“I thought I told you not to call me—”
“April 30^th,” said Dongwoon.
Doojoon stopped. Dongwoon continued.
“That’s when you told me you loved me for the first time. At the park.  On the third bench. It was a quarter to three. You told me you loved me.”
“…”
“You told me you would never leave my side. I was your everything. Your treasured one. Your precious one. You told me that for three years. For three. years.”
“…”
“You lied.”
“I didn’t lie,” defended Doojoon.
“Yes you did.”
“I didn’t lie.”
“Yes you did.”
“I didn’t lie.”
“You left me!!”
“I didn’t lie.”
“Everyone’s seen the video! And when I needed you, you were nowhere to be found. You left me. You pushed everything on me. You said the video was my idea—”
“It was.”
“Doojoon it was your ing idea and you ing know it. I only complied because I wanted to please you.”
“…”
“You were careless! That’s how it got out!”
“…”
“I saw your interview last night. Our relationship wasn’t ‘serious?’ You’re ‘only interested in women?’ So I was just an occasional to you?”
“Dongwoon. Did you really think we were going to last forever? We had to end someday.”
Dongwoon clenched his handheld. His throat tightened. His adam’s apple trembled.
“Doojoon,” Dongwoon sobbed, “Tell me that you don’t believe what you’re saying.”
“…”
“Someone’s making you say this. This isn’t you.”
“...”
“I’ve lost everything. My parents won’t speak to me, my friends won’t. The hyungs never want to talk to me. I have people—people I don’t even know—calling me names like ‘’ left and right. I’m blamed for breaking up the group. I can hardly handle that, but for you to blame this all on me, for you to leave my side when I need you here to protect me from all of this, it’s… unthinkable. I didn’t think I would lose you. I’ve never thought about losing you, hyung.”
“…”
“I was… so happy… when you finally told me how you felt, because I had been feeling the same for years.”
“…”
“You came to me first, hyung.”
“…”
“You loved me more than I loved myself, hyung.”
“…”
“ING SAY SOMETHING DOOJOON!!”
“I didn’t lie.”
“What the does that mean?”
“I still love you.”
Dongwoon laughed. He laughed. Twin tears streaked his cheeks. He smacked them with the hand which gripped the knife.
“I still love you Dongwoon.”
“ you Doojoon.”
“I still love you.”
“ you.”
“I love you Dongwoon.”
“. YOU.”
“We can’t be together.”
“We can. You’re just a punk . You’re just scared of what they’ll say and what they’ll do.”
“We can’t be together. We’re done, Dongwoon. You don’t see it now; one day you’ll see.”
“You’ve just given up on us.”
“It was for the best.”
“Yeah, leaving me isolated and alone. Shunned. The only thing I had going for me is gone. The man I love stabbed me in the heart. For the best, huh?”
“…”
A bout of silence calmed the atmosphere.
“I love you, hyung.”
“…”
“I love you, Doojoonie.”
“…”
“I honestly mean that. Hearing your voice still gives me chills. I thought you should know that, too.”
“…”
“I won’t bother you ever again. I won’t bother anyone ever again. The video will go away; everyone will forget about it. Just like they’ll forget about me.”
“I won’t forget about you—”
“And you’ll have your life back. I won’t hold you back any longer. I’ll remove myself. Permanently.”
Doojoon’s heart rattled upon that last word.
“Dongwoon.”
“No one has use for me anymore.”
“Dongwoon.”
“So I will remove myself.”
“Dongwoon what do you mean?”
“There’s nothing left.”
“Dongwoon,” Doojoon’s voice quaked, “what do you mean. Tell me.”
“I’m going to remove myself,” deadpanned Dongwoon.
“How are you going to do that?”
“By removing myself.”
“How!?”
“By removing myself.”
“You’re not going to hurt yourself, are you?”
“I love you Doojoon.”
“Dongwoon. Promise me you won’t hurt yourself.”
“I love you.”
“I need you to promise hyung, Dongwoon.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Promise me, Woon!”
“Good night.”
“Dongw—!!”
Dongwoon hung up the phone. Then he stared some at the opaque reflection of the flat side of the sleeping blade in the palm of his hand. He had nothing.
Mechanically, the knife was brought to his throat. It was slit without hesitation; a clean line formed, engraved in his throat.
A red curtain of blood fell. The show was over. Dongwoon bled out in the middle of his bedroom floor, slumped against his bed. His body was found and identified a week later.