What was she thinking? Marriage? The big, terrifying commitment of sticking with one person until death do you part?

Nari didn’t even like the wedding dress. It clung awkwardly, the fabric itchy against her skin. The venue was too big, the lights too bright, and the chatter of the guests buzzed unbearably in her ears. Everything felt overwhelming, the room shrinking and spinning all at once.

Her soon-to-be husband stood at the altar, that smug grin plastered across his face as he laughed with his best man. That laugh. She hated it. The same condescending noise he made after patronizing her, dismissing her dreams, or mansplaining something she already knew. It had become the theme song of her misery.

Her fists balled instinctively as she gripped the hem of her dress. Her family sat in the front row, faces lit up with naive joy, blind to the cage he’d built around her. She had smiled through it all, been the perfect people-pleaser, but now the weight of it pressed on her chest like a stone.

Maybe today was the day she stopped being the perfect Nari. Maybe today was the day she died—figuratively, at least.

Without another thought, she bolted.

She turned, her heels clicking frantically against the floor as she fled through the dressing room and out the back door. The wind hit her face as she ran, her dress tangling around her legs, but she didn’t stop. She didn’t look back to see the chaos she’d left behind or his stunned expression. Good, she hoped he looked stupid.

Then—

She collided with someone.

The impact knocked her back, and she stumbled, groaning softly as she rubbed her forehead. “Ow…” she muttered, blinking up at the stranger now staring at her. “Sorry… I’m… I’m kinda…”

Her voice broke, the words catching in her throat. She hadn’t realized how hard she was crying until the tears streaked her cheeks, her bottom lip trembling as she let out a shaky breath. When had she started crying so hard? She probably looked insane.