It was hard to remember the sadness and disappointment that followed the recording of their “last goodbye”, with their relationship secretly budding in reality. It took all their efforts to act sad now that everything was “over”. It was harder than they thought to try to fool their audience and PDs. With their busy Japanese debut schedule, Nichkhun was scheduled to record first. He went into the resting room and found a sleeping Victoria waiting for her turn. He tiptoed towards her in the empty room, sitting beside her as he watched her head bob back and forth as she tried to sleep sitting up. He gently guided her head towards his shoulders to save her poor neck, smiling to himself and applauding himself for not waking her up.

            “Good morning.” Victoria said sluggishly, still lying on Nichkhun’s shoulders.

            “Hi honey,” he whispered back. “Did you not sleep well last night?”

            “Ani, I slept, but I’m still so tired.” She whined, rubbing her eyes.

            “Here” Nichkhun said as he handed her a warm cup of her favorite Vanilla latte from Starbucks. “This should wake you up a little bit.”

            “You’re always so thoughtful.” She said, “I love the little things you do the most.”

            “Well there goes my need to surprise you with big events.” He joked. “Don’t tell me you’re going to cry over a cup of latte but aren’t touched by my wonderful singing!”

            “I’m still not crying, you’re going to have to try harder!”

            “You’re so hard to impress. I’m going to have to date someone that’s easier to impress!”

            “Fine, go find someone else!” Victoria said, handing Nichkhun the latte.

            “You know I’m just kidding! Even if girls throw themselves on me, I’m going to push them away like this!” he said has he nudged her onto the couch, making Victoria giggle.

            “Victoria-sshi, it’s your turn.” The PD urged from the door.

            “Coming!” She said hurriedly, pretending her and Nichkhun were having a regular composed conversation. She picked up his sweater from her lap and traded it for the latte. “Thanks babe. I’ll text you after I’m done. What time will you be done your schedule today?”

            “I won’t finish till late, probably midnight again. What about you?”

            “I have a photoshoot with Changmin and Yunho oppa before practice, so it’ll be a late night for me too!”

            “You better remember to eat and rest if you really can’t handle it.” He said before giving her a little kiss. “No kiss scenes with Changmin and Yunho hyung I should be prepared for, right?”

            “Hey, I should be the one that’s worried for your kiss scenes!” she nudged, cringing at how embarrassing it was to run into his CF co-star at the supermarket when they were filming We Got Married.

            “Aiish, just let me be the jealous boyfriend.”

            -

            Nichkhun’s phone vibrated gently on the table signaling the arrival of the message from he’s been waiting for all day.

“Hey! I’m eating dinner with the girls now and heading back to practice after. What are you doing now? Did you eat yet?”

“Eating takeout for dinner with the boys at the studio right now. We miss your cooking! Do you miss me?” he replied.

“We’re eating take out too ): I’m so tired already, I just want to head home and sleep.“ she sent back. Send.

“Let’s run away! Forget practicing, just come over here and give me a massage. I can be an idol for the both of us. By the way, our Japan debut schedules came up and I have bad news. Call me later tonight when you get back to your dorm and we’ll talk.” Send.

“Omo. You make it sound so serious. Now I’m scared!” Send.

“Don’t be scared, it’s nothing too bad. Just a little distance, but it’s nothing we haven’t handled before. We’re heading back to practice now. Don’t overwork yourself! <3” Send.

“<3You too. Miss you!” Send.

He smiled at his phone, absolutely smitten by the fact that she told him she missed him.

-

Nananananananana… Nu ABO… nananananana

“Yobseo?” A sweaty Nichkhun picked up the phone, drying himself off with a “Khuntoria” towel given to him by a fan

“Hi babe.”

“You sound tired. Are you girls home?”

“Yeah, I just hopped in the shower and now I’m lying in bed.”

“I wish I could hop in the shower with you.” He smiled at that thought while the rest of 2PM howled behind him.

“Hyung, you can hop in the shower with me!” Junho yelled.

“Nah bro, we can be shower buddies” Taecyeon said, pushing Junho away.

Victoria laughed, amazed at how energetic the boys always are.

“We’re still at the studio.” Nichkhun continued, treading around the topic of Japan.

“Aww, do you guys get to go home soon?”

“I think so. One more set and then we’re done.”

“That’s good. I wish I could see you right now. I just want to sleep on your shoulders again.”

“Haha, that’d be uncomfortable for the entire night. Want me to sneak over and come cuddle with you? Wow Victoria-ssi, I didn’t think you were such a forward girl!” he joked.

“Aniya aniya, that’s not what I meant!” She denied, fanning herself with her hand as her face turned a bright shade of red. “Didn’t you say you had something to tell me?”

Darn it, he thought. She remembered.

“Yeah… it’s about our Japanese schedule. We’re leaving next week and staying there for 5 months. We’re going to train there for 2 months then do activities for the next 3. I don’t think we’ll be allowed to fly back to Korea during that time though… so it means I won’t be here for our technically first Christmas or New Year.”

“Aww…” she sounded disappointed.

Silence. It was the kind of comfortable silence between lovers trying to grasp onto each other for as much time as possible, even though it was just the sound of their steady breathing.

“It’s okay,” she tried convincing the two of them. “It’s not like we haven’t handled distance before, and plus, we have to be in America for 2 months so 5 months wont’ seem that long. We can keep in touch and I’m sure we’ll have no problems as long as Mr. Playboy here doesn’t have anymore kissing CFs” she joked.

He absolutely loved how she can make the best out of every situation. He wished he could cheer her up as easily as she cheered him up.

“Of course! I’ll try my best to keep in touch, and you can monitor me on the internet all the time to make sure I don’t run off with some Japanese girl, which I don’t have any intentions of doing anyway. I already have the best girl in the entire world!” He assured her.

“Yah, stop being so cheesy. You haven’t even left yet!”

“Are you going to miss me?”

“Of course, pabo. Are you going to miss me?”

“Every second.”

“You better. Or I’m going to get very mad and going to dump you for all my other suitors lined up outside our studio.” She joked.

“I’m not worried. None of them are as handsome as I am”

“Heheh of course.”

“And distance makes the heart grow fonder anyway. This’ll be a good test for us.”

“I’m going to ace this test!”

“Me too.”

“And I’m excited to go to America! I can improve my English while we’re there. That way I can talk to Charleen and your mom properly the next time we meet.”

“Already thinking of meeting my family? Whoa there. We’ve only been dating for like 3 days.”

“Ani, I was just saying that… I mean…”

He loved how she stammered every time she got flustered.

“I’m just kidding babe. They already love you for who you are. My mom actually called and asked for all the details of us… and then called me a wuss for doing it through a letter. Apparently that’s how my dad asked my mom out too, back in the day. You have no idea how much I want to run away to Thailand with you though.”

“Aww, that’s so cute of your dad! Haha it’s too late now. I don’t think I want to meet your parents. We’ve only been dating for 3 days, after all” she retaliated.

“Too late. It’s only been 3 days but I already see you in the rest of my life.”

“Do you even care about our feelings, hyung?” Chansung cried in the background. “Us single boys are here getting goosebumps and throwing up!”

Leave it to 2PM to ruin a romantic moment. Nichkhun made a mental note to leave the room the next time they talk on the phone.

“Go back and finish practicing so you can go sleep!” Victoria laughed. “I don’t want the boys to throw up.”

“Okay honey. Sleep well. I’ll message you tomorrow morning”

“Okay, you get home and sleep well too.”

“Love you.”

“Love you more.”