"Hey honey," the man on the receiver answered as soon as he picked up the phone. Chris sighed, staring at the duvet below her.

He looked as he always did; gorgeous. She couldn't help the rush of nostalgia that filled her every time they spoke. The feeling of falling in love for the first time, the feeling of touching his hand and hearing him say he loved her. It was enough to get her heart beating for him again, her heart clinging on to all the good.

But it was no longer the same. The night before was spent over analysing everything about their relationship, and she had come to the conclusion that perhaps the number of times he had made her feel guilty for taking up space, for asking for the tiniest bit of attention every once in a while did not outweigh the good. They did not make it all worth it.

Loving him was a moment of weakness, what was she even holding on to?

"Hey, uhm, are you busy?" Chris sucked in a deep breath before raising her gaze to him, watching as he set the phone down after rushing around for a bit.

"No, sorry, I just had to print some documents for a meeting tomorrow," flopping down on the seat, he huffed, "I'm all yours now."

Chris sent him a smile before returning to fidgeting with her thumbs.

"You alright?" his voice spoke again and she decided it was best to just rip the bandaid off.

"I want to break up," she blurted, somehow finding the courage to observe his reaction.

But she wished she hadn't looked.

His eyes were void of emotion as he just stared back at her.

"What?"

"I just don't think we're meant for each other," she told him, "I genuinely want the best for you, but I don't think I can give that to you anymore, I'm sorry."

"Chris, you can't be serious-"

Her heart started to race. Was she making the right decision? Sure, he didn't always make her feel good but all couples had their ups and downs, right?

However, when she looked back at him it was as if she'd flipped a switch, a rush of memories seemed to pull at her one by one.

Memories of words he'd say, actions he'd do as he built iron poles around her.

He'd made their love a prison. A prison with bars she could walk between.

She remembered the times he'd chipped her down to a being much smaller than herself, but he always was forgiven. He pushed her to her limit time and time again and yet she was swayed by the bare minimum.

"This is already hard enough for me," she sighed, "Please understand. I didn't want to have to do this over the phone but I don't see either of us visiting each other any time soon."

"Chris, you have to know this isn't a good idea."

"We don't complement each other like we used to," her lips began to quiver, "I really didn't want it to come to this-"

"You need me, Chris," he tried again, "You know you wouldn't be able to land as many business opportunities without my help, you-"

"I don't need you," she scoffed, "As a matter of fact, I've been in the process of carrying out quite a big deal myself," she recalled the documents regarding purchasing the land next door which arrived in her email that morning. She hadn't intended to print them out, but now she was reconsidering.

"Oh yeah?" he snorted and that was all it took for her to stand up and walk over to her laptop, hitting the print button right away.

"Yeah," she announced, showing him the papers once they were out but he didn't seem as convinced.

"Good luck with that."

His words bit at her, a silence following them as they were forced to contemplate on the situation they were in.

Until he broke it.

"There's someone else, isn't there?" he said, "It's that guy you talked about before isn't it?" sighing, "I knew you wouldn't be able to just cope being there all alone without turning to-"

"No," she willed the tears pricking the back of her eyes back, "There isn't anyone else and you better take that back."

"Chris if you think that boy will be able to handle-"

"I am perfectly capable of looking after myself," she'd told herself she was going to remain calm but he wasn't giving her the chance, "I am not doing this because I found someone else, I'm doing this because I know we are just not the right match for each other."

"Chris you're going to regret this-"

"Actually," she leaned forward and let her thumb hover over the end call button, "I don't think I will."

"You don't understand, Chris," he started again, "Not just anyone can handle-"

She commanded her finger to press the button, but for some reason she couldn't.

Chris couldn't help but feel the doubt looming in her mind because maybe he was right. Maybe she deserved to hear all the awful things he had to say. Because he wouldn't be saying it if there wasn't any truth to it, right?

"The past two years were hard for me too, Chris," his words nipped at her again, poison, poison, poison. Her eyes travelled down from his expression to her fingers as they trembled in front of the big red button.

Why couldn't she just press it?

Why did she have to agree with everything he said?

