quick note: the '-1 week' thingies indicates a countdown of dates..

Enjoy!.

-1 Week...
 

“Wow… it really looks delicious. What’s the occasion?” Siwon beams at Jamie, the light in his eyes wiping some of the fatigue on his face. “It’s not our 7th month since the wedding, right?”
 

Jamie leads him to sit, chuckling, “No. I just wanted to cook for you. You’ve been very busy this past few weeks and Heechul was kind of hounding me about how hollow your cheeks were getting. He said he didn’t want you to turn into another Kangin.”
 

“Kangin-hyung just took it a little too far but he’s slowly fixing it.”
 

“Good. I was really shocked when I saw how thin he got in just a short time. It’s not good for his health. So I thought that you should take care of your health too.”
 

“Oh, I’m so lucky to have you.” Siwon smiles, reaching out for her hand across the table and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you. For sticking up with me even if I’m making your life so complicated.”
 

Something struck her chest and the back of her eyes burn, but she struggles to smile. “It’s nothing, Siwon. I would do everything for you.” And she means it. She really does.
 

They talk about everything but the media throughout the whole meal. She tells him about her students, how the work was really tiring and trying at times, but her students makes it worth it with their laughter and willingness to learn. He tells her about the crazy things his band mates had done, the several times they all goof off that landed them in many punishments back when they were still trainees. It was a light-hearted meal, an escape somehow from all the frustrating things that had been happening lately.
 

They found themselves sipping wine as they take in the view of Seoul’s nightlife through large window in the living room. The lights were off on most of the apartment, only the half-moon giving them visibility. But it doesn’t matter; Seoul looks more beautiful, more peaceful, that way.
 

“Are you happy?” Siwon suddenly ask.
 

“Why would you ask that?”
 

“Because… you didn’t want this life. You wanted to be a music teacher. You had your life. But you were forced to leave it all to live with me.”
 

Jamie gave Siwon a look but his attention was not on her. He was looking at the view outside the window, a sad look in his eyes. “You were forced to it too. Are you happy?”
 

Siwon looked right back at Jamie, the two of them silent for a moment or two. “I… I admit that I was scared. I didn’t know how life would be when it wasn’t just me at all. There was somebody else that I’m responsible for. I didn’t know if I can make you happy; or if I would just bring you trouble because of the life I was living. I was scared… uncertain.”
 

“I felt the same. I felt lost to. But you made it so much easier. Thank you.”
 

“But are you happy?”
 

The vulnerability in Siwon’s eyes is making her heart churn painfully. She remembers the phone conversation she had a few days ago, and she feels guilty. She wanted to take all the words she had said but she knows she can’t. It’s all for the best. For both of them and for the people around them.
 

“I am, Siwon. I am happy. Thank you.”
 

She doesn’t know what made her do it; maybe it was the alcohol, or the feelings surging deep inside her. Hooking an unsteady hand behind Siwon’s neck, she slowly tugged him nearer until their lips were flushed together in a soft sweet kiss. Her heart flares at the contact and it feels perfect. She wishes that the night wouldn’t end, that everything happening around them would magically disappear because this is perfect and she doesn’t want to let this go; she wants to stay forever this way with Siwon. Forever feeling warm and at home with him, with nobody judging them because they have no idea who the real Siwon is and how he makes Jamie feel complete.
 

They wake up tangled together under Siwon’s covers. It’s pretty early in the morning and Siwon didn’t have a schedule until later that afternoon.
 

Jamie opened her eyes, feeling refreshed yet still sleepy at the same time. There’s an arm on her waist, gripping her a little too tightly, a leg over her own, and oh… no clothes.
 

So that really happened...
 

Realizing the…activities the night before, her cheeks promptly went red.
 

“You look cuter when you blush... make me want to squish you.” Siwon whispers teasingly into her ear, chuckling at the undignified squeak that left her lips.
 

“Shut up, Siwon.” She hisses, holding on to whatever semblance of composure she has, which was really nothing, not when they were still under the covers with sheets not doing anything to separate them from each other’s skin. “You’re already squishing me, anyways. Now I know why Kyuhyun warned me about sleeping next to you. You cling like a koala on a eucalyptus tree.”
 

