A/N: My writing seems to change with every chapter haha... ^^;

Anyways, the wait was long and I hope it's worth your time. Enjoy! ^^

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It had only been a week and already I felt smothered when I’m with her. It wasn’t like I started hating her or came to dislike her – I just felt pressured every time we’re together; I was also constantly reminded about those words I didn’t say back every time we kiss.

I could feel the distance slowly grow between us. I knew it was my fault; I could feel myself changing and before long, we would both end up hating each other. I didn’t want that to happen, so I figured ending things between us would be the best and we could still remain friends after.

I went to her place for our usual sleepover. My ultimate plan was to act cold and initiate the break up, but Unnie was being her sweet, warm self and all my insides melted into a puddle of goo and before I knew it, I was falling asleep while snuggled comfortably in her arms.

My tongue was still tied when morning comes and then it was time for me to leave. I started packing with a heavy heart – I wanted to leave this apartment a free woman, but I guess I had to wait a while longer.

Just as I was about to walk out of her bedroom, I passed by her desk and stopped; something had caught my eyes and made my blood run cold – a brochure about an overseas scholarship and a half-filled form of application for said scholarship.

What is this? Why haven’t I heard of this before?

My heart suddenly ached at the thought of her leaving and I scoffed at myself in disbelief.

You wanted her gone, didn’t you? Well, this is the universe telling you that you’re making the right decision.

Yes, but leaving the country is just…

What’s the difference? Once you break up with her, what she does or doesn’t do is no longer your business. She will need to get over you somehow and going overseas might be it.

Yes. It might help her get over me. Yes, this is definitely the right choice. Yes, definitely.

With that thought running through my head, I wandered out of the room.

She was already waiting for me at the entrance, her back leaned against the wall while her hands were shoved deep inside her pants’ pockets. Her face literally lit up when she saw me approaching and her nose crinkled as she smiled.

I stopped in front of her, a million questions at the tip of my tongue, but my head was too occupied with the thought of what I was about to do that I ended up just staring at her.

Her smile turned into a confused smirk; her eyes silently asking me what was wrong. My voice refused to come out and then I remembered that action was louder than words.

I closed the distance between us and briefly paused, eyes flickering between her lips, her eyes and back to her lips again. Then, I placed my hands on her shoulders and took a deep, shaky breath before gently pressing my mouth against hers. She didn’t respond at first, probably surprised, but then I felt her hands on my hips, pulling me closer.

The kiss was slow, but still passionate enough to melt my brain and almost made me forget my agenda. Almost.

I’ll miss this. I’ll miss her. Will she miss me? Probably not, since she’s already planning to leave this country without even telling me.

Then, my half-functioning brain had to conjure up the image of Unnie with another girl and I nearly threw up in .

Maybe staying friends is not an option anymore. If we’re friends, I have to see her with someone else and I am definitely not okay with that. Then…this is really goodbye, huh?

Suddenly, I tasted something salty and a moment later, was gone from mine.

When I opened my eyes, she was looking at me with a frown. Her hands on my hips had moved to cup my face, thumbs wiping the corner of my eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, genuine concern in her voice.

I have to do this. If going overseas is her dream, who am I to stop her? I lost that right when I can’t even say those three words back at her.

I cupped her hands with my cold, shaky ones and stared unflinchingly into her eyes. “Unnie,” my voice was trembling slightly, but I fought hard not to look away, “let’s break up.”

Her face remained blank, but I saw the emotions flashing through her eyes; I suddenly wondered if she had seen this coming.

“Is this for real, Ahn Hyejin?” she finally spoke, her voice quiet and eerily calm. I knew that that calmness was hiding something else; I could see it in her eyes and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from sobbing. “Do you really want to break up with me?”

I swallowed the denial that was lodged in my throat and quietly nodded.

She closed her eyes tight, sighed and opened them again. “I just want to know one thing…”

I nodded again.

“Do you hate me?”

“No, unnie,” I quickly answered, shocked that she would think that. “I don’t hate you.”

How am I supposed to hate someone so kind and warm and sweet? You deserve someone just like that, Moon Byulyi, but sadly, that someone is not me.

She nodded, smiling weakly. “I’m glad to hear that,” she murmured before planting a soft kiss on my forehead. “I was willing to wait until you were ready, Hyejin-ah…”

“No, that’s not fair to you, unnie,” I said as I stepped away from her. “You’re always the one doing the waiting. I don’t want you to wait anymore.”

She opened , wanting to protest, but quickly decided against it. “You’re not going to change your mind?” she asked instead, with a hint of hope in her voice.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, unnie.”

She nodded and ran a hand through her hair. “I guess…this is goodbye?”

