"I love you."

How long did it take for him to finally admit he did?

For Bobby it seemed like a lifetime, but the reality was, they hadn't known each other for more than a year.

Still despite not knowing her for long, his desire to want to know everything about her drove Bobby to endure sleepless night.

What was her favorite color? Does she prefer coffee or tea? What little things made her smile?

It didn't take long for his team began to notice his strange behavior.

Whenever he saw that purple beanie of hers, his heart would beat so fast he would actually begin to sweat. Hearing her name in the conversation would instantly catch his attention. The red on his cheeks whenever he heard her laugh eventually became so noticeable that the others didn't hesitate to point it out his obvious feelings.

Theirs was a relationship were one was a friend but still more than just a simple friend: They were each other's support.

When all you've ever known is thousands of miles away, life becomes more than difficult.

It became lonely.

She and him were one in the same.

To Bobby, she was that one person in this strange new world that reminded him of home, who made him remember the little child who wanted to make people smile.

They would stay up together, him in the practice room, her in the office. She would stay as long as she needed to, even if the arrows on the clock drifted well past the 3 or 4.

Bobby expected her to say 'sorry' and walk away, but in the back of his mind he prayed she'd say 'I love you too'

But... out of all the possible scenarios that ran through his mind, he didn't expect one where she cried.

His "I love you" caused her to cry not out of shock or happiness, but out of disbelief.

"Don't lie to me!" she screamed hysterically, "There's no way you could love me!"

The little eyeliner she wore now streamed down her cheeks, and subconsciously Bobby moved his thumb to gently wipe it all off.

Even like this, she still seemed beautiful.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, trying to get her to calm down but her behavior grew increasingly erratic. Whatever was going on with her when beyond simple denial.

"Why did you have to say this now...?" she whispered. "Why?"

He stopped and looked at her, "Why? Why not? I just wanted to tell you I love you!"

Seeing her sad smile Bobby felt himself begin to tear up as well. "Bobby-yah... I... I..." she choked out.

Her face was still red as she ran away, not able to finish her sentence.

It took a moment to realize that she had left before Bobby took off after her.

He couldn't afford to let her get away.

"Yah! You never answered back!" he shouted, finally cutting her off.

She didn't say anything. She just let another tear fall as she pulled out a piece of paper from her bag.

A plane ticket to Washington D.C.

A one-way ticket.

"I'm going try and work for the UN... They already accepted my application as an intern."

Was she really leaving? Right after his confession too? This couldn't be happening...

Bobby gave her back the ticket. "I guess I'm not getting an answer then."

She gave him another lonely smile and gave him a quick hug. "Mianhae Oppa." she whispered. "This is goodbye."

Every part of him wanted to stop her from leaving, but how could he?

All the nights they walked home together were filled with conversations about their dreams.

And this was hers.

To make a difference in the world would require some kind of sacrifice and he would the one to make it for her.

He would have to let go this time.

But still, Bobby couldn't help himself. "Don't say that..."

"Then what should I say?" she asked quietly.

"Anything but goodbye. Just say anything else..."

Their embrace ended and that smile appeared once again. "Bobby-yah there's nothing else I can say."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He doesn't remember when they first met, but she clung on to the memory like a child holding onto their worn out blankie.

There was no way she could ever forget.

A middle school trip to Washington D.C. filled with a desire for adventure.

And she found it, along with a dream and a first love. And was all because she met him.

It was all because of Bobby.

Busy admiring her surroundings at a museum, the young girl failed to notice her group had left her behind.

By the time she had realized it, it was too late.

Wandering aimlessly around like a lost puppy... that's what she looked like when she bumped into Bobby

At least that's what he told her.

To her, he looked like any other teenage boy but she was still drawn to him.

He was charming and immature all bundled together with a smile.

He talked about his dreams with a passion she hadn't yet seen and never let silence come between them.

That day ended with a promise to meet again tomorrow and the two would find themselves "lost" again their playground of a city.

But before she knew it, they were at the airport.

