Taehyun slipped out of the apartment as quiet as he could without waking Mino who was sleeping on the couch. His heart felt like stone in his chest seeing his boyfriend there and not next to him on the bed. They had the worst fight of their relationship the previous night and Taehyun didn’t know how to face the boy when he woke up.

He decided to take the train to Incheon instead of his bike, seeing as he was not in the right mood to drive. Donghyun was leaving again for boarding school today and he wanted to see him off at the airport. It was only a few more months before Donghyun’s finals, then he can join school here in Incheon. Taehyun had made sure of that.

His mother and grandma had thrown a party for Donghyun, although it was difficult to say it was actually a party when it was only their family. It was glaringly obvious that Donghyun had no one to invite, no friends to send him off. Their mother seemed to be trying really hard to make it fun though, bringing out a horde of board games. Taehyun found himself drifting off instead of engaging with his family.

“Mino... babe?”

“Huh?” Mino turned to look at him with confusion in his eyes, then carefully morphing his face into a smile. “Sorry,” he said scratching the back of his neck. “I was thinking about something else.”

Taehyun couldn’t understand how Mino could be lost daydreaming when he was right there, on his lap with his lips on Mino’s bared chest. He slowly lowered his boyfriend’s shirt to cover his torso, grabbed hold of his handsome face and forced him to look into his eyes. “What about?” he tried to ask as nonchalant as possible, a nervous smile on his lips.

“Um… oh, tell you what, I completely forgot what I was thinking about,” Minho replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Taehyun wanted to pry some more but decided he probably deserved some of the coldness Mino had been showing him, so he decided to let it go.

His mother brought out glass flutes and champagne after a few rounds of Pictionary was over. “So, I have exciting news to share,” she said, happily popping the champagne and pouring them out, with apple juice for Donghyun who made a terrible face and tried to steal a sip from Taehyun’s glass. “I didn’t want to mention this earlier, because there were no real developments yet. But now it’s been done.”

“Will you please get to the point?” Taehyun sighed, the smell of the drinks reminding him of another terrible moment a few days back. He had to remember not to hold too tight on the glass less he shatters it.

He left Mino at the bar to nurse his drink while he relieved himself in the bathroom. Their reserved table was not ready yet so they had to wait for a bit. Mino had not come back to the apartment ever since he left that day, with Taehyun being the one spending most of his time at Mino’s dorm refusing to leave Mino’s side unless absolutely necessary. Tonight he thought he could tempt Mino back. As much as Taehyun liked Mino’s friends, he wanted to have time alone with his boyfriend, which was impossible due to the fact that their dorm room was always filled with people, people whom Mino liked to spend time with. It had never been a problem before, because, in a room full of people, Taehyun could always tell Mino’s focus was on him. But not anymore, it seemed like Mino was doing everything he could to avoid emotional intimacy, and allowed other people to take his attention away, away from Taehyun. Taehyun could not stand for that, hence the reservation in a fancy restaurant that offered privacy.

He came back to the bar to find another man chatting up Mino, his Mino. He could tell from the way the man leaned into Mino’s personal space that the man was attracted to his boyfriend, and why wouldn’t he be. Mino looked absolutely delicious tonight, wearing a beautifully tailored blazer that hugged him in all the right places, and soft gold-rimmed glasses that made him look so hot Taehyun didn’t know what to do with himself.

He approached the bar and heard Mino’s boisterous laughter at whatever the man was saying. Heat flashed across his temple making him burn with a fit of jealousy the likes of which he had never experienced before. He wanted to tear the unknown man from limb to limb and force him to watch as he devoured Mino’s mouth claiming him. He clenched his fists to restrain himself and between the two bar stools, coughing loudly to make his displeasure known.

“Oh, hey. Taehyun, this is Dindin,” Mino introduced him to the other guy.

“Do we know you?” he didn’t even want to spare a glance at the man.

“Oh no, I was just keeping your friend company while he waited,” Dindin replied and Taehyun knew he was trying to gauge what their relationship was. Mino simply looked between the two of them with a look of complete innocence, not even bothering to correct the man’s obvious mistake. Taehyun could feel his fingernails digging into his skin as he tried to maintain composure. Now he felt like he just wanted to scream.

“He does not need the company of an , thank you very much. He has me to keep him company, in and out of bed,” he gritted out the words, looking down on the guy through his lashes.

“Hey, I am not…” the man protested when Mino joined in.

