Their eyes remained glued to their leader, as Jiyong finished the water glass like a liquor. He swallowed everything, letting the coldness of the liquid wash away his ache. 

"Seungri..." his voice break. It was as if his lover's name was a thorn that dipped in his tongue and poured acid on his mouth. It ached, it pains him so much so that he had to take another glass of water just to cleanse it. He closed his eyes, aware that his friends were waiting for his next words. "He...said he needed space." It was too much for him to bare, tears started to form at the corner of his eyes, freely cascading down his cheeks. His voice broke, he almost choked on his own tongue, "he broke up with me".

"Oh Ji," Youngbae only managed to call him that when he's truly torn for his friend. He stood up from he sat and went beside his best friend. He embraced him, his strong arms and scent enveloping Jiyong as he once again cried on his best friend's chest. "I'm sorry, Ji," he said, for lack of better words to say. 

TOP clenched his fists, unable to forgive what Seungri had done to their friend. Had he even been willing to listen to what Jiyong had wanted to say? Had he even heard him? Or did his prejudice against gangs blinded him? TOP doesn't even want to know. He wanted to rush to Seungri's apartment and rattle him until he remembered the love he had proclaimed to Jiyong. Were they lies that he told just to made Jiyong feel better?

He felt Daesung's hand on his shoulder. Seunghyun turned around to look at his closest friend. He could see the frown on him, worry and a hint of anger were mixed on it. But there was the silent plea, not to the anything drastic. 

TOP frowned, but nodded his head. They both knew that even if Seungri torn Jiyong's heart from his chest, Jiyong would still never forgive them if they in any way, retaliate. That is how pure Jiyong's love for Seungri is. He would rather hurt than see his beloved suffer. It was self sacrificing. The purest and perhaps the most tragic form of love that exists. 

They pitied Jiyong. But they couldn't do anything. Only be there for him, as their leader had done for each of them. 

"It's okay. Did you tell him?" Youngbae, bless his strong heart, at least managed to voice out what had been dreading in their heads.

To their surprise, Jiyong shook his head. "I didn't...I never had the chance." His words were muffled by how much he's pressing his head on Youngbae's chest, but his friends had heard him all the same. 

"What do you mean?" Youngbae asked, his voice was  soothing. It made Jiyong felt at ease. 

"He just...I went to his apartment, and when I got there, he was crying. I tried to ask what was wrong. But all he answered me was...we need a break, that's what he said," Jiyong explained, he looked up, his eyes pleading, wanting to understand but cannot, "what does he mean? What did I do wrong?" 

Youngbae frowned. He patted Jiyong's head, and kissed his forehead before embracing him in a hug. "Nothing. You've done nothing wrong, Ji."

Jiyong was crying again. "But then why?! Why did he want to break up with me?!" He shouted, his voice rising, seemingly in sync with his beating heart. 

"Did he say he wanted to break up?" Daesung, ever the level headed among them, asked. 

"Yes!" Jiyong turned at him, his murderous eyes boring into his friend. "He said he wanted space! Doesn't that mean that he no longer wants me?!" He yelled, fists clenching against Youngbae's shirt. "He hated me! Just because of my--"

"Did he say he hated you? Did you hear him say that?" Daesung asked. 

Jiyong paused. "Well..." now that he looked back, "not specifically. But it was implied?" Hope began building in his chest. Maybe he jumped into conclusion. Maybe he, himself, was blinded by his own insecurities. 

"Would you like to ask him again?" TOP butted in. "You deserve an explanation, you know." 

Jiyong thought for a moment. He wanted to see his lover again, perhaps even demand am explanation. Seunghyun was right. He indeed deserved an explanation. Seungri owed him that. 

He nodded at TOP's explanation. "I...I would like that."

TOP smiled. Youngbae patted Jiyong's head like a child. "Nice! But tomorrow, okay? You need to rest," Youngbae, ever the mother hen, said.

"We will come with you," Daesung said. He wanted to be there for Jiyong, god knows what will happen to his friend if things go wrong again. 

Jiyong smiled, his cheeks tainting with a hint of red. "Thanks guys."

TOP rolled his eyes. "I told you, we'll always be here for you." 

Youngbae pinched Jiyong's cheeks. "Now, come on, let's get some rest." He patted his back and helped him get up. 

It doesn't completely erase the cracks on his heart, but it eased the pain. Knowing that he had friends to rely on. 

***

It wasn't easy, waking up to the reality that Jiyong n lives in. He opened his eyes, dazed, unfocused as he looked around his empty room. His pillow still faintly smell of his adorable panda--

That he lost. 

A knock by his door. "Ji?" Youngbae's voice was unsure as he called to him. 

Jiyong grabbed the pillow tighter. He doesn't want to wake up, if this is what would great him - an empty room, a broken heart. He would rather live on his dream, on his fantasy, at least there, Seungri is happy to see him. 

"I'm coming in!" Youngbae announced before opening the door. He looked at his friend, his frown deepened. "Ji. We've talked about this," his voice was soothing. He walked towards his friend and sat by his side. He patted his shoulder, like he always does when he wants to uplift Jiyong's spirit.

"I'm afraid," Jiyon