Jongdae had met Yixing when he was young and innocent, still trying to cling onto the last bits of childhood that he wasn’t yet ready to leave behind. Entering University had been both exciting and scary for him. No longer would he have his parents to rely on. They wouldn’t be there to house him, cook him food or even do his washing. No, it was time for him to ‘be an adult’. Like he knew what that meant at the time.

He had managed to score himself a part time job with a decent pay, enough to pay for a dorm room and food – though he knew he would most likely live off convenience store ramen and any leftovers his mother decided to give him when he would visit. He was lucky enough to get a roommate who he got along with and who would soon become his best friend. Minseok was two years older than him, studying architecture and currently in his second year having had a year break between graduating high school and pursuing further education. To be honest Minseok was one of the reasons why Jongdae made it through University in one piece.

Jongdae himself was studying music and that’s where he had met Yixing. Their first meeting had been slightly embarrassing. Jongdae had been too busy nagging Minseok through texts to make him dinner that night when he had run straight into the unsuspecting Yixing, spilling his scalding hot coffee onto the others once pristine white shirt. He had felt like dying but Yixing had been all smiles and dimples, shaking off Jongdae’s frantic apologising. Jongdae had been stunned when Yixing had said that if he had really wanted to apologise than Jongdae would have to let him take him out for lunch.

Dazed, Jongdae had stuttered out what he thought had sounded like ‘sure’ but really he wasn’t paying too much attention. Later that day they had both gotten lunch at the overpriced café on campus that was always filled with students that were most likely looking for an escape from textbooks and forgotten assignments that were piling up. They’d both had fun.

They had exchanged phone numbers promised to keep in contact. Jongdae returned to his shared dorm room with Minseok and thought that it had been one of the best days in his life. He was smitten and Minseok couldn’t help but because of it, calling him a love sick puppy.

Four months later and countless meetings since then they had started dating.

Five months.

He had met Yixing’s best friend Baekhyun, a design major.

Eighteen months.

They had moved in with each other, managing to find an affordable apartment near campus. It was small and compact but it was theirs. The start of their life together. Minseok had hugged him tight, not letting him go until he promised that he would visit every other day. Jongdae laughs at the elder, telling him that he was only a ten minute walk away and that he was more than welcome to come over.

Two years.

Minseok had graduated and found an apartment for himself. Scoring top of his graduating class he had received many job offers, accepting one from a fairly new but up and coming firm. Jongdae was proud of his hyung. His relationship with Yixing was going strong, he was just as in love with the elder as he had been at the beginning of their relationship. Baekhyun had hooked up with a dance major called Jongin. They looked happy. As far as he knew Minseok was still single. Jongdae made it his mission to find someone for the elder.

Two years, six months.

After failed dates with four suitable men, an artist, a soccer player, an accountant and a chef Jongdae had given up. Minseok had told him his attempts would be futile and to not even bother in the first place but he hadn’t listened. He had let it go when Minseok had told him that there was someone he had interest in.

Minseok wouldn’t tell him who.

Three years.

He, Yixing and Baekhyun had all graduated. They had all celebrated together. Went out to the bar and gotten drunk. Jongdae had woken up the next morning wrapped in Yixing’s embrace, with the air smelling of . Life was looking good.

Three years, two months.

Yixing had started his new job as a music teacher at the local high school. Yixing had been ecstatic when the school had gotten in contact with him requesting an interview. Three days later he had returned home, big smile lighting his face. They had ended up tangled in the bed sheets, sweaty and exhausted but happy.

Yixing went out the next day. He didn’t come back until the moon was high in the sky.

Three years, six months.

Jongdae bad become a vocal trainer at the same university he had graduated from. His teachers had been happy to see him back. He had been their best student after all. Yixing had been coming home later and later. Jongdae thought nothing of it. His kids had exams and he knew how much Yixing hated taking his work home with him. Most nights he would wait up for him. Some nights he wouldn’t. Jongdae would wake up, the warm body of his boyfriend pressed up against his back.

But he couldn’t help but think something wasn’t right.

Four years.

Baekhyun had been coming over more recently. Him and Jongin hadn’t lasted. Jongdae had though it was a shame. Jongdae had only seen Jongin once since he and Baekhyun had broken up. The other had looked at him sadly, opening his mouth to say something only to close it again. With a shake of his head and an unidentifiable expression on his face directed towards him, Jongin walks away. Jongdae hadn’t seen him again since that day.

All he can think under a year later is he knew.

Four years, two months.

Yixing had forgotten their anniversary. He tried not to let it upset him to much but he really was hurt. He had planned a nice dinner for them to enjoy only to receive a text.

