In the background, I heard Lucia coughing. Then, the call ended. I tried calling back, but his phone was already turned off.
I smiled to myself. I wasn’t going to starve my body over this dog scum again.
For the next ten days, I lived on leftover. Frederick didn’t call once. In the past, I would’ve reflected on what I had done wrong—what had made him unhappy. I would’ve immediately gone to apologize. People around me used to say I was a "licking dog," and I admit it—I liked Frederick too much. For him, I threw away my self-respect and pride.
But after that life-and-death experience, I no longer cared. The old Sophie had died. I was now a reborn Sophie.
On the day I was discharged from the hospital, Frederick called and said he wanted to pick me up. "Where are you?"
Coincidentally, I had also been thinking of breaking up with him face-to-face, so I agreed.
"I’m in front of the hospital," I replied.
His tone stiffened, maybe recalling the last time he yelled at me. He asked again, "You’re really at the hospital?"
I remained calm. "Yes, the main entrance of the Army Hospital."
His voice softened. "I’ll be right there. Wait for me for twenty minutes and we’ll go to dinner."
I canceled my ride and waited for him in front of the hospital.
I waited from the afternoon until evening, but he never showed up. Taking it as par for the course, I hailed a ride home.
As soon as I got home, he called again.
"Sophie, where are you? You lied to me again! You said you were at the hospital!"
He even sent me a picture of himself in front of the hospital.
I finished changing my shoes and laid down on the sofa.
"Mr. Frederick, could you kindly check the time? I waited for you for six hours. Even a turtle would’ve made it home by now."
I hung up the phone.
Scrolling through my Instagram, I saw another post from Lucia: "The rice made by Brother Frederick is still so delicious!"
There was a picture of Frederick wearing a pink apron and holding a spatula, drawing a flood of comments.
Looking at that, I suddenly felt relieved. After chasing Frederick for eight years, I realized I could let go of this relationship. There was nothing to regret.
I clicked ‘like’ and exited the app.
Before blocking Frederick, I sent him one last message:
“Frederick, let’s break up.”
Part 2
There was a knock on the bedroom door. It was Frederick.
"Sophie, what trouble are you causing again? I know you're in there—open the door!"