“Taehyun, why are you…”

“Oh please, spare me,” Taehyun chuckled darkly, interrupting both their speech. He slipped his hand inside his pocket, finally able to unclench his fist as he acted nonchalant, posturing for the unwanted man. “I know your type and he is not interested so scram,” he tilted a haughty chin at the guy.

“I have never been so insulted in my life,” the guy huffed and took his drink, getting up to leave.

“Then you have not met the right people yet,” Taehyun couldn’t help add to his retreating back. Once the guy was gone, Taehyun finally let out a shaky breath and took the vacated seat. He had resorted back to being the obnoxious prat he had been before he met Mino, and he was not happy with himself.

“That was very rude of you,” Mino spoke, disapproval hanging from every word.

Taehyun flared up again at the tone. If Mino had corrected the guy in the first place he wouldn’t have acted that way. It was Mino’s fault for bringing out the worst in Taehyun. The past few days had left Taehyun feeling all kinds of emotions he never knew he could possess. Couldn’t Mino tell he didn’t like being this way either? “Oh come on, you can so tell from the way he dressed that he was a high-class hooker looking to score,” he snapped.

“You don’t know that,” Mino shook his head in disappointment. Taehyun was properly miffed now.

“Why didn’t you tell him you were here on a date, huh?”

“I don’t need to announce my business to anyone.”

“Yes, you do when someone is obviously hitting on you.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I? Do you even want to be here?”

“I told you I didn’t feel like going out.”

“So is this punishment then? Flirting with someone blatantly to piss me off when I am trying my best to...” what exactly was he doing? Trying to repair their tattered relationship? Was there anything to repair? He was all out of sorts these days and he hates it.

“It's not like that.”

“Whatever. Let’s leave then. I have lost my appetite.”

“Didn’t you pay for the reservation?”

“I don’t care,” Taehyun almost screamed out loud in frustration as he dropped a couple of bills on the counter for their drinks as he stood to leave. Mino came running after him, grabbing him by the wrist when they reached the pavement outside.

“Come on. I’m sorry, okay. Let’s just go back inside.”

“Don’t…” there was a prickle in his eyes, and he quickly blinked it away. He hated it when Mino apologised, especially when it was obvious he was apologising for the sake of it. It made him feel like a petulant child that needed to be mollified with sweetened lies. He raised his arm to hail a cab while Mino held onto his other arm. “Just… don’t apologise and come back with me. Please?”

Mino hesitated before he replied. Taehyun could feel the beginning of a refusal at the tip of Mino’s tongue and he couldn’t allow that to happen. “Please. I need you.” He knew he was whining now. He would hate himself for this afterwards but right now he needed Mino’s warmth to envelope him whole.

Mino nodded in reply just as a cab slid into the curb. He got in pulling his boyfriend along. Mino did not once question him about his erratic behaviour.

"... so we will be moving there permanently. Well not permanently but at least during the initial phases, which will probably take a few years."

"What did you say?" Taehyun asked hoping he had heard his mother wrong. But no, his wish was dashed a second later with Donghyun shouting-

"We're moving to New York."

Taehyun felt like he had just been doused with ice water. His family must have sensed the lack of reaction because they were all looking at him curiously, waiting for him to say something.

"I mean..." Donghyun mumbled, looking like a puppy who had just been scolded, "Mom's planning to move to New York because of the company and she said I can go with you all in the next school year."

The awkwardness in Donghyun's voice brought back Taehyun's senses. He looked at his brother and felt awful that he was nervous around his own family members. This was what he was trying to rectify by them being together. It seemed his mother, the clever-clever woman, had similar thoughts but in an entirely different manner which was most perfect for her situation.

"When did you plan this?"

"You know our plans for foreign expansion had been going on for years."

"You have never mentioned America before."

"And now I have."

"Did you plan your American expansion just so you can get me to do your bidding?" Taehyun narrowed his eyes at his mother, knowing she was capable of doing just that and much more.

"Isn't it the best for all of us? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"What I wanted us to be together."

"And we will be," she smiled. "Except we will be together in a different country. Donghyun is excited, aren't you," she took Donghyun's hand and squeezed him playfully, bringing out the most wonderful smile from Donghyun. All Donghyun ever wanted, as long as Taehyun could remember, was attention. It was difficult with a single parent who was always working, a forgetful grandmother and an older brother going through puberty. Taehyun gave him the best he could, knowing sweet, shy Donghyun would thrive so well in an environment where he was loved and appreciated. Then his mother sent him away to boarding school. Taehyun's heart swelled at the sight in front of him, even though his mother was perfectly devious with her planning, if Donghyun was going to smile like that then...

