“Jongin, we need to talk,” Kyungsoo says one day while they're out eating dinner.

It’s February 14, the well-known Valentine's Day. A day of 365 that love is celebrated. Couples cherish their romance, singles sulk for the lack of a partner, and others find their own special “significant other half”. The day, Jongin supposes, will be a great one. He can’t contain his grin when Kyungsoo speaks.

“Actually, yeah. There’s something I’d like to say as well.”

He smiles again, white teeth shining just as bright as he feels. In his excitement, Jongin doesn’t notice how apprehensive Kyungsoo appears. His already pale complexion is whiter than usual, his palms are clenched and clammy, and his eyebrows are knit tight, creating light creases on his forehead.

“You go first?” Kyungsoo suggests.

“It’s fine, mine can wait.”

And it’s almost sad how confident Jongin is that it can.

“How about this? Let’s just say it at the same time?”

Kyungsoo shrugs, though he’s much more than nonchalant about the matter.

“Okay, ready?”

The two nod in each other’s direction.

“1… 2… 3!”

“We should break up.”

“Will you marry me?”

The world stops as Jongin is on his knee, kneeling in the middle of a high-class restaurant. His earlier happiness is now gone as he stares with anxious features up at Kyungsoo. The latter has evident tears welling in his eyes, a tired expression clearly written on his face. Silence engulfs them, onlooking strangers shaking their heads or covering their gaping mouths in disbelief. It takes all of his strength not to wipe the rivers on Kyungsoo’s cheeks as Jongin bites his lip and sits back down carefully.

“What did you say?” And at this point, Jongin’s eyes are clouded, his hands are clamped tight, and his heart is nearly broken.

“Jongin… Please don’t make me say it again.”

He knows they should talk it out, but when he glances back down at the supposed engagement ring he worked hours of overtime to buy, Jongin decides maybe he deserves a break. He heads off to the bathroom, excusing himself for a minute.

Kyungsoo is left behind at the table. An eerie silence is turned a hushed murmur, people whispering amongst themselves. He sees through his tears disapproving glares, sympathetic stares, and all he wants is some air. Some oxygen in this now stuffy scene is quite impossible. He can’t take it much longer and sends a mental apology to Jongin. Kyungsoo bolts out of the eatery, out of the town, out of Jongin’s life - never to be seen again.

In the confines of a filthy bathroom stall, Jongin hyperventilates. He can’t breathe in between the pain in his lungs, and also the agony of his shattered heart. He can’t even think straight, but he can still hear Kyungsoo’s words. He can’t see anything through his blurred vision, but somehow he can picture the entire occurrence in his head. There’s a certain dizziness that won’t clear up, even when he manages to get one deep inhale of oxygen.

When Kyungsoo finally has the chance to actually sit and take a rest, he remembers. The panic attacks. Here he is, taking comfort in Chanyeol - the man who made him fall harder than he did with Jongin - when his best friend-former lover was more than likely about to black out due to a major attack that he caused. But there’s no way Kyungsoo can go back, he can’t be that cruel to Jongin. Jongin gave him everything he could’ve wanted, sacrificed so many people and things for him, loved him with a love so tender, it killed Kyungsoo to know he’s practically thrown it to the ground and set it afire. He can’t show his face to Jongin again, can’t give him false hope. No, he’ll just have to pray for a savior, a guardian angel, anyone to ensure Jongin will be safe tonight in that cold, lonely bathroom.

Jongin still can’t breathe. It’s been an hour, and no one has come to help him when he needs it most. This is the worst it has ever been. Nothing has ever caused his panic to be so severe. Why isn’t Kyungsoo coming? Why isn’t he holding me now? Why doesn’t he have my ring on his finger? Why are we not loving each other at the very moment? Questions won’t stop flooding Jongin’s mind as he feels his precious sanity and consciousness slipping.

“Kyungsoo,” he whispers to himself, gasping for air as he passes out.

But Kyungsoo revels in the arms of another, doing everything in his power not to rush to his aid, when all Jongin would've wanted was his very presence.

a/n: happy vday ♡♡♡