Thanks for reading! This chapter returns to the old structure of Seungcheol's POV and then Jihoon's POV. Hope you like it! 

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Jeonghan was right.

That was all Seungcheol could think as he drowned in the paperwork that lay on his desk.

It had just been a week since the last time he saw Jeonghan, but as the other had predicted, things had turned awfully wrong and Seungcheol had been blamed for all of it.

And even when he didn’t know where the other was at the moment, at least they got to say goodbye properly to their relationship.

“I didn’t think we end up like this.” Jeonghan had said after sitting in silence next to him in the sofa.

After crying for a long time Jeonghan had finally fallen sleep, but Seungcheol had barely gotten any sleep because he had a lot to think. So he was really surprised when the next morning Jeonghan opened the bedroom’s door and talked to him with a calm voice.

“It’s my fault Jeonghan, you can just put all the blame on me.” Seungcheol had said feeling guilty for betraying the other. He didn’t want to blame Jeonghan for keeping Jisoo memory as a ghost in the background all these years, because he knew that even if the other appeared, Jeonghan wouldn’t leave him.

“I will; I’m tired of defending you.” Jeonghan said without looking up from his folded hands.

“I know.”

Jeonghan’s words had been in his mind all night, about how his father had wanted them to break up a long time ago and how Jeonghan had always defended him and stuck to their relationship.

“But you know…  It saddens me…that even after all these years, even when we both tried…” Jeonghan looked up and Seungcheol could see the tears in his eyes.

“I know.” He said softly because this was hurting him too.

“You were always my mother’s favorite. And my father thought Choi Company had a lot of potential to grow and it did. That’s why I thought it would be easier than this.” Jeonghan said looking down again.

Seungcheol frowned. Was that the reason Jeonghan had accepted to date him? Because his parents used to approve of him?

“Don’t think like that. I do have feelings for you. I can’t define them now, but don’t think I used you. I just thought it would be easier this time. Because being accepted was something that seemed so difficult with Jisoo; but with you it was so easy and that made me even happier than I already was. You helped me get out of the pit where my heart sank when I broke up with him. And I’m so thankful for that. For reminding me that I was loved, that I was important to somebody just for being Jeonghan, not for being the heir of Yoon Hotels. But I guess that wasn’t enough…I wasn’t able to make someone happy just by being me.”

Seungcheol listened to the other one talking; Jeonghan’s voice had become merely a whisper, but still managed to break Seungcheol’s heart.

So he hugged the other, hugged him with all the care he could, but as if he didn’t want to let go.

He wanted to make sure Jeonghan knew that he would always be an important person for him and that he wished things would have been easier just like the other wanted.

But the reality wasn’t like that.

Because after announcing their break up, Jeonghan had disappeared and the Yoons had come to Choi Company for Seungcheol’s head. The only information he could get from Wonwoo’s investigation was that Jeonghan had traveled to Los Angeles, but he hadn’t registered in any hotel. His phone was turned off and he hadn’t contacted any of their other friends.

He had been scolded severely by his father, because after listening to Mr. Yoon’s shouts, the owner of Yoon Hotels had declared that they would stop doing business with Choi Company and that the upcoming hotel event would be their last project together.  This had become a crisis in his department as they were almost completely focused on the projects with Yoon Hotels.

And with Jeonghan missing, Seungcheol was turning crazy trying to work together with his replacement. Seokmin was appointed to other activities and couldn’t even help him.

And then there was Chan.

Chan had become Jeonghan’s little brother along the way and even when Chan said he hated when the other babied him, he always took the other’s side. And this time it wasn’t any different. Chan had shouted him about how he dared to break his hyung’s heart and that he should find the other as soon as possible.

He was so thankful that Wonwoo was really good at doing his job, because he couldn’t even think properly at this point.

But even with all the chaos he felt the need to see Jihoon, a difficult task with all the workload he had and with how the other had decided to ignore his messages. So he decided to take care of one task at the time, as soon as the hotel event finished he would go and talk to Jihoon.

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Jihoon was glad his job allowed him some flexibility, because the next day after his break up with Mingyu he decided to stay home.

He had been almost half a year in Korea, but had already gotten used to the apartment. He was used to Mingyu’s styling decoration since they started living together in Japan, but the fact that the other had adapted a room for his music studio made him feel like the other had been expecting him long before he decided to move with him.

He stayed all day like a zombie and only got to eat when Soonyoung appeared with some take-out. The other tried to distract him with some anecdotes and showed him the video of the routine his crew would use in the competition.

The next day he felt a bit better so he decided to go to the studio and worked with Bumzu in some new melodies. He knew he looked sick and tired, so nobody mentioned anything when he asked for two weeks leave. His fellow producer had agreed to help him in the recording of the already selected songs for Seungkwan’s new album, so he felt less pressured about that. But the pressure on his chest every time he ignored Seungcheol’s messages wasn’t going anywhere. It took him another day at work to settle some things and the following day he just went for a couple of hours to finish some coordination before he returned home.

But he didn’t expect to see Mingyu in the living room as soon as he opened the door.

“I just needed to pick up some things my manager couldn’t find.” The taller said with a stoic expression and Jihoon sighed.