"And how exactly have you planned the move?" he asked through gritted teeth, trying his best to maintain his composure. Mino... what would he tell Mino?

"You and Donghyun will be there on student Visas, I will be there on work Visa and grandma, grandma, of course, can easily get a work Visa. I have already spoken to the offices in charge and my company and they assured me it will not be a problem. The whole process won't even take half a year, just in time for you to join Yale. You know Yale is only 2 hours away from Brooklyn where we will be based, just like Incheon and Seoul."

Taehyun wanted to scream at his mother in frustration. It seemed she had planned everything, giving Taehyun no room for contention. "Congratulations, mother. You win," he said and slowly rose from the dining table, needing some time alone.

"This is not a game, there is no winning," she called out after him.

Taehyun barely had time to process the information when there was a knock on the door, Donghyun asking if he could come in. Taehyun hastily slapped himself awake to show a better face to his brother. He had been so absorbed in his own misery he forgot Donghyun was leaving.

"Hey," he greeted brightly, putting on a smiling face for his brother.

"You know I'm not that excited about America right," Donghyun blurted out as soon as he entered. "I mean... I can't even speak English properly and people will probably make fun of me and..."

"It's alright," Taehyun said patting the bed asking Donghyun to sit next to him. "It's okay to be excited."

"But you're not."

"Not exactly," Taehyun confessed.

"Is it because of Mino hyung?"

"Yeah," Taehyun sighed, burying his face in his hands, unable to keep up pretenses anymore.

"I don't know what it would feel like to leave someone you like but... I do know how it felt like to be away from you and mom and grandma, and it ."

Taehyun couldn't help feeling bad for his brother all over again. He wasn't good at comforting him, he made a terrible big brother, he knew. He awkwardly petted him on the head, running his fingers in his hair in what he assumed would be appropriately comforting from an arm's length as tears threatened to fill his eyes. He knew he couldn't allow Donghyun to feel alone anymore.

"You're ruining my hairstyle," Donghyun complained, earning a chuckle from Taehyun who messed up the hair even more.

"What do you know about hairstyles," he teased, willing back the tears.

.

.

.

Taehyun had no idea how he ended up here, in front of Seunghoon’s dorm room. He knew he had taken Donghyun to the airport, hugged him goodbye promising him everything will be alright. He knew he had every intention of going straight back to his apartment, hoping to see Mino waiting for him so they could discuss the news he just heard. But here he was, waiting in front of the door of a person who didn’t even like him. He didn’t even know what he wanted to say to the guy.

He was about to turn to leave, having second thoughts when the door opened, revealing an annoyed looking Seunghoon. Taehyun pushed past him to enter the room, not waiting for an invitation.

“Well hello to you too,” Seunghoon’s usual sarcastic voice.

That set off Taehyun. “You made it seem like Mino would be hurt if I left. But did you know he is the one literally begging me to go? No matter how many times I told him I didn’t want to. It makes me feel as if he is trying to get rid of me.”

“No,” Seunghoon groaned, rubbing his forehead. “No no. I do not have time for this.”

“You make time,” Taehyun was close to yelling. He needed someone to talk to. Seunghoon would be the only one who would be frank with him, if only for the pleasure of annoying the out of him. “Has Mino said anything about me? About us? Because I am way out of depth here. I have tried everything. I have tried patience, I have tried being nice, and not so nice, I have tried every seduction in the book…”

“I do not need to hear about that,” Seunghoon cut off his rant, slumping onto a chair. “Will you please stop your pacing, you’re making me dizzy.”

Taehyun stopped in his tracks, not even realising that he had been pacing. “He is being so distant and I don’t know what to do. He couldn’t even…” Taehyun choked out a sob, remembering the previous night. He couldn’t tell the details to Seunghoon so he checked himself.

Mino was finally back in the apartment, sharing a bed with Taehyun again. He thought having Mino’s presence would lessen the distance he felt had been forming between them, to no such luck. It seemed like even with their bodies pressed together skin to skin, there seemed to be a chasm separating them. Taehyun wondered if it was all in his head. He had tried talking to Mino about it, but either the older boy avoided the questions, or the uncomfortable subject of Taehyun and his future would come up, and the both of them would resort to silence.

