“Hoo,” a bird outside, said. Yixing stared at the sleeping man. Light as a feather, he was.  He could fly away, if Yixing blew. Light and delicate, the sleeping man was.

“Tock,” the clock whispered, echoing the room. Yixing let his hand trace the man’s features. He was soft. He could break, if Yixing touched him anymore. Soft and fragile the sleeping man was.

He thought of the night before, he could hear the emptiness in the other man’s words. At such high expectations, he knew he was only going to get guiltless resentments, the begging for forgiveness that had no sincerity in them. He found it difficult not to forgive Joon Myun though. It was probably not even his fault. But, his eyes said that he could have cared less.

That hurt him more than anything, really.

It was difficult to know what he was doing, because suddenly just letting him leave the house was difficult, he looked too good for the outside world. He couldn’t help but ask, every time Joon Myun dressed so handsomely or why he gels his hair up, when he knew that sporting it flat would lessen the amount of stares that Joon Myun would receive, why Joon Myun wanted to go out so often, as if… as if he was seeing someone else.

He knew that Joon Myun himself knew, they both knew very well, that it was time they let go of each other. Even if he let go of Joon Myun forcefully, wrenching himself from his other half, he knew that Joon Myun would be okay.

Even though Yixing held on, he tried his best to keep holding, the relationship that was solid, had slipped through his fingers like sand. Joon Myun was impassive. He seemed to have lost his sensations, or feelings.

Joon Myun woke up, and spared Yixing a smile, Yixing was mindlessly playing with Joon Myun’s hair. Joon Myun blinked slowly, his long eyelashes and soft cheeks taking Yixing’s breath away, each time and every time. Yixing didn’t expect it, but Joon Myun pecked the corner of his mouth softly, no words being said, and he was forced to watch the other man disappear to the bathroom.

He sat up and groaned inwardly at the sound of the shower turning on. The beautiful man had done nothing but hurt Yixing and it was barely morning. He shivered in the sheets, suddenly missing Joon Myun’s sleeping form aside him.

Yixing shook his head no he should not miss Joon Myun.

He looked up and saw the sad gaze Joon Myun cast upon him, as if he knew what was going to happen.

Another argument was going to start, and Yixing was going to tell him.

Yixing was going to tell him it was over.

That it was no one’s fault, really.

That he was going to leave from the pretence.

But it didn’t happen, Joon Myun had turned away, and he was making his way towards the closet, taking out clothes that he planned on wearing today, as he went for work.

“Why are you wearing that?” Yixing had asked, before he knew it.

“Why do you always ask me this?” Joon Myun snapped. “Is it really that horrible?”

“It’s too good for outside to see.”

“What?” Joon Myun frowned, clearly confused as to what Yixing meant.

“I meant, I don’t like people seeing you dressed so-so…”

“So what?”

“So, perfect.” He admitted, with a whisper. He heard a tsk, and felt Joon Myun’s lips meet his. The break up wouldn’t matter, right? It could happen later, right? The warmth from Joon Myun’s lips occupied his mind, and he pushed aside the negative thoughts.

It was Joon Myun who parted first, slightly flushed, but still beautiful nonetheless. He was still very, very beautiful. Yixing was now scared to touch him.

Joon Myun had left for work already, it was swift and quiet. It was silent in their shared apartment there was no living thing, other than Yixing.

It had to end, he thought, he couldn’t face the pretence anymore. It hurt him too much and he had to let go. Joon Myun would be fine, he was sure. Joon Myun always was. Joon Myun was that essence of perfection that lit up everyone’s world, and Yixing wasn’t helping in any way possible. He could have even made it worse.

He didn’t go to his classes that day he waited for Joon Myun to come home. He bathed, and dressed and paced around the living room for what felt like hours, he studied to keep himself busy and cleaned their home again. He was more than surprised to see a smile sit on the other man’s face, but that didn’t deter him from his task.

He called to the male, softly. He turned, and smiled angelically at Yixing. Yixing felt his chest tighten. “I-I can’t do this.” He sighed, putting his face in his hands. Yixing curled into a ball on the floor.

“You can’t do what?”

“It’s not anyone’s fault.” Yixing promised quickly.

“What… what are you talking about, Yixing?”

“I love you, but it was no one’s fault. We-“ Yixing breathed slowly, “We can’t seem to resemble each other, can we?”

“What do you mean?” confusion was etched onto the other’s face and his lip quivered, slightly, but Yixing still saw it. “You… you’re leaving… me?”

It wasn’t even the question that did it. It was how heartbroken Joon Myun sounded. Like a wounded puppy, his twinkly eyes turned glassy. It was as if… Joon Myun actually loved him.

“There’s nothing we can do, is there?” Yixing whispered, staring at the floor. “It’s all gone.”

“No! It’s not! I love you, Yixing. I love you. I love you.” Joon Myun met his boyfriend on the floor, catching his lips in his own.  Peppering kisses on Yixing’s face, but Yixing did nothing.

Yixing was frozen, and tears started making their way down his face. It was gone. Everything was gone. Joon Myun had stopped and fell back, cupping his face in his hands. He could feel it too.

It was the ending. Everything was gone.