The bustle of Seoul never stopped, especially on the streets. The city was far too noisy in the morning, afternoon, and even at night. It was never quiet. In fact, the roads were jammed with pedestrians, as well as cars and motorcycles.
People's lives always carried on as usual, as though no problems or tense situations had ever occurred.
Behind all that bustle, of course, there were always people who felt as if they were living in silence. Even when surrounded by thousands of people, some still felt lonely. For some, even laughter and jokes no longer held any meaning.
Life was not always smooth, but the people there never showed their unease or sadness.
In a towering building, inside an office filled with employees, three people sat facing one another. None of them had tried to speak yet. All three remained completely silent.
Because no one had started the conversation, an awkwardness settled over them—until Alex cleared his throat. "Well? What now? Are you satisfied?"
"What do you mean by that, Lex?" Max stared at his friend in confusion.
Alex raised one eyebrow and gave Max a scornful look. "How's life after you threw Novela away?"
"Lex—"
"Shut up for a second, Kiano! I want to hear this idiot's answer!" Alex shouted, cutting off Kiona, who had intended to mediate between them.
Max fell silent for a moment, pondering Alex's question. Then he suddenly let out a soft, mocking laugh. "It's been great. I still want to see her expression when she cries and begs me. Unfortunately—"
"YOU BASTARD, MAX!" Alex shot to his feet, intending to lunge at Max, who still looked perfectly relaxed, but Kiano blocked him. "LET GO OF ME, KI! I GAVE VELA TO HIM, NOT SO HE COULD ENJOY HER AND THEN THROW HER AWAY LIKE THAT!!" Alex shouted as he struggled against Kiano's grip.
"Don't be stupid, Alex! We'd better leave. There's no point in staying here!" Kiano tried to drag Alex out of the room, even as Alex continued to resist.
Sitting on a single sofa, Max merely looked at the two of them with distaste. The man did not care in the slightest about Alex's insults. There were no feelings left inside him—only emptiness. His heart seemed to have locked itself away from understanding other people.
"Get that troublemaker out of here, Kiano. I don't like my place being dirtied," he said calmly, though his voice was sharp enough.
Kiano merely snorted, while Alex grew even more ferocious, though he was still far weaker than Kiano.
"Bram! I'll make sure you regret every word that comes out of your mouth," Kiano said quietly. "When that happens, I'm sure your apologies and pleas won't mean a thing anymore. Remember my words."
After that, Kiano took Alex out of the room, leaving Max alone in the sudden silence that seemed to choke him. Kiano's words lingered in his mind, but he quickly brushed them aside.
"You two are only protecting that woman," he muttered.
Not long after his two friends left, the door swung wide open, revealing a beautiful woman. Her tight red dress showed off the curves of her body, making Max look at her with disgust. "How much did that woman pay you for you to have the nerve to come straight to my place?" he asked mockingly.
"Max... I... I came to comfort you."
"Dressed like a prostitute, Renata?"
"Shut your mouth, Max! You're hurting my feelings!" Renata screamed at the man's insult.
"Get out of my place, Renata. Your cheap shoes don't even deserve to be on my office floor!" Max insulted her again.