Taehyun took a peek at his boyfriend’s face, who was engrossed with the television. They were seated on the couch, with Taehyun’s legs on top of Mino’s lap and his arms around his torso, Mino’s arm was slung comfortably around Taehyun’s neck. They gave off a picture of comfortable domesticity, the kind Taehyun craved for but this time he needed more. He extricated himself from Mino and got down on his knees on the floor, between Mino’s legs.

“What are you doing?” Mino asked distractedly.

Without verbalising an answer, Taehyun moved instead, rubbing his palm on Mino’s clothed member. Mino groaned, finally giving attention to Taehyun. “Babe, I’m not really in the mood.”

Taehyun decided Mino can’t not be in the mood, he just wasn’t being seductive enough. Amidst Mino’s quiet protest, he pushed his hand inside the waistband of the sweats and fondled Mino's member, willing it to come to life.

“Taehyun… what if Bobby…” Mino continued to protest.

“He told me he's spending the night out,” Taehyun said, creeping closer to Mino’s crotch as he pulled the member out of its confines. He gave a few pulls and proceeded to engulf it with his mouth.

He must have been at it for a few minutes, but there was no change in Mino. No excitement at Taehyun’s expert ministrations. Taehyun pulled away and looked at Mino, hurt and embarrassed.

“I told you, I’m not in the mood,” was Mino’s nonchalant reply.

“You are always in the mood,” Taehyun screamed, embarrassment leading to anger. “Don’t you even find me attractive anymore?”

“Of course I find you attractive,” Mino said, hastily tucking himself back in as he tried to move closer to Taehyun. “You are the most beautiful person I have ever laid eyes on.”

The words did nothing to appease Taehyun when it would have melted him to a puddle of goo before. “Don’t touch me!” Taehyun pushed Mino away from him, unable to make sense of what was happening. They had been fine before, they had glorious make-up when Taehyun almost broke down Mino’s door. They had slept together after the restaurant debacle too, so what changed?

“Taehyun, I’m just tired.”

“Tired? What did you even do to get you tired? You have even fewer classes than me,” he accused, not believing Mino’s excuse.

“I haven’t been…” Mino paused. It seemed like the words were difficult to say. “I haven’t been sleeping well.”

The confession jolted Taehyun’s conscious, knowing at once what Mino was alluding to. “When are you going to get over it, Mino? It’s been weeks!”

“Oh forgive me if I cannot get over the fact that my boyfriend simply wanted to have a fling and throw me to the curb once the year was up.”

“How was I supposed to know I was going to fall for you. And didn’t I try making up for it?”

“Yeah, you did, by keeping it a secret from me.”

“And if I told you won’t you have this same exact reaction?” What’s the difference, Mino? Aren’t you just waiting for an excuse to break up with me, to be rid of me? You can’t even get it up for me anymore.”

“One time. It’s one time and I really am not in the mood. That was basically ual assault what you did just now.”

“Right, so now I’m a as well as nasty and a liar. I get it. Why don’t you just break up with me then, if I am such a blight on society.”

“Stop with the pity party.”

The fight went on and on until they screamed themselves hoarse. Until they said things they should not say and until they were drained of all energy. Taehyun locked himself in his room and forbade Mino from entering, basically ordering him to leave. However, he felt warm in the chest when he heard Mino settling to sleep on the couch. He really didn’t want Mino to leave. He knew if he left, he wouldn’t come back. Taehyun’s violent tantrum would not be enough this time.

“Is there a reason why you’re here wearing my floorboards thin? Or did you come just to rant at me?”

Taehyun realised he had been pacing again, thinking back on the night before. “I just… I don’t know what to do.”

“Why don’t you talk to Mino? Remember him, your boyfriend?”

“I really do not need your sarcasm right now,” Taehyun snapped and quickly apologised the next second, before Seunghoon throws him out of his room. “We haven’t been able to communicate the past few days,” he confessed.

Only a hum of acknowledgment could be heard from Seunghoon. Taehyun started pacing again, agitated all over again realising he needed to share his news with someone. “I told him it wasn't his fault I was staying. I told him it was my decision. I thought that would be the last of it but he is still pushing me away. And today, my mother took away my other reasons for staying.” he turned to Seunghoon, begging him to tell him what to do.

“What do you mean took away?”

“She decided to move to America, with my brother.”