Siwon just laugh and squeezed her a little more. She lets him. It’s not as if she didn’t want him close anyways, if not closer.
 

“You like it anyways.”
 

“Shut up. I like to cuddle teddy bears, not grizzlies like you.”
 

She shoves him away, playfully of course, gathering the sheets and cocooning herself with them as she made her way to the bathroom, gathering her clothes in the process. Siwon called her back to bed but she just stuck her tongue at him.
 

She was at the kitchen 15 minutes later, Siwon making coffee at the counter. There was already breakfast as well, though it was more like a brunch since it’s nearly 11 and the sun was glaring through the window, trying hard to beat the chill of the autumn morning air.
 

“I’ll just go get a quick shower, okay? You can start breakfast.” Siwon said, kissing her on the temple before dashing for the bathroom.
 

A smile found its way to Jamie’s mouth. If only all the mornings could be as lazy, as carefree, as this. But alas, we can only wish for so many things.
 

Waking up from such a dreamlike state came to her through a phone call. One look at the caller, even without an I.D. and just a number, she knew who it was.
 

“I’ve arranged everything, Ms. Song. I hope you keep up to your part of the deal.” the cold-hearted tone said over the line.
 

“Yes… just a week and it’ll be over…, Mr. Gum.”
 

Jamie’s smile was blinding as the sun outside when Siwon came back.
 

-5 Days...
 

“What have you done, Jamie? Have you gone crazy? Wait, don’t answer that. You are crazy!” Heechul fumes, his left eye twitching as he glared at Jamie.
 

Jamie kept his face neutral, devoid of any emotion. She has made her decision; and for all their sakes, she’s going to stick to it. “Are you going to help me?”
 

“I want to strangle you right now.” Heechul hissed.
 

“If you are not going to help me, it’s fine. But promise me that you are not going to tell anyone about this.”
“Do you hear yourself, Jamie? This is ridiculous! I don’t even know you! I never thought you’d give in this easily!”
 

“I am not giving in, nor am I giving up. I’m doing what’s right, Heechul.” Jamie replies with steel in her voice. “And I’m counting on you. You’re the only person who can help me.”
 

“How do you suppose I’ll help you when I wouldn’t have even thought of what you want to do, Jamie? Why are you even dragging me into this?"
 

"Because... I need someone to make sure he doesn't ruin himself when I..." constrict at the unsaid words, but she steels herself and looks at Heechul in the eyes, "You're the only one I know that can do that for me."
 

"You do this and you’re not only going to hurt everyone around you but yourself as well.”
 

“I know.”
 

“Then why do you still want to do it?”
 

“Because in the long run, this will be the best for all of us.”
 

“Are you sure?”
 

Is she?
 

The phone she call she made three days prior replays in her head, each word said embedded themselves inside her mind and stabs her heart every time she remembers them, which is every waking moment of her day. They even sometimes follow her into her dreams…
 

-3 Days...
 

She stares as the news anchor on the TV screen rattles away about the conspicious scene of Choi Siwon and an unnamed girl walking on the park, unaware of the eyes on them. Then the screen flickered to another familiar footage of Siwon going into his car, leaving the grocery store. It's everything in the news lately, the hot topic, and she idly wonders why people still aren't bored of it.
 

The television is turned off and she realized that the remote control was not on her hand anymore. She looks up, and it's him.
 

"Stop watching the news, Jamie. At least not for now. It's all nasty stuff nowadays."
 

"But it's still the truth."
 

"Jamie--"
 

"If you would be forced to choose... between me and your career--"
 

"Please, Jamie. Don't look at it like that. You are different and I can't compare you to my career--"
 

"It's not comparing, Siwon. It's not choosing which weighs more." she looks at him, willing her face to stay as neutral as she could, "It's choosing which path you think you would be happier taking." she prays he would choose the right one; it will break her, but it's better her than him. "So... which one are you going to choose?"
 

