Sumin was intently mixing the paint to get the correct hue of yellow to paint the gingko leaves. She has been at it for more than 15 minutes but was still unsatisfied with the outcome. She is at Asan Gokgyo River trying to pain the ginkgo trees that lined the river. Her focus was distracted by her ringing phone. Annoyed, she put down the mixing palette and grabbed her phone. The annoyance changed into a smile as she saw it was Sehun.

"Hey boyfriend," she answered the call.

"Hi Sweetie. What are you doing now?" he asked.

"I've been trying to get the right hue for the leaves but it's not working out. I just can't get the right vibrancy. So frustrating," she grumbled, her voice had risen in pitch due to the frustration. With Sehun's encouragement, she has started to use colours in her paintings. But Sumin's perfectionist side is stressing what should have been a relaxing activity for her.

"Hey, hey, hey.. " Sehun cajoled. "Take a deep breath. Could you hold back on the painting today?"

"Huh? But I'm here to paint," Sumin reminded him.

"I know. But there is no deadline to the painting right? Why can't today be a day just to play around with the colours, mixing the various paints to see how the colours develop? That's cool too," he persuaded.

"Hmm.. ok. But then I have to come back again to paint the scenery," she huffed.

"Next time, I'll come with you when you are ready to paint it. I would love to see you capture the colours," Sehun promised.

They chatted a bit more before Sehun had to continue filming the drama.

That night, Sumin laid on the bed watching EXO performance in Busan when Yerim popped in. 

“Want some ice cream?” she asked. Sumin shook her head.

”What are you watching, EXO?” she asked.

”Yeah, their recent performance in Busan. Want to watch with me?” Sumin offered. Yerim joined her on the bed.

 “Isn’t it the same dance ?” Yerim asked, already bored after several minutes.

”Sort of. But I'm watching more for the interactions amongst themselves and their fans. They can be really childish!” Sumin laughed softly.

"You sure it’s not to check out your boyfriend? In case he is being naughty?” Yerim teased.

"No. I'm not worried. He does some fan service, but generally he is pretty quiet," Sumin defended her boyfriend. "Anyway, he looked really tired.  Wait I show you,” as she scrolled back to the earlier part that had focused on Sehun. 

"I think he looked annoyed and done with the whole thing," Yerim offered. "Maybe he doesn't want to do the Idol thing anymore."

"No, no, no. He loves it but I think the tight schedule is taking its toll. Even make up cannot hide his tired eyes," Sumin explained. Sumin knows because whenever Sehun talks about EXO, he stills shows excitement and enthusiasm. 

"Why is his schedule so crazy?" Yerim asked.

"It's cos of the drama. It was slot in quite late and he could not back out from the other commitments. And he had never done a full drama for national TV before, so he didn’t realise the amount of work and time needed," she elaborated.

Yerim put her bowl aside and lay down beside Sumin. She looked at her friend thoughtfully. Yerim only knew Sumin during campus orientation, but immediately she was drawn to the quiet and serious girl. She was kind and non-judgemental, always armed with a shy smile and a helping hand. Their personality may be polar apart but they understood each other. Because of Sumin's immense kindness and innocence, Yerim felt protective over her. 

She could see that the relationship with Sehun had pushed Sumin's out of her comfort zone, in a positive way. She is less serious, her smiles are brighter, and she seems to enjoy life outside school more. She can see the good things that Sehun brought in to her friend's life. But Yerim is afraid that her kindness and understanding will hurt her in the end since it is not easy dating an Idol.

Playing with Sumin's lock, Yerim asked, "You and Sehun are good?"

Sumin turned away from her laptop and sent a questioning glance at her friend. "Yeah, why?"

"Just asking. You don't see him often. He is always busy," she said calmly.

Sumin looked at her friend thoughtfully and decided to put aside her laptop and have their girly talk instead. She lay down facing Yerim.

"We are good. I missed him a lot, tho. But I can't demand more from him. He is trying his best too," she said quietly. Yerim nodded. That was one thing Yerim could not doubt. Sehun and his effort. She was the one who had convinced Sumin to look at the efforts Sehun made for her.

Yerim her hair and quietly listened to Sumin talk about her boyfriend and the things she missed about him. 

"Your birthday is in a couple of weeks. Did he make plans with you?" Yerim asked.

"No. I think he would be too busy. I don't see how it can fit into his schedule. He hasn't had a weekend off for many weeks," Sumin explained. "We probably have a quiet night together when he can make it. It's no big deal."