The memories of that trip were etched into her heart, her secret treasure.

All that was left of that dream was a photo in front of a white building and a purple beanie that was "no longer needed".

Maybe it was all in her head, but for that one week, she was in love. There was no way she could forget it.

Years had passed and she still reminisced about the boy she met that summer long ago.

Who would have ever thought that fate had meant for them to reunite once again?

He had grown up.

He now was no longer that awkward adolescent she met in D.C. 

Bobby was definitely a man now. But she was glad to see that charming and immature smile of his remained the same.

Expecting him to remember her was too much to hope for.

But she couldn't give up. She was determined to make him remember. Everyday day she would walk into work with that purple beanie hoping he would, but it was all in vain. 

Eventually, she gave up and accepted that apparently, her memory was not as important to him as Bobby's was to her.

And you know what?

She was fine with that.

She'd just have to make him fall in love with her again.

One day, someone from her past came knocking on her door.

That person offered a chance to leave.

A chance to work towards the dreams she found that summer trip years ago.

And a chance to start a new life... with him.

Had he arrived a couple months earlier, she would have hesitated and say no.

After all, Bobby was here. There couldn't anyone else.

But the long years had taken it's toll on her resolve...

The opportunity to start over and move on was within reach, and after a month of secret dates and endless laughter she had forgotten about the disappointment she felt over her first love.

So when that boy asked if she'd accept his love, she took it.

Now here she stood in front of the person she had decided to no longer love.

And he was telling her that he was in love with her.

No.

Why now? Why did he have to say this when she finally had the courage to give up? And why did it have to be so close to that flight.

The cold of the wind. The warmth from his chest. The sting of the tears.

It was all a blur after that. Words flowed out of her lips without her control.

What exactly had she told him?

But she definitely said goodbye, she knew it by the way Bobby looked.

As she walked the rest of the way home by herself, she clutched on the couple ring hanging from her hidden necklace.

There was no way she told him how she was leaving.

"Anything but goodbye huh?" the girl mumbled. "What was the alternative?"

The day she left, Bobby came to drop her off at the airport, as a friend.

Grey skies, scarf and a familiar purple hat...

It was freezing outside and she couldn't help but laugh at Bobby's bright red ears.

In one final act as the girl who loved Bobby, she took off that hat and placed it back on it's real owner's head.

"But-!" Bobby protested, although it was obvious that he already felt warmer.

"I'm just returning something I borrowed..." she said with a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bobby then took of the beanie and examined it more closely. A name was written in faded sharpie on the label.

His name.

Then he remembered. The faded name had jolted a faded memory, something from his past that he had thrown away.

But it was already too late.

He remembered their adventures together that summer years ago too late.

His friend ran up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I guess this is it then?" he sighed.

"Yeah..." her voice was muffled by his warm jacket.

"Aren't you going to say anything? You never even gave me a real answer that night."

"Mianhae..." she released him from her hold and pulled out a necklace with a couple ring. "Bobby-yah, I have someone waiting for me back in the States."

So that was it.

He had lost his chance.

The girl he loved now belonged to another.

He stayed until he saw her plane fly off at 11:00 AM and 11 minutes later wished that she would find her happiness with someone a lot more deserving that he was.

Bobby sat in the taxi lost in thought, trying to remember the events surrounding this worn out hat.

But then he suddenly smiled.

It wasn't an accident that they had met again in Seoul.

One day, he'll have to return this hat back to her, just like how she gave it back to him. 

This time he would be the one to remember.

Bobby would be the one to wait just like she did.

After all, goodbyes don't always last forever...

A/N Hello there!

This probably took a month or so to write as I wrote this over the course of YG's WIN and I hope it turned out well. I realize that some parts of the story are a little vague, but feel free to figure out those parts for yourself.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

Comments are appreciated! I always enjoy reading comments~

P.S (I love Team A and B both, and I'm so happy that Team A won. I just hope that YG doesn't change the Team B we all grew to love...)