188: 187 "Wooooo! Congratulations!" "Congratulations, DeAndre! You finally did it!" Amid the pouring cheers, the bride and groom smiled brightly and waved their hands. To think a couple had been born within the fire station – what a joyful occasion this was. Moreover, the partner was Valentina. Since she was the one DeAndre had burned with such passion for, everyone congratulated them while still finding it somewhat hard to believe. "This actually happened." As someone muttered while clapping, another guy chimed in. "They say DeAndre got down on his knees and begged." "Just his knees? There are tons of guys who would crawl if it meant they could marry Valentina." "Didn't Valentina dislike DeAndre?" "DeAndre almost died that one time, and he changed a lot after that." "That guy, if there was a puddle in front of Valentina, he looked ready to lie down on it. Like 'Please step on me and pass, my queen.'" Listening to his colleagues' murmuring conversations with one ear, Dane was sending soulless applause with an indifferent expression. Attending other people's weddings was something that happened often. Of course, marriage was only a life event for the parties involved – for others, it was merely a social activity to maintain relationships. Marriage was just an act where loving couples announced that fact to the world and vowed to spend their lives together. Since it was a place where the two words most distant from Dane in the world – 'marriage' and 'love' – were constantly poured out, it was natural for him to have no interest. Until now, he had managed to ease his boredom by secretly enjoying himself with like-minded partners among the wedding guests. But now even that was gone. Having hastily bought and worn an ill-fitting ready-made suit, he just put one hand in his pants pocket and brought a champagne glass to his mouth with the remaining hand. Just eagerly waiting for this boring time to end. "She's beautiful, Valentina." Someone muttered. She had always been a beauty, but today she was shining even more specially. Looking at Valentina sparkling as if she had embraced all the happiness in the world, Dane silently emptied his champagne. As he put the empty glass down on the table, Wilkins, who was standing next to him, said. "DeAndre looks good, doesn't he?" "Yes, I suppose." Dane still answered indifferently. Actually, he wasn't particularly interested. He was just here out of loyalty. Wilkins misunderstood his reaction. "Seeing things like that, doesn't it make you think you should hurry up and get married and settle down too?" "Not at all." At the probing words, Dane immediately denied it. "How would I know if they'll get married today and divorced tomorrow?" "…" "I'm not saying DeAndre will do that." When Dane, realizing his mistake, quickly added, Wilkins, who had been silent for a moment, cleared his throat. "Being too negative isn't good either." "Yes, I'm sorry." Dane apologized, but this time too there was absolutely no sincerity. Wilkins, who had been silently drinking champagne and watching the newly married couple dance, opened his mouth. "You seem to be living quite steadily these days." "It just turned out that way." Wilkins, who had glanced at him still answering half-heartedly, continued. "I'm glad you seem to have come to your senses now. You can't live dissolutely like that forever." "That's right." He had heard such words almost his entire life. When Dane gave a perfunctory response, Wilkins kept quiet for a moment, then casually brought up something. "I was thinking of introducing you to my daughter." Dane, who was about to drink champagne, stopped moving completely. When he only rolled his eyes to look sideways, Wilkins continued while keeping his eyes fixed on the DeAndre couple. "Well, as long as you don't go out partying at night, you're a decent guy. Since you've fixed that bad habit now, I thought maybe you could meet once…" "Team leader, I—" "Ah, well, you don't need to feel pressured." Wilkins raised one hand to stop Dane from responding. When Dane had no choice but to stop, Wilkins spoke instead. "I'm just saying to meet once. Don't think too heavily about it – doesn't everyone start that way? You need to have some serious relationships." At Wilkins's advice, Dane said nothing. He just looked at Wilkins with empty eyes as if his soul had left his body. "I appreciate your words, but I'm fine." He politely declined in a low voice. But Wilkins didn't back down. "Look over there, Dane." Where he pointed, there were DeAndre and Valentina. Their faces looking at each other and smiling were full of affection. "How nice they look. You need someone like that too. Even if it doesn't necessarily lead to marriage, how empty is a life of just repeating one-night sex?" Dane silently stared at the newlyweds. A crystal of happiness that no one would doubt. Full of love for each other… A short sigh escaped from his mouth. Breathing out a sigh full of selfmockery, he answered in a low voice. "That won't work for me." Wilkins looked at him with a bewildered expression. But Dane said with a bitter face turned toward the couple. "Someone like me can't do that, I'm sorry." "Hey…" Wilkins was about to say more, but just then DeAndre could be seen approaching them. Dane didn't miss the opportunity and subtly stepped back, moving away from them. While DeAndre was talking to Wilkins, he turned his back and quietly left. The noisy clamor slowly grew distant. The surroundings were quiet. Dane stood alone and raised his head. The bright blue sky spread out emptily. Taking out a cigarette and putting it in his mouth, he slowly inhaled the smoke. Her bloodshot eyes as she endlessly poured curses at him still came to mind as vividly as if it were yesterday. I'm ruined. From the beginning. Dane looked into the distance and exhaled smoke long. Over her face, a completely different man's face overlapped. Even the bright voice that used to call him. "…Ha." He covered both eyes with the hand holding the cigarette. His fingertips tingled and a corner of his chest seemed to ache, but it must be an illusion. Because I wasn't wrong. The image of the man soaked with tears came back to life. No, from that day until now, he had never forgotten for even a moment. Every word he had said, every phrase, not a single thing. Remaining so vividly in my heart. Yes, you're right. Dane thought with a desolate face. Love isn't like that. So you shouldn't love me. Because I won't be able to make you happy. How could someone like me love anyone? I would only torment others. Eyes filled with moisture looked at him. Probably I'll spend my whole life suffering while remembering that face. I did the right thing. He stood firmly in the same place, chewing over his thoughts. I did very well. Very… * * * …It must have been the right thing. Dane thought blankly. Dim light shone into his blurred vision. Blink, blink. He closed and opened his eyes, but the flickering light appeared and disappeared repeatedly regardless. Huh…? Dane thought, still half-unconscious. Where am I right now…? From somewhere came a tremendous rumbling noise. Acrid smoke filled everywhere. The sound of something continuously burning and falling continued irregularly. He listened without moving for a while. Gradually coming to his senses, he began to realize reality. Ah. He soon realized. The fact that he was lying down. In the middle of a building that had begun to collapse while engulfed in flames.