i. goodbye

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7 years ago…

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8PM, says the watch adorning Cho Kyuhyun's wrist, as he casually glances at it to check the current time.

"Are you sure you're not in a hurry, Kyuhyun-ssi? Surely, you don't have other places to be right now?" Goo Hyesun, wife of Kyuhyun's prospective business partner, Ahn Jaehyun of JH Group, says from his left upon noticing Kyuhyun's subtle anxiety.

With that, Kyuhyun quickly adjusts his sleeves to hide his watch, and smiles at the woman "Not at all, Mrs. Ahn. I'm just checking how long our food is going to be here."

"I guess all that work in your company is making you quite famished, yes? Though, I guarantee you the courses in this establishment is definitely worth the wait, I must say." Jaehyun quips, mirroring Kyuhyun's small smile.

The latter merely grunts in reply. Taking a sip of his champagne, Jaehyun starts, "Very well then. While we wait, I assume we have some important business to discuss."

As the other man talks, Kyuhyun quickly checks on his phone.

5 missed calls, all from his sister.

Strange. Kyuhyun thinks. He's expecting at least a call from his fiancee, Seo Joohyun. Setting aside the bad feeling he feels in his gut, he quickly types a small text to her to at least let her know what he is up to at that instance, so as to not worry her.

Urgent business right now. Be home late. Don't wait up for me.

Kyuhyun hastily presses send before turning off his phone and redirecting his attention to the company he is with. After all, he's been trying to settle a partnership with the couple's company for months on end, trying to gain their favor in order to expand his own enterprise. The said dinner is scheduled on such short notice, that even Kyuhyun, in his busy schedule, is only called earlier that day.

Knowing their own busy schedules, Kyuhyun knows this is his only chance of gaining that partnership he so desires, so he accepts their dinner invitation without any second thought at all.

Joohyun will understand. She always does.

--

Kyuhyun, in the corporate world, is known as someone who knows what he wanted. He is someone who isn't afraid to take risks, to take chances. A lot of people thought that is the reason he is so successful. At the young age of 25, he took up the position of CTO in his father's company.

For someone so young, he knows he has a lot to live up for, to prove to the people who has second thoughts on his ability in the business. One might have said that he is prepared for anything that comes his way.

Little does he know that nothing could have prepared him for what is to come his way in the near future.

His pent-up anxiety from the start of the business dinner has been threatening to overwhelm his entire being as he slowly opens the door to their shared penthouse suite. Seeing no sign of her in the dark living room, Kyuhyun settles his bag on one of the couches before surveying their home, in the hopes that Joohyun is in the premises. To his relief, Joohyun is by the balcony of their room, looking out the city.

“Yeah,” he hears her say. “She told me it’s only normal. I’m okay, mom.”

Another pause, as Joohyun listens to her caller on the phone, oblivious that Kyuhyun is but a small distance behind her.

“Please, I don’t think I can—”

Sighing, he starts to talk. “Hey, why are you still awake?”

Startled, Joohyun turns around. Sighing, she returned her attention to her mother on the phone, "I-I gotta go, mom. I'll talk to you soon."

She ends the call and walks past Kyuhyun, avoiding his gaze. Bewildered at her indifference towards him, Kyuhyun follows her inside and tries to get her to talk. "Hey, what's wrong?"

It doesn't escape his attention of her subtle scoff as she continues to ignore him. Kyuhyun's eyes widens in alarm as he sees her take her luggage and start taking her clothes from their closet. "H-Hey, what are you doing? Joohyun, please talk to me—", He stops when he finally gets a glimpse of her tear-streaked face. "Joohyun, why...?"

Joohyun merely shakes her head, hiding her face from his view. "I can't do this anymore."

"What?" Kyuhyun freezes, dread taking over his body. Joohyun's voice is barely above a whisper, but her message is as clear as day. "You don't mean that."

