And there was Youngjae standing in front of his two members--- both shocked at his sudden and uncalled appearance.

The air was heavy with tension and pain--- suffocating the three grown-ups in the small studio room.

Jinyoung was the one who break the silence. He stood up from where he was sitting, gave Jaebeom a soft nod and eventually walked towards the door once again.

"I should go and left you two. Please, talk this out."

Passing by Youngjae and gave him a comforting pat at his shoulder.

The sound of the locking of the door was heard and resonated on their ears. The silence was uncomfortable to say the least.

Despite being left alone without the prying eyes of anyone, both Youngjae and Jaebeom haven't made any move--- Jaebeom staring shocked at the sudden appearance of the younger lad, and Youngjae standing still, not more than 5 feet away from the older male.

It was the young brunette lad who breaks the fragility of silence blanketing him and their leader.

"It was probably my fault for getting attached to you," he said, "both of us knew you would end it up eventually."

Brown eyes glistening with tears and breathe hitching. One can tell, the younger lad was trying his best not to breakdown in front of the man he loved… he still loves.

Jaebeom looked at the man in front of him with concern painted all over his face, as if he never meant to hurt Youngjae the way he did.

"I mean, really. We were bound to end, and you were bound to be the one to end it," Youngjae continued.

"Youngj---," the older male interrupted.

"No, let me speak first," Youngjae rebutted, whole body tensing.

Jaebeom was kept on his swivel chair, wanting to reach the man in front of him--- wipe those tears staining his cheeks, run his hand on his back to calm the younger down.

Youngjae continued, eyes staring straight at Jaebeom's midnight onyx ones.

"I guess I kind of hoped that maybe you would have loved me enough to fight for it, you know?" he dryly chuckles and palm hastily trying to stop the flow of his tears.

"And you know what frustrates me the most?" choking on his own tears, "I prepared myself. I prepared myself for you to walk away. I prepared myself for you to leave. I prepared myself for this ing heartbreak!" Youngjae gritted in between hard sobs.

And Jaebeom just sat still. He cannot take to look the younger in the eyes, so he settled to look at Youngjae’s worn out shoes.

Unknown what to do. He really wanted to wipe those tears away, hug Youngjae so tight to mend all the broken pieces... but he won't.

He knows he caused all of this. And he knows in his twisted mind this is the right thing to do---Youngjae deserved so much better and it is not him.

It tears Jaebeom apart to see the man he loved the most so vulnerable and broken. And knowing he was the one to blame for his misery adds fuel to Jaebeom’s internal rage.

He willed himself to say something, but no words come past his mouth. He willed himself to do something, but his muscles do not want to cooperate with him.

He met the younger's eyes--- honeyed caramel met midnight onyx orbs.

And yes, they both know. Eyes don't lie. But the damaged has been done.

"Hyung," Youngjae's voice echoed in the small studio--- defeated and vulnerable in the ears of Jaebeom.

The intensity of their gazes was still evident. The words dwindled on both of their lips, it was Youngjae who spoke again.

"Are you ever sorry?"

"For loving you?" for the first time that night Jaebeom answered clearly, caught off-guard by the younger lad's question.

He shook his head.

"No. There are so many things to be sorry for but loving you isn't one of them," the older male said.

For some reason, the answer made Youngjae more restless. He cleared his throat, "What are the things you are sorry about, then?" he asked after a while.

Jaebeom's breathe hitched. His mind was in a battle whether to dodge of the question or answer the younger lad truthfully.

He chose the latter one. And with a deep breathe he started,

"Let's face it. We weren't just meant to be."

And that made Youngjae jolt forward, he doesn't want any vague answers. The night of their break-up spat was enough for his mind to overdrive.

"My God! Can you stop talking with absolute equivocal statement! Jaebeom, please," Youngjae wasn't the one to beg, but this time he need answers to the millions of questions running inside his head.

Jaebeom broke the intense staring game Youngjae and him were having. His eyes now landed anywhere but Youngjae's.

He cannot. He cannot look at those eyes after those words past his lips.

He cannot.

He scoffed internally. He did end up dodging the question and lied instead.