“I just don’t want to be something that’s holding you back, you understand?” Hayoung said, frustrated with the turn of events.

She hadn’t expected Sehun to take her ‘let’s take a break from this relationship while you’re away on tour’ conversation so harshly. The second she’d brought it up, Sehun snapped at her, refusing to let her continue her suggestion.

“How the hell could you be holding me back?!” He questioned, growing more angry by the second.

“Because you’re going on this huge tour! I don’t want to be something you regret. Like I don’t want you to be having fun, doing crazy things with whoever you want and stuff then realizing that you have to hold off because you have someone waiting  for you...” Hayoung tried to explain to him.

“So basically, you don’t think that I can control myself?” Sehun spat at her. "That's what you think about me?"

Hayoung sighed, not wanting this to turn into a big fight. Of course she didn’t want to break up with Sehun, he was the best thing that’d ever happened to her and she loved him more than she even thought possible.

It was because she loved him so much that she didn’t want to tie him down with her – Hayoung wanted him to have the full experience of the idol  lifestyle.

“Hunnie, listen to me...  I care about you more than anything and it’s really important to me that you don’t feel obligated to not do anything while you’re on tour because of me. I want you to party and be happy and hook up with groupies and just experience this whole incredible thing you have going for you! I want you to go crazy and I want you to do whatever the hell you want to without having me in the back of your mind okay? You can understand that, can’t you?!”

“But… I don’t want to lose you.” Sehun whimpered.

It was clear that he was finally taking her words to heart. It would be painful, but he didn’t want to prolong that pain or be the one directly responsible for hurting Hayoung. He knew there’d be temptations and above all things, didn’t want to give into one of them and have Hayoung hate him forever.

He couldn’t stand the thought of losing her forever.

“You won’t! You won’t lose me! I don’t want us to stop talking or being how we are right now, okay? You can still text me stupid at 3am and we can still talk on the phone for hours and hours and all that. You’re not getting rid of me, no freakin’ way! That's not gonna happen, ever! I just want you to have the freedom to have fun with other people you meet, Hunnie.  And if, at the end of tour, you decide that you’ve had enough of that idol lifestyle I’m saying, I’ll still be right here waiting for you...”  Hayoung said with a smile, taking his hand in hers. "Always."

Sehun smiled weakly, though it was clear he hated what was happening.

“I love you.” He said, hand reaching up to brush her face. He was dying for her touch even more than usual because he knew that soon he’d be half a world away.

“I love you too, brat.” She said, using the nickname she’d given him years ago, even though she knew how much he hated it.

He rolled his eyes at her, but managed a small chuckle.

“So…what now?” Sehun asked, not really knowing where to go from here. “Are... you still coming with me to the airport tomorrow?”

Hayoung  felt her heart drop again. The last thing she wanted to do was to go to the airport and watch him leave her alone for 6 months. Hayoung knew that  she had done what was best for the both of them, but right now, it really felt like .

“Of course I’ll be there.” She answered. It was her  turn now to give a forced smile of reassurance. Her grin was betrayed by the tears that escaped her eyes.

“Hey no! Don’t do that!” Sehun said, grabbing onto her arms with his large hands.

“I’m sorry.” She said, frantically wiping at her eyes. The last thing Hayoung wanted to do was make this any harder for Sehun.  In the morning he’d be saying goodbye to his friends, his family, and his home for the longest he’d ever had to before.

The last thing he needed was a hysterical, now ex, girlfriend on his hands.  

“Don’t be sorry! Let’s just look on the bright side, okay? We still have tonight! We can go out to that park you love or get some ice cream like we did when we were kids or go and-“ Sehun started, but Hayoung cut him off.

“... can we just stay in tonight? Unless you’re dying for that ice cream, I’d rather just hang out here with just us two...”

“Absolutely.” He smiled, pulling her into a warm hug.

Hayoung  melted into him, his toned arms so familiar to her by now. She and Sehun had been together for years, and had been friends for even longer.  She knew literally everything about him- his little quirks, the easiest ways to make him laugh, his tells when he was sad or angry or hurt… Hayoung knew all there was to know about Sehun and she loved all of it.

“Why’re you smiling?” She asked, barely having time to get the words out.

“Because I get to spend my last night with you.”

Hayoung  let out a little laugh and smiled over at the tall, lanky boy in bed next to her.

“I’ll be thinking about tonight a lot on tour.” He said with a sleepy smile, eyes already drooping with exhaustion.

The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was Sehun wrapping his long arms around her and whispering how much he loved her and how nothing on Earth would ever change that into her ear.