"Dinah, you can't leave!" he pleaded for the thousandth time as we stood on the roof of our school.

"I told you I made up my mind. I've got to take this opportunity or I'll never be able to follow my dreams!" I turned away from the fence holding us in to face my distraught friend. "It'll be okay. I promise I'll come back."

"It's not going to be okay! Dinah, don't you know how I feel about you?" Youngjae grabbed my wrist and tugged me closer.

"Yeah, I try to ignore it." I looked away and spoke over my shoulder.

"Why?" Youngjae looked pained. As if leaving him behind weren't enough, now I had to crush his heart too.

"Because we're kids, Youngjae. We're sixteen for Christ's sake! I hardly doubt you're in love with me." I forced a laugh, brow furrowed.

"That's exactly it! Aren't we supposed to have young love and wait for jobs and internships and responsibilities until we're adults?" he asked, searching my eyes for any glimmer of me giving up.

"Yoo Youngjae, if I don't take this job I can't ever be what I want to be. This is my one shot, you got it? I. Have. To. Go." I stared into his eyes steadily before pulling my wrist from his crushing hands.

"Before you go," Youngjae said as I placed my hand on the knob of the door.

I turned away from my escape and looked at him with tired eyes.

"What?" I sighed.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me. Can you truly and honestly look me in the eye and say that like it's the truth? If you can, I'll let you go." he grabbed my face in his hands and pulled me so I was just centimeters from his.

"Youngjae..." I shook my head. I didn't want to hurt him like this.

"Just do it!" he was on the verge of tears, but fought back valiantly.

"Youngjae, I don't love you." 

And that was it. With those words I was gone.