She just keeps silent, as she continues on packing her things. Desperate, Kyuhyun grasps on her shoulders, effectively stopping her. "Is this because I came home late again? Look, I'm sorry, okay? I wasn't able to tell you that I had a very important business dinner with a client that could very well be our business partner in the future. I already told you about them and their prospective role, didn't I? It was a rare chance. I could not possibly decline. You understand, right?"

"I know."

Wiping the tears on her cheeks, he asks, "Then why? You know you can tell me anything. I am your fiancee after all."

"I'm just... tired of all this.", is her only reply.

Kyuhyun shakes his head. "Look, let's just sleep this off, okay? We can talk further in the morning, once we're well-rested."

"No," Joohyun pries herself from his grasp.

"Then tell me what is going on with you, please."

Joohyun finally looks at him in the eye, clearly conveying her mixed feelings to him. "I simply cannot do this anymore. Can you not understand? I am tired of always being alone when you go on your lengthy business trips. I am tired of your empty promises. You've been so busy with your work that you unknowingly neglect your family and me."

"You know I do this for you, Joohyun, for our future. You can't blame me for wanting to give you everything. My family surely understands that. I thought you did!"

"I do understand, completely! That's all I've been doing all these years!" Joohyun finally snaps. "Can't you see, Kyuhyun? I've always understood your hectic schedule. I've never asked anything from you. I know how passionate you are at your work. I just want you here, with me, especially today, of all days."

"What do you mean?"

"You really did forget, didn't you?" Joohyun sighs, exhausted. "Well, that partnership of yours doesn't come everyday, I assume. Unlike today, which happens every year."

Realization finally hits him like a heavy boulder. "Is today our..."

"Yes, today is our anniversary," she says, "All I wanted was for you to be here, and celebrate it with me. I already planned the whole day, seeing that you are too busy to do so anyway. That was the one thing I asked of you."

"No, Joohyun, please, let me make it up to you." Frantic, Kyuhyun shakes her shoulders. "I promise I will make it up to you. Just don't do this, please!"

She just shakes her head again. "No, I've had enough empty promises, Kyuhyun. I never wanted to resort to this, but even I have my own limitations, especially right now, where I can't afford any stress."

Kyuhyun wounds his arms around her, desperate to keep her there, to keep her. "I'm really sorry. Please, don't do this. I love you so much. I promise to be a better man for you. I promise to never hurt you like this ever again. Just, give me another chance to make it up to you."

With his words, her iron resolve is slowly crumbling to dust, Joohyun admits. There is so much hurt in his voice, that she cannot help but mirror the same. At the back of her mind, she wants to take back all she said, and give him another change to set things right. Joohyun knows that she has to do this before her conflicting feelings manages to change her decision.

All she wants at that time was to stay in his embrace, but Joohyun knows she has to do this, not only for Kyuhyun, but for herself as well.

"Please don't hold back for my sake. You deserve all you have have achieved so far in your career, and also with that partnership. I assume you were successful with that, yes? You should know I'm always proud of you." Joohyun hugs him back tightly, as if this is the last time. "At the very least, I want you to know that."

"You don't have to do this. Please..." His hold of her tightens, as he attempts to sway her decision yet again.

Joohyun breaks their embrace and puts both of her hands on his cheeks, caressing them. "At the very least, I am happy that you're willing to do so much for me. But seeing our circumstances, I think this relationship is already too much for the both of us."

"I love you," are the only words Kyuhyun can say at that moment, for he knows that it is inevitable.

"And I love you," Joohyun says, "I'm doing this for the best, for the both of us, for our future."

With that, she tiptoes and plants a quick kiss on his temple, before finally saying the one word he never wants to hear from her, ever.

"Goodbye..."  

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Author's notes:

Been forever since I last updated. Sorry about that. Been stressed with work and well, emotionally stressed as well. I figured I should go back to writing this as to keep me busy. I highly doubt anyone would see this so, hello. Anyway, I will try my best for this rewrite, been writing outlines for the next chapters already but ince I lost my original copy (huhu sorry), it might take me a while.