It was a busy day at the bakery Hahyun worked in. The cake orders were endless and Hahyun was forced into taking overtime. She sighed as she glanced to see her watch telling her that it was 8 PM.

“Hey boss, can I leave soon? I have an appointment in like half an hour.” Hahyun asked as she frosted the, hopefully, last birthday cake of the day.

“Appointment? Is it important? We still have a lot of cakes to cover.” Hahyun’s boss responded. He gestured Hahyun to hurry so that he could put the strawberries on top of the cake.

“I’m seeing Chanyeol. He’s leaving tomorrow for an Interview out of town. So yes.”

“Ahhh, I see. Your boyfriend eh? Arasso, arasso. Here give me the cake and you go pack up.” He took the cake away from her and eyed her, telling her she can go.

“Really? Whoa, you’re so nice boss! I solemnly promise to help you out more tomorrow!” Hahyun took off her apron and quickly packed her belongings. Hahyun has not seen Chanyeol for a week because both of them were busy with school, thus she was extremely excited. Maybe a bit overly eager for someone who has been going out with her boyfriend for a year.
“I’m leaving! Thank you boss! Thank you so much!” Hahyun waved and bowed to her boss as she left the bakery all smiley and happy.

“No problem. Gosh love birds!” he murmured to himself.

 

Hahyun walked out of the bakery only to be greeted by two familiar things. The rain and her boyfriend’s car. Hahyun walked over to the car but was puzzled. Chanyeol was not waiting for her in the car.

“Where could he be…” Hahyun looked to her left and right. Chanyeol was nowhere to be seen. The rain started to drench Hahyun but it does not seem to bother her. She quickly took out her phone and frantically typed on her phone, “Where are you??? I’m by your car.” Just as she was about to hit the send button, an umbrella hovered over her head.

“Princess, why are you so soaked? You could have waited for me by the bakery’s patio.”Hahyun turned to see Chanyeol behind her, looking dashing in his checkered shirt and leather jacket. She impulsely put her hands around his neck and tiptoed. “Cause I can’t wait to see my prince…” she whispered against his cheek. Chanyeol dropped the umbrella and his hands reached down towards Hahyun’s waist to pull her closer.

“Well now he’s here, at your service…” He leaned in closer and placed his warm lips against Hahyun’s. Hahyun closed her eyes because everything just seemed very mesmerizing. The rain did not disturb them at all. Everything just felt very… right and serene. Little did they know that not everything is as serene as it seemed.

 

“Hey let’s drop by my place before we go for dinner. We’re both soaked and the restaurant’s manager would probably go on a rampage if we show up like this.”

Hahyun nodded in agreement as Chanyeol pulled over by his apartment. They walked in with Chanyeol’s arm wrapped around Hahyun’s waist. Chanyeol punched the passcode to his apartment only to be surprised, unpleasantly.

“Yoora noona?” the words slipped out of his mouth unconsciously. He tightened his grip of Hahyun, as if he was protecting her.

“Well hello Chanyeol. Nice meeting you. Sorry that the last time we met it did not go very well.” She said in a tone so overly friendly that it comes out more sarcastic.

“I don’t have anything to talk with you anymore…”

“Well I don’t want to talk with you either, but I want to talk to her.” Yoora’s long lean index finger pointed at Hahyun.

“What?”  Chanyeol jolted.

“I just need to talk to your… friend.”

“Yoora noona… seriously? I don’t think she needs to talk to you. There’s nothing you…”

“Stop Chanyeol… It’s alright. I’ll talk to her.” Hyura interrupted Chanyeol as she separated from him.

“Do you mind?” Yoora gestured Chanyeol towards the door, telling him to leave the apartment room as the two of them talk. Chanyeol looked at Hyura’s eyes. She nodded, forcing him to comply with his sister’s order. He walked out the door and remarked, “I’ll give you both 10 minutes. We have to go soon.”

“Well, well. Mind having a seat?” Yoora sat on the couch and offered Hyura to do the same.

“What do you want from me and my boyfriend?” Hyura asked as she stood still, a sign of rebellion.

