VOICE MAIL :: hyunho ✔︎

prologue

« April 2024 »

"Hyunjin, this isn't working out."

Hyunjin's teeth tugged at his lower lip. He wouldn't meet Minho's gaze. He couldn't. A sort of strangled noise escaped, pushing past his lips despite his best efforts to contain it.

"Jinnie?"

It hurt, but it had to be done. "Yeah."

Hyunjin inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. He could cry after Minho left—after he was alone again.

Minho put one warm hand over Hyunjin's clammy ones. "I'm so sorry—"

"It's alright," Hyunjin, said, even though it wasn't. "Are you moving out or should I?"

Blinking, startled, Minho pulled his hands away. It took all of Hyunjin's willpower not to reach out, not to drown himself in the warmth of the love of his life again. "I'll leave," Minho said. "Are you okay with being friends, or...?"

The question hung in the air, a dense cloud of tension between them. Hyunjin still wouldn't look at Minho. He pursed his lips before swallowing thickly. Answer now. Cry later.

"I'll call you when I'm ready," Hyunjin rasped, his voice breaking with emotion.

"Alright."

Minho's weight lifted off the bed, and Hyunjin felt the phantom warmth he left behind fade away as seconds bled into minutes, and minutes bled into hours. He didn't know how long he sat there, numb, but it was dark out when Hyunjin finally got off the bed.

Minho was gone. He'd left. He'd left Hyunjin alone again, despite loving and tender moments, despite sweet promises that they'd always have each other. Hyunjin didn't know how he would handle being alone again. He didn't know if he could.

Hyunjin cried that night.

And the night after.

And the night after.

He never seemed to run out of tears.

~~~~~~~~~~
written and posted on a whim!! im gonna try to update every other day because this is a short story, but no promises

enjoy!! <3

- kooka