It was a business day, and Dongwoo had taken a half day off from the studio. Him and Howon met up outside Dongwoo’s apartment, and as Dongwoo showered and got dressed in a pressed- button up shirt, Howon paced back and forth, thinking about whether he should say anything. The appointment Dongwoo had made on that evening had been postponed twice, and if it was Sungyeol, he might have rethought the idea because maybe the postponed meetings meant it wasn’t meant to be. But Dongwoo was Dongwoo. 

They turned up outside the tall building- like Dongwoo had predicted, right in the middle of Seoul- and Dongwoo had walked straight in, pushing through the heavy double glass doors gilded with gold. Howon had walked in, watching as Dongwoo pursed his lips and pressed the up button next to the elevator and studied the list of offices by the elevator doors.

The office was near the top floors, on the 25 floor out of 28. Howon mused that this must mean they were pretty high- class. 

Dongwoo strode out of the elevator with his back straight and Howon quickly followed after him. If Howon was being honest, he had anticipated Dongwoo chickening out and cancelling the appointment completely. But Dongwoo had been going strong the whole day and Howon, probably for the third time today, felt a surge of affection rise up through him. 

The receptionist was kind, bright- teethed and all smiles as she offered them coffee. Dongwoo was sitting closest to Lee Sungjong’s office. The door was currently closed, and although it was glass, there was a blind the colour of their coffee that separated the two of them. Dongwoo was more nervous than he thought he would be. Granted, he thought he would be ready to have a nervous breakdown before they even reached the building, and here he was. But the ominous glass door with the gold plaque with the lawyer’s name embossed so prettily on it only made Dongwoo bounce his leg up and down more, nervousness radiating from him.

When the receptionist called out Dongwoo’s name, he had shot up from his seat and Howon had stifled a chuckle with a sip of coffee. Dongwoo followed behind the receptionist, who passed the two of them off to Lee Sungjong’s private assistant. Again, Howon got the impression that this place was pretty high- class. 

Dongwoo was the first to enter, after giving the PA a nervous smile as she politely smiled back and closed the door. Dongwoo stood nervously in front of the big desk, he could make out shapely fingers gripping onto a Blackberry tightly, and tailored trousers with leather shoes poking out from behind a large padded leather chair. 

Howon was reminded of being in a principal’s office, where you were unsure what to do. 

Lee Sungjong swivelled around less than a minute after they entered, dropping his Blackberry onto the hard wood of his desk and not even batting an eyelid when it clattered down. 

“I suppose you’re Jang Dongwoo?”

Dongwoo nodded and took a step forward, stretching out his hand and already offering a bright smile. Lee Sungjong smiled in return, a beaming smile that made him look child- like. Immediately, Dongwoo relaxed. He was afraid the lawyer would be stern or fierce. His relief couldn’t even be measured in terms of words when he saw that Lee Sungjong was likely younger than him and the chances of him making Dongwoo cry was low. Not that Dongwoo cried a lot, he just knew he felt a little vulnerable right now. 

Howon shadowed Dongwoo from a few feet behind, watching Dongwoo and Lee Sungjong shake hands and exchange pleasantries. Lee Sungjong didn’t look much older than a kid, hell, he looked younger than Sungyeol and Myungsoo.  But Howon wasn’t one to judge a book by its cover. 

After he had shaken Sungjong’s hand, he had been offered a seat, which he gladly took. Dongwoo was already feeling his nerves shaking off, and he was glad. What was he even nervous about in the first place? Dongwoo felt oddly at ease with Sungjong. He turned around and gestured to Howon to take the seat next to him. 

As Howon took the seat next to Dongwoo, Sungjong leaned forward on his desk and smiled again.

“And you are?”

Before Dongwoo could reply, Howon was already extending a hand, trying to relax his facial muscles so he could smile. The thing was, he was prepared to come face- to- face with an of a lawyer- too many law dramas these days- and so he had practised his deadpan/ unimpressed expression the whole of last night. Howon was having a little trouble.

“I’m Howon, Dongwoo’s moral support.” 

“And my best friend!”

Dongwoo grinned as he pulled Howon’s hand into his, holding it only for a brief moment before he let go and turned back to Sungjong, who had only shook Howon’s hand briefly.

“Well then, lets get to the matter at hand. You are here for dispute resolution, collaborative, right?”

