AJ noticed many things, some of what he noticed was what people would try to hide from him. And right now, he knew that Kiseop was hiding something from him. He had thought of asking the other many times before, but he never did. AJ thought that if he waited a while, Kiseop would come around and tell him himself. Kiseop had still yet to tell him and now AJ knew that he should.

 

With each passing day AJ could feel that his relationship with Kiseop had been slowly drifting apart. Especially when Eli and Kevin came to live in South Korea, in their town. But AJ knew that it wasn’t any of the two’s fault. It was no one’s fault. If anything it was probably his own. When he had asked Kiseop out those years ago, he was told that the other was trying to get over a breakup, but he had still asked. AJ didn’t regret it. Now though, he only wanted Kiseop to be happy.

 

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AJ didn’t say anything to Kiseop about the dinner reservation he made with Eli and Kevin. He needed to confirm the suspicion he had was indeed true. And if what he thought was true then he would let go of the other. Not because Kiseop didn’t love him--for AJ knew that Kiseop loved him to a certain extent--but because he wanted Kiseop to be with the person he actually loved. And even though it hurt to think that Kiseop could never love him the way he wanted the other to love him, it was okay.

 

“Kiseop, are you ready?” AJ called from the living room. He wore slacks and a black button down. Simple, but perfect for the restaurant they were going to go.

 

“Yes,” Kiseop answered. He came into the living room wearing almost the same outfit as AJ, but instead of a black button down, it was blue. A black jacket hung on his arm as he looked at AJ. “Shall we get going?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

The two decided to use Kiseop’s car to get to the restaurant as the weather report said there was going to be a slight chance of snow. The ride to the restaurant was quiet, but with a few conversations here and there. Nothing serious was ever talked about, just things like work or life in general. There just wasn’t much to talk about despite the fact that they haven’t been hanging out with each other nor doing anything together for a while.

 

The car pulled up in front of the restaurant after a while. Once the car was in park, the couple got out and went into the restaurant. AJ was the first to enter as he was the one who had made the dinner reservation with Kiseop following him. A man at the podium greeted them as he asked for their names.

 

“Reservations for Kim Jaeseop,” AJ said.

 

The man at the podium looked down at the book he had and scanned for the other’s name. Once he had found it, he looked back at AJ and gave a bow. “If you’ll follow me then,” the man said formally as he guided the couple into the restaurant. The man led them to the back where there was fewer tables and in the direction of a table that had four seats with two people already at it.

 

AJ glanced out of the corner of his eyes once they had reached the table. When he did, the expression he saw on Kiseop’s face barely changed, but he saw the slight widening of the other’s eyes. Inwardly AJ was shaking his head, but outwardly he was placing a hand on the small of Kiseop’s back and giving him a slight push to sit at the table.

 

Kiseop had sat down direct in the seat across from Kevin as AJ had already taken the seat across from Eli. The red head took a quick glance at Kevin before greeting the other softly as well as Eli. Once the greetings was returned Kiseop took the menu in his hands and looked it over, but at the same time hiding the glances he was throwing over towards Kevin.

 

All the while AJ made notes in the back of his head on how Kiseop was acting without anyone’s notice, but his.

 

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Throughout the entire dinner AJ saw both Kiseop and Kevin stealing glances of each other when the other wasn’t looking or thought the other wasn’t looking. It was frustrating to AJ to see that the suspicion he had was correct. That the relationship that Kevin and Kiseop had was something more than they let on. That they still cared for each other.

 

AJ watched as the two in front of him would make eye contact at different moments. And during those times all he saw was Kiseop’s eyes soften before the look of love flitted into Kiseop’s eyes--love for Kevin. A look that he had never been directed with by Kiseop nor by the same intensity that Kiseop was showing right now. AJ wasn’t usually a jealous man, but at that moment he did feel that ugly green monster rearing at the back of his mind.

 

The jealousy was small, but it was enough for AJ to feel sorry for himself and for Kiseop. He had held the other back from being with his true love and he hadn’t wished to do that. He just wanted Kiseop to be happy. After all these years, Kiseop had stayed by his side even when they were growing apart or the small fact that the feelings Kiseop had for him wasn’t as strong as it was for Kevin.

 

AJ knew that he had to do something and he knew exactly what he had to do. It was the least he could do for Kiseop.

 

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The two couples separated shortly after leaving the restaurant, each going in their own vehicles. AJ watched as Kiseop gave a gentle smile to Kevin as he said his goodbyes before heading to his car. AJ followed the other’s example, but not without looking towards Kevin and seeing the sad look that was on his face as he watched Kiseop walk away.

 

Now that AJ was certain of the relationship Kevin and Kiseop had once shared and that they were still in love with each other, AJ was now certain about the one thing he had to do to make Kiseop happy.

 

AJ placed a hand over Kiseop’s hand as the other drove to his apartment. Just for a little while longer AJ was going to pretend he wasn’t going to breakup with Kiseop. Just a little while longer AJ was going to be a little bit selfish.