He had noticed how Mingyu’s things had become scarcer in the last few days, the other’s manager leaving a note explaining his unannounced visit.

Mingyu refused to look at him and started pulling his small suitcase closer to the door.

“Mingyu…there is something I just want to say before you go.” Jihoon said barely touching the other’s arm. “You were right; I didn’t respect you or everything we had all these years. I just wanted to apologize for that.”

Jihoon heard the other sigh before he turned to look back at him.

“What are you trying to say Jihoon? That if I ask you to come with me to Europe you will come?”

Jihoon took a step back and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry Mingyu, but I can’t go with you. I-.”

“Do you know Choi Seungcheol is engaged, right?” The taller said cutting him.

Jihoon shivered because that fact was something he couldn’t deny.

“Yeah…I knew about it…but I guess I turned blind with emotions and now the reality it’s hitting me like a brick. I’m still thinking of what to do.” Jihoon said looking down.

“So you just let him play with you?” Mingyu followed with a bitter tone.

Jihoon looked up surprised.

“Mingyu, it’s not like that….at least I hope so. I could sense he had some feelings for me too...I know I shouldn’t be saying these things to you…I’m sorry” Jihoon bit his lip because he could see the disappointment in Mingyu’s face.

“I never thought this could happen to us, to me…After meeting you I never thought I would look at another person as more than a friend.” Jihoon said looking at the other directly to his eyes.

That instant attraction he felt for Seungcheol had surprised and confused him that’s why he felt conflicted the more he tried to deny it.

“I guess you got bored of me.” Mingyu said glaring at him.

Jihoon felt a pang in his chest. He didn’t want to label boredom as the reason of their imminent breakup.

“Mingyu I…I’m not going to say I’m not at fault, but I think as years passed by we just focused on our own things instead of focusing on us as a couple.”

Mingyu turned around and to Jihoon’s surprise he sat on the sofa.

“I guess I should have acknowledged the signs. I missed you and thought about sharing everything with you. But you stopped telling me about your life, about your songs.”

Jihoon sat beside Mingyu and grabbed his hands; it would probably be the last time.

“I enjoyed the week with you before your trip to Europe. My hopes that we could focus on us was renewed, but I realized that even when I enjoyed the time shared with you, I couldn’t feel we were complete as a couple.”

“So you really stopped caring about me?” Mingyu said looking down to their connected hands.

“Mingyu, we have been together for so long and have been there for each other through it all. I really didn’t want to hurt you and maybe this will seem like a cheap excuse, but maybe that was why I didn’t tell you that I was having all these confusing feelings.”

Mingyu’s hand started shaking and Jihoon noticed how he was trying not to cry.

“Jihoon, I don’t think I’ll find someone like you.”

“I’m not the same Jihoon you fell in love with and you are not the same Mingyu I used to know. You should find someone more suitable than me. Someone that enjoys going to your parties and fashion shows. Someone that likes being in your pictures and go shopping. Someone that would be up to par to your current life.” Jihoon said softly wiping away the tears that started falling from Mingyu’s face.

“Is that what you found in him? Would he be able to stand you when you are ignoring the world and focusing in your songs? Can he stay all night and eat with you at god damn hours? Do you think he would leave everything for you?” Mingyu said with his fists tightly shut.

It was Jihoon’s time to start crying and he looked down. Mingyu’s words reminded him of his own insecurities when it came to a relationship. How he was still socially awkward and had really bad eating and sleeping habits that not many people could cope with.

“I…I always wondered why you fell in love with me when you could have anyone you wanted. But even with all my bad things you showed me how much you loved me and in the process I learned to love myself even more. So, even if he doesn’t leave everything to be with me…I’ll….I’ll be okay. I just don’t want to keep tying you when you deserve better.”

“He won’t love you more than I do.” Mingyu said grabbing him by the shoulders.

“Maybe….but I hope you find someone that loves you more than I did.” Jihoon said pulling the other’s arms down.

Mingyu sighed before standing up.

“I just don’t understand why you are doing this to me…” The taller said covering his face with his hands.

“Mingyu…I wish things were different, but I don’t know what else I can give you at this point besides my best wishes. It’s just that the fire that seemed to consume me every time I was with you it’s no longer burning. But I want to thank you. You helped me become the person I’m today and if it wasn’t for your constant support I wouldn’t have been able to recover from every downfall in university and when I started working.”

 Mingyu slowly put his hands down and looked back at Jihoon with new tears in his eyes.

“Why are you trying to make me feel like the bad guy here?”

“I’m not! I’m the one that messed up, but even if you want to hate me now, letting you go it’s the best thing I can do for you now.” Jihoon said standing up. “Because Mingyu, I’m so proud of you and I’m sorry if I didn’t say it enough. But I wish you the best in your career in Europe.” He finished.

Mingyu stood in silence looking back at him assimilating his words.

“So this is it? Our last goodbye…” Mingyu finally said with a soft voice.

Jihoon nodded, sure that if he talked he would start crying again.

Mingyu nodded too before moving closer to the door along with his suitcase.

“Take care, Mingyu.”

“Bye Jihoon.” The taller said closing the front door and giving an end to a story that started the first time they saw each other in Japan nine years ago.