“Does he really meant that much to you?” Sungmin asks. His eyes red and swollen after crying a little bit too much just now. The taller man in front of him just gulps unable to find any words to say. The sight in front of him is too much to take. The man he loved seems so fragile; unlike the usual cheeky and giddy self. He wants to defend himself, he wants to say he’ll exchange his all for this man’s happiness, but what to do, he has hurt him. The fact that Sungmin didn’t use harsh words towards him burdens him more.

Though they’ve loved for so long, but they’ve to admit, they can’t go any further. Trying too hard will probably just hurt Sungmin more. He can’t let that happen. If there’s anyone deserves to be hurt, it’s him and not the other way round.

“Min, trust me, I love you. It’s just that I don’t want to hurt you anymore,” he looks at the man straight to the soul. If looks can kill, no, Sungmin is already dying. He’s tired. Tired to fight for this love, when it’s supposedly both of them had to fight instead of just one party; even it takes two to tango.

Sungmin, too, stares deeply in the slightly taller man’s orbs, searching if there’s still love left for him. Love? Or is it sympathy? He had enough of begging and pleading to the other man. It’s not he finally gathers his pride, he just got no energy left to beg and plead. He lifts his hand to reach Kyuhyun’s arm but retrieving it back after the taller man flinching away. In the back of his mind, he knows, they had to end this although his heart screams no.

His heart wins by a few votes from his nerves when he asks, “Are you sure there’s nothing left for us?” He lovingly looks at the taller man, just in case the man got no guts to say it on his face. But no, Kyuhyun once again without flinching nor stuttering answers firmly, “No. Let’s end this for once and for all.”

Sungmin smiles which breaks the heart of the younger man more. No, not that smile—he thought. He can’t bring himself to tear his gazes though the sight is killing him. Sweats are slowly dripping down his nape. He composes himself not to cry because he knows it will harden the things more. It will make him harder to leave. He chooses this. He can’t back down. He chooses the other man and not this pure-hearted man in front of him. The chuckles from the other man startle him.

“Sometimes I wonder why people cry when their loved ones leave them because for me it’s the leaving person who’s at lost. And some other times, I did console others during their broken-hearted-time, encouraging them to love again and scores a better man,” he pauses to sniff and his tears threatening to fall by any seconds, “and then I realized, it’s easier to say than do, it’s easier to look than experience it myself. And truthfully, I didn’t expect this to happen to us. Well, maybe because we’re, no, I’m too happy in love with you.” 

He once again lifts his chin up, smiling at the slightly miserable-looking man in front of him. “I guess that’s it, Kyuhyun-ah. This is the real end of us. Goodbye.”

His heart itches to say 'I love you', but luckily his brain has been able to take control of him this time. With that, he turns around, slowly stepping away without any traces, literally and figuratively.

Turn around and say I love you—Kyuhyun whispers when Sungmin’s figure is no longer in sight.

“Kyu, let’s go,” a cute high-pitch voice calls out for the kneeling man on the sand.

After stopping at the nearest dock, Sungmin closes his eyes as he breathes in the fresh air of summer. Summer. He scoffs. He hates summer anyway, when all other people start to hit the beach, pool, parties and all, he’d rather stays indoor with Kyuhyun drinking cold wine, or listening to music and composing some when Kyuhyun has some matters outside. So now, it looks like he will spend the rest of his summer indoor just like his preferable vacation, but this time......alone.

Sometimes, we really love someone and only god knows how hard we’ve tried to keep the love. But also, sometimes, we can’t do anything about people’s changing love. No matter how hard we tried, if we’re not meant to be, we won’t be. Simple as that, because one day you’ll know deep in your heart that he’s not the one you need.