DYHM (ICHA); NO ONE IS WITH ME.

Things to note: falling out of love, character getting into an accident. 

NO ONE IS WITH ME:

“Do I stand in your way?”

Daniel just walked into the apartment, slightly tipsy but sober enough to understand Seongwoo’s heartbroken sentence. He shrugs off his jacket and dumps it on the couch, near where Seongwoo was sitting on with his arms limp on his sides. 

“No. What do you mean by that?”

Daniel knows, that Seongwoo found out. The older male had noticed Daniel’s always coming home late, with a new cologne smell and slightly messy hair. He had also went to Daniel’s office on one of the days and his secretary told him that Daniel took leave on that day. However, he left the apartment in the morning, bidding goodbye to Seongwoo saying he’s going to work.

Seongwoo unconsciously brought his right hand up to the ring dangling on a necklace around his neck,

“Nope, nothing. Just feeling insecure. That's it.”

“Okay, let’s sleep. I told you to not wait up.”

Seongwoo thought that Daniel’s reply was slightly frustrated and emotionless, as if he is tired of Seongwoo’s accompaniment, but he doesn't speak about it, instead replies with a i wanted to see you before i sleep.

-

It was a Friday when it happened.

Seongwoo’s art exhibition was today, and he expected Daniel to come. Despite his busy schedule, the younger had always made an effort to go to his boyfriend’s exhibitions. But this time was an exception. To say Seongwoo’s angry was an understatement. He waited. The exhibit closed at 10, and he waited for an hour and half. When the clock strikes 12, he has already cleared all his work, wrapped and put back into the storage room. He leaves a note for Minhyun, the director of the gallery, saying he will be back first thing tomorrow in the morning to collect his works.

When Seongwoo got home, he sees Daniel on the couch, arms folded and eyes staring straight into the wall infront of him. The lack of their couple ring on his fingers hurt Seongwoo and his chest squeezed with pain, is it gonna be today?

“Were you waiting for me?”

“I wanted to talk to you, so you can say that.”

Seongwoo’s hopeful thoughts were crushed with just one sentence from Daniel. He wants to talk to me. It’s today.

Daniel looks at his boyfriend from the couch, and tells him to sit down. Seongwoo does exactly what he's told, he sits next to Daniel and faces his thoroughly, legs crossed. He tries his best to not look affected by the new tie clip Daniel was wearing, Armani- must be someone rich. He gives Daniel a quick scan, new belt too- Gucci.

“You should know what I’m gonna say, right?”

Seongwoo shook his head, trying his best to appear as dumb as possible, not wanting to touch on this topic any further.

“I’m tired, I had an exhibition today and it was so tiring. I’m gonna get some rest, we will talk tomorrow.”

As he uncrossed his leg to stand, he felt Daniel’s hand grabbing his, the touch making his heart flutter. It’s been awhile since he grabbed my hand.

“Sit down. I don't like to repeat myself in serious situations, you know that.”

Seongwoo flops back down onto the couch and sighs heavily,

“What if I said I don't want to hear it? Will you let me go?”

Daniel shook his head, “You will need to be the one letting me go, hyung.”

With furrowed brows, Seongwoo stands and stares down at the younger male, “What do you mean by that? And, hyung? You’ve never called me that ever since you started courting me, what changed?”

Daniel stood up, matching Seongwoo’s eye level, “Me. I changed. My heart changed. Hyung, you’re just- just not eno-“

Seongwoo covers his ears halfway, shaking his head slowly,

“I don’t want to hear it! I’m tired, Niel-ah. I’m going to sleep.”

Even before he can make his way to the room, Daniel grabbed his shoulders, eyes with a level of anger Seongwoo has never seen before,

“Stop avoiding this topic, hyung! You and I both know it’d come sooner or later!”

“I rather it come later! Please, I had a bad day, just let me have a corner of slack! Just one corner, Niel.”

Seongwoo’s desperate voice made the grip on his shoulder let up, and he lets out a sigh of relief,

“Thank yo-“

“Let’s break up, hyung. I don’t have feelings for you anymore, you’re just- just not enough for me now. I’m sorry.”

With that, Daniel made his way to the guest room that he’s so used to sleeping in and shuts the door loudly, leaving Seongwoo dazed in the hall, tears rolling down his cheek and right hand fiddling with the ring hanging off his neck. I can’t let this down, i’m not breaking with him. Seongwoo writes a note for the younger male and slips it into the crack at the bottom of Daniel’s closed door.

You probably had a bad day, hyung won’t take it to heart. Have a good night’s rest and we’ll talk again tomorrow after you end work.

The exasperated sigh Seongwoo received from behind the door indicated the younger had read the note, and he walks to the main bedroom and washes up, thinking everything will be fine and that it’ll all be back to it’s original state tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a better day. 

He has never been so wrong.

The day started with Daniel leaving earlier than Seongwoo, not being there for breakfast. Then his car broke down when he was nearing the gallery, Seongwoo needed to walk quite a far distance before reaching where Minhyun was there waiting for him,

“What took you so long? And you came without a car? How are you gonna take all the work home?”