Sungjong shuffled a few papers about until he fished out a coral- coloured manila folder, taking out its contents carefully. He looked up expectantly at the two of them, though Howon could tell that Dongwoo was his main focus. 

“Yes, you’re right.” 

“Now, is your wife or husband aware that you want a divorce?”

“He should be.” - Howon muttered it under his breath and only Dongwoo heard, which made him smile. But Dongwoo turned back to Sungjong, wanting to clear up the whole thing as soon as possible.

“Husband. And yes, I believe he is.”

Looking up suddenly, Sungjong met Dongwoo’s eyes in a serious stare. 

“May I ask why you are applying for a divorce?” 

Dongwoo shifted slightly in his seat, uncomfortable, but not too uncomfortable. Howon took Dongwoo’s hand under the desk and squeezed it. He would never admit it to anyone but the bareness of Dongwoo’s ring finger always sent Howon’s heart soaring. 

“Well, lets just say things weren’t working ou-“

Howon’s words were cut off as Dongwoo suddenly leaned forward and pulled his hand from Howon’s. 

“It has a classic drama storyline, the husband who owns a mega corporation never has time for the wife- in this case- me, and so I got fed up with it all. But then the husband tries to make everything better but does a bunch of horrendously stupid things-“ 

“Like landing a single finger on you.”

If Dongwoo wasn’t telling a story, he would just jump on Howon right at that second. Howon always worried about him and Dongwoo was glad- even though he didn't have anyone else but his mother- that he brought him as moral support, because he really was supporting him. But the comment made Sungjong lean forward, pushing the papers out of the way. Dongwoo could feel Sungjong’s gaze inspecting him, traveling from his face down the line of his jaw, to his neck, collarbones and down his arms. 

“Did he ever abuse you?”

“Not really. I mean, he called me a , a cheater, then almost hit me once. But I don’t really count it as abuse?”

Sungjong hummed in response. 

“Continue your story, please.” 

“Well, so he does a bunch of horrendously stupid things and I’ve forgiven him a lot of the times but last month he called me a and I’m willing to bet he would have tried to hurt me if Howon hadn’t been there with me.” 

“Have you cheated on your husband before?” 

“Never, I wouldn’t even dream of it.”

“Do you love your husband?”

“I did. I might still love him, at least, the person I think I married.” 

Sungjong nodded slowly. Howon turned away from Sungjong and fixed his gaze on Dongwoo, who didn’t look sad or even slightly angry. He was calm and collected, his hand still resting on the armrests, not curled into a fist like Howon’s at the mention of Sunggyu possibly hurting Dongwoo. Dongwoo’s face was expressionless but Howon could tell it was only because he was thinking, rather than feeling bitter or upset over anything. The fourth surge of affection burst through him and he wanted to just hold onto Dongwoo as tightly as possible. 

Dongwoo qualified the first meeting as a success. They discussed the divorce settlements, the terms and all the drawing up of the contract paper. The contract would be ready in a week and now Dongwoo felt like he was about to lose something big. Although maybe it wasn’t about losing Sunggyu, he just didn’t feel like digging any deeper right now, his mind hurt from it all. 

The days until the contract papers reached his mailbox passed as normally as Dongwoo tried to make them. He had lunch with all his friends, a different one every day, except for Sungyeol and Myungsoo, who always ate lunch together. You could say that Dongwoo was trying to distract himself as much as possible from the oncoming fate of his relationship with Sunggyu. 

It was on Friday, and Dongwoo had ended his last class 2 hours ago and his meal with Howon 30 minutes ago. He had his bag slung around his shoulder and one hand propping open his mail box. It was painted green- courtesy of himself, after him and Sunggyu bought the apartment together-, although the paint was chipping and the metal underneath was exposed. 

The beige coloured envelope was the first thing he saw and the probably only thing he saw, because he ignored every other envelope next to it. As soon as he made it into his apartment, he dropped his bag by the door and sat at the dining table, gently tearing the seal apart. 

He had promised Howon he would call him so they could look at the papers together but Dongwoo was too excited to wait. Maybe excitement wasn’t the right word, more like something along the lines of so- nervous- my- palms- are- sweaty- and- I- don’t- want- howon- to- see- me- like- this. 

The papers were thick and Dongwoo was glad Woohyun referred them to such a high- class place. He had been worried Sunggyu would take it as a joke, but not if they were delivered to him like this, with L & L Law Firm embossed on the front of the envelope and in gold on the first page of the contract. 