 

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When morning came, AJ was the first to wake up. The previous night AJ had asked Kiseop if he could stay the night as it was already late by the time they had reached Kiseop’s apartment. Kiseop had agreed. AJ stared at the beautiful sleeping face of Kiseop’s when he had looked towards the other. As he continued to stare at that face, he wished that the day would never end.

 

AJ leaned down to press a kiss to Kiseop’s forehead. His lips lingering a little bit longer than necessary, but he didn’t care. He felt a slight shift of the bed as Kiseop began to emerge from the lands of dreams.

 

When Kiseop opened his eyes he was greeted by a gentle kiss on his forehead. The red head turned his head slightly to look at his boyfriend and he smiled.

 

“Morning,” Kiseop greeted. His voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up and the lack of water.

 

“Morning to you too,” AJ greeted back. His voice was soft as he greeted Kiseop. AJ leaned away from Kiseop slightly, but a smile was on his lips. “When you get dressed, let’s go out for the day,” AJ suggested.

 

“Sure, but what’s the occasion?” Kiseop asked.

 

“Just wanted to spend some more time with you,” AJ answered as he got out of bed and gathered some of the spare clothes he left at Kiseop’s place. Before it ends, AJ thought with his back turned towards Kiseop.

 

“Okay, I’ll be ready soon,” Kiseop said as he got out of bed and also grabbed a change of clothes from his closet. He left the room to give AJ some privacy and went into his bathroom to change.

 

AJ had a sad smile on his lips as he watched Kiseop leave the room to the connected bathroom. Today was the last day he was going to be able to spend any more time with Kiseop like this. So for today he would enjoy every moment he was going to spend with the other male.

 

“AJ, are you okay?”

 

At the sound of Kiseop’s voice, AJ was snapped out of his thoughts. He blinked at the direction of where he heard the other and smiled. When his eyes landed on Kiseop, a thought suddenly struck him.

 

He’s so beautiful, AJ thought. How was I even able to stay with such a beautiful man?

 

“AJ?” Kiseop’s voice was full of concern.

 

AJ could only smile as he linked his hand with one of Kiseop’s own. “Let’s go,” AJ said as he dragged the other male out. He tightened his hold on Kiseop’s hand as they walked out of the apartment complex. He wished he never had to let go of this hand.

 

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The day spending his time with Kiseop was probably the best day of AJ’s life or close to it. The couple had gone to the movie, ate at a cafe, walked around the mall, and much, much more. He was happy, but AJ knew that it was almost time for him to breakup with Kiseop. Yet he didn’t want to. He couldn’t breakup with Kiseop until he finally heard the truth from Kiseop himself--not what he had observed at the restaurant last night. He just needed to hear it. Hear it so that it would give him the determination to break off their relationship.

 

AJ sat himself and Kiseop down on one of the many empty benches in the park. He still held the other’s hand in his own and was rubbing small circles on the back of the other’s hand. He took a few moments before he began to say what he needed to say.

 

“Kiseop,” AJ said to get the other’s attention. When he got a hum in response from Kiseop, he began with the one question he needed to start everything. “What exactly was your relationship with Kevin and don’t tell that I already know.”

 

Kiseop looked at AJ before he nodded. “Kevin was my boyfriend,” the red head answered. “We were together for a while, but one day he broke it off. I never saw or heard from him until the day we met him and Eli in the mall.” There was a sad expression on Kiseop’s face as he was emerged in the memory of Kiseop breaking up with him and the breaking of his heart. He thought he had gotten over this a long time ago, but apparently he hadn’t.

 

“You still love him, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

 

“I do,” Kiseop answered in return. He felt no reason to hide what AJ already knew to be true. “I’m sorry.”

 

AJ just shook his head. Kiseop just did one of the things that he loved about the other. “You have no reasons to apologize, Kiseop. I don’t blame you for loving someone else or Kevin for that matter.” There was a slight pause as AJ stood up before he continued. “So that’s why I’m breaking up with you.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Kiseop apologized again. He looked at his hands now that it was free. He wasn’t sure exactly what to feel at the moment.

 

“Stop apologizing,” AJ abolished. When Kiseop looked at him, he only had a smile on his face. “All I want from you is to be happy and I’ll be happy, you got that?”

 

Kiseop nodded before he smiled at AJ. He stood up and pulled AJ into a hug. “Thank you for everything, AJ.” Kiseop pulled away from AJ before he said his goodbye and left. He was going to try to be happy for AJ.

 

AJ smiled as Kiseop left his side. He knew that Kiseop was going to end up happy and so in turn, he was going to be happy. He would cheer for Kiseop on the side to get together with Kevin. With those thoughts in mind, AJ also left the park heading in the opposite direction of Kiseop.

 

Maybe I’ll head to a bar tonight, AJ thought. He would try to have fun for tonight.

 

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AN: Chapter 10 is out! Thank goodness.

 

Sorry it took so long, but this chapter didn't want to flow how I wanted it and I had writer's block. Not a good combination. But it came out

 

Sorry. It's a little choppy, but I did my best.

 

I feel sort of sorry for AJ, but not enough to have him stay with Kiseop.

 

Well that's all, tell me how I did and comment.

 

Until next time!