“Oh.”

“And she decided to tell me today. Why couldn’t she have told me two weeks back? Before I made all those promises to Mino?”

“And if she told you earlier, would that have made a difference?”

Taehyun thought about it and realised that no, it didn’t make a difference because it didn’t change anything. Although he probably would be lying to Mino telling him he wasn't the only reason he was staying. But was he staying? Does it even make sense for him to stay when Mino wouldn’t even look him the same way anymore? Taehyun shook his head.

“So you’re telling me, that if you don’t go, it will be because of Mino.”

“No, it will be because I don’t want to go,” Taehyun was adamant. It was still his decision to make after all.

“Of course Mino would have no doubt he is the one keeping you.”

“But I don’t want him to think like that? Can you imagine me being away from Mino? It’s me, my own inability to stay away.”

“Yeah, you did go bat crazy with just 7 days of no contact,” Seunghoon supplied unhelpfully. Taehyun wanted to protest but he couldn’t deny it. He harassed all of Mino’s friends for information, he almost arranged a stake-out outside Mino’s door. “Did you really feel no pain when you were punching the door?”

Taehyun looked at his knuckles that have healed quite well. “Not at first,” he said, remembering the pain that came afterward when he had settled down. “So now you know. I cannot bear to be apart from him.”

“Then tell him that.”

“It wouldn’t make a difference. He would tell me to go. Does he really want me to leave?”

“How will I know?”

“You’re his best friend. Talk to him,” he cried out loud, pleading.

“All I know is that he doesn’t want to be the one keeping you here. It’s too much pressure.”

“So he doesn’t trust our relationship.”

“Taehyun, you’ve known each other only for a few months.”

“I love him. Isn’t that enough? I don’t need us to be together for years to know I am in love with him,” he slumped down on the nearest chair, burying his face in his hands. “I guess he doesn’t have that assurance.”

“What exactly are you scared of? If you leave it doesn’t mean you’re breaking up. If you love each other you can make the distance work.”

“What if the distance breaks us apart. And what if he finds somebody else better than me? He is it for me, don’t you understand? But I know he can do better, and he will find better.”

“What makes you think you can decide that for him?”

“Are you even his friend?” Taehyun asked, incredulous. How can Seunghoon not know how incredibly lovely Mino is, how insanely attractive, and good, and kind... he could make anyone feel comfortable in his presence, and there would be countless others waiting to take Taehyun’s place once he was gone. “A person like Mino deserves so much better than me. I am too selfish to let him go. But if I am gone, he will soon find out how incredibly lacking I was, and there wouldn’t be a place for me to come home to anymore. Don’t you understand? If you could only see him through my eyes, you would know.”

“I’d never peg you for someone with insecurities,” Seunghoon said finally, after a long uncomfortable silence. “I guess it made sense now. You wore your arrogance like a shield, hiding your insecurity inside.”

“I did not come here for psycho-analysis.”

“I don’t know what you want from me, Taehyun. If you want me to tell you if Mino loves you, I can say yes without a hint of doubt. How that love manifests, whether selfish or selfless, that is up to him and I wouldn’t even know how to speak for him even if I wanted to.”

“So he still loves me?”

“How could you even doubt that?”

Taehyun flared up again. “You have no idea what this past week has been like.”

“He has not confided in me.” Seunghoon remained adamant. “Come on, I will take you home. Then you can talk to Mino and clear the air.”

“I can’t. Not yet.”

“The sooner you clear things, the better.”

“But it will ruin everything, don’t you see? We have a whole semester left. If Mino thinks I don’t have to go, we can have a few months of peace and…”

“Don’t even finish that sentence. Don’t you know that is what got you into this mess the first place? You dated him selfishly knowing you had to leave. Then you kept it a secret from him until he found out through the worst way possible. And now you’re planning to keep the same secret from him again?”

“I just… he’ll break up with me. I know it. So what’s the harm if I postpone the breakup for a few months?”

“Do you not trust him at all?”

“I have little trust in myself.”

“Don’t even think of going through with it. Because if I hear you didn’t tell him today, I will tell him myself.”

Taehyun hung his head in defeat, knowing Seunghoon was right.

.

.

.

 

“So you decided then. You’re going?” Mino asked, taking Taehyun’s hand to place it on his own hip, asking for more closeness after Taehyun relayed everything to him, what had transpired at his house.