“I just want to let you know, something your… friend, I mean, my brother has not told you yet.” Yoora carefully stitched her words as she tried refraining from referring both of them as a couple or as “her boyfriend” and “his girlfriend”.

“Spill…”

“Do you know the interview he’s going to tomorrow? Well, that interview determines his future pretty much. If he succeeds, he will be grated a scholarship to study abroad, specifically in the states. After obtaining his degree, he will have to stay in the states for several more years to take care of the family’s business there. So pretty much his life is planned out already. The best thing is… I don’t see you in it, but I see Hyura.”

“What do you mean?” Hahyun staggered with her words. Everything was too much for her to comprehend.

“Being the good older sister I am, to spare my brother all the heart ache he would have to go through, I think it would be best if you both… go your own ways. There’s no way he would take you all the way to the states, and oh I forgot you can’t afford it anyways. Peasant.”

Hahyun’s heart almost took over her conscience as she lifted up her hand. Before she gets a chance to land her hand on Yoora’s face Chanyeol rushed in the room and grabbed Hahyun’s hand and took her into his arms almost in a twirling motion.

“That’s enough noona!” Now it was Chanyeol’s turn to tell her to leave the apartment room.

“Fine. I think I’ve said everything I want to say. Good night kiddos.” She clutched her bag and walked out the door feeling very accomplished.

“Hahyun let’s get changed first and we’ll talk…” Chanyeol took Hahyun to his room and handed her Hahyun’s dress which she left in his house as a backup.

Hahyun did not take the dress from Chanyeol but instead blurted out a question. “Are you leaving me soon?”

“Of course not, why would I?”

“Chanyeol! Stop lying to me! Just tell me the truth… I want to hear it from you not your sister!” Hahyun said in a voice almost as equivalent to a scream.

“Hahyun… Okay… Here come sit…” Chanyeol sat on his bed and pulled Hahyun to sit beside him, which she unwillingly abided just because she was way too tired.

“So… yes my interview tomorrow will determine whether I can study abroad or not. I did not tell you this because… I did not want to hurt you… and I was ready to turn down the offer if it means leaving you. If I made it and I decided to go, I’ll be bounded by a contract in which I have to work in the States for at least 3 more years.”

Before Chanyeol finished his sentence, Hahyun was already crying. She was crying because she did not know how much of a stumbling rock for Chanyeol she was.

“When did you know this was going to happen?” Hahyun’s voice subdued. 

Chanyeol sighed cause he knew he was wrong. “Since first year of highschool. My parents and sister has pretty much laid out all my future which I have to… abide, out of respect.”

“If you know you were going to leave why did you even start? Why did you did all these to me?”

“Hahyun…”

“And why do you even have Hyura in your future… and not me?” She continued crying.

“When my sister found out that I was dating Hyura… my sister forced me to continue the relationship. I found out it was not what I wanted, but the reason I was still with her was because… her father turns out to be my sister’s boss. My relationship with Hyura was used by my sister to guarantee her career’s future.” Chanyeol continued, finally telling Hahyun everything.

Hahyun stayed quiet and kept on sobbing. Everything felt very surreal and she does not want to accept any of the things she just heard.

“Can’t you say no? Chanyeol! It’s your life! Are you going to continue living a caged life?”

“Hahyun… my parents and sister would not let things like these slip by…”

“Things like these?” Hahyun asked Chanyeol as if he was taking their relationship too easily.

Chanyeol lifted his hand and caressed Hahyun’s head. Hahyun moved and simply noted between her tears “Don’t touch me Chanyeol…”

She stood up and made her way to the door. Chanyeol walked after her as he tried to block the exit.

“Where are you going?” He questioned Hahyun as his hands held on the door’s handle.

“It’s none of your business, I’m just… staying out of your future.”

“Hahyun… you could not possibly be…”

“Breaking up with you? Yes that’s what I’m doing.”

Chanyeol was shocked with Hahyun’s words. He let go of the door’s handle as he could feel Hahyun walked passed him. As she was about to leave, she muttered between her lips, “Goodbye Park Chanyeol. I genuinely loved you.” She choked when she said, “loved”. It was past tense, but that was a lie. She still loved him.