"Ergh. Oh . Wait wai- euack!" Jihoon's body heaved as the wave of nauseousness overcame him. He emptied everything into his toilet bowl and his stomach continued to clench and contract. Jihoon thought he would die. 

Behind him was Seungcheol who was busy rubbing his back and trying to soothe him. "This is what you get for drinking like crazy at one go Jihoonie."

Jihoon picked his head up from the toilet bowl and wiped his lips using the back of his palm. "Never will I drink ever again."

"That's what you said the other time when you passed out on the road." Seungcheol chuckled as he passed Jihoon a glass of water. 

The smaller accepted the glass gratefully as Seungcheol guided him out of his bathroom and helped him to his bed. Jihoon laid down as his bestfriend took a seat at the edge of the bed beside the smaller. Seungcheol patted down Jihoon's hair and caressed his face. "How are you feeling Jihoonie? You managed to get everything off your chest. Feel good?"

Jihoon meekly shook his head. This time, he let his eyes water and allowed the tears to fall with no restraints. "I feel empty Cheol. Empty and in pain."

Seungcheol sighed and wiped the tears off of Jihoon's face. His heart ached. He was watching the man he loves cry because of another man, yet he could not do anything.

The older let Jihoon cry for about twenty minutes before he tucked him into bed, pulling the duvet to cover the smaller all the way to his chin. Seungcheol laughed cynically as he curled up beside Jihoon to sleep. The soft snores from the smaller was a lullaby to Seungcheol's ears. He thought to himself: Choi Seungcheol you truly are a coward. 

~

Soonyoung lay dumbly in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The tear marks were still evident on his face.  He started tearing up again when he thought back to Jihoon's words. 

There is no 'we'. He wiped angrily at the tears and buried his head into his pillow. This whole fake relationship was a mess. At that moment, Soonyoung regretted all that he had done. He should have never suggested pretending. He should have just come clean right from the start. He should have confessed to Jihoon earlier. 

Soonyoung loved Jihoon. And somewhere deep inside, he knew that Jihoon loved him too. Or at least he hoped. All those small actions, the genuine care he could feel from the smaller felt too real to be fake. The blonde decided with a clench of the fist. "Monday. I'll tell Jihoon everything on Monday."

And with his lingering thoughts of conviction, Soonyoung allowed himself to drift to sleep, mind filling with images of Jihoon.

~

Soonyoung arrived an hour earlier than he normally would to the office. He had tried calling Jihoon yesterday, but the smaller refused to pick up. Soonyoung knew he was trying to avoid him. Sure, Jihoon could avoid his calls and text but let's see him avoid him now as he stood in front of Jihoon's office, back leaning against the entrance. Soonyoung was tapping his feet against the ground as Seungkwan sauntered into into his cubicle outside Jihoon's office. "Mr Kwon? What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Jihoon urgently."

Seungkwan looked up at Soonyoung quizzically, " Hmm he said he would be coming in later today as he needed to meet a client. Did he not tell you?"

Soonyoung's face fell and his entire body deflated. Seungkwan who watched his entire demeanor change started to piece together the pieces. "Look Mr Kwon, if you hurt Jihoon in any way, I expect you to fix it. Jihoon not only is my boss but he is a dear friend. Don't you screw it up."

"I won't. I'll fix it." Soonyoung stated as he walked out of the office, on his way back to his own office. His head was preoccupied with thoughts of Jihoon and he did not even realise that he had bumped into anyone until that person let out a shrill cry as she landed on her bum. 

"Soonyoungie!" Hyeyoung was on the ground, her blue dress splayed out around her. 

"Sorry. Here, let me help you." Soonyoung mumbled out as he offer her his hand, lifting her up from the ground. 

Hyeyoung stumbled on her stilettos and tripped, falling into Soonyoung's arms. Her head hit his wide chest and she let herself lean for a little longer. Just then the lift 'dinged' and the doors opened to reveal Jihoon. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the two, in a very... compromising position. 

"Jihoon!" Soonyoung immediately released Hyemin and approached Jihoon just as the smaller made his was to his office. 

"Save it. I was just going to pick up some files. No need to explain anything."

"But. No Jihoon. Babe, wait! It was all a misunder-"

Before Soonyoung could complete his sentence, Hyeyoung spoke out, "Soonyoungie, I have something very important to discuss with you."

Jihoon smiled to himself and prodded Soonyoung towards the beautiful woman. "You better go Mr Kwon. Wouldn't want to keep Miss Jung waiting." Jihoon then headed away before Soonyoung could stop him. Soonyoung sighed in defeat as he turned back to Hyeyoung who beamed at him. He beckoned her to his office. 

"So what do you want to talk about?" Soonyoung placed his chin on his palm. 

Hyeyoung took a seat across from the blonde. "I'm not sure if you have heard,"

"I haven't." Soonyoung interrupted. 

She rolled her eyes, "anyway, as I was saying. There will be a huge fundraiser gala dinner. Huge as in broadcast on national television huge."

Soonyoung was getting impatient, he really was not in the mood to entertain his jolly ex right now. "I don't see how this dinner concerns me. And it does not explain why you are here as well." 