Howon had just been sent to sit inside the dance studio, restrained and wrestled through the doors.

After that Friday, Dongwoo had gone through the weekend in a bit of a daze. He had spent it wondering how Sunggyu would react to seeing that envelope in his mailbox, at his sister’s house- which was where he was currently residing-, and he had spent it slightly excited about finally getting all this over and done with. Dongwoo understood that marriage isn’t something to be taken lightly and he hadn’t taken it lightly, if anyone had, it was Sunggyu. But since the realisation that this marriage wasn’t going to work out, nor was it really making him happy anymore, he just felt drained and a bit burdened. Knowing all that could end soon made him feel relieved. 

Sunggyu had burst into the dance studio halfway through his second lesson of the day. Dongwoo was just explaining a particularly complicated step, counting carefully and loudly so every student could hear when the doors burst open. The doors weren’t exactly light and when they slammed and bounced back off from the doors, they shook the mirrors and startled the sweat off of Dongwoo. 

All the students had whirled to face the intruder, including Howon who stood at the back. Sunggyu had stalked into the room, his leather shoes clicking on the hard wooden floor and the tail of his suit flying behind him. 

Then he had flung a whole sheaf of papers at Dongwoo. Some gently sunk to the ground, resting at his feet and some brushed his bare shoulders, fluttering past his face. 

Dongwoo had not expected that. He thought he knew Sunggyu pretty well, and he had expected him to do it all quietly, either agree or disagree. But he had definitely not anticipated him rushing to his workplace and losing his cool like that. Dongwoo could see Howon subtly speed- walking to the front to stand by him. 

“What is this?”

It was a question, that itself was obvious, but the way he shouted it, with his face contorted into that mask of anger Dongwoo didn’t like and in that shade of vexation- Sunggyu did actually look quite vicious-, made it seem like a demand. 

“Can’t you read?”

Dongwoo had answered quietly. He didn’t want his students to see this. Sunggyu scoffed as Dongwoo thought about having this little talk outside. 

“Don’t be such a smartass. What the hell is this?”

His voice had quietened down but it only rose at the end again. This was the way Sunggyu would talk to a junior who had messed up, majorly. And Dongwoo crinkled his nose in disgust at the thought. 

“Lets go out.” 

Luckily, Sunggyu had agreed, after Dongwoo had stopped responding to the same questions he kept asking again and again. Sunggyu’s voice would rise and rise and rise until the students started to look really uncomfortable. It was around there that, Dongwoo thinks, Sunggyu probably realised they weren’t alone in the studio. A side glance at Howon- it makes Dongwoo want to laugh- and Sunggyu is pretty much convinced to leave the studio. 

Dongwoo give the students an early release, telling them that he’ll lengthen their next class by their lost 30 minutes. 

As the students file out from the building, Sunggyu continues to pace up and down in front of Dongwoo and Howon. Dongwoo’s starting to think that maybe Howon is his shadow, always next to him, except he doesn’t leave him alone when it’s dark. 

They’re standing in front of the main entrance, by the cement steps and potted plants. 

“Let me ask again, what is this?”

Sunggyu isn’t screaming anymore and Dongwoo is glad about that. 

“What do you think it is?”

“Why do you want this? Did ing Howon drive you to do this? Are you sure you even really want this?”

Dongwoo thinks that if he let him continue asking questions, Sunggyu would just find a few hundred ways of phrasing the same question. But he doesn’t let Sunggyu finish and instead cuts him off by putting a hand up to stop him. 

“Why do I want this? How could I not want this? Our marriage isn’t even a marriage anymore. When was the last time you even felt married to me? I certainly can’t remember. We’ve seen happier times and I don’t think they’re coming back. This is the most logical choice, Sunggyu.” 

There’s a kind of whine/ grunt type of sound and Dongwoo realises after a second that it’s the sound Sunggyu makes when he’s frustrated. He really hasn’t heard it in a while. 

“But can’t we get through this? All couples fight, right? All couples fight.”

There’s something like desperation in his voice and Dongwoo tries to ignore the way it tugs at his heart. He realise he’d been looking down this whole time and when he looks up, he meets Howon’s gaze. He gives him a subtle nod, the type that tells Dongwoo that Howon thinks he can do it. 