‘Too much work. Gonna stay back to finish it. Don’t wait up for me’

He had been crushed. He had put so much effort into it. Looked up the recipes and practiced them until he had gotten them right and it had all been for nothing. The food wasn’t eaten instead left to go cold. When Yixing had gotten home had hadn’t even noticed the bin piled high with uneaten food. When told in the morning he had apologised, promised to take him out that night. Jongdae had forgiven him.

It wouldn’t be the last time.

“Do you love me?” Jongdae had whispered.

“Of course.”

Four years, three months.

He’s home alone, yet again. Yixing is out. He doesn’t know where. Said he was going to hang out with Baekhyun. They’ve been doing that a lot lately. Jongdae’s not one to fall victim to the green monster that is jealously but he can’t help it. Yixing’s been spending an awful lot of time with Baekhyun. He feels his gut churn painfully.

“Is everything alright?” Minseok asks him worriedly.

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” He tells him.

He lied.

Nothing is fine.

Four years, four months.

He barely sees Yixing anymore. He doesn’t come home after work and more often than not it’s only his body which warms the bed. He has his suspicions but he ignores them. Yixing wouldn’t do that, right?

Minseok is worried about him. He knows it by the way he treats him. By the way he’s present in his apartment more than Yixing. Minseok had tried to talk to him but Jongdae had ignored him. He didn’t want to hear it out loud. He didn’t want to hear it.

That night Yixing comes home. There are no words spoken between them. Yixing pushes him up against the wall, pushes his tongue into his mouth. Jongdae lets him. He takes them to their room, he shoves his hands under Jongdae’s shirt, pulls his clothes off of his body. Jongdae is still pliant as he’s pressed into the mattress, as Yixing rocks into him. He closes his eyes, losing himself completely in the pleasure, if only for a little while. He knows it won’t last.

Yixing lays spent next to him, chest rising and falling as he comes down from his high. He buries his face into the back of Jongdae’s neck, lips ghosting over the skin as he whispers sweet nothings into his ear.

Yes, he can pretend. If only for a little while.

I trust you…

Four years, five months.

He knew this day would come. The day the truth would lie right in front of his eyes where he could no longer deny them anymore. He had been lying to himself for so long.

He wasn’t supposed to be home. He had been on a trip with the music department, a trip which was supposed to last a week. It didn’t. It had been cut short by two days. So there he was, walking through the door to their apartment two days earlier. Tired and weary from travel, he misses the extra pair of shoes by the door. He pauses just as he’s about to enter the bedroom. He hears the rustling of sheets. Hesitantly the slowly pushes open the door and is greeted with a sight which he had hoped was just his imagination.

Baekhyun on his back. Yixing settled between him, the youngers legs wrapped around his waist. Mouths each other’s names. They’re too lost in their own pleasure they don’t even notice Jongdae standing there. Not until the door finally opens all of the way, handle hitting the wall with a resounding bang. They both turn to look at him, startled. Yixing opens his mouth.

Jongdae does the only thing he can think of.

He runs.

He runs, ignoring the calls of his name from the man he had loved. The man that had betrayed him. The man he had thought could do no wrong.

He doesn’t know where he’s going, he doesn’t really care. His heart had just been torn out of his chest. He can barely see where he’s going he’s crying so much. He’s sure he’s a sight to behold. He looks up at the sky.

Why? He thinks. What had he done to deserve this?

And like some ing cliché chick flick the heavens open up, drenching his pathetic form, clothes clinging to his skin. He thinks it’s fitting for the situation. He doesn’t know how he does it but before he notices it he’s knocking at a familiar door. As soon as it opens he collapses against Minseok’s chest who immediately wraps his arms around him and carries him into the house and out of the elements.

“Oh my god Jongdae what are you doing walking around in whether like that!” Minseok asks, grabbing a warm blanket and wrapping it around the youngers shivering form.

“Minseok, I knew it, it knew it!” He cries. “Why didn’t I listen to you?”

“Knew what?” Minseok asks.

“Yixing! He’s cheating on me.” He sobs, breaking down once again.

“Oh Jongdae…” Minseok sighs, bringing him closer to his chest, trying his best to comfort his best friend.

“What did I do wrong?” he screams.

“Nothing. Jongdae you did nothing wrong. This isn’t your fault.” He says firmly and if anything Jongdae starts crying harder. Minseok lets him. Lets him cry and cry and cry until there are no more tears left for him to cry. He lets him cry until he falls asleep from exhaustion, darkness cloaking him in a restless abyss.

What had he done wrong?

