't want to lose her, or perhaps because I hoped I was wrong. Not knowing how large a crack that irresponsible neglect would cause.