Victoria gave a fake smile. She bit her lip so she wouldn’t burst out crying like she wanted to. She didn’t want to cry in front of Nichkhun.

                “What are you even talking about?” Nichkhun’s voice was scratched and cracked. “You were always so beautiful. You didn’t need to change.”

                “I wanted to change for you,” Victoria’s voice was barely audible. “You see all those other female idols, with their slender bodies and skinny figures. So you won’t be embarrassed, I need to be like that-“

                “-listen to me!” Nichkhun yelled, trying to make Victoria look at him. “You are beautiful. Okay? You are the most beautiful person in the world. Do you hear me? You need to understand that. I don’t want you to change. I don’t need you to change. So, just….please, don’t-“

                Nichkhun’s voice faltered as Victoria placed her two hands over his eyes. He felt them trembling slightly and they were so cold from the wind. He was about to take them off when he suddenly heard her crying. She was sobbing, and Nichkhun could feel her body heaving at each cry.

                He tried to take off her hands from his face, but she stopped him.

                “Can you just stay like this…for a bit?” Victoria murmured, between cries. “Only for a while.”

                Nichkhun itched to hug her, to comfort her. But he also wanted to comply with what Victoria wanted. So he sat there, in front of his loved one crying, his sight covered in darkness. He opened his mouth to speak.

                “Why don’t you ever let me help you? Why-“

                “-I don’t want you to see me cry,” Victoria whispered, interrupting him. He felt her shaking her head. “I don’t want Nichkhun to see me in a pitiful state. I don’t’ want you to see me like this.”        

                Nichkhun took her hands off his eyes, and Victoria immediately ducked her head, her hair blowing in the wind.

                “Hey, look at me,” Nichkhun said gently. He cupped her tear-stricken face and lifted it, so she stared right at him. He brushed off her tears quietly, and studied her face. Her eyes were swollen and her face was slightly red. But, as Nichkhun expected, she was still so beautiful.

                “I don’t want you to see me like this,” Victoria repeated, looking sideways.

                Nichkhun suddenly lifted her up soundlessly, and made her back facing him. Hugging her tightly, he rested his head on her shoulder, right next to hers. Victoria’s soft hair brushed against his cheek. Reaching out for her hands, he intertwined his with hers, and he didn’t say a word until Victoria stopped sniffling and leaned back on his chest.

                He chuckled softly, and played with her fingers, tapping each fingertip and touching her smooth palm.

                “Do you love me?” Victoria suddenly asked him, her breathing finally steadied.

                Without hesitation, Nichkhun replied back confidently.

                “Of course I love you. Are you stupid?”

                “I see,” Victoria gave a sigh of relief. “I love you, too.”

                Nichkhun tightened his grasp on her hands, and he smiled.

                “If you really love me, you would stop this nonsense of changing and just be the person you were.”

                Silence answered his reply, and he awaited her actual response.

                “If I really loved you, I would stop, wouldn’t I?” Victoria gave a small laugh.

                “Yes.” Nichkhun said bluntly, hugging her tightly. “Yes, you would stop. Because if you really, really, truly forever love me, you’ll know that I’ll love you more when you’re not trying to change your appearance.”

                Victoria gave his hand a light squeeze.

                “Then I guess I really, really, truly forever love you.”