Why did she have to believe she was just as hard to love as he had proclaimed?

That's nonsense.

Hoseok's soft voice bounced through her mind then and she felt her insides melt. He'd only been her friend a few weeks and yet he seemed to make her feel like she was worthy.

The person who deserves you, earns you. There is no such thing as being hard to love, only people who aren't patient enough to try. And they're not worth it.

"I'm sorry," Chris whispered again, "Thank you for the last two years," she couldn't even bring herself to speak his name again, the word bitter in her mouth, "Goodbye."

The minute her finger pressed the button and his face faded from the screen, Chris let out a deep breath. Staring at her phone a few seconds longer, she watched as she got another incoming call; her ex-boyfriend requesting another Facetime. When she let that pass, she was hit with a flood of texts from him—texts she didn't wish to check.

Switching her phone off, she placed it face down on her nightstand, falling back onto her bed.

She really did that.

Two years of that relationship all out the window.

A few tears slipped past her eyelids and she let them, mourning the loss of her first true love. The loss of her first forever.

Her eyes drifted to her desk where the deeds for Hoseok's land lay next to her laptop and she scrunched her eyes shut.

She hadn't had any intention of listening to her father's request. But in the end, the papers were still right there.

--

"I'm so sorry," Chris's voice rushed out as she mumbled into her pager, "My phone died and I didn't get to charge it," lying through her teeth, she stepped out of the elevator, looking around. "Who did you say wanted me-"

There, at the reception was the last person she'd expected to see at her hotel.

A mane of amber waves caught her gaze as it's owner turned in her direction when the receptionist called out to her. The smile already sitting on his lips somehow widened as a full grin broke out on his face. Despite the distance between the two, she could feel the warmth radiating off him as if she were in his embrace. It was strange, really, no one had ever made her feel this way before.

She took a step toward him, and he did the same. Each step toward each other felt like a pull at the red string holding her together. After her earlier events there was little keeping her stable. And one look at this man in front of her seemed to tug that thread right out.

"Hoseok," she could only manage a whisper, "What are you doing here?"

In an instant, the brilliant grin he was wearing faltered, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she forced a brighter smile, "What are you doing-"

"I was going to ask if you wanted to come over today but you weren't answering my calls or texts," biting his lip, he lifted an arm to scratch the back of his neck, "I didn't think you were trying to ignore me I guess I thought you were just caught up with work so I wanted to come by and check."

"I'm so sorry," she motioned to the receptionist that nothing was wrong before guiding Hoseok to the lounge, "I had my phone turned off so I didn't see your calls."

"That's okay," his eyebrows furrowed again, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Well," she pursed her lips, "I've been better."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he looked around the foyer of the hotel nervously, "Somewhere else?"

She shook her head, "I think I need some time to process things by myself first, but thank you so much Hoseok."

"That's alright, I'm always a phone call away, alright?"

"I know," she didn't know how to express her gratitude, "But, when you said come over tonight, did you mean to meet your parents? Because if so, I would love to."

"Oh, yes!" the smile returned, brightening up his features again, "I've been telling them about you and they've been so excited."

"Really?" she felt heat rise in her cheeks, "Oh no I hope I don't disappoint-"

"Oh shush," he waved her off, "You could never."

"You're just saying that-"

"Shush," he snapped at her, "When you're complimented, just say, thank you."

"But-"

"Anyway," he rolled his eyes, "I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Yeah, okay," she muttered, and he nodded.

"Alright, see you then-"

But just before he could walk away, she caught his wrist.

"Wait... what should I wear?"

"Anything," he shrugged and when she didn't take that as an answer, he continued nonchalantly, "You look good in anything."

Before she could tell him that didn't help at all, he'd slipped his wrist from her grip and walked to the exit, "See you in a couple hours!"

And she watched as his figure disappeared behind the doors before she turned back to the elevator.

She had to pick an outfit. What was she going to wear to impress his parents?

When she was back in her room, she headed straight for her wardrobe.

She had three hours to figure it out.

And just like that, the concerns of the morning evaporated from her mind. 

hey angels

once again, i'm sorry for such a late update

but uwu how have you all been?