"This dinner concerns you as you will be going in the place of your father this year. This dinner is to foster relationships and also as your dad is a philanthropist. And the reason I am here is because you will be going as my date!"

The blonde frowned. "Dad did not say anything about me having to attend this dinner. And even if I had to go, it definitely won't be with you."

Hyeyoung scowled, "Oh yeah? Then who would you go with?"

Soonyoung replied as a matter of factly, "Jihoon. You can take your leave now. I have lots to do today."

Hyeyoung begrudgingly got up and her heels. She mumbled to the air, "We will see about that."

~

Jihoon was annoyed. He wanted to avoid seeing Kwon Soobyoung's handsome face for as long as possible. But the first thing he had to see was the said male and his ex in his arms. Kwon Soonyoung was totally playing him. He banged his hand angrily against the steering wheel of his car. Just then his phone started ringing. Jihoon stuck his Bluetooth and answered the call, eyes never leaving the road. 

"Hello?"

"Lee Jihoon? Hyeyoung here."

Jihoon's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah, what is it?"

The voice on the other line quipped, "Break up with Soonyoung. You're just holding him back. We are going to a huge dinner as dates, and I really don't want to be misunderstood as the third party. That's you."

Jihoon steeled his voice. "I'll take note of it. Good bye."

Jihoon dug his Bluetooth out of his ear and threw it onto the passenger seat. He let out an ear splitting scream. He felt his throat burn, felt his lungs ache as he screamed till there was no more air in him. His chest heaved up and down, trying to back as much air as possible into his lungs again. This was exactly why he did not want to see Soonyoung for as long as possible. He knew that the next time he saw the blonde, he would have to come clean. He would have to end it. And he wasn't ready. But time as tide waits for no man. Ready or not, Jihoon had to end it. 

He quickly sent Soonyoung as text. Not long after, Jihoon received a reply. 

I have something to say to you tonight. 

Okay. 

~

Soonyoung was on edge the entire day. Jihoon was finally speaking to him. But he did not know if he should be relieved or nervous.  He saw Jihoon shuffle into his office at around noon, but he was afraid to approach the smaller. Instinct seemed to tell him that something bad was going to happen. 

"You alright?" Seokmin stood, back resting against the wall. 

"No, not really." Soonyoung sank in his seat. "Things between Jihoon and I aren't going too well."

"Hey it's not all on you man. A relationship is a two way process."

"Thanks Seok. I'll be fine."

~

That was what Soonyoung had claimed hours before. But now that he was heading towards Jihoon's office, he felt anything but fine. Nauseous, terrified, anxious, and helpless would be better words to describe how he was feeling at the moment. It was roughly 6pm and the other workers were slowly calling it a day, packing up their work station. 

Soonyoung took a deep breath before knocking on the door and entering Jihoon's office. "You called for me?"

Jihoon rubbed at his face before gesturing to the taller to take seat. "Yeah. Sit."

Soonyoung followed his words and planted himself across the table. 

"I have something to tell you." The two males spoke at the same time, before breaking out into laughter together. 

God has it been a long time since he heard that beautiful laughter. "You go first." Soonyoung voiced out. 

Jihoon shook his head, "You can go first."

I love you. Soonyoung wanted to scream it out loud. He wanted the whole world to know that Kwon Soonyoung was sincerely head over heels for a certain Lee Jihoon. Instead, Soonyoung said, "You go first. That's final." 

Jihoon gulped and nodded. "Okay then." 

A pause. 

"I think we should end this. Whatever this is. I think it's time to break up."

Soonyoung leapt to his feet, the chair clattering to the ground. "What the hell are you talking about?!" He unknowingly started to panic.

Jihoon clenched his fist. "Let's break up Soonyoung. It's not even a real break up."

Soonyoung punched the table causing the smaller to flinch in his seat. "Don't you ever say that. I refuse. I will not accept what you have just said. We are not over Jihoon." 

"Soonyoung, it's time to end-"

"No. I don't want to listen to this rubbish. I'm leaving." Soonyoung stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. 

Jihoon let out a breath that he did not know he had been holding. Well that went well. Without him knowing, the tears followed. It was a good thing that Jihoon was the only one in the office as his cries resounded beyond the confines of this own room. 

~

Soonyoung dragged himself into his office the next day. No matter how emotionally and physically drained he was, that did not stop the work from piling up. And Jihoon was extremely effective at draining him. He could not sleep the entire night after Jihoon declared they should break up. Soonyoung refused to let it happen. 

The blonde opened his browser and realised that his name was one of the top searches on the search engine. With a frown, he googled his own name and clicked on the latest article regarding him. The article was released that morning. "Kwon Soonyoung and boyfriend breaks up?"

Soonyoung furiously punches into his phone and he hears the person on the other line pick up. "What the do you think you are writing on your tabloids?! I have not broken up with Jihoon! Remove that article straight away."

The male on the other line spoke up, "Mr Lee Jihoon called me up himself. He told me to write the article."

"What?" Soonyoung stared into Jihoon's empty office opposite his. Why was Jihoon doing this?