D-4 .

They walked hand in hand in the busy streets of Seoul. The soft breeze clung onto them as they made their way through the busy crowd. It was extra chilly tonight because the season was about to change to winter, her favorite season. And for some reason, they were both quiet. Albeit the soft hushes of the people surrounding them, they were both silent. But the silence was just as deafening as a loud siren buzzing into their ears. But it somewhat comforted them in a way. They need not to speak when they already knew what’s in their minds but they were just too scared to speak up. They were even too scared to look into each other’s eyes.

But as soon as she saw the photobooth stand luring her in, she dragged him along with her. He didn’t ask why, he just followed. She dropped her coins into the token before fixing her boyfriend’s coat and smiled for the camera. They just stayed there for another two minutes before going out to get their polaroid photos. The photos were nice but she noticed his smile didn’t reach his ears. That was quite expected. Hers didn’t quite reach her eyes either but it was already a given that she really doesn’t know how to smile showing her teeth.

She went to the nearest food stall and bought two cups of teokbeokki for them. She handed the other one to him and for the first time that night, she looked at him in the eyes.

“Eat.”

He didn’t respond as he let her drag him towards an empty bench in a quiet part of the street, where only a few people were around. As they sat on the bench, she stared at him eating. She sighed and he sighed as well before setting the cup beside him and looked down. She laid her head on the crook of his neck and hugged him silently.

“You’re doing it again. I don’t really like it. We’re supposed to make my last days in here count, remember?” She mumbled then there was a pause. “Sehun, I love you.”

He closed his eyes briefly as he felt her words. Slowly, he turned his head a bit and planted a soft kiss on top of her head.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t imagine not seeing you whenever I want to. Once or twice a year is just- it’s just too hard.” He laced his fingers through hers, as if telling her to stay.

“I know. It’s hard for me as well. But it’ll get better. We will be fine and we’ll get used to it in no time.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t wanna get used to it, Joohyun. That’s just ed up.” He said and immediately regretted his choice of words right after saying it. She sighed for the umpteenth time that night and played with his fingers that were grazing hers.

“Well, to make you feel a little better, technically we won’t be seeing each other just once or twice a year you know. We will facetime everyday to the point that you’ll get tired of my face.” She tried to lighten up the atmosphere while he scoffed.

“Like that would happen. I’ve been seeing your face everyday for the past two years.” He looked at her just when she looked at him. he smiled and she smiled back. “Do you really promise?”

She laughed and it was a melody to his ears.

“Silly, I promise.”

D-3.

She dropped her phone upon seeing the letter that was just lying by this desk. She could still hear the water flowing from his bathroom so she slowly held the letter and as soon as she read what was written in it, her tears couldn’t stop flowing. She gasped for air and sat on his bed carefully. She was busy racking her brain for any possible slip of word he had dropped but there wasn’t any. The shower had stopped running and soon she heard the door closing.

“Hey babe, mom just went to the market to do some grocery shopping-” he paused when he saw what she was holding. “I can explain.”

“Really now? Of course you will! Are you out of your mind? Army? Are you kidding me? What happened to Seoul University? Weren’t you planning to take the entrance exam there?” she asked nonstop just like how her tears were flowing nonstop.

“That’s just an option, baby. That just passed on my mind and I had to do it. I still haven’t made up my mind. And I still have a whole school year to think about it.” He said as he quickly wore a shirt and a pair of jeans.

“You didn’t even tell me! When were you planning to tell me about it?!”

“Because like I’ve said, I still haven’t made up my mind.” He responded, now feeling his anger rising.

“Do you wanna die? No, I’m not letting you go there.” She wailed in between her sobs.

“You can do whatever the you can and I can’t even do I what I want? And what do you mean I wanna die? You can’t die in New York? That’s some logic you got there. I expected more from you.” He said harshly as he faced the wall to punch it and placed his palms on it as he closed his eyes. He felt her wince but he was too mad to console her.

“Even if you still haven’t made up your mind, you could’ve at least told me. What if you made up your mind and I’m already in New York, huh? I can’t risk losing you. No. There’s just a high rate of it happening.” She was already blabbering.

“I’m too tired to argue right now. Let’s just talk about this some other day.” He said, rubbing his nape as he sat down to turn on his laptop.

“I’m leaving in a few days, Sehun. I say, we talk about this now.” She stomped her foot as she stood up.

“God, quit being childish. You’re going to leave anyway, why does it matter? It’s not like I stopped you from doing whatever you want in New York. And even if I tried, there wouldn’t be any difference. Just mind your own business.” It was already a matter of pride right then but the coldness ad harshness of his voice shocked her. “Are you gonna leave? Yeah, do that. That’s what you’re good at. Leaving me.”

Biting her lips harshly to stop herself from crying out loud, she grabbed her phone, coat and keys before heading out of his room. He listened to her footsteps go down and watched her get inside her car from his window. She stayed there for a few minutes before driving away.

7:38 P.M.

“Irene! I’m really going to miss you.” Wendy, one of her best friends, said as she hugged her tightly. All of her close friends were there in her small gathering before she flies to New York.

“I’m also going to miss you. A lot.” She mumbled with a sad smile.

“No. You can’t be sad right now! We will have fun tonight, okay?” Seulgi, also one of her best friends, said.

“Yes. Tonight we will have fun. I know you’ll survive there. But still, you have to take care of yourself.” Yoona, one of her closest seniors, told her. She was with her longtime boyfriend, Luhan.

“Right, when are two going to get married?” Yeri, the youngest one of the circle, asked to which the couple shyly laughed.

“Oh by the way, Irene. Where’s Sehun?” Jongin asked and the others echoed his question. She looked down to check her phone for a message but there was none. She blinked a few times to stop her tears and she didn’t have to answer when Wendy noticed the way she reacted.

“Why don’t you ask him yourself, Jongin?” Wendy rebutted, trying to divert the subject.

“Oh, do I sense a lovers’ quarrel?” He pressed. Joy elbowed his waist and pretended to get hungry at the sight of food.

“Oh my God. I’m so hungry! Let’s eat.” And that was how they went away with it.

* * *

Just when they were about to go to the parking lot, Junmyeon stood in front of her and handed her his farewell gift. She blinked a few times before accepting it and offered a kind smile.

“You didn’t have to but thank you.” She said.

“Nah, that’s no big deal. It’s just a gift.” He said but for him, it was more than that but he would never tell her.

“What is that person doing here?” Her eyes widened upon hearing Sehun’s voice. She turned around and looked at his angry eyes and before she knew it, he had already given him a strong punch in the face. Good thing Jongin and Luhan were quick to stop the two from causing further trouble.

Seulgi, Yoona and Luhan were busy tending to Suho’s bleeding nose in Luhan’s car while Irene, Jongin and Wendy were staring at Sehun. Jongin’s smirk was visible, Wendy was shaking her head and Irene was staring at him, motionless. Her blank stare could really make someone feel small.

“He was just giving her a gift. A gift! Oh my God, Sehun.” Wendy said, saying the last sentence in her English accent.

“But you have to admit…” Jongin started as he looked at Wendy who was now staring at him in disbelief. “That was pretty strong. I’m glad you didn’t you didn’t kick him in his shin. The last time you did that to me, I wasn’t able to walk straight for two days.” He continued and Wendy smacked the back of his head.

“Apologize to Junmyeon then go home and reflect.” Irene told Sehun with authority in her voice before hugging Wendy and Jongin one by one. She then went to Junmyeon to apologize for the nth time, gave everyone a hug and went home, leaving a devastated Sehun behind.