“I want to break up.”

Kyuhyun could see the shiver run through Sungmin’s shoulders. The shorter man’s expression didn’t change, though something crumbled in his eyes as he swallowed heavily.

Kyuhyun knew him well enough to see that he was trying not to cry.

The night was cold, and a thin dusting of snow contrasted against the glossy blackness of Sungmin’s hair as the other forced a nod. The way he was taking it in stride hinted that Sungmin had been expecting this for quite a while – as he should have been, considering the way Kyuhyun had taken up the habit of spending 95% of his time away from him.

They’d been best friends for years, before the both of them had decided to encroach in some kind of relationship. At first it had been easy, and Kyuhyun had liked it. Spending time with Sungmin was one of his favourite things to do, but as more time had passed and the older gradually became more protective and intrusive on Kyuhyun’s personal life, the brunette grew tired.

Which was why for the last month, he’d put as much distance between the two of them that he could, before finally pulling the plug.

Tonight was their first anniversary.

It was some sick kind of symmetry, Kyuhyun had thought, as he’d lead Sungmin out to the garden of the restaurant that they’d had their last meal together as a couple. To end it on the night that they should have been celebrating their relationship.

But there was only so long that Kyuhyun could put up with Sungmin’s incessant nagging and questions. In a way, he was relieved that it was going to be over soon.

That was why he’d spoken the words necessary to cut Sungmin from him quickly, not bothering to so much as soften the blow. There was no way that he could make it sound any less harsh than it really was. Kyuhyun wanted out, and he didn’t care if Sungmin disagreed.

Sungmin’s lower lip quivered before he bit into it, and Kyuhyun watched tiredly as the other tried to compose himself. He knew that Sungmin didn’t like to cry, but he was doing what was right by the both of them. To continue leading the latter down a road of false promise would crueller than breaking up with him.

When Sungmin finally spoke – after what felt like five minutes of endless silence – his voice was husky from withheld tears. “Why?” Two shimmering eyes met Kyuhyun’s, shattered and vulnerable, and so beseeching that Kyuhyun had to look away.

“It’s not working out,” Kyuhyun responded dryly, emotionlessly. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time that he had actually felt something other than annoyance for the man in front of him.

Sungmin cringed, his hands beginning to shake.

Kyuhyun liked to think that it was just from the cold.

“Is it me?” Sungmin asked in a frayed whisper, when his voice could no longer remain even. “I can fix it, Kyu. I promise. I’ll try harder.”

Sungmin took a shaky step forward through the snow toward Kyuhyun; his bare hand reaching for Kyuhyun’s gloved one. The brunette humoured him and allowed Sungmin to weave their fingers together, still unable to meet his eyes.

At the end of their relationship, Kyuhyun saw no reason to lie. “Yes, it’s you,” he answered truthfully, ignoring how Sungmin clung to his hand. It was better off this way. One day, Sungmin would thank him. “We’re just not how we used to be.”

Sungmin was a breath’s distance away, close enough that Kyuhyun could feel him trembling.

“I’ll be better,” Sungmin croaked out, a tear streaking down his cheek as he clenched his eyes shut. “Please Kyu, don’t do this. Don’t do this to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

A shaky sob left Sungmin’s throat as his grip on Kyuhyun’s hand tightened, more tears falling to splatter on his coat. “I need you…”

“You’ll be fine,” Kyuhyun reassured him, knowing that he should have seen this coming. Sungmin was never going to let him slip by so easily without protesting. He was a fighter, someone so determined to get what he wanted that he often won.

But not this time.

“You’ll find someone better. We just weren’t good for each other, Min.”

Sungmin began to cry in earnest, his shoulders shaking as the paleness of his complexion was marred with streaks of anguish. Kyuhyun grimaced at the sight of it, looking around himself a little awkwardly as to what he was supposed to do next.

He just wanted to leave.

Maybe it would be better for Sungmin if he left, to give the older some time to collect himself.

“I’m sorry,” Kyuhyun repeated, leaning down to press a chaste kiss against Sungmin’s forehead. At that action, Sungmin began to sob harder, his free hand moving up to cover his face as he cried.

“You’ll be ok.” Kyuhyun said firmly, even as he gently pulled his hand from Sungmin’s grip. The smaller male stumbled slightly from the sudden loss of balance, his eyes searching blindly for Kyuhyun as the brunette stepped away from him.

“Kyu, please,” Sungmin choked out, his delicate fingers trying to reach across the distance between them and pull Kyuhyun back to him. But Kyuhyun moved further back, in no way wanting to prolong this longer than he had to.

“I’ll see you around, ok?” Kyuhyun said half-heartedly, not really knowing if what he was saying was true. “Go home and rest.”

Kyuhyun then turned and walked away, his pace fast enough to get him at a reasonable distance from the other. He could hear Sungmin weakly calling his name, pleading for him to come back, but he shut it out.

Sungmin wasn’t going to be able to move on if Kyuhyun got his hopes up.

When he reached the end of the garden, Kyuhyun turned back to see Sungmin on his knees in the snow, his arms folded around his stomach as he rocked back and forth.

While it stung to see Sungmin in pain, Kyuhyun couldn’t find it within himself to go to him.

They were done, and Kyuhyun was free.