Siwon's lips pursed into a thin line as he gave her a stern look, though he still doesn't look angry even by a hint. "I'd choose you, Jamie."
 

Her heart swells, and she wants to kiss him, hold him forever because she feels so happy at his words. But it's the wrong answer.
 

Her heart is breaking into pieces but... he shouldn't have chosen her.
 

The day before...
 

She's in her room, the room he gave her that day she first came home with him. Home... this was his home first before it became theirs. And soon, it will be only his once again.
 

Fishing out the phone she borrowed from her brother, she called that person she hated to be the only salvation for the man she loves.
 

"It's me."
 

"Oh, Miss Song. How is everything going--"
 

"I am making my part of the deal."
 

"And so are we. You see how the media is now diverted from you."
 

"I know." she replied coldly, looking at the silver phone lying on the top of her desk. "I hope you won't forget about the second part of the deal. He should never--"
 

"Find you when you leave." the person on the other line finished for her. "Honestly, I don't understand this logic, Miss Song. Why would you cut all ties with him?It is not neceassry at all since you'll still be married anyways--"
 

"I don't expect you to understand. You never would." she cuts him. "Just make sure that he won't find me."
 

"Very well, Miss Song." the man on the phone stated coldly after a pause. "Everything had been prepared according to your wishes."
 

Should she say thank you? Nah... they don't deserve it. "Goodbye then, Mr. Gum." she says instead.
 

She stood from the bed and looked around hte now-empty room. Her things had been shipped away the day before and she got nothing in this room but a suitcase of clothes. She's still here but she already misses it, she already misses him.
 

But she can't stay.
 

So she picks up the gold bands lying beside the silver phone on top of the bedside table. Those were the things that symbolizes them, how their fates were intertwined. And she knows that if she wants him to move on faster, she needed to erase everything that might remind him of her, so she secretely took his wedding ring from his drawer. It kinds of hurt how he was not allowed to wear it in public but somehow she thinks it was for the better. He would never miss what he never uses.
 

Taking a deep breath, she prepares for the day she ends it all...
 

Present Day...

Siwon lets himself into the house, tired and ready to fall into bed for a few hour's rest. The moment he enters the livung room though, feeling the familiar warmth of home, a part of him feels light, the aches in his bone from a day's work dissipating somewhat.
 

"Jamie..." he calls.
 

The whole house is silent, amking him frown a little. Is she out? But she got no work today.
 

He stepped further into the living room, and that's where he sees a familiar suitcase, something he had seen months ago that he can't remember when exactly was it.
 

Something's wrong.
 

Jamie walked in from the kitchen, all stiff and face grim. There's a newspaper in her hand, and that's when Siwon noticed old papers lying on the coffee table in the living room. The TV is on as well, yet another news about Siwon and the mystery girl.
 

"Jamie... what--" he couldn't even find the right words, his hands doing more of the talking for him as usual. He's utterly confused. "What's wrong, Jamie? Didn't we talk about avoiding the news for a little while? And what's with the suitcase? Are you going on vacation? You didn't mention that--"
 

"I... am not going on a vacation." she interrupted, voice hoarse and hollow. She looked at him and there's that empty look in her eyes that he had never seen before.
 

"What...?"
 

"I'm leaving."
 

Leaving.
 

Again...What?
 

"Leaving?" he croaks, brows knot into a confused V in the middle of his forehead. He chukles nervously, "What are you tallking about, Jamie? Is this some kind of joke--"
 

"It's not." since when did her voice became this cold and uncaring? "I can't do it, Siwon. I thought I could... but I can't." she turns and placed the newspapaer on top of the others on the table, taking the handle of her suitcase.
 

He doesn't move. He can't. It's overwhelming; confusing to the point where his brain can't process it all. He's practically paralized.
 

"I thought I can live in this world... your world. But I was wrong. I can't live a life where I have to hide who I am. I thought I can be happy... but I realize now that I can't. I want to live beside you, Siwon, not on your shadow."
 

It's like something in him clicked and he got into action, his limbs finally being free. Her hand was on the doorknob; she's really leaving. Before he could reach out to stop her though, her steely voice halted him, freezing him once again.
 