Yerim empathised with her best friend. "Shall we have a date on that day, just you and me then? We can do anything you want to do on that day," she suggested.

Sumin nodded happily. "Lets go Everland! We've been wanting to go for so long." 

A few days later, Sehun was in the van after a long day filming when the manager gave him his schedule for the coming week. Another packed week! "Hyung! I want next Saturday free. Just that one day," Sehun protested. "Please hyung. I need that Saturday," he begged.

His manager told him that the director didn't want to let him off on that day since Sehun has EXO activity the following day. He wants to film more episodes before the drama premiere. There would also be photoshoot after the premiere that would eat into the filming time in addition to several EXO's activities. "One day, I just want one day hyung. I haven't had a break for more than a month," he pleaded. Sehun was truly upset. He hasn't seen Sumin for a couple of weeks. There wasn't even time to sleep over since his schedule starts early and ends very late daily. They barely talk to each other. He needed that one day to celebrate her birthday, it's the least he could do for her.

Jummyeon, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were watching movie when Sehun came in and slammed the door. Without greeting his hyungs, he walked into his room with a sullen face. His bedroom door was slammed shut again. The three of them looked at each other and wondered what happened. They knew Sehun had a tough schedule and he was tired. But often when he arrived, he still greeted them albeit tiredly. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo nudged Jummyeon to go and find out.

Jummyeon went to Sehun's bedroom to find him on his bed, unchanged with one hand covering his eyes and the other clutching his phone on his chest. He sat down on the bed and touched Sehun's arm. "What's wrong?" Sehun remained quiet but Jummyeon noticed that his hand holding the phone clenched tighter. "Sehun-ah, tell me what's wrong."

"I just want one off day. Just one. It's her birthday, hyung. I haven't seen her for two weeks. We haven't gone out for I don't know how long. It's that too much for the agency to arrange?" Sehun cried.

Jummyeon sighed and patted his arm. "Have you told Sumin that you can't see her on that day?"

"I can't bear to call her, to speak to her and disappoint her again. I feel like I'm a fake boyfriend," he brushed away the tear that trickled down his cheek. 

Jummyeon patted his arm quietly. His brain trying to find words to console Sehun, but he couldn't find the words to console the maknae. After a few minutes, he told Sehun to wash up and go to sleep.

He sat down with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo and told them what happened. All empathised with Sehun. They knew he has been working hard  for the past couple of months and barely get to see Sumin. They that he went over for the night just to have with her but Sehun admitted that he was often too tired to even think of that. He was there to just hold her as she sleeps. He doesn't want Sumin to forget that she has a boyfriend.

"Hyung, can't you do something? You know the agency tends to take him for granted. He rarely complains and always accept whatever they decide," Changyeol asked.

"The agency can insist no filming that weekend cos he needed to rest. One day filming can be made up on another day. The production company can film other scenes instead," Kyungsoo added. 

"Hyung, the Sunday schedule is just signing autographs, right?  Not all of us are at such events most time. Get Sehun excused for it. He never gets out of it before. Let him have it this time," Chanyeol suggested.

Jummyeon wasn't sure. Sehun is very popular at such events. "I'll try both and lets hope he gets a day off on either day," he said. 

"I'll also speak to the director. I've worked with him before. It may help," Kyungsoo offered.

"Noona, could you give me 10 minutes please," Sehun told the makeup artist the next morning. He's been waiting for the time to call Sumin before she leave for school.

"Good morning," Sumin answered his call. "I'm just about to have my breakfast. Have you had yours?"

"Yes, I did. I'm getting my make up done now," Sehun replied quietly.

"Oh, you already at the filming site? You didnt call me last night, so I presume you got back really late but you are already working at this time?" Sumin sounded shock.

"Hmm.. I did managed to get some sleep," he lied. He had struggled with his thoughts throughout the night.

"Su, I.." Sehun didnt know how to break the news to her. "I'm sorry but I would be working through your birthday. I.. I'm not sure when I can see you," he said hesitantly.

Sumin had expected it. Hence she wasn't very disappointed. "I kinda expect it Hun. Your schedule is really tight. It's ok, I understand," she reassured him.

Sehun just closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fist. Although he appreciates her understanding, but its killing him to hear her having to say it again and again.

"Hun?" she called out but Sehun remained silent. He was feel