The silence between them was deafening. Changmin could hear his heart thundering in his ears and his palms were slick with sweat. His eyes bored into the man before him as he stood there with his arms crossed, silently demanding an explanation. 

"I don't bite the hands that feed me."

Changmin clenched his arms tighter, the whites showing in his knuckles. His eyebrows furrowed and the glare he gave Yunho became more potent. Still, Changmin never uttered a single word. Glaring at Yunho with all his might, Changmin stepped forward, lifting Yunho's chin up to look into his eyes.

"I'm not lying."

Changmin nodded, realizing what Yunho said was the truth. Abruptly, he released Yunho's chin, letting it fall short of his grip as he turned away with his back facing Yunho. The tension in the room was intangible and the silence was suffocating both of them. Yet, neither party attempted to make a move, fear and hesitation halting their words. The silence ensued as they stood like statues; dragging the conversation they both knew was inevitable.

"May I ask why, Yunho hyung?" Changmin finally questioned, breaking the silence between them. The formality of his speech surprised Yunho as he glanced up at Changmin in shock, his eyes meeting Changmin's. He let out an involuntary gasp. Changmin's eyes were like bottomless depths of black irises and they bored into him, speaking of magnanimous sorrow. Although eyes were often said to be the windows of the soul, Yunho knew Changmin considered that blatant display of emotions to be a weakness. Tears welled up in Yunho's eyes at that thought and Yunho's heart instantly felt like it weighed like a ton of rocks. Changmin had failed to hide his weakness. That alone spoke of how much Yunho's decision was affecting him so. The tears were held back as he looked at Changmin, both knowing the only conclusion that could come out of this conversation.

"You're leaving." Yunho uttered.

It was not a question, but rather a statement that came as no surprise to both Yunho and Changmin. Both knew their decisions before the management did. It was an unspoken agreement between them that all major issues were to be addressed with each other first before any rash decisions were made. They did not wish for a repeat of the lawsuit case with both JYJ and them being hurt needlessly over years of misunderstandings. Thus, the present conversation was no surprise to them either. They knew it would come down to this. Both were aware they were extremely stubborn in their own ways and would not waver in their decisions made. Still, they had delayed the conversation in hope of one party backing down, not wanting to accept their inevitable fate though they knew time was running out fast.

"You're not answering my question." Changmin replied, breaking the silence that had suddenly enveloped around the pair.

Yunho merely shook his head. Closing his eyes, Changmin sighed as he let the lone tear drop sidle down his cheek and stream down his face. The game of pretence was over. Their time was up. Tomorrow was the day they had to announce their decisions and both knew the decisions they had made would not come to a good end. They knew the consequences. They knew the fate of Dong Bang Shin Ki even if neither wanted to say a word.

"I'm sorry," Yunho apologised, bowing to his maknae, "but we both knew we were going to come down to this, Changmin ah."

Changmin pursed his lips tight. His eyes were still closed but he knew just from the brief air that rushed past him that Yunho had bowed. Judging from Yunho's personality, Changmin knew before he saw that it was a 90 degrees bow, and indeed, he was right. Still remaining silent, Changmin stared at the bowed man before him, his mind unable to generate a response for once. 

"Why?"

He asked once more although he did not expect the bowed man to answer him. They had lived together for many years and Yunho knew about his quirks and habits as much as Changmin knew his. If Yunho did not answer the question the first time, he was not going to answer it no matter how many times you questioned him. Changmin knew that. Still, he felt he had to ask. For the sake of himself, for the sake of their names, he simply had to.

The silence cut as deep as the betrayal and Changmin once again closed his eyes. Logically speaking, he knew it was ridiculous for him to expect Yunho to answer. He knew Yunho inside out. He knew silence was Yunho's way of saying that he either refused or did not know how to answer to the question he posed. He knew all of that, yet some part of him was still hoping, still expecting an answer from the man before him. Changmin laughed. It seemed like even the most rational succumb to impulses after all. He knew it was a foolish move on his part but the hope in him was tempting and he had followed its will, following the path to disappointment and hurt.

"Is it so difficult to give me an answer?" Changmin questioned. 

The air was stale as Changmin's voice died. Once again, silence had greeted him as Yunho remained bowed before him. This time, however, Changmin had anticipated the wave of hurt that coursed through him and he relished in it, squelching the last bits of hope left in his heart and locking it away, leaving it free from anybody's grasp.

"I understand."

Changmin uttered as he turned away, slamming the door behind him as he cast a last look at his bowed hyung. Taking in a deep breath, he composed himself as he walked out of the apartment, a horde of crazy fan girls greeting him at once. Changmin smiled. Their screams were high pitched and piercing but they were still nothing compared to the deafening silence he was faced with from before. For once, silence had overwhelmed noise and Changmin could not help but laugh at the irony of it all.