Here

Parting?

"Pervert!" She gathers every ounce of strength inside her and pushes him before running out of his room leaving Chanyeol to laugh.

"Aish! That guy!" Haewon pants for air once she is outside his room. She brings one hand to her chest trying to slow down her pounding heart.

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Is he applying for a university abroad? That must be it!
She can't get the AIM envelope earlier out of her head. But what scares her is the possibility of being apart from him if her earlier thought are true.

"Hey! Are you okay?" His voice snaps her from daydreaming. She turns to look at him who's walking beside her. His neck is wrapped with the scarf she made for him years ago.

"I'm fine." She smiles assuring him, but he knows from her look that she is burdened by something. He grabs her hand intertwining their fingers and puts it inside the pocket of his winter coat. Surprised, she stops in her steps and looks at him.

"It's cold isn't it?" He smiles after puffing out a breath and she nods with a smile after staring at him for awhile. She feels part of the burden in her heart has been taken away by his smile. He knows pushing her with questions won't help her. Right now, warming her heart is the right thing to do. She will tell him what ails her mind when she's ready. They continue to walk to the live music café he's working at. It's winter holiday, but it's weekday today - meaning work. He is permitted to take the evening shift though. And Haewon insisted on coming with him because she is bored doing nothing at home.
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If he's going abroad again, why isn't he telling me? When will he tell me?
Questions keep on popping in Haewon's head. Her eyes are glued at the tall big-eared figure who is setting his guitar on stage while she sits on one of the high stools beside the bar.

"He's not going to disappear if you look away, you know?" A husky voice followed by a deep chuckle surprises her. She takes her gaze off her boyfriend and turns to the man standing behind the bar island.

"Oh! Annyeonghaseyo, Mr, Choi!" Haewon bows her head to greet the owner of the café slash Hara's dad. Despite having a large company, the jolly man always tries to find some time to visit his café. The café is actually just one small business he started out of hobby. But Chanyeol told her that out of the other businesses he has, it is his most treasured possession. Haewon was introduced to him one day when he visited the café. And just from the first time she met him, she could tell that the man is different from his cold daughter.

"I told you to just call me uncle." He smiles at her.

"N-ne, u-uncle." She nods still not familiar with calling him with it because though he is very warm towards her, they have only met thrice in the past two years given that she rarely visits the cafe and he is a very busy businessman after all.

Haewon can't help but to glance at her boyfriend again.

"I wish I have half the talent he has in music," Mr. Choi sighs and Haewon turns to the man who's also staring at Chanyeol while crossing his arm. "That young man has a very deep passion for music. I can see it from the first day I decided to be his guardian and sponsor. He will have a very bright future in the music industry," he continues while nodding his head approving his own statement.

"Yes, he does have passion for it," Haewon chuckles a bit. "Sometimes I even wonder if he love music more than me" She mumbles under her breath to herself as she hangs her head looking down at the cup of hot chocolate in front of her. But it doesn't go unheard by Mr. Choi.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asks her.

"N-ne?" Haewon immediately looks up and the man gives her a warm smile.

"He loves you more of course! He's even reconsidering his application for a university abroad multiple times because of you."

So it's true! He's applying for that university. But Haewon is still confused with Mr. Choi's statement.

"He's reconsidering it?" She asks timidly and the man hums while nodding his head.

"I asked him a few weeks ago, when he visited my house, which university he plans to enroll to since he's going to finish highschool soon. He told me he had sent an application for a university he had been wanting to get into back in Australia. But he said that after sending it, he worried if he have to leave you. He said that he might reconsider it if he get accepted." Haewon's eyes slowly look down hearing it. And the man realizes that what he has said is making her feel guilty instead of cheering her up - which was his initial intention. He pats one of her hands.

"My point is: he really loves you. Don't worry about his education. That guy can go to a university here and still be successful because of his passion." He gives her a fatherly smile and she smiles back. Yet, she can't get rid of the burden she feels in her heart.

"You know..." he continues, "I like Chanyeol since the day I met him, and besides his passion and personality, one of the reasons I was glad to take him under my wings is because I wanted a guy like him to be my son-in-law!" Haewon feels a lump in her throat when she hears it. The man soon let out a deep chuckle. "But I'm glad he chose you! The day Hara came to me telling me she fired Chanyeol because he stood up for you, I knew she wouldn't be a good companion for him." He laughs.

"Thank you, uncle," she chuckles.

"Ah. Ah," a deep voice - one Haewon really loves - booms through the speaker and both Haewon and Mr. Choi turns their attention to the guy on stage whom they have been talking about.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Park Chanyeol," the soothing deep voice greets gaining attention from other customers. "I will be accompanying you with music for the next 30 minutes. But before I start, I just want to say to my girlfriend who is here tonight that I'm really grateful to have her by my side for two years - and still counting by the way." Chanyeol chuckles and glances at his girlfriend.

"Woo..." Some people start to giggle and cheer, and Haewon feels her cheeks blushing.

"I love you Haewon!" He makes a heart with his hand while looking at Haewon making some people look her way and giggle while some clap in cheer. Mr. Choi too chuckles at the lovebirds. "This song is for you." Chanyeol smiles at her and starts strumming his guitar. He then starts singing 'Someone' by Musiq Soulchild. Just as always, his deep soothing voice immediately melts her heart - and everyone else's too. Soon everyone forgets the cold weather outside and embraces the the music that fills every hearts with warmth like a hot chocolate in a cold winter day.