Like any other night, Taemin pulled the quilts up above his head, he felt the familiar wetness on his cheeks as his tears spilled down his face.

This time he cried harder than ever.

Two days-according to what his doctor said. Since “The tumor is getting bigger and bigger.”

Two more days left for him. In two days, he’d leave this planet, his heart will stop beating, loving.

In two more days he’ll not be able to see that handsome face, kiss those soft lips, be hugged by those strong, long arms.

His body will turn cold colder by not having him by his side.

He wept and cried, he felt petrified of what’s going to happen to him, he was afraid of death, and he was definitely sad, sorrowful even, he wanted to live his life. He wanted to go on adventures, dance in the dirt, swim in lakes, go on road trips, shower with the elephants and eventually fall in his lover’s arms at the end of the day. He was only seventeen, he didn’t want to leave just yet.

Yet in the same time, he couldn’t help but isolate himself from the rest of the world. From him. Yes he did want to spend time, his final minutes, with him. Go on dates, have fun, laugh, stay up all night, stuff his face with food, cuddle in front of the TV and watch a trashy movie. However, he couldn’t-he just couldn’t. He was afraid that if he looked at his face he might just spell everything out, tell him that he’ll be leaving, that their plans of the future are actually fake, that they wouldn’t be able to “Adopt a beautiful blonde baby girl”, raise her together and have a lovely family. So he would always make up excuses to avoid meeting his boyfriend, like telling him that he’s visiting his parents, or going to a doctor appointment or meeting a friend or studying for a test.

It hurt. A lot.

Wanting to spend your last few days with the love of your life but not wanting to in the same time, not because he didn’t like spending time with him anymore, but because he just loved him too much.

So Taemin cried.

He cried till his eyes hurt and swelled, till the moon turned dark and the sun rose up.

Till his alarm went off.

Taemin gets up and showers, he puts on his favorite shirt since he’ll be wearing it for the last time, dries his hair, checks another days on his calendar-one more day- and makes himself a breakfast. Probably his last breakfast.

When he was done eating, he washes the dishes and walks to the living room, but stops when he hears a knock on the door.

*

Minho runs his fingers through his brown hair.

He misses Taemin. It’s been exactly fifteen days since he saw the boy. He misses his soft, plump lips, his honey-like laugh, he misses wrapping his arms around the slender boy’s body, cuddling him in front of the TV and showering him with kisses.

Yet he doesn’t understand why Taemin keeps making up excuses whenever he asks him if he could hang out. It frustrated him.

He felt like Taemin didn’t want him anymore, like he’s tired of being with him. The boy barely even texts him, let alone call him.

He felt like he was the only one in that relationship, and he didn’t want that.

So he wakes up one morning, showers, dries up his hair, puts on some decent clothes and leaves his house.

He drives to Taemin’s apartment, without letting the boy know because he knows that if he told Taemin, the boy would tell him that he’s not home or something like that.

Minho leaves his car, goes to the elevator and presses floor number 3. Seconds later, the elevator doors open again and he walks out, to apartment 4D.

He knocks on the wooden door and waits. A minute later, the door opens and reveals a half shocked half nervous Taemin.

“Hey Taemin.” Minho speaks.

“Hi.” the boy replies softly. Oh how much he misses this voice.

He wanted to crush him in a hug, but he holds himself back.

“I came here to talk to you.”

“Yeah-I’m so sorry Minho-”

“Don’t, just let me,” Minho interjected before inhaling deeply “I think that this-us, it’s not working anymore. I feel like I’m in a one-sided relationship.”

“Minho, please no-”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t carry on with this.”

“I can explain, Minho listen to me, I beg you.” Taemin pleaded, eyes shimmering with tears.

“I don’t think there is anything to explain, Taemin.” Minho said. He wanted to reach out and brush those tears away, hug the boy and kiss his soft pink lips. But he couldn’t. He just turns away and walks towards the elevator again.

“Minho, please.” he heard a soft whisper. It broke his heart, wrecked his body, but he keeps himself from turning back around.

What’s done is done. What’s said is said.

It’s over.

Minho goes home that day, turns off his phone, turns off all the lights in his apartment and goes to bed.

He doesn’t leave his bed until the next morning, after crying his heart out; he felt remorseful although he knew that was probably the best thing to do. To both of them.

Minho gets up, showers, puts on his uniform and leaves to work. Not even bothering to turn on his phone.

“Dude, what happened to you.” Jonghyun, one of his friends and also one of the waitresses at the cafe he works at, asks.

“Nothing.” he answers, knowing that he wasn’t convincing at all. His puffy, swollen face was a dead giveaway.

Jonghyun lifts an eyebrow, waiting for an answer-an actual answer.

“I broke up with Taemin.” Minho gives in moments later.

“You what?” Jonghyun nearly yells. He was shocked. He knew Minho and Taemin for a couple of years now, and he knows that the couple was a match made in heaven. They were soulmates.

Minho puts everything he was holding down and stares at Jonghyun blankly, before completely breaking down.

The other boy puts the cups he was holding down as well and holds his friend, scowling.

Minho never cries. And now that he is, he knew that the tall boy must be really hurting.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jonghyun asks few minutes later.

Minho pulls away. “He basically just stopped caring about our relationship.”

“Maybe you should have talked to him about it, asked him. What if he had a reason?” Jonghyun knew that Taemin wasn’t like that.

“What kind of reason could he have?” Minho raises his voice. He was experiencing thousands of emotions.

“Minho maybe-just go take a break. Think it through, clear your mind and come back.” Jonghyun offers.

The taller boy nods and walks out of the cafe. He fishes for his phone in his pocket and pulls it out before turning it back on.

A couple of minutes later, his phone vibrates.

He unlocks it.

13 missed calls.

10 unread messages.

They all were from Taemin. He opens the messages and reads.

‘Hey Minho.’

‘I’m so sorry for acting that way.’

‘But I really had my reason. I just couldn’t face you.’

‘Few months ago, remember when I fainted at work?’

Minho nodded, as if Taemin could see him.

‘I told you I had Hypoglycemia. Well I lied. Doctors said that I had a tumor in my head.’

Minho felt the tears burn behind his eyes. He was the worst human being on this planet.

‘I have only one day left.’

His tears finally broke free, he didn’t want to read the rest.

‘I didn’t want to hide it from you. But I was too scared to tell you. That’s why I’ve been pushing you away, so we both can get used to it.’

Minho sobbed loudly. His body shook violently as he fell down and sat on the sidewalk. He didn’t want to live anymore.

‘Please say something.Minho’

‘I guess you really don’t wanna talk to me.’

Minho wished that someone would stab him, shoot him, just simply kill him, drain the life out of him because he didn’t want a life without Taemin. He couldn’t live without Taemin. The boy was the air he breathes, the water he drinks, the blood in his veins.

‘I love you.’