Winter

Sulli hated the cold. And so did Chanyeol. Both were more avid fans of summer; sunshine, beach, wine by the balcony.

And since it was their third winter together, they both knew that the other would rather stay in than spend their days outside in the bitter cold.

Sulli had packed for a few nights and began to make her way to her boyfriend's apartment. Usually it took only twenty minutes by foot from her own dorm to the apartment down the street in which Chanyeol and Baekhyun shared but those twenty minutes turned into an hour long battle, both mental and physical. After having braved through the harsh windy conditions(to her, it was horrendous despite the conditions being normal at this time of the year), she finally arrived and let herself in using the spare key under the mat. 

She hated the fact that they still kept the spare key there. Countless of times before had she reprimanded the pair for leaving it around so carelessly, but Chanyeol insists that nobody would ever find it there. That pabo.

Once she was inside, she hung up her coat and began to prepare lunch.

"You're here!" Chanyeol clapped his hands in excitement as he leaned in to place a quick peck on her cheek.

Even before he had entered the kitchen, she already knew he was coming from all the noise he had been making in the journey from his room through the living room and finally to the kitchen. He had such a big, loud personality and it was difficult to miss him. Even in a crowded room full of people, Sulli would be able to spot him from a distance. Not only because he was tall, but also because his deep voice was the one thing she could easily distinguish amongst others.

"Oppa, are you high?" Sulli laughed as she finished making the club sandwich before her and dusted her hands together to get rid of the crumbs.

"Just happy to see you." He quickly leans in again to kiss her cheek before she could squirm away from him, but he missed, causing him to graze her chin instead. The pair burst out into laughter.

"I got an A for finals!" He screamed even though he wanted to leave this news for later.

"Wow, congra-"

"-And I'm shortlisted for a scholarship!"

Before Sulli could react, she felt herself being lifted off the ground as he spun her around by the waist. He caught her little giggle as he put her back down and she punched his shoulder playfully.

"You're crazy." Sulli laughed, throwing her head back as she carried the plate of sandwiches outside, placing them on the table.

During the movie, Chanyeol kept talking nonstop about his scholarship - that it was a law scholarship, and that only five students from his college was shortlisted, and how he was so proud of himself. She was of him, too, but as she cast furtive glances over at the delightment in his eyes, she couldn't help but think that something was going to be different. Nothing was going to be the same. 

Change was coming, and that was what she was most afraid of. That it would dismantle their relationship as a whole, that this whole experience would steal him away from her.

And she didn't want to lose him, she realised. Because...

"I love you."

"Ya, Choi Sulli, are you even listening to what I've been saying?"

Sulli snapped back to reality and blinked repeatedly at his annoyed look, his big eyes staring into hers.

"Yeah, of course, oppa. You're amazing. You deserve this scholarship."

She smiled, but he didn't return her smile. Instead, he sighed heavily.

"I said, the scholarship is going to send me to New York."

It took her awhile to let it sink in. That he was going away from Korea, away from her. 

"Oh." That was all she could manage without letting her emotions give her away.

"How long?"

"Two years."

"That's... not too bad?" She let herself be cheerful about something.

"It isn't bad at all. It's great!" Chanyeol threw his hands in the air.

And that's when she realised that he was so happy about it. A different kind of happy. The kind of happy she could never make him feel. 

"Well..."

Sulli couldn't find the right words to say. She could go on and on about how she was happy for him, but she knew more than anything that she was upset. And she hated herself for it because she's not supposed to be upset! She should be proud of him!

Park Chanyeol, one out of hundreds of students to earn a scholarship. Not any scholarship, a law one at that. He was her boyfriend.

"You're angry."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!" Chanyeol backed away from her as he pointed a finger at her accusingly, his voice increasing in volume.

"I'm not!" Sulli yelled, her voice quavering as it went up two octaves higher - she was close to tears.

"God, Sulli, why do you have to ruin it all the time? We were having a good time!"

"I'm sorry for ruining things okay! If you'd like it I'll leave now." Sulli stood up and grabbed her bag. Just then, Baekhyun appeared out of nowhere.

"Hi guys, what are we watching?"

"Argh, stop being such a baby! Why can't you be happy for me for once?" Chanyeol was also standing now, but there was a huge distance between them.

"Oo-kay..." Baekhyun started to back away into the room, thinking why he had such bad luck as to always catch them fighting.

"And you, oppa! You knew about this and didn't tell me!" Sulli called out to Baekhyun who stopped in his tracks. 

"He had nothing to do with this, okay." Chanyeol came to Baekhyun's defense, and suddenly Sulli felt as if everyone was against her; everything was against her. She was alone and the feeling .

"I-I'm sorry... I don't think I can do this anymore, oppa. I cannot keep fighting with you like this. I'm tired. God, I'm so, very tired." Sulli's breathing became heavier as she started to sob.

Chanyeol stood there awkwardly, his lanky body slumped at the shoulders. He felt bad seeing her so upset, but at the same time, he couldn't give in to her. 

Baekhyun was also standing at the room door awkwardly and rigidly, witnessing the whole fight. This was something he knew he shouldn't intefere as well.

"Oppa, let's break up. I think we're better off without each other..." She couldn't look at him because she could feel his intense gaze on her so she turned around to walk towards the front door.

She paused awhile, and wondered if she should tell him of her true feelings. Her mind was at war, but in the end, she chose not to disclose it.

"I hope you have a good life. Goodbye."

~

Three weeks after Sulli had broken up with Chanyeol, both Chanyeol and Baekhyun never saw her again, not even once. Chanyeol pretended he was fine, that Sulli was just another girl and that she was nobody special.

Just another girl.

But Baekhyun knew Chanyeol so well he knew he was putting on an act. He was just being stubborn as he always was. The thing is, Chanyeol wouldn't admit to having missed Sulli, even till the day he was supposed to leave for New York.

"Yeollie, are you sure you've packed everything?"

"Yes omma." Chanyeol laughed jokingly as he threw his luggage into the back of the car.

Baekhyun drove them to the airport and once they were there, they met up with Chanyeol's parents along with a few of his close friends. When it was time for him to leave for the departure hall, he kissed his parents goodbye, waved at his friends, but unknowingly his eyes began to search the crowd for a particular someone who was 169cm tall and had long black wavy hair. Eyes that sparkled when she smiled. No, she wasn't here. She couldn't be. They'd broken up for good.

"Yeollie!" Baekhyun hit the back of his head when he saw him looking dazed and distracted.

"I'm going to miss you."

"Baekhyunnie-ah, I'm only going to be gone for two years, not forever. I'll be back soon before you know it." Chanyeol grinned as he pulled the shorter boy into an embrace.

"Anneyong, everyone!" Chanyeol bowed as he took his leave. 

Two years wasn't a long time. It was just two years.

~

A/N: Chanyeol's so dense here. He doesn't get girls and feelings haha. Hopefully he comes around soon :)

~