The perfect couple - too perfect to even be real. That’s how people described their relationship. A complete and utter fairytale that some people didn’t even believe them anymore. It was cinderella brought to life. Jonghyun was the rich jock who had walls way too high that girls never got to see him for who he really was. Everyone knew him and loved him. Kibum - or Key - was the average nerdy gay student with a few financial problems who everyone teased. He was smart and he was a known fashionista who disregarded dress codes, but he also managed to tear those walls down. 

They had their entire relationship written from the start, by them and for them. They meet, fight a lot at first, get together, encounter a few problems because they were new to the relationship and they get their happily ever after. Finish school, start work, get their own house, adopt kids, maybe get grandchildren and grow old together. That was supposed to be it. That was supposed to be the plot of their life, their story.

Neither of them expected Jonghyun to become a workaholic. He worked 30 minutes away from their house and absolutely hated morning traffic that he had to get an apartment nearer his workplace.

Kibum understood though. Being an artist didn’t get him as much money as he’d like so he knew Jonghyun had to work twice as hard, but he supported him. Helped him in any way he could, even if that meant letting him get an apartment and not seeing him for 5 days straight.

Jonghyun supported him in all the careers he had tried out. This is the least he could do.

There was trust and honesty and love in the relationship. It was as steady as a rock and had a bright future. Sure, Jonghyun was a workaholic who sometimes never even came home but when he did, the two were practically inseparable. Nothing changed even when they adopted their kids - a boy, 12 years old, and a girl, 10 years old.

So when Jonghyun came home from his trip two days earlier to a house without noise from his kids and bottles of empty wine and leftovers of fancy food, you could imagine how his world came crashing down as he put two and two together.

“ out of here.” was all Jonghyun had to say for the guy to get out and for Key to start shaking. Jonghyun was just glad they were both wearing clothes and he didn’t catch them doing anything.

“Where are the kids?” Jonghyun asked, voice stern and eyes a mix of hurt and betrayal but still concerned as ever about his family.

“Your mom picked them up the day after you left. They’ll be back tonight.” Key said in a hushed tone. Jonghyun could tell he was trying not to cry by the way he had his head hung low.

“How long?” Jonghyun asked. It was a simple question but Key looked up confused, eyes red and lips trembling, holding back tears

“You don’t deserve to cry, Kibum.” Jonghyun hissed. He was mad. He was hurt. He felt betrayed. It was as if their 9 years of history was erased at that very moment he saw them holding hands in his home, in his living room. “How long have you been doing this? Cheating on me?” Jonghyun tried not to choke on his words.

Key was crying now, tears freely flowing down his cheeks and his shoulders visibly shaking. “I’m sorry…” he muttered, eyes avoiding his husband’s.

“Answer me, you ing idiot.” Jonghyun was close to screaming. The way he said idiot was scary, his words were laced with anger which Kibum has never felt before. Truthfully, it wasn’t the first time Jonghyun had called him an idiot. They’ve called each other ‘idiot’ too many times to even count, but the way Jonghyun just said it felt like a punch right in the stomach but it was a punch he was going to accept.

“J-Just twice…it just happened.” Key was trying really hard to speak clearly through his sobs.

“‘Just happened’?” Jonghyun scoffed, rolling his eyes in the same way Key always had throughout their relationship but in an angry-i-can’t-belive-what-you-just-did way. “Oh please elaborate that, Kim Kibum.”

Key couldn’t help but flinch at how Jonghyun said his words. Even on their worse fights, Jonghyun never spoke to him this way; but he deserved this treatment. 

“W-We were at the groceries with the k-kids…and he just…kissed me…t-then I told him to stop because I-I had you…a-and the kids…”

“You had me and the kids? While what’s today about? The wine bottles and fancy take out?”

“J-Jonghyun…please calm down…” Key tried crawling towards the end of the bed - their bed - and tried reaching for his husband’s hand but Jonghyun just backed away, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Calm down? Y-You’re honestly telling me to calm down?” Jonghyun was practically screaming at this point but he was crying as well, giving Key some home that maybe this was just another rough patch, that they were going to be okay soon.

“I told him to stop! I-I told him that I don’t ever want to s-see him again!” Key started screaming and Jonghyun was left frozen in his spot, suddenly seeing the mess his husband was.

Messy hair, puffy eyes, wet cheeks, trembling lips.

Jonghyun felt disgusted but despite that, Key was still beautiful. Despite the hatred and disgust and anger he was feeling, he still found Key so ing beautiful.

“I hate you…” Jonghyun whispered but Key still heard. His heart ached in a terrible way.

“Y-You dont deserve to cry, you know?” Jonghyun laughed sarcastically, starting to cry himself. Key nods in agreement, still crying anyway.

“P-Please don’t…l-leave…” Key cried, getting up and holding onto Jonghyun’s hands. Jonghyun squeezed his hands - just slightly - and for a moment Key thought it was going to be okay, that Jonghyun was going to wrap his arms around him and tell him he loved him no matter how mad he was.

He thought wrong though.

Jonghyun let go of his hands and shook his head, eyes tightly closed and body trembling.

“No. No no no. I’ll go and I’ll pick up the kids tomorrow morning.”

Key’s eyes widened and he didn’t think he could cry as hard as he had right then.

Jonghyun grabbed a duffel bag and started shoving his clothes in it, ignoring Key’s pleads and cries.

“J-Jonghyun…Jonghyun please…” Key sobbed, grabbing onto Jonghyun’s arms but he was only pushed away.

“Jonghyun…please don’t leave…please s-stay…”

Jonghyun turned around swiftly, his cheeks wetter than it was earlier. His eyes were now just full of sadness that it hurt even Key.

He didn’t deserve this man. He didn’t deserve to have someone as wonderful as Jonghyun, but he doesn’t want to lose him either.

“J-JJong…please…l-listen to me…” the familiar nickname made Jonghyun pause his actions, giving Key the chance to turn him around and cup his cheeks. For a second, he thought Jonghyun was going to push him away, but he didn’t; he just stared at his eyes and continued to cry.

“I love you. I love you and our kids… I-I love…o-our family…” Key sobbed, trying to make his words as coherent as he possibly could even though it was practically impossible at this point.

“I love you…” Key whispered before kissing Jonghyun, a soft innocent kiss but he tried to put his emotions in it. I’m sorry I did it. I was stupid and it was completely my fault, but I love you and I really don’t want to lose you.

“I wish you didn’t do what you did…” Jonghyun whispered, leaning into Key’s touch and savouring the feeling of his lover in his arms. “But I need to go.”

Key was left frozen in his spot in their bedroom, crying as Jonghyun moved around grabbing his essentials.

“P-Please…d-don’t…” Key tried again, his last attempt at trying to make his husband stay but it was all futile.

“I-I need to think, Kibum. I need to think and to understand and just…think!” Jonghyun almost screamed, not even pausing for a moment to look at Key.

Just before leaving though, Jonghyun stood infront of his husband who was all red and puffy from crying. He cupped his cheeks and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

“I love you…” he whispered, voice cracking and hushed. He no longer had anger in his eyes, but complete sadness instead.

“I-I love you too…” Key whispered in reply but he was too late as Jonghyun had already left.

Key’s world came crashing down and everything seemed surreal as he heard the door shut close. He laid on the floor and continued to cry. Imagine how much it would hurt to explain this to their kids when they ask where did dad go?

It was an unexpected turn of events from the couple who had a fairytale story, but sometimes the plot changes even if the characters didn’t want it to.