"Must it really be this way?" she choked a sob.
He caressed her tear strained cheek, "If it keeps you safe, yes." he answered through a forced smile.
It was tearing him to bits seeing her cry like this, he won't cry. He couldn't cry, even if it kills him he will never want to see her hurt.
He leaned forward to kiss her once softly and pulled back.
With overwhelming emotions, she hooked her arms around his neck and her lips crashed onto his, kissing him passionately.
He couldn't hold back whenever she was like this. His hand caressed her thigh as he held it up around his hip and kissed her back hungrily.
They kept kissing, neither needing air for the moment. They wanted to prolong this moment for as long as they could before they couldn't anymore.
He broke the kiss first.
"Shhh. Baby, please stop crying. I promise you that I'll be back soon. I'm so so sorry." he comforted.
The taste of salt on her lips from her tears became too unbearable for him to handle kissing her anymore.
She couldn't stop crying. She was crying so hard and wanted to pull him into another desperate and heartbroken kiss.
He put his hands on her shoulders, stopping her. He couldn't get addicted to the taste of her lips, the way they moulded against his perfectly like it's other half. He shouldn't especially since he won't be able to taste them again for three whole years.
"Baby please, I'm only telling you this because I don't want to leave without telling you the reason why. I'm not asking you to wait for me, that's just too much. But, I just wanted to let you know that I have once loved you with everything that I had. I never have regretted meeting you and being with you is the most cherished memory of my life. Thank you for accepting me and I'm so sorry that I have to go. You'll find someone that can make you happier in the future; Happier than I can ever make you be. So when I'm not around, please be happy. Please genuinely smile. I know it's selfish but at least for me, that'll put my heart at ease. I love you so much and now I have to go. Good bye..." he was about to break down on his knees and cry while he ended with what he said.
But instead he slowly took his fingers off her shoulders and stepped back.
It took everything he had at that moment to turn away from her, the love of his existence when she needed him the most.
She desperately clung onto his sleeve. "I'll wait for you. I'm never going to blame you. If you keep your promise I'll keep mine. If you come back to look for me I'll be here waiting. If you come back with another girl, go and be happy without me. Just come and see me when you're back." she hushed out all at once, exasperated from the crying.
"You idiot... How can I be happy without you..?" he murmured then hugged her tightly once, feeling and memorising the way her body fit exactly with his and hurriedly pulled away and ran away from her.
He had to get away before he couldn't bring himself to anymore.
She stood on the ground stunned. Paralysed. Broken. She looked up, he was really gone..

"I love you...” they whispered together. Physically separated, mentally one.