Chapter Text
"Mr. Kim, do you accept Mr. Byun to be your lawfully wedded husband, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do! I do! I do!" Jongdae excitedly answered, making all the visitors laugh as well as his future husband.
"Mr. Byun, do you--"
"Yes, I do!" Baekhyun answered without waiting for the officiant to finish what he's saying.
They both smiled at each other. Love is visible in their eyes. No one can stop them now. It's now or never.
Two idiots in love, happy and content with what they have as long as they have each other.
All of their friends were shocked, including their parents, when they suddenly announced that they were getting married.
They took things fast, they only dated for a year, couldn't wait any longer, and got married.
They didn't think about the future laid in front of them, they just jumped into it without precautions, saying that they can survive anything as long as they're together. They never planned what they'll do in the future. They just want to be together forever.
They didn't foresee that 4 years later, all the smiles and laughter will be wiped away and will be replaced by frowns, screams and tears.
Jongdae got busy, Baekhyun got busy, they lost the communication and intimacy they need in order to keep the relationship going, the only communication they have is when they scream at each other's faces how much they're tired of what they have right now and how much they regret marrying each other. More misunderstandings come, more jealousy and more space is created between them. They stopped saying sorry to one another and started to care more about their own pride than admitting that each time they fight, one of them is the reason why their relationship is starting to get near the edge of a very deep cliff, one wrong move, and it'll fall off and can never be recovered again.
Just like any other night, tonight is full of screaming, blaming and crying. The only difference is that tonight both of them don't want to back down easily.
"I told you, she's just a colleague! Nothing more. She left her umbrella at home and asked me if she could share an umbrella with me. That didn't mean anything!" Baekhyun defended.
Turns out, Jongdae fetched Baekhyun from his office and well, he saw his husband sharing an umbrella with a pretty girl, they were both laughing and looked like they're both enjoying each other's company.
"Oh come on, you're holding her waist, laughing with her. Is that what you meant by nothing?"
"Of course we're sharing a small umbrella, what do you expect, we walk 10 meters away from each other?" Baekhyun sarcastically asked.
"You can just share an umbrella without holding her by the waist, Baekhyun I'm not stupid."
"For crying out loud! Jongdae, I already told you that meant nothing! Nothing! Nothing!" Baekhyun screamed. Jongdae sighed.
"You know what? Let's just have a divorce." said Jongdae, completely surrendering, sitting back on the edge of their bed, out of energy.
"W-what?" Baekhyun asked, thinking maybe he heard it wrong.
"I said let's just have a divorce. This isn't going anywhere. We're not going anywhere. We'll just keep hurting each other."
"I can't believe you Jongdae, is this what you really want?" Baekhyun asked.
More tears fell down from their eyes, thinking maybe this is it. It's the end of their story. Maybe one has to give in and say that one thing they were both trying to avoid.
"Yes, and you know it's what you want too. I'm tired, Baekhyun. Tired of all of these fights, the misunderstandings and everything. I'm tired of us." said Jongdae weakly, tears are blinding him. Part of him wants to hold on, part of him prays that Baekhyun won't agree to this, but mostly, he wants to pursue this because at the end of the day, they were just hurting themselves more by throwing hurtful words towards each other.
Baekhyun just nodded, out of words, more sobbing.
"Baek please... Please say something.." Jongdae pleaded.
"O--okay... let's have it. Let's file a divorce." Baekhyun agreed, having no energy to fight against it.
They just sat there in silence for a few minutes, the tension starting to diminish. When Baekhyun gained enough energy, he stood up and grabbed a bag, put all his important things in it, and bid him goodbye.
"I guess our story ends here? Goodbye Jongdae. Take care of yourself." he said before he walked out of the door.
Jongdae still sat there, having no energy to deal with what just happened. This isn't like any other nights when they will fight and make up. This is different, Baekhyun left, and he will never come back again.
Upon realizing that, he just cried, until he had no more tears to shed.
--
Chanyeol heard his doorbell ring, thinking that maybe Kyungsoo returned for something he left inside his apartment. He opened his door immediately but it wasn't Kyungsoo. It's his best friend Baekhyun. Shivering from the cold, wet from the rain.
"Baek, what are you doing here? It's late. Did you have a fight with Jongdae again?"
"C-can you l-let me in first? I--It's cold."
"Sure, sure come in."
"Is Kyungsoo here?"
"No, he just left."
"Sorry for coming without notice, but.. can I crash here while I was looking for an apartment?"
"Wait, is Jongdae not coming to pick you up? What apartment?"
"We're having a divorce."
Chanyeol's eyes went bigger than a saucer. If it was a different situation, Baekhyun would have laughed at his friend's reaction but now he just doesn't have the energy to laugh.
"W-what did you just say?" asked Chanyeol.
"You heard me. Don't make me repeat it. It's disgusting enough just thinking about it."
"But why?"
"He got tired of us. Maybe he's tired of loving me.."
"Hey, that's not true, Baek. You of all people should know that. Maybe he just said it because he's mad?" Chanyeol tried to console his friend.
"Thanks Yeol, I know you're just looking out for me but I know, now it's different. We're done. Maybe you guys are right, we rushed into things, we didn't think of what will happen in the future. Funny thing, it looks like yesterday we're all over each other and now we're done, just like that."
