~~.~~

Orange is the colour of adventure and social communication

~~.~~

The beginning of our mutual relationship was an interesting one.

It was clear to the both of us that we wanted the same thing and yet there was tenseness between us that kept us from taking large steps forward. I understood, just as I always had, that his career came first. And I was fine with that, one of the reasons I feel so hard for him was because of his determination to put the effort in and succeed.

But I am only human and wanted nothing more from him then the assurance that we were okay. That we were both going to be okay.

I didn't think that was asking too much.

~~.~~

I felt tenseness in the air when my parents came to visit.

The leaves had just started to change from green to orange, it was the moment in time when things were beautiful and alive before the change came and those once vibrant leaves fall to the ground in clumps of browns and blacks for people to trample on.

They'd informed me only two weeks before their arrival that they planned on making the long trip. At the time I insisted they stay, that I didn't need them here, but like parents they refused, their reason being that they hadn't seen me in over a year.

I understood, but still I was worried.

I hadn't told them about Sehun, and when I finally got the courage to ask him if he would come to meet them I had queasiness in my stomach that almost forced me to bypass the whole conversation.

I'd caught him when he had a free moment between schedules. We'd found a quiet space and I talked it through with him.

"Will you come with me to meet them?"

He looked reluctant, his eyes casting down as he checked his phone. "I'm kind of busy."

I huffed, how many times has he used that excuse now? "You're always busy. I'm asking you for an hour or two."

"Why do you want me to meet them?"

I held back the scream that threatened to rip out of my throat. How could he be so childish? Instead of bursting into tears like I was tempted to do, I acted as though his words didn't even affect me.

"Well I was under the impression that we meant something to each other, but clearly I was wrong."

I began to walk past him when his fingers caught my elbow causing me to confront his panicked eyes.

"I'm sorry," He'd apologised softly, placing his hand gently against my cheek. Against my better judgment I leant into the touch, having been deprived of it for some time.

"What is going on with you?" I asked the question without looking into his eyes, the sight held within them was too painful.

"I guess I didn't realise just how much pressure would be put on me," He shrugs, as if it wasn't something he'd thought of many times before. I looked at him, noticing the guard he has up now even against me. I watch as a small smile makes its way onto his face and I find myself smiling back. "But it's okay. When are your parents coming?"

~~.~~

If you were to ask me during the lunch if things were going well I would say hands down that things went over without a hitch.

Sehun met my parents with a smile and small bow, which was promptly returned, before everybody took their seats.

The lunch conversation was anything but interesting, small talk really as everyone tried to find their footing in the unfamiliar setting. I'd held Sehun's hand under the table, squeezing it often to reassure him that he was doing great. Just the fact that he was there; sitting next to me across from my parents was enough for me to be grateful to him.

I watched as my parents smiled as they looked at him, and I saw a future. A future that looked bright and promising of the four of us sitting down at a similar table in a few years and being comfortable in each other's presence.

I saw my future with Sehun, happy and complete.

I saw a future that I had never even dared to dream.

I saw a future surrounded by a glow of orange that I had no reason not to trust.

Orange is pure, and bright and truthful.

Orange had no reason to lie.

Orange I could depend on.

~~.~~

"Honey, are you sure that this is a good idea?"

I glanced up from the tea I'd been staring at, my thoughts stumped as I went over the interaction between Sehun and my parents. "Excuse me?"

"Are you sure that it's a good idea for you to get involved with an idol?" She repeats, making herself clear.

I pushed my cup away from me, folding my hand together as I looked at her. "Why do you think it's not?"

Both my parents were looking at me as if they were disappointed. They would never say it, or at least I didn't think they would say, that they were disappointed with the decision I made.

"Look, it's not that we think it's not. It's just -,"

My mother looked to my father for help. I sat there, waiting for at least one of them to speak their mind. My father sighed, running a hand through his hair, and it was then that I knew they'd discussed this alone before.

"Honey, he'll be away so often. Won't you be lonely?"

I squinted at him. Did they forget what my job was? I stood up straighter, looked him in the eye and spoke slowly. "As part of his staff, I'll be going with him."

"But what about all the attention he'll be getting?" My mother tried, as if she thought that Sehun would just jump at anyone who gave him a glance.

"You don't know him," I mumbled.

"Do you?" My mother asked, as if she held all the answers to all the questions in the world.

I know what she was trying to do. I knew that she was only trying to show me a different way to look at the situation, but her words only caused my stomach to twist, and my head to spin.

I was happy. Wasn't that enough? Wasn't that the only thing that mattered?

The silence stretched on as none of us dared to say another word. My mind was too confused by the attack of questions that I had no desire to even try to make her understand my point of view. And they seemed too cautious to continue against me.

Eventually someone huffed and went to sit in front of the television before the rest of us followed. I sat on the arm chair off to the side going over the conversation in my head. Did they not care about my happiness at all to question me?

Though I didn't want to admit it to them at the time, but there was something worrying me about Sehun but it had nothing to do with him being unfaithful. It was more to do with Sehun himself. What had me worried was the glint I saw in his eyes in the moments he let his guard down completely. The look always had my stomaching clenching with worry, as if I was missing something that was right in front of me. As if there was something he wanted to tell me but just couldn't find the right words.

But I would never admit that to my parents who seem to be against the relationship as a whole to worry about any little thing that might be going on with the people involved.