“I feel like that’s the right thing to do,” Taehyun replied, placing his other hand on Mino’s waist and hugging him closer, his heart thumping against his ribcage like it’s trying to escape, like its getting too big to be constrained.

“I’m happy for you,” Mino whispered, cradling Taehyun’s head against his and closing the distance between them so fully Taehyun couldn’t tell where his body ended and Mino’s began. “I think you made the right decision. Though I will miss you terribly and will probably call you all the time disturbing you at ungodly hours, and I will be right here, if you still want me, waiting to hold you again like this when you come back.”

“So you’re not breaking up with me?” Taehyun hated the painful bloom of hope springing in his chest, and how pathetic he sounded.

“Babe, did you think so little of me? Of my love for you?” Mino pulled back so he could look at Taehyun’s face.

“You couldn’t get it up for me anymore,” there were fresh tears threatening to fall as he remembered the previous night.

“I am going to pay a long time for that, aren’t I? Mino chuckled.

“It’s not funny. Did you know how utterly…”

Mino shushed him with a finger and held him close again. This time he pressed his hand at Taehyun’s , pressing their crotch together. Taehyun could feel Mino’s pressing against him.

Oh. 

Ohhhh.

“This doesn’t mean…”

“Babe, I love you, and I have never been attracted to anyone else, only you. You knew that. I should be hurt that you doubted that.”

“Your mind was always elsewhere,” Taehyun let out a sob, relief coursing through him. “I didn’t know what to think. I tried so hard.”

“I know. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know how to live with the fact that you were willing to give up your dreams for a chance at us. I was overwhelmed, nervous and so so scared that I will be a disappointment to you in the future. My mind had been running a thousand miles per minute ever since you told me you wanted to stay."

“You could never disappoint me. I don’t deserve you.”

“Even if I can’t get it up for you?” Mino now had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“If that happens again I will cut off your ,” Taehyun said, wrapping his palm around Mino’s giving it a squeeze.

“You wouldn’t. You love Iron Mino too much.”

“I knew it! I knew you named your . I take it back. I should be embarrassed to have you as a boyfriend.”

“Hey, take that back right now.”

“Make me,” Taehyun jutted his tongue out in a childish fashion. He pulled his hand free of Mino and proceeded to undress then and there, in the middle of the living room.

“Oh you bet your I will,” Mino growled, attacking his neck with fervour.

.

.

.

“So, this is it then,” Mino said, handing Taehyun his suitcase. The announcement for passengers to board came for the second time. Taehyun’s family had given them time to say goodbye, standing out of the way.

“What do you mean ‘this is it’. I am going to call you as soon as I land,” Taehyun nudged him on the ribs.

“Sorry, I am just… I’m not good at this.”

“I’ve never had to do this either,” Taehyun mumbled. He was going to miss Mino so much he felt like he was already suffering from withdrawal symptoms. “Would you hold it against me if I can’t take the distance and come back?”

Tell me not to go

“You will do great. And I will be with you every step of the way,” Mino said, reassuring him a smile but Taehyun could see his eyes were also turning red with unshed tears.

Tell me you want to stay.

“I know I’ve said this a million times, but I am going to miss you so much. I don’t know how I am going to survive.” Taehyun allowed the tears to fill his eyes. He couldn’t care less that they were in a busy airport with people milling about. He just couldn’t bring himself to say goodbye.

“And I am going to miss you just as much,” Mino said, bumping their foreheads together, holding him close.

“Taehyun… you have to go,” his mother called out.

Make me change my mind.

Don’t go.

“I love you, so so much,” Minho whispered next to Taehyun’s mouth and closed the distance between them, one last searing kiss that burns Taehyun’s eyes. He could feel both their tears mingling on their cheeks. They had to break away as soon as they started, they didn’t have time anymore. “Please don’t ever forget that I love you.”

“And I you,” Taehyun said, wiping the tear from Mino’s cheeks. “I am not going to say goodbye. I will say ‘See you again soon.’”

Minho laughed, choking on his tears. “Yes. See you in a bit,” he agreed.

I don’t want to leave.

I don’t want you to go.

Taehyun pulled at his luggage wheel and turned around to go, walking towards the boarding gates with his back straight and his head held high. He wouldn’t look back, he wouldn’t turn around and lose his determination unless…

Tell me to stay, and I will turn right back around.

There was no voice calling him to turn back.

The gates closed behind him.

*****

END

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

-ee s