"Don't, Siwon. Don't try to stop me." she didn't even look at him. "We are too different."
 

"I can leave it all for you, Jamie! Please... just please... don't--"
 

"I won't be the reason for you to stop doing what you love, Siwon." there's that tenderness in her voice, the one he's missing, and suddenly it's like he's talking to the Jamie he knows, not this cold-hearted person. But the almost gentle tone was gone again in an instant. "We live in different worlds and it's foolishness to ever think that we can be together."
 

"But we can... if we just try... we can. I know we can. We might be facing the odds lately but we were doing just fine..." he reproached weakly, afraid that if he moved any closer, she'd leave sooner.. "Jamie..."
 

"We can't, Siwon." her back straightens as she turns the knob. "And please... don't ever look for me."
 

"Wha--no!"
 

"I don't want to live in your world, Siwon. I will never fit in. So please don't force me to."
 

Oh.
 

So it's his fault... he's holding her back. Somehow, he knows this... maybe...? But he wants her to stay by his side that he chose to neglect that he's actually caging her in.
 

"It's not your fault, Siwon. Some things just... it doesn't always work the way want it to even if we do everything to make it happen. Even if we hope and pray night and day, some things just don't work. It hurts... but we need to accept that some things are never meant to be." there's a tremble in her voice, but before he can take a step, she was out the door with an almost silent goodbye.
 

It's not the end of the world... but for Siwon, it might just be.
 

Heechul's face is grim, his knuckles white as he fists his car keys. There's a famale voice doing a final call for the last flight to LAX that night over the speakers. The airport is not as crowded as it is during mornings, but it never felt this suffocating to him, not even those times when they had to be squeeezed by overzealous fans an compare to the constricting feeling.
 

Jamie is standing in line, the last to board the plane that would take her back to the place where she was forced to leave 7 months ago, to marry Siwon.
 

There's only a couple of worn-out looking businessmen in crisp suits ahead of Jamie, haniding their passes and passports to be checked before boarding the plane. The flight is leaving in ten minutes... and no amount of time could ever be more heart-breaking.
 

"Jamie..."
 

"I love him, you know." Jamie says before Heechul can even ask her once again to change her decision.
 

"Then why are you still doing this and leaving?"
 

"Because... I love him enough to let him go. It's one thing to be brave enough to hold on and go through the storm... but sometimes... letting go and setting someone free shows how braver one is, don't you think?"
 

"Are you convincing me... or yourself?"
 

Tears fell from Jamie's eyes as she struggles to breath normally and to break down. But trying to keep your heart from breaking when it's already torn to pieces is harder than anyone can imagine. Heechul can easily see how Jamie's trying to fight the tears that are relentless, and he holds her, feeling hot wet tears on his shoulder and the desperate clutch on the hem of his shirt.
 

It's nothing short of amazing to what lengths people would go to make their loved ones happy. And if there's somoene he can blame the unfairness of the wolrd on, he would have told them to it up in the face.
 

He doesn't believe that there are higher powers, that a person's fate is already made and there's no escaping that. He believes that people make their path, create their fate. And sometimes, they are foolish enough to let go of something that would make them happy, because they tend to be so selfless.
 

"Jamie... it's still not too late to change your mind." he whispers in to her ears, ignoring the concerned and curious looks that the airport employee were giving them, apparently they were waiting for Jamie to board.
 

Jamie's sobbed silently a little more, "I... I need to accept it, Heechul. Sometimes... sometimes life just don't have that fairytale happy endings."
 

And with that, Jamie lets go of him.
 

He watched as Jamie's plane leave the run way, lights blinking and disappearing into the distance. "You're wrong, Jamie. We're all getting our happy endings one way or another. It's just... yours is still waiting to happen."
 

Maybe, Heechul thought, maybe, somehow, he does believe in fate.

a/n: it's a crappy chap, i know.... blame it on my cold-induced fever! T^T

last 2 chaps....

happy Nov. 1st!!

(ooh... Kris and Chanyeol are having their birthdays this month!!)