My Ex-Boyfriend is Sold Out

Chapter 1: The End of a Power Imbalance in Love

* * *

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In the last video, there were a lot of questions like this: “How can I become the dominant one in a relationship?” and “What’s important if I don’t want to feel like the submissive partner?”

In other words, many viewers expressed that they wanted to take the dominant role in their relationships.

Now, the Moutube instructor, soon to reach 500,000 subscribers, was captivating viewers with a fitting topic on the screen.

If he was as knowledgeable about women’s psychology as he was rumored to be, could he offer a solution to this strained relationship?

With hopeful anticipation, Si-hyun leaned closer to the speaker.

“First of all, it’s natural for a power dynamic to form in a relationship. Why? Because each person’s level of affection differs.”

One person can’t live without the other, while the other wouldn’t mind breaking up. So what happens? The one who feels the loss will cling, right?

That clinging person is the submissive partner. Si-hyun found the description uncomfortably close to his own experience.

“The submissive partner craves affection from the dominant one and is devoted, but this becomes a poison in the relationship. In short, it makes you seem like an easy target…”

He paused the video, recalling his usual relationship dynamics with Chae-yeon.

“Why is this my fault? I did nothing wrong.”

Unwilling to apologize.

“Mind your own business. Recently, you’ve been getting a little too cheeky, haven’t you?”

Always looking down from the dominant position.

“If you don’t like me, just break up with me. How are we still dating if you have so many complaints?”

His girlfriend, Lim Chae-yeon, who often threatened to break up.

He used to shrug off her behavior, but lately, it was starting to stress him out.

“Why does she even date me?”

With Chae-yeon constantly saying she wanted to break up, he began to doubt if she even liked him. Her overbearing attitude was making him lose faith in their relationship.

Convinced this relationship couldn’t go on as it was, he had voluntarily sought out a relationship advice video.

Ting.

The video resumed.

“The submissive partner’s continued devotion makes the dominant one selfish. Even if I was in the wrong, this person tiptoes around me? They try to do whatever I want? This submissive mindset turns the dominant one arrogant. That’s what I’m saying.”

“Did I make Chae-yeon this way?”

The things he did to keep the relationship going and receive love had backfired and spoiled her.

Si-hyun’s mind grew more confused, realizing it was a problem whether he treated her well or poorly.

“This can’t go on.”

This hierarchical relationship couldn’t continue.

Si-hyun decided they needed to talk openly to have a smooth relationship.

With that, he opened his social media app and tapped on Chae-yeon’s profile.

—

Me: Chae-yeon, are you having fun with your friends? (1)

Me: I put some money in your account. Buy something nice for your friends. Maybe brag about your boyfriend a bit while you’re at it, haha. (1)

Me: Love you♡ (1)

—

Messages filled with affection.

Even though the messages conveyed warmth, they had already turned cold after three hours of no response.

—

Me: I need to talk to you. Contact me after you’re done with your friends. (1)

Me: I’ll be waiting. (1)

—

With a sigh, he sent a new message and turned off the screen.

Whirr.

Wanting to cool off, he opened the window. Even in summer, the cool night breeze gradually dried the sweat on his forehead.

“Hoo…”

Feeling refreshed, Si-hyun leaned against the wall, looking out at the divided cityscape through the screen.

Although the net was dotted with moths and various flying insects blocking his view, the lights from each building created a vibrant scene.

“How should I talk to Chae-yeon?”

Ask her to treat him more kindly?

Tell her he wants to exchange expressions of affection like other couples?

But given Chae-yeon’s usual behavior, he doubted she’d react positively.

“Just once, I’d like to hear her say she likes me.”

Had his goals become too modest from always being in the submissive position? Si-hyun chuckled self-deprecatingly at his humble wish.

As he calmed his complicated feelings while gazing outside—

Ding!

A notification rang out from the speaker he’d set to maximum volume.

Thinking it was a reply from Chae-yeon, he checked the app, but the sender wasn’t her—it was an old high school friend.

—

Friend: (Photo)

—

“Is he just sending a meme?”

Contrary to his expectation, it was a photo of an atmospheric bar.

Tap.

Curious, he tapped and zoomed in on the photo.

The photo focused on a square table, and upon closer inspection, he noticed three good-looking men sitting there.

“Don’t know any of them.”