Baekhyun has been Chanyeol's best friend since elementary. He witnessed everything. How his friend fell in love with the guy who smiles like a cat, kind hearted and beautiful. He's the witness of their first date, first kiss and first fight. But most of all he witnessed how these two grew up with each other. It's like guiding your children through maturing and he's really happy whenever he sees Baekhyun's genuine smiles and loving stares towards Jongdae. Now, he's beyond sad, also witnessing their most heartbreaking moment.
He guided Baekhyun to the guest room, so he could rest. His friend is sad, but not crying, which made him more worried about him. They sat on the bed and he waited for Baekhyun to talk, but he's just silent.
"Baek, do you want to talk about it?" he tested the waters.
"No. I just want to rest. Can you leave me alone for now?"
"Okay, but if you need anything, I'm right next door."
"Thanks Yeol. Please don't worry about me, I'm not going to kill myself." Baekhyun tried to joke because he knows if there's someone who's really worried about him right now, it's Chanyeol.
Chanyeol just nodded.
"Uhm actually Yeol, can I ask you a favor?"
Chanyeol nodded, waiting for his friend to talk.
"Can you please ask Kyungsoo if he could check on Jongdae? I know Jongdae, he prefers to be alone during this time, he'll never call his best friend but I'm worried."
Kyungsoo, Chanyeol's boyfriend, is Jongdae's best friend too. Actually that's how they met, because of their best friends.
"Yes, sure. I'll text him. Don't worry, just rest. I'll let you know if I have any news about Jongdae."
Just like what his friend asked, he called Kyungsoo, and Baekhyun's right, his boyfriend didn't know anything about the divorce.
"What? Divorce? What happened?" Kyungsoo asked from the other line.
"Baek doesn't want to talk, but he asked if you could check on Jongdae right now?"
"Okay, sure. That idiot, why is it so hard for him to call me?" Kyungsoo said, referring to Jongdae.
"Please call me if you ever reach him, okay?"
"Alright, I'll call you right back if I ever get a hold of him. Bye." said Kyungsoo before he cut the call.
--
Kyungsoo got his keys and wallet then drove towards Jongdae and Baekhyun's apartment and there he saw his best friend's condition. He made a cocoon of a blanket for himself, silently crying while hugging Baekhyun's pillow.
"Hey... I heard what happened. Chanyeol told me."
"How's Baekhyun? Is he alright?" Jongdae asked as he got up to face his best friend.
"He's fine. He's with Chanyeol right now, don't worry." Kyungsoo supplied.
"Soo... I messed up. I ruined us. It's all my fault..." Jongdae cried as Kyungsoo held his hand.
"It's nobody's fault okay? You'll be okay. Everything's gonna be okay."
"No, it's not. He's mad at me. He left me already."
"If he's mad at you, he won't ask Chanyeol to call me to check on you. He's worried about you Dae, he's not mad."
"Please tell him I'm sorry, I want to talk to him please Soo, please tell him to come home." Jongdae sobbed as he pleaded with Kyungsoo to dial Chanyeol. Apparently, Baekhyun left his phone on their bedside table.
"Sshh.. calm down. Just sleep for now, I'll talk to Chanyeol if you can talk to Baekhyun tomorrow okay?"
Jongdae nodded. Kyungsoo pitied his friend. Just like Chanyeol, he's also a witness of their love story.
"D-do you think he'll come back home tomorrow Soo?"
"I don't know Dae, I don't know. I'm sorry."
Kyungsoo's heart is aching seeing his best friend being such a mess.
"I shouldn't have asked him for a divorce. I should've just endured everything, maybe... maybe he's still here."
"Hey, don't blame yourself. Just rest for now please. You won't be able to think straight in that state."
Jongdae cried some more but he listened to Kyungsoo and lied on the bed again to sleep.
Kyungsoo waited until he made sure that his friend's sleeping soundly before he went home. He texted Chanyeol that Jongdae's fine and already asleep.
--
Baekhyun handled the break up differently, the next morning after the big fight, he got up from bed like nothing happened. He even made breakfast for him and Chanyeol. Unlike Jongdae who preferred to mope around and cry.
Baekhyun would usually ask Chanyeol to hangout and live like he isn't a married man. Chanyeol was quite surprised with Baekhyun's behavior. It was the total opposite of Jongdae's situation. Kyungsoo told him that he had to drag Jongdae towards the bathroom just to take a shower.
Chanyeol knows Baekhyun's just pretending to be okay but deep inside he's very wounded. He knows that because he can hear Baekhyun's sobs inside the bathroom. He can see his eyes are puffy every morning.
Two weeks after and he's still this joyful ball of sunshine who looks like he's never been in a break up, and he's had enough. When Baekhyun asked him to hangout that night, he didn't go, instead he asked him to talk.
"Baek, can you please stop whatever you're doing?" said Chanyeol irritatedly.
"What? What am I doing?" Baekhyun asked like he had no idea what Chanyeol's talking about.
"I know you. You're not really happy. You're pretending to be happy but you're not, why can't you admit that?"
Baekhyun was taken aback, Chanyeol really knows him well, he knew