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"...do you love me?"
jimin breathes slowly. "yes. i love you," he whispers. it's the first time he gets to say it and it feels gratifying. but he knows it won't last long.
yoongi looks away. jimin's heart races with anxiety. i knew this would happen.
"i... i mean this in the nicest way possible, but i don't think i love you." a pause. jimin can hear his heart breaking in his chest. "at least, not in the way you want me to love you."
it's not like i didn't already know.
"...i know."
yoongi doesn't look at him still, but jimin can see his eyebrows furrowing. "then... why?"
jimin looks away. he can't do this. he breathes in a shaky breath, trying not to break into tears. "why what?"
"why stay with me?"
jimin gnaws at his lip. his vision gets all blurry, but he doesn't let himself cry. he won't. "i guess i gave myself false hope."
yoongi sighs. jimin squeezes his eyes shut tight. i can't do this. "that's not good to do, jimin-ah," yoongi whispers. jimin almost winces.
"yeah, i... i know that now," he whispers back, voice on the verge of breaking. he looks to his left, downward. silence falls over them, but it isn't comforting like it used to be. jimin breathes a shaky breath. it's yoongi who speaks next.
"then... we should break up, shouldn't we?"
jimin feels a lump in his throat; it's the kind he gets when he's about to cry. when he's holding back emotions that aren't meant to be held back. it hurts, and not just physically.
"yeah, i guess so..." he can't bring himself to look at him. he'll break on the spot, and he doesn't want yoongi to see him like that.
he hears yoongi stand, the bench creaks. it's old. he hears yoongi let out a breath, probably relief, he thinks. tears gather in his eyes at the thought. the thought that yoongi is probably so relieved that he doesn't have to do this anymore. he squeezes his eyes shut.
"i am... i'm really sorry jimin, i am. i do wish i could love you."
it's quiet. jimin sniffs, tries not to make it obvious.
"don't apologize." he's looking down at his fingers, fiddling with them. he whispers, "it's not your fault."
"i know, i just... i'm sorry."
jimin doesn't say anything. he just tries to keep from crying - until yoongi is gone, at least.
"...i -" yoongi sighs. "um, i'll see you later, jimin," he whispers. jimin barely manages an acknowledging hum before yoongi walks away.
when he knows the older is out of ear-shot, he breaks down. he cries until his throat is sore and his eyelids feel heavy.
and he goes home.
he cuddles up in bed, hugging his pillow and crying softly, tears streaming down his cheeks and falling against his pillow but he doesn't make a sound.
it's the accidental glance at their playlist - the one yoongi made him - that has him breaking down once more.