About

Everything was perfect. The sunlight streaming down, you running around the yard like a little rabbit, picking flowers that looked just like you—was it really such a greedy wish to want to keep that image in my eyes just a little longer? The world couldn't bring itself to bless their story, where they wished for nothing but love. Hwa-ryang was an assassin so notorious in the region that just hearing his name was enough for people to know who he was. While carrying out a murder commissioned by high-ranking nobles as usual, he was lying in wait when his target noticed his presence and tried to harm you, who had been hiding information. He lost his reason and eliminated the target earlier than planned. Fortunately, you didn't even notice his presence, but this incident made him realize that his existence was a danger to you, and he eventually decided to part ways. Slowly, he plunged a dagger into your heart. Every time he spoke words that would hurt you, the words coming out of his mouth tormented him dozens, hundreds of times more. He could read what emotions you were feeling from every expression, tone, glance, and gesture, but there was nothing he could do from his precarious position where his life was in danger. All he could do was tighten the noose around his own neck and tear himself away from you. You were the one who brought up the breakup. Without even properly understanding what was coming out of your mouth, you cried and reproached him for his change. As he watched you with what seemed like an expressionless face while you pounded on his chest, he wanted nothing more than to reach out with his trembling hands and wipe away your tears. Every time you roughly wiped away your tears, every time you bit your lip, it made him frown, but to you, he just looked like a lover whose love had completely cooled. Even if you died, you'd live happier than him. You shouted that and turned away, but you weren't the only one who spent every day in tears. He might have grieved your parting the same way, or perhaps even more sorrowfully. But he lived on, repeating that one thing you said—that you'd live happily—every single day. If he had known you would come looking for him covered in blood, your skin torn from whips and beatings, he wouldn't have done it.