I clutched my bag tightly to my chest. “Yeah,” I said softly, fighting back the tears with everything I had. “Goodbye, Byul-unnie.”

The flashback ended and a dull throbbing in her head began.

Hyejin slowly sat up and something damp fell into her lap. She scowled at the damp rag and the jacket covering her body. Then, she looked around and realized that she wasn’t in the bathroom stall anymore – she was sitting on a leather couch in a dimly-lit room that looked a lot like an office; messy and unorganized, but still an office.

Where am I? What happened?

“You’re awake.”

She turned to find Byulyi smiling sleepily at her from the other end of the couch.

“What happened?” Hyejin asked out loud, her voice hoarse and dry.

Byulyi quickly hopped to her feet, fetched a bottled water and handed it to her. Hyejin took it gratefully and drained half of the content in one gulp.

“You passed out,” Byulyi explained, plopping down next to Hyejin. “The bar’s manager lent us his office for you to rest in.” She hesitated briefly before adding, “Did you have a flashback?”

The throbbing in her head intensified for a split second. “Yes,” Hyejin hissed, rubbing her temple with one hand. “I had consecutive flashbacks actually. I think that’s why I passed out.”

“Oh.”

Byulyi looked nervous for some reason and Hyejin had an inkling as to why.

“The flashback was about our date,” she elaborated, “and you told me you love me.”

“Yeah, I remember,” Byulyi murmured. “I said it in the heat of the moment,” she looked at Hyejin then, her eyes firm and sincere, “but I meant every word.”

Hyejin hesitated. “I…also had another flashback…”

Byulyi smiled expectantly at her.

“…about us breaking up.”

Her smile quickly vanished. “O-Oh…”

She could see how much Byulyi was struggling to keep a straight face; trying not to make her worry even though she must be in a lot of pain.

You haven’t changed, have you, Moon Byulyi? Still so kind and sweet…you truly deserve someone better than me.

She set the half-emptied bottle on the ground and scooted closer to Byulyi. Byulyi’s eyes widened with surprise and her brows furrowed in confusion, but she still smiled warmly at her.

Hyejin placed her hands firmly on the older woman’s shoulders and took a deep breath before leaning in to press against Byulyi’s. She had hoped to ease some of Byulyi’s pain, but her pure intentions quickly derailed when she unconsciously tilted her head and her hands slid up from Byulyi’s shoulders to tangle in her hair. Byulyi moaned when their tongues met; her hands snaking around Hyejin’s back to pull her even closer.

When they finally parted, panting and red-faced, they rest their foreheads against one another. They remained silent even after their breathing had returned to normal, taking turns to steal quick kisses before smiling at each other like there was no tomorrow. Byulyi was caressing Hyejin’s cheek when she finally broke the silence.

“The last time you kissed me like that, you broke up with me.” She paused and her voice became deeper, laced with pain and sadness. “Are you breaking up with me, Ahn Hyejin?”

Hyejin said nothing and twirled one finger around a strand of Byulyi’s hair as she thought it over. So far, every flashback she had was triggered whenever she was with Byulyi; she was tempted to know what would happen if Byulyi wasn’t around, but that would mean letting Byulyi go and she definitely didn’t want that.

She snorted at herself.

How greedy and selfish, Ahn Hyejin. You haven’t changed either, have you?

“Hyejin…?”

Hyejin chuckled as she pulled away slightly to look into Byulyi’s worried eyes. “No, I’m not breaking up with you,” she assured her, “but I need you to do me a favour.”

“Okay, sure,” Byulyi replied, smiling wide.

“Pretend to break up with me.”

Byulyi blinked and her smile vanished. “What?”

“We’re not going to really break up,” Hyejin explained and chuckled when Byulyi started to frown. She rubbed away the creases on Byulyi’s forehead with her thumb and added, “We’re just taking a break from each other.”

“For how long?” Byulyi asked tersely, clearly upset by the whole conversation.

“A few days…a week at most.” Hyejin paused and smiled. “I can’t stand being away from you longer than that, Byul-ah.”

Byulyi rest her head on Hyejin’s shoulder and let out a loud sigh. “I can’t stand a day,” she mumbled. “How am I supposed to survive a week?”

“I’m sure you’ll find something to do,” Hyejin murmured as she ran her hand through Byulyi’s hair and planted a kiss on the side of her neck. “Promise you’ll take care of yourself?”

“I promise,” Byulyi mumbled against her shoulder. “Then, you have to promise me you’ll come back as soon as you’re done with whatever you’re planning on doing, okay?”

Hyejin was surprised at Byulyi’s assumption. She was right of course, but Hyejin hated spoiling her plan to anyone; not even if that person was Byulyi.

“Okay, Byul-ah,” she whispered and hugged Byulyi tight, “I promise.”