"Have you ever wondered which hurts the most?" Kyuhyun asked the shorter, older guy beside him. Kyuhyun was very handsome. He prepared well for that day. He even bought a new pair of denim pants and an expensive light blue polo shirt which complemented his soft features and pale complexion.

The man beside him looked at him in utter silence. He gave him a sad gaze, an apologetic expression that was saying he couldn't do anything about it and as much as he didn’t want to hurt him, he didn't want to give him false hope. It was something that must be done inevitably.

‘There was somebody else…’

The words were enough to make Kyuhyun laugh nervously and look at him, faking a smile that was pretty obvious a bitter smile.

"What?" Jongwoon finally asked when he figured out Kyuhyun must be waiting for him to answer.

He looked away and replied. "I don't know, too," he said honestly. "Maybe it is between saying nothing and wishing you had," Kyuhyun continued, facing him now and studying his expression, "and saying something and wishing you never had."

Jongwoon felt guilty. Thirty minutes ago, everything was fine. He was with him because he said there was something important he must tell him. He hurriedly changed into his usual everyday attire which consisted of faded denim jeans and an old red shirt. He never noticed Kyuhyun was remarkably dressed and has even bought new clothes. Maybe, he was just looking but not really seeing.

"But I'm really glad I was able to say it," Kyuhyun cheerfully added. "Loving someone is a good thing."

He couldn't even look at him. He knew he was hurting and it was because of him. All along the only thing he wished to do was to support his hyungs and protect his dongsaengs. But at that time, he was hurting him and it was more painful than any wound he received before. Kyuhyun was his dongsaeng.

He was aware that the pain he'll left him will be there for a longer time, lingering and carving through the deepest angle of his heart that it wasn't him.

"I knew all along it was Ryeowook-hyung," Kyuhyun said, laughing.

"Ryeowook," Jongwoon whispered silently, unaware of the name that just escaped his mouth and how it doubled the pain in Kyuhyun's heart.

"The way you look at him and the way you say his name is enough yelling to the world how much you love him," Kyuhyun said, smiling yet those brown eyes that were staring at Jongwoon tells a different story, a very heartbreaking story.

Kyuhyun suddenly walked a bit closer to Jongwoon. Jongwoon acknowledged his presence and looked at him intently, still keeping the same expression he has when he finally told him how he feels for him. He, too, looked at Jongwoon, but with a different expression from his. He was smiling and even though his eyes has the same broken expression like it has just a few moments ago, there was something more on it.

He was contented.

"Being able to say how I feel for you for all these years today is the most relieving thing I've ever done," Kyuhyun confessed.

People passing by and looking at them will surely mistake them for a happy couple, ready to linger in each other's arm which they believe they only belong to, standing close to each other, whispering something to each other's ears and basically neglecting the world around them because what matters most was the person beside them.

But it wasn't that. Kyuhyun looked at Jongwoon again, amber eyes meeting hazel eyes. "Everyone says that love hurts," he began. "But I don't think that's true. Loneliness hurts. Rejection hurts. People confused love with these things often."

Jongwoon looked at Kyuhyun, trying to figure out where he's getting him at. He took a couple of steps away from him, maintaining the same smile he has before. "The truth is love is the only thing in this world that covers up all pain."

"Good-bye, Jongwoon-hyung," the younger man finally said to the older before him as he slowly turned around and walked away from the love of his life, the only person he swore to love even in his next lifetimes, ten lifetimes, a hundred lifetimes; it didn’t matter for it was him.

Saying good-bye was never an easy thing to do, especially to people who you treasure, who you would do anything to protect and who you can even give up your whole life to support. But sometimes, it has to be done, not because you wanted to but because you have to. Kyuhyun's steps quickly grew larger as he went farther and farther away from Jongwoon. Warm tears were continuously flowing from his eyes and his whole body was shaking. He even doubted then if he'll ever be able to reach home without breaking down and falling on his knees.

* * * * *

"Kyuhyun?" a soft voice stopped him on his path as he turned around to see someone he was so familiar with. Rushing towards him was a petite man with light brown hair and brown doe-like orbs. He was holding a bag that says he just went to buy needles and threads though Kyuhyun has no idea what all those things were for. For all he knew, Sungmin was the one who should be walking around town with a bag of needles and threads.

"Kyu, what happened to you? Why are you crying?" Ryeowook worriedly asked him, reaching to hold both of his best friend's shoulders, when he caught up with him.

Kyuhyun thought first of just running away from Ryeowook. He couldn't face Ryeowook. He knew it wasn't his fault nor was anybody's that he was hurting that bad. But he, too, was just a normal human who fell in love with a person who has already somebody else, and apparently his best friend as well. Kyuhyun did, but only took several steps, a few meters away from Ryeowook. Then, he stopped.

Ryeowook was too surprised at how Kyuhyun reacted to his gestures that he wasn't able to run after him in an instant. Kyuhyun turned around and slowly walked towards Ryeowook. His right hand was covering his mouth so people won't hear how much he was sobbing though his shoulders were shaking, revealing differently what was happening to him.

"What happened, Kyu?" the shorter man asked again when Kyuhyun was just a few steps away from him, crying badly.

When he was just a few steps away from Ryeowook, Kyuhyun then remembered a few loose threads on the shirt Jongwoon was wearing when he meet with him thirty minutes ago. He noticed how the threads Ryeowook bought match the color of Jongwoon's shirt. He quickly closed the remaining distance between him and the older man as he hugged his best friend tightly.

"Hyung," Kyuhyun started but couldn't seem to find the right words to say. “Loving someone is a good thing.”

Finally, after hugging Ryeowook for quite a while, Kyuhyun turned around and began walking away from Ryeowook. Ryeowook was about to run after him but he figured out that maybe, Kyuhyun needed some time alone. He fought hard with his feet just trying to stand there, looking at Kyuhyun as he drifted farther and farther away from him.

Ryeowook just stood there, confused at how Kyuhyun was a few second ago with him. When he was about to walk again, Jongwoon suddenly showed up and was breathing heavily. "What are you doing here, Wookie?" he asked, panting.

Ryeowook almost jumped a mile away from the man who showed up. "Don't ever surprise me like that again, Jongwoonie-hyung!" he shrieked at him, instead of answering his question. He then noticed the shirt he was wearing and that triggered him to get pissed even more. "Why are you wearing that shirt? I told you I'll fix it, right? Why do you have to wear it with those unacceptable loose threads?"

The two continued bickering as they started walking home.

Not from afar was a handsome gentleman, wearing a light blue polo shirt, watching them. He couldn't help but smile, a smile that was telling, "I'm letting go now." Then, suddenly, unknowingly, a tear fell.

* * * * *

End

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