Work Text:
"Let's break up."
That was the first thing Bamby heard after he settled down in front of Yejun. His eyes widened as the words came out of his beloved hyung's mouth. He was speechless. He thought they were going to fix the problem, just like always.
"Hyung, what are you talking about? I know we're not on good terms right now, but I'm not going to end things with you just because of this. Aren't we here to fix things?"
Bamby tried to reason with his hyung, but the determination in Yejun's eyes shattered the little hope he had left.
"We fight constantly. It's tiring. We both know there's nothing left between us. Whatever feelings we have right now-its' not love, and it exhausts me. We're not in love anymore. The spark is gone. I don't feel the butterflies when we spend time together. I asked you to meet today just so we could end this officially. Let's just have a clean breakup so that-"
SLAP
The sound echoed through the café. People nearby were stunned, not daring to make a sound. Their eyes were filled with curiosity over the drama unfolding in front of them. Bamby couldn't bare one more second, listening to Yejun spitting nonsenses.
We're not in love anymore? Nothing left between us? What the hell was that?
He pressed his lips together, jaw trembling, fighting the sting behind his eyes. His vision blurred as tears began to form, but he ignored them. He stared sharply into Yejun’s eyes and said in disbelief, “You really can’t wait to get rid of me so you can be with your ex.”
As soon as he finished speaking, tears gushed from his eyes.
A red mark slowly appeared on Yejun’s cheek. He stayed silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and looked straight at the person in front of him.
“Think whatever you want if that helps you sleep better at night.”
He stood up and walked out of the café. The sound of the bell ringing as Yejun pushed the door open echoed in Bamby’s head—the sound that told him their relationship had truly ended. The sound that reminded Bamby that his six-year relationship had officially come to an end, without any proper explanation.
The chattering in the café gradually returned, but all Bamby heard was silence. He collapsed into the seat.
He once loved me dearly… I guess that love has already expired.
Bamby let out a small, hopeless chuckle as he stared blankly into a cup of cold coffee that had been left untouched by his once-favorite hyung. He stood up and left the café. He didn’t want to go home yet, so he wandered aimlessly.
The tears on his cheeks had already dried, and he probably looked terrible, but he couldn’t care less at the moment. His mind replayed all the memories of him and Yejun—from the moment they first met through an acquaintance, to Yejun confessing his love first, to when they started dating, and finally to the frequent fights caused by Yejun’s ex that led to today’s breakup.
He wondered what went wrong. Was it because he became paranoid whenever Yejun lied about his overtime at work? Or because of his constant accusations that Yejun was cheating on him with his ex? He had no idea.
But one thing he realized was that he had become someone he no longer recognized. The old, confident Bamby had long been gone ever since Yejun’s ex reappeared in their relationship. Maybe his constant need for validation, approval, and attention had slowly tired Yejun out.
He walked for a long time until a cold breeze brushed against his face. By the time he realized it, he was already at the shore of his favorite beach—the place he used to visit with Yejun. The beach that first witnessed Yejun’s confession and all the unfulfilled sweet promises he had made.
Bamby was stunned.
Even my body won’t let you go. What do you expect from my heart, Yejun-hyung?
Slowly, his eyes welled up again as he slumped onto the sand. Various emotions surged at once—anger, disappointment, longing, regret—all mixing in his chest until he could no longer hold them back. A sob tore out of him, raw and ugly, as if he were trying to let go of feelings he didn’t know when—or if—they would ever truly disappear.
Dusk was filled with the heart-wrenching cries of someone who had just lost half of his life.
From afar, inside a car, the blue-haired man watched Bamby with tears already filling his own eyes. Only God knew how much it hurt to see his beloved look so fragile and vulnerable, all alone. More than that, he was the reason all of this had happened.
How he wished he could hug and comfort his little pink guy, take back every word he had said earlier. But for the sake of Bamby’s future, he needed to stand his ground. He wouldn’t drag Bamby down with him. Bamby had a bright future ahead—one where he would become a successful CEO.
He turned his head toward the passenger seat, where papers were scattered.
Dr. Noah’s analysis—
Nam Yejun, Stage 3 Cancer
He would never let Bamby know about this. Not when he already hurts Bamby that much.
I'm sorry, my love... I failed you. May you found a love you truly deserve.