The next morning, with eyes still red and puffy from crying he heads over to their – no – Yixing’s apartment, Minseok coming along as moral support. Silently they pack his stuff into four suitcases, one for each year of his time with Yixing. As he leaves he takes one more look at the apartment.

Bye.

“Make me forget.” He whispers into Minseok’s ear when they arrive back at the elders house. “Please.” He pleads.

The elder relents and for a while, he does. But he knows things won’t be fine for a while.

Yixing doesn’t look for him, doesn’t call.

Jongdae changes his number anyway.

He knew.

Present

It’s sort of funny. Looking back, he never would have pictured that he would end up where his is. He’s far away from the life he had envisioned for himself when he was young and coping with the struggles of adulthood and being a University student living off takeaway food and drowning in textbooks.

No, it’s not what he had pictured at all but as he sits on the park bench which looks over to the playground he can’t help but be happy with where life had brought him. He smiles as he watches the children play, blissfully unaware about the hardships they’ll face as they grow older.

Lost in his thoughts he doesn’t notice as a figure walks towards him until he hears him name being called.

“Jongdae?” the distinctly male voice says and he freezes at the familiarity of it. Plastering a fake smile onto his face he looks up at the male.

“Yixing.” He says shortly, voice conveying his displeasure in seeing him. He had honestly wished that he would never see him again in his life. Not after what he had done.

He gestures to the bench. “Can I sit here.” He asks.

“I don’t know, can you?” Jongdae replies.

He does.

They sit in silence. Jongdae eyes the elder from the side for a moment before turning his gaze back to the playground.

“How have you been?” Yixing asks, breaking the silence and Jongdae nearly snorts, managing to hold it in at the last minute.

“Fine.”

“It’s been a while.” Yixing continues.

“It has.” He says, deadpanned.

Silence.

“Were not together anymore.” Yixing says. “Baekhyun and I.” he adds when Jongdae fails to say something.

“What do you want me to say?” Jongdae says, starting to get angry now. “Sorry? Sorry that you couldn’t keep it in your pants. Sorry that you destroyed our relationship to pursue a relationship that didn’t even last? You betrayed me Yixing, shattered my heart into pieces. Four years Yixing. I wasted four years with a man who couldn’t stay faithful, who I thought I could trust. I can never get those four years back. I hope it was worth it.”

“Jongdae, I…”

“Don’t!” Jongdae interrupts. “Don’t. You have nothing to say that I want to hear. Nothing you can say could explain or justify what you did and the pain you put me through.” He growls.

“Mama! Mama!” a small, excited voice says out of the blue. They both look to see a smiling little boy run up to them, holding something in his hands.

Jongdae feels a smile bubble up, one which replaces the scowl that had adorned his face just moments before. It was as if all pieces of anger had been out of him.

“Mama look what I found!” the excited boy says to Jongdae, holding his hand out. On his open palm, a lone coin sits there.

“Oh wow. You found a coin! How lucky are you?” he says.

“Very lucky!” The boy grins.

“How about, when we get home, you put it in your piggy bank, huh.”

“Yes!” he then turns curious eyes onto the Yixing sitting beside Jongdae. “Mama, who’s that man?” he asks and Jongdae shakes his head and places both of his palms on the side of his face.

“It’s no one Sehun. Just a stranger.” He tells him. “Why don’t you go and get your shoes. It’s about time we head home.”

“Mama, do we have to~” Sehun whines.

“Yes. Now trod along.” He says, kissing him on the forehead. Sehun grumbles but goes off to do as Jongdae had told him. He knows it’s pointless in arguing with his mother.

Jongdae leans back and sighs.

“I-is he…?” Yixing stutters and Jongdae turns towards him and sees a wide eyes Yixing staring at Sehun.

“He’s not.” Jongdae says bluntly, an air of finality encasing his words. He doesn’t want to be there anymore. “Goodbye Yixing.” Is the last thing he says before getting up and walking away.

As he walks over to Sehun and takes his hand the gold band on his finger catches the sunlight and shines as brightly as a star in the night sky. Jongdae smiles at it. At the promise it holds.

Yixing had shattered him, but he had been put back together.

“Minseok, we’re home…”

My heart shattered…

My world shattered…

But the right person was there to fix my shattered heart and build me a new world

Hey guys! Just another fic by me. This just came to me spare of the moment the other day and I just couldn't leave it alone so here it is. I think the writing style in this is a little different than usual so what do you think of it? I haven't written anything regarding cheating or infidelity before so it was a bit new so I hope that I managed to convey it properly.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment them below and I'll try my best to answer them!