Jinki remain frozen on his seat, his heart beating fast from the letter he just read. The words that written on it sinked on his mind and he suddenly realized the reality that the one he cherished for the past months had left his side. His heart felt like it was stabbed, broke into a million pieces and pounded until it was dust. And the reality hit him hard.

Kibum left him.

He left thinking that he was a burden. What had gotten into him and did this to Kibum? How could he call Kibum a disturbance? Why did he even distanced himself? Questions like these filled his mind. And at this point, he could only cry as the regret of his mistake begins eat him up inside. He doesn't deserve Kibum. And Jinki himself admits that he is a lot worse than Jonghyun.

He was sure about one thing though. That he wouldn't survive a life without Kim Kibum.

 

For what seemed about hours, he remained at the same spot since morning, his hangover long forgotten. He didn't have the strength to move and the plate of breakfast Kibum made for him left untouched. If only Kibum knows what the meaning behind the words he said truly meant.

His words from last night came back haunting him. He remembers everything, crystal clear. He remembered how sad Kibum looked as he said those hurtful words. If he could only bring travel back to last night, he wouldn't hesitate to give himself a slap or a good punch in the face.

"I told you to leave me alone. Why don't you go back to your family? Why do you have to distract me? Why do you keep on messing with my mind? This is the last time I'll say this, leave me alone."

Kibum's a distraction. But he wasn't a bad distraction. He would make Jinki's heart race without doing anything. He would take Jinki's mind off of things that stressed him. He would place a smile on the older's face during his bad days. He was that kind of distraction. And Jinki never meant to say those words to hurt Kibum. He was the distraction Jinki needed in his life. The distraction that gave him happiness he's been looking for all this time.

Kibum messes up his mind. He would run in the older's mind all day long, 7 days a week. There isn't a day where Jinki wouldn't think about Kibum. He would think about his smile, his laugh, the faint blush on his cheeks whenever Jinki and surprisingly, the Kibum who nags when he makes mistakes. And he liked how Kibum invade his mind. It makes him smile and go through his rough days.

That's how Kibum affects Jinki's life. He changed him for the better. Jinki couldn't even imagine a life without meeting Kibum. And he choked on his sobs, thinking that Kibum isn't gonna be by his side anymore.

Life must be ing with him.

"I miss you, Kibum.... come back." He whispers to the thin air, silently wishing Kibum would hear.
 

On the other side of town, a tear-streaked Kibum softly knocked in his home's oak door. Strength left his body as he slumped down on the porch, thinking of what had happened within the last few hours. Jinki had finally asked him to leave. Jinki finally told Kibum what he was thinking about the younger all this time. He knows everything was too good to be true. He was just a pity case after all.

He had left Jinki. And he will start a new, once again.

From all the crying he had done last night, it surprised him that he still had tears to shed. Kibum suddenly jerked as the door was yanked open. Minho must've heard someone crying outside and saw Kibum on the floor, looking frail and weak.

He took his hyung in his arms without hesitation, rubbing his back in circles. He doesn't like it when his hyung cry. They may not be brothers by blood. But the bond they had created through the years they had been together makes him want to protect the other even if he was the younger one.

He knows only one person could hurt his hyung like this. It has to be Lee Jinki. He knows everything without Kibum telling him. He knows his hyung loved Jinki and Jinki loves his hyung. They are just so dense and afraid to admit their own feelings. But what he didn't understand was what did Jinki do to hurt Kibum like this?

"Minho, who's outside at th— Kibum? What happened?" Their umma ushered them inside, guiding them to the living room. "It's still early. You must've waited in the cold."

"I'm back, u-umma." Kibum said, tears streaming down his face.

"Welcome back, Bummie." Their umma wiped his tears and said, "But why aren't you happy?"

"I am, umma. I am." He replied, but both Minho and their umma knows he's just trying to convince himself. "These are tears of joy."

"Why don't you go up your room? Minho will take care of your suitcase and I'll make you tea to warm you up."

"Thank you, umma."

"No problem, dear. Now go on. We don't want you to get sick. Change your clothes, ne?"

"Ne, umma." And with that, he left his umma and Minho and walked his way upstairs.

Surely, his umma had her own suspicions. But he could just deal with everything later. Right now, he just wants to sleep and forget everything. It may be difficult, but he'll surely find a way.
 

Downstairs, his umma and Minho had their own conversation. "Minho-yah, did you know anything?"

Minho shook his head no. "I just heard someone outside when I just went downstairs to drink some water. Then I saw him crying outside."

"Something's not right. Something must've happened."

Another presence entered the room. "What happened?"

"Kibum's back, Yeobo."

"That's great." Kibum's father smiled at the news. "But what's with these sad faces?"

"He's back. But he's crying when I opened the door, Appa."

"Oh." It was the only thing his father could say.

"Ssh. Give him time. I'm sure he'll open up sooner or later." Their umma said, finishing up the tea she made. "Minho, take his bag upstairs. I'll be taking his tea up later."

As Minho went to take his hyung's suitcase, he thought of some ways to contact Lee Jinki. He couldn't just barge in his office unannounced because that was just a rude thing to do. He walked up the stairs towards Kibum's room. It's been awhile since someone had used it. But it was kept clean and arranged all the time, knowing that Kibum will be back. And he did.

Muffled sobs was what welcomed him as he opened the door. He sees Kibum lying in his bed, back facing the door and obviously using a pillow to tone down his sobs. His heart broke at the older's condition. He put down the suitcase just beside the closet and walked towards the bed. He pulled the covers and laid down beside his hyung, hugging him to at least let him know that he was always here for him.

Kibum began to cry more and Minho comforts him silently. And what Kibum said made his heart break a little more.

"Take the pain away, Minho.....Please.. Take it away..." He begged.

"Sshh.. Don't cry, hyung.."

"You know what hurts the most, Minho?" Kibum asked, but left Minho no time to reply. "It's the fact that I miss him so much."