Seongwoo then explained how his car broke down and he had to wait for the tow truck to get there before leaving and asked if Minhyun could send him back home, along with all the artworks. Being his best friend, Minhyun didn't say no. Afterwards, they wanted to have dinner together, but some random guy spilled his wine all over Seongwoo’s favourite shirt, and he was so close to beating someone up due to all the tension in his body, if it wasn't for Minhyun holding him down.

“What happened back there? You seem to be on the very edge today..”

The pair’s dinner resulted to packed black bean noodles and small cans of beer in the car. Seongwoo, busy slurping on his noodles made some incoherent noise and waved his hand. Minhyun took it as it is, if his friend didn't want to spill, then he wouldn't question any further.

He wanted to invite Minhyun in for some tea when they reached his apartment, but he said Jaehwan wanted to meet him nearby, so he has to go. 

“I’ll leave my car with you. We are going to drink and I don't want to park my car at an indecent place, so leaving it with you is the best way.”

Minhyun hands the keys over and leaves, not expecting his car to be ruined by his best friend.

“Ugh, it’s so heavy..”

Seongwoo grumbles as he semi-drags his works into the apartment, he puts the car keys and bag onto the table next to the door and uses two hands to carry his works in. The first thing he sees on the couch makes him gasp and drop all of his work in progress.

Daniel on the couch with another guy. Kissing.

Upon hearing the things crash onto the ground, they split away immediately and Seongwoo looks at Daniel’s new man, cute face and pinkish lips.

“You’re here? Meet Jihoon. Babe, this is my ex.”

Daniel speaks as though he did not just get caught cheating, Seongwoo glances at Jihoon, before adverting his eyes to meet Daniel’s, we need to talk now. He walks towards the main room, not closing the door and a moment later, Daniel walks in.

“Are you crazy! I said we are gonna talk today! But how do we talk with your new boy toy around, Kang Daniel?”

Seongwoo whisper-yells, and Daniel completely ignores the fact that Seongwoo was evidently trying to hold back his anger.

“You seemed to not understand what I was saying yesterday, so I showed it to you.”

“I don’t want to break up-“

“Then you will have to endure me loving Jihoon. He’s not my new boy toy, but my new boyfriend.”

Seongwoo his lips in desperation, shaking his head and claiming Daniel can’t do this to him.

“Please hyung, I’m tired too. Let me go, if you love me, let me go.”

“Can’t we at least spend one more day together? I-“

He swallows the lump in his throat, looking at Daniel,

“I will leave tomorrow night, spend one entire day with me tomorrow, please. We haven’t had a proper-“

Daniel cuts him off with a curt okay, 

“But Jihoon is staying for tonight.”

It wasn't even a question, just a sentence and Seongwoo had no position to say no, he accepts that fact and holds Daniel’s arm as he was about to leave the room,

“For tomorrow, can you at least pretend to be happy being with me?”

All he received was a glance, and a small and slightly guilty okay.

Moments after letting him go, Seongwoo hears footsteps and small giggles leading to the guest room and the door shutting. He wipes his dried tears and gets up from his place right behind the door, I can’t be here at the moment, I’ll lose my mind. He leaves the room quietly and leaves a note for Daniel, sticking it onto the fridge instead of slipping it into the room like always. He grabs Minhyun’s car keys and his bag, shutting the apartment door as silently as possible.

I’m going out, I’ll be back in the morning.

He drives aimlessly, seatbelt not on and going at a speed he shouldn't on the empty highways. He exits and enters different highway routes effortlessly, zooming past the small amount of cars. He had thought of calling Minhyun, but Jaehwan and him are probably back in their apartment, passed out drunk. The truth of leaving Daniel tomorrow just hit him and he presses his foot against the accelerator harder, wiping his warm tears with the back of his hand. Seongwoo turns on the right signal, switching past different lanes, wanting to make his way to the gallery to spend the night there. Not noticing an oncoming car’s headlights beaming, he turns. 

When he actually sees the other car, at the speed they both were going, there was absolutely no way they could stop without crashing. Seongwoo takes his hands off the wheel, shuts his eyes and covers his ears, pressing his foot all the way into the pedal, hoping for the best.

Memories flashes right infront of his eyes.

Meeting Daniel in college. Daniel courting him with many literature books and caramel macchiatos. Small encouraging notes in those expensive books, extra caramel in those macchiatos. Small shy glances in the library turned out to be full on staring when Seongwoo told Daniel to sit with him. 

The two getting together after tons of library dates, and their friends congratulating them. Then Seongwoo’s parents found out they had a gay son, kicking him out of the house and him staying at Minhyun’s for a period of time, the memories of him moving to Daniel’s apartment, of them promising they will love each other until forever. 

Memories of Daniel whispering loving promises into Seongwoo’s neck, memories of them laughing and having fun. It all flashed past his brain. 

In th