DAY 20

"Come on! Let's go!" Your roommate hurries you with a wave of her hand and you grin at her. You close the hotel room door behind you and you see your other friends are already out in the hallway. You greet them with a good morning and they smile at you.

This is your last day in Korea, and your friends are making you make up for all those days you didn't hang out with them. So you were sure to be busy all day. 

"First is breakfast!" One of your friends say, and the day begins.

Breakfast is at an outdoor cafe and is extremely satisfying. The five of you sit under an umbrella in the morning sun, eating the Korean food like never before. The check is even surprisingly cheap and you all wonder why you've never gone here before. There's smile conversation between you five as you all try to wake up a little more and gain energy. You all aren't good with mornings.

Next is shopping, a street shopping, like the last time. One by one, the five of you go down the street, going into any store they see and want to explore. You can almost feel your wallet getting more and more empty by the minute. You aren't actually that big on shopping, but with your friends, it's an enjoyable activity.

Lunch comes afterward, at a restaurant that looks more "traditional". The food is great and there's lots of laughs as you and your friends tell stories. The sun is up and shining through the windows and it feels picture perfect. 

After lunch, you all decide to go to an amusement park because why not? The five of you still have the whole day left. The amusement park is full and shining. Shining with lights strung everywhere and the bright smiles of the people who still get to go on just one more ride! It makes you smile too.

Hours and hours after you arrive there, you finally decide to eat dinner. You excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, and walk quite a distance away to find it. You're still walking when your phone rings. You look down at the bright screen, then look around to see that no one's around. Then you glance at the screen again and your heart almost bursts at the name. You answer quickly.

"Kai...How are you?"

You hear him whisper your name silently, as if to himself. "Are you...leaving tomorrow?" He sounds reluctant to bring this up. 

"Yes." You reply solemnly. "By mid-afternoon, I won't be here; I'll be at the airport."

There's a pause. You decide to break it. "How are you doing?"

He sighs, but it almost sounds like a laugh. "Practicing till it hurts. Aish, they're really harsh this time. I wonder if the whole thing will be buried away eventually."

You smile, even though he can't see it. "I'm sure it will." You start to pace a little, walk around the walkway. There's lights on the road in all different colors and it makes you smile. A breeze blows by and a strand of hair covers half your vision, but you don't move it. "You're not working too hard, right? Not hurt anywhere?"

Now he really does chuckle, which makes your smile widen even more. It's good to hear him laugh, even if you can't see him. "No no, I'm fine. Our EXO-M hyungs came a while ago to help us. Lay-hyung is practicing with me, late into the night. I don't know why though. But he loves to dance too."

"Really? I didn't know EXO-M came recently. Ah, you should introduce me to them sometime." You hear him repeat the word "sometime" to himself. You had said that jokingly, and then you add, "Tell Lay-oppa 'thank you' for me."

"Hm?" His voice goes up a little and you imagine him tilting his head to one side and scrunching his eyebrows cutely together. "Why?"

"For sticking with you when I can't be there, obviously." You want to stick your tongue out at him. "So...um..." Should I ask him this? "Why did you call?"

"Because I love you."

You madly blush at the sound of that. "Well. I mean. Uh. Other...than that." You were spitting out the words with nervous energy. You can hear your heart. 

"I miss you." He sounds like it too, you can hear it in his voice. 

"I...just need to see you again." There's a break in your voice when you say this. You never thought you'd be this cheesy, or soft, but you had to say it. A pause. 

"You will." He replies.

"When?"

"I---" You hear voices from his side. Someone's talking to him. You hear him reply with "ne" and "ok" and "yes, I understand." and you can almost picture him politely bowing to the person he's talking to, probably a manager or a staff member. "I have to go." You hear the tinge of sadness and bitterness as he says this. This call felt so short, yet so long, and you didn't want him to leave. When will you hear his voice again? When will you get to see him again? This connection through phone felt too delicate when you could break it by just pressing a single button. "I'm sorry. Bye. I'll... I love you." He says again. And every time you hear it, it warms you yet hurts you more.

"I love you too." Tears start to spill out. For a moment like this, you let yourself feel weak and vulnerable as you stand there with the cell phone in your hand, pressed tightly against your ear, wanting him to say just one last word because dear lord, please. But he doesn't.

The line goes dead as he hangs up.

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Hi everyone! Are you excited for the last chapter? One more, ne? And then an epilogue, if it suits your fancy ^^ I'M SO SAD ABOUT KCON!!! My parents won't let me go ;n; if someone is going, and they see Tao, please tell him I'm a big supporter of his and "fighting!" ;n; sighs... (130709) sorry for the short chapter >< i want to build suspense ><