Wondering why his friend sent this, he was about to hit the back button when—

—

Friend: Isn’t the girl across from those guys your girlfriend?

—

A popup notification displayed the friend’s additional message.

His hand moved instinctively, and before he could even process the shock, he was zooming in on the other side of the table.

And there it was.

“No way…”

He recognized a familiar back.

After over a year of dating and staring at her countless times, there was no way he could mistake it.

“It can’t be… it’s not possible…”

Even though he was certain it was Chae-yeon, words of denial spilled from Si-hyun’s mouth.

A sinking feeling, his chest tightened, making it hard to breathe.

With a mind gone blank, he typed.

—

Me: Where is this?

Friend: (Map) [Daegu Dongseong-ro, “A Glass of Wine Tomorrow”]

—

Dongseong-ro. Daegu’s biggest downtown area and a favorite hangout for young people.

—

Friend: I work here part-time, and she was sitting there when I went to take their order. From what I overheard, it was clearly a blind date.

Me: I’m on my way.

—

Stuffing his wallet and phone into his jeans pocket, he slipped on his black-striped sandals.

Not knowing what might happen at the blind date, the 10-minute distance felt impossibly far for Si-hyun.

*

Si-hyun got out of the taxi at the starting point of Dongseong-ro, at 228 Park.

Running across the central path lined with trees and benches, the cool breeze brushed against his bare feet.

People’s gazes turned toward him as he ran through the downtown area in slippers.

Unfazed, he continued running, focused only on what lay ahead.

“Ugh… damn it.”

The front of his slipper bent, causing him to stumble.

His shin scraped against the pavement, and each movement made his wound brush against his jeans, making him wince.

“It’s not enough to stop me…”

Ignoring concerned bystanders asking if he was okay, he limped and continued running.

Finally, he spotted the friend who sent the message waiting outside the bar.

“Where is she?”

He asked, panting, and his friend pointed to a secluded spot.

“Over there in the corner.”

Entering the bar, he found the scene exactly as it was in the photo.

Sophisticated ambiance cast by orange LED lighting.

The warm, flushed faces of people, softened by the wine.

Could Chae-yeon really be meeting another man in a place like this? The very thought twists Si-hyun’s stomach with disbelief.

“There she is.”

Since the women were seated with their backs to the entrance, Chae-yeon hadn’t noticed Si-hyun’s presence.

Among them was a woman with elegant, wavy hair, and Si-hyun recognized her as Chae-yeon at a glance.

“This really is…”

Chae-yeon was sipping wine while playing with her smartphone.

Maybe she’d answer if he called her now.

With the feeling of giving her one last chance, Si-hyun dialed her number.

Ring… ring…

Chae-yeon’s phone screen lit up. Now that he saw it up close, she couldn’t possibly be unaware that he was calling.

“Answer it. Just answer.”

While Si-hyun waited anxiously, Chae-yeon glanced at her phone for about three seconds before pressing the volume-down button.

The ringing stopped abruptly, and her phone was left idle on the table.

After a minute passed with no response, Si-hyun felt a surge of betrayal.

—

Me: Where are you right now? (1)

—

Ding!

As he sent the message, a notification popped up on Chae-yeon’s phone.

She noticed that the call had ended, and this time, she pulled down the notification bar to read the message.

“So that’s how she’s checking them…”

It made sense that no “read” mark showed since she was only glancing at the notification.

Hiding near the drink cooler, Si-hyun decided to watch Chae-yeon’s reaction to the end.

—

Me: You’re taking a while to reply. You wouldn’t be seeing someone else behind my back, right? (1)

—

Seeing the message notification, Chae-yeon glanced around the room.

After confirming that her boyfriend wasn’t in the restaurant, she nervously replied.

—

Lim Chae-yeon: Seeing someone else? No, just relaxing at a friend’s place.

Me: Which friend?

Lim Chae-yeon: So-hee.

—

So-hee was an old friend of Chae-yeon’s. They’d known each other since middle school and even attended the same university.

And that same So-hee was currently seated right next to Chae-yeon.

“Unbelievable…”

Even though he had given her a chance to be honest, Chae-yeon’s response was nothing short of disappointing.

Unable to bear the growing sense of betrayal, Si-hyun sent one final message.

—

Me: So, So-hee’s place is a wine bar?

—

Scrape!