“Sunggyu, I don’t think we can. This is the end of the line for us. I really loved being married to you, but it’s different now. It didn’t feel like we were married and I don’t really know what to say to you. I think this was probably meant to happen and I know we’ll both be really grateful this happened. One day, when you’re all settled down with work and everything, you’ll meet someone nice, who’s better than me and smarter too.”

Dongwoo adds the last one wryly, and he can tell from the way Howon grunts that he isn’t happy with what he just said. 

“No! We can work this out! Everyone says we’re the perfect couple, we can work this out!”

At this point, Dongwoo was getting worried about how to further respond to Sunggyu. It seemed that his husband didn’t seem to want to accept anything Dongwoo had said. But he still tried again.

“Perfect couples exist, sure. We’re just not one of them, Sunggyu. I don’t think there’s anything to work out, anyways.” 

He makes sure to say the last sentence softer, not wanting to upset Sunggyu anymore.

But Sunggyu takes a step closer anyways, and makes a grab for his arm. He succeeds, mainly because Dongwoo wasn’t expecting any physical contact and because Howon is too far away- even if he is only a couple feet away. 

Sunggyu grips onto Dongwoo tightly, his nails digging into Dongwoo’s upper arm. He pulls Dongwoo towards him, jerking forwards and causing him to almost trip over his legs. Sunggyu kisses Dongwoo harshly, pressing all he can into the kiss but Dongwoo tries not to respond. He wants to hit Sunggyu, to push him back or even kick him away. But he also has to try not to kiss back. The familiarity of their lips moulding together is overwhelming and Dongwoo has to shake himself out of it before he pushes Sunggyu back with all his strength. 

“But I still love you!” 

Sunggyu is still holding onto Dongwoo’s upper arm, except now he’s holding onto the other one too. Dongwoo can feel his nails cutting into his skin. 

“Sunggyu. Stop. You’re hurting me.”

Even though he can’t see, Dongwoo knows Howon is seething. He probably wants to tear Sunggyu away from Dongwoo. But Howon won’t, because Dongwoo had reminded him time and time again that he didn’t like violence. 

Of course, Sunggyu doesn’t stop. He keeps staring into Dongwoo’s eyes and Dongwoo can tell from the way his eyes mist over and how he purses his lips that he’s about to cry. He wants to cry too. This was not how he imagined it at all. If everything obeyed his fantasies, they would be at home right now, snuggling on a couch they picked out together, watching a comedy movie and falling in love with each other all over again. 

After a few seconds, and a few beads of tears have escaped and rolled down his face, down to the lines of lips, Sunggyu throws Dongwoo away from him, pushing him away with just the force of his hands. Dongwoo finds himself tripping and landing on his , staring up at Sunggyu.

“I love you. And this is how you love me back? Is this how you repay me?”

His voice is broken, even though it’s strong with anger. 

When Sunggyu takes a step forward and kicks at the gravel at his feet, it flies up and Dongwoo flinches. Then Sunggyu takes more steps forward and before Dongwoo is really sure what’s happening, Sunggyu has stepped down on his wrist, hard. But in that same moment, Howon also jumps forward and shoves Sunggyu away from Dongwoo, cocking his arm back to land a punch. 

That’s when Woohyun suddenly appears, passing by. Dongwoo watches as Woohyun pulls Howon’s arm away, not letting go until it relaxes by his side. Howon is saying something and Dongwoo’s sure it’s something along the lines of i’m fine i’m fine but he can’t be too sure. His hearing is fuzzy right now but he can still hear his blood rushing through him.

Sunggyu tries to retaliate and Howon is all ready but before either of them can land anything, Woohyun pulls Howon away, using all the strength Dongwoo realised he had after watching him do a 100 pushups straight. He restrains Howon from rushing back to kill Sunggyu and Woohyun shoves him into the building, shouting something in that general direction before he swiftly ignores Sunggyu and rushes to Dongwoo’s side instead. 

“Hyung, are you okay?” 

For a whole minute, Dongwoo doesn’t say anything because he’s too busy mentally checking out every part of his body. His wrist hurts. And his upper arms. 

“I-“ 

Woohyun gasps before Dongwoo can say a single word. 

“Your arms!”

It takes a lot of cooing from Dongwoo before Woohyun calms down, and by the time they go back to check on Howon, Sunggyu is already gone. The messy sheets of papers are still in the studio and Dongwoo picks them all up with one hand. 

It’s only when Dongwoo tries to pick up his bag with his free hand that the other two realise Sunggyu probably did a lot more than they thought.