To say the air was heavy would be an understatement.

"We can't be together," Baekhyun said bluntly. Although Chanyeol towered over Baekhyun, he'd never before felt smaller in his life. "I..." Baekhyun stuttered and gulped like they do in the movies. He felt like a rookie actor on the wrong set because none of this was according to the script. Nowhere in the script was Baekhyun supposed to break to pieces. Nowhere in the script was he supposed to cry until permanent salty streaks stained his cheeks, and nowhere was he supposed to stand here in front of Chanyeol, and tell him he didn't want to love him anymore. Tell him that he didn't love him anymore.

Well, looks like Baekhyun was going rogue now.

"I don't want to marry you," Baekhyun admitted. When he exhaled, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to inhale again. There were lots of sharp, tiny pins stabbing into his heart as the words left his lips. But what else could Baekhyun do? He knew he was making the right choice. He had to be.

"Oh.." Chanyeol spoke. There wasn't really anything he could say.

Before looking up to gauge Chanyeol's expression, Baekhyun blinked away the tears that started forming in his eyes. In Chanyeol's face, he saw his own tears glazing over Chanyeol's eyes, glistening in the light. Baekhyun wanted to run. Seeing as they were in Chanyeol's apartment, he technically could. He could run and run and run - run all the way home even. What's sixteen or so miles when all you want to do is get the out? As far as Baekhyun's concerned, he could run a full marathon. Twice. If it meant running away from all this, he'd do it.

"I understand," Chanyeol said quietly.

"You... do?" Baekhyun asked in shock.

"Mmm," Chanyeol hummed. "This is good. At least now I have an answer."

Baekhyun sighed and bit his lip, trying not to exaggerate the sound. This wasn't at all the kind of reaction Baekhyun was expecting to receive. Even though he knew better, Baekhyun asked another question. "What do you mean?"

"Even if I was blind, I could see that you've been avoiding me all week," Chanyeol calmly explained. Like a turtle, Baekhyun found himself shrinking into his shoulders in response to Chanyeol's words. He thought to apologize, but by no means was he sorry. He just kept quiet instead, clamping his mouth shut while Chanyeol continued speaking. "At least now..." Chanyeol began. "At least now I know. Because before, I was confused. I wasn't sure if you were still going to stay with me or if you were going to leave, but now.. Well.. now I know."

Instinctively, Baekhyun wanted to retract himself even more, hiding in his shell and never coming out. Since he wasn't really speaking, Chanyeol kept on. In all honesty, Chanyeol wasn't sure if he even had anything to say, but the silence settling on Baekhyun's tongue stung Chanyeol more than any words Baekhyun could shout. It made him uncomfortable. Words would at least dull the pain and take his mind off of the fact that Baekhyun wasn't going to change his mind.

"I thought maybe," Chanyeol began, but he choked on the words. He thought he could keep his composure, but it was a lot more difficult than he imagined. With a deep rumble, Chanyeol cleared his throat and pressed onward. "I thought that maybe you would come back," Chanyeol confessed. "That when you were done avoiding me, you'd come back. Because you always come  back," he said. "I gave you space because I thought if you cared, you'd close the distance. But you... didn't."

Baekhyun's lips remained sealed shut. As much as he wanted to blurt out, "I do care!" or "It's not like that!" the truth was, he didn't care. It was like that. "Chanyeol..." he whispered so low, it was barely audible - even to him. Chanyeol, what, Baekhyun?

"Is there any chance at all? That we could end up together I mean," Chanyeol desperately asked. He tried his best to ask casually, but in no context could he ever question something like that in a casual manner. But he attempted nonetheless. Lucky for him, Baekhyun was buried too far deep into his shell to notice. He took his dear, sweet time coming out, thinking about his answer the whole way there.

Baekhyun stared into blank space as he considered the response he would give.

Maybe in the future, things would be better... Baekhyun reasoned. I mean there's a reason we ended up together in the first place. No. Stop it Baekhyun. Things don't just get better magically over time. You should know better! Why else are we here right now? You gave it two years, Baekhyun. STOP. It's time to stop...

"No," Baekhyun answered curtly. Less is more, he decided. If he tried to explain anything, he'd probably end up talking in circles or saying things he didn't mean, and he was damn tired of saying things he didn't mean.

"Okay, well, if you change your mind," Chanyeol stuttered.

"No, Chanyeol," Baekhyun refuted. "I'm not going to change my mind."

"But if you do -"

"No! I won't!"

"I'm just saying -" 

"Stop! Chanyeol, stop!" Baekhyun pleaded. Heat burned all over his face, and he felt it spreading throughout his body. It was a dangerous mix of pain and anger, and Baekhyun hoped Chanyeol would quit while he's ahead because no way in hell will he stay ahead for much longer. "It's over," Baekhyun muttered.

"So... You're breaking up with me?" Chanyeol stated more so than asked. 

"Yes," Baekhyun confirmed.

"Can we... still talk? And be friends?" Chanyeol offered with a strong hope that Baekhyun would accept.

"I-I don't know."

"Please?"

A moment of silence ensued, and Baekhyun found himself wrestling with the thought in his head. He breathed a small 'I guess' under his breath, almost in defeat. Being friends couldn't hurt, right?

"Thank you," Chanyeol said gratefully. "It'll be okay, Baek. So.. We're not getting married anymore," he stated. "Wow, that sounds weird to say.."

Baekhyun continued to stare into space. The expression he wore was not dissimilar to that of a deer in the headlights, though perhaps it was a bit mellowed by the realization that he and Chanyeol were no longer getting married. This is what I wanted, right? Baekhyun asked himself.

It was.

But Baekhyun felt something tugging in his heart. Something didn't feel right. Wasn't he supposed to feel relieved? Was he supposed to break down and cry? Though Baekhyun's been doing that so much recently, he'd really rather not. It's not like Baekhyun knew. He'd really only ever gone through one break up before. It was years ago - around the time he met Chanyeol actually. He and his ex-boyfriend Yixing had simply grown apart, distance driving a wedge between them to the point where they just mutually agreed to break up. Yixing's job led him to a different city, and long-distance was just too difficult for them to manage. Even though it was a neighboring city, Baekhyun didn't have a car to go visit, and Yixing always claimed he was too busy to make the drive. In the end, breaking up just seemed best. It was almost a formality, done so that no one would end up broken-hearted. Or too broken-hearted anyway. Chanyeol was the one who helped Baekhyun get over Yixing rather quickly.

That was a different kind of break up though, and Baekhyun knew that. There was no mistaking it. In this moment, Baekhyun felt unsettled - like all his emotions were floating around in the emptiness of his chest with nowhere to anchor. His heart was only accommodating enough for so many feelings and Baekhyun felt confused about which ones to dock. For now, Baekhyun let it be. Never mind the overwhelming urge to throw up from the anxiety. The fact that he and Chanyeol were officially broken up was the only thing that mattered. Whatever Baekhyun was going through now would ultimately pass.

Somehow.