Two: Just One Kiss

Things change. They always do and, one day, you wake up and realize that it really has. For some reason, the morning isn't the same as the other mornings and the person you wake up next to isn't the same anymore either. It's not them though, it's you. Or maybe it's both of you because, suddenly, you're sitting on the couch while talking about serious things. Where are you headed with this relationship? Do you want to continue? How are things now?

"What about us?" was the question that was said a lot but there was only one answer to that, right? Things were different now, both of you are different now, things have to end.

"I'll move out this week," Xiumin says, standing up to pack his clothes, and you watch him walk away without a fight. That night, he's somewhere else so you sleep alone under the covers. The window is slightly open so you hear the city's noise but, oddly enough, you haven't heard it before when the window was that way. Maybe it was because the nights were usually filled with talks about random things, kisses that chased after lust and heat; but tonight is different. Tonight, you're sleeping alone in a suddenly cold and too big bed. Is that lonliness you're feeling? But the both of you have decided, right?

So you stop yourself from thinking about it too much and spend the rest of the week's nights that way.

"Last box," Xiumin says on the last day and he picks it up from the living room. He pauses when he faces you and he smiles slightly, looking sadder than you expected. Why was that? That shouldn't belong there if things were like this. It was a clean break, no fight, a mutual decision. But he's walking away before you can ask him what's wrong and he's walking down the hallway, the last time he's going to be there. Then the past nights are suddenly in your mind: sleeping in that cold and too big bed, like something was missing: the warmth of his body against you, his breath against your neck as he sleeps, his gentle "good night" kisses..

Just one more, you think and, suddenly, you're rushing forward like it was the most desperate thing you've ever done. He drops the box when you surprise him with a hug and he pauses.

"I thought we were too different now," he mutters, though he holds your hands against his chest. 

"Maybe that's a good thing," you say as he turns around and you stand on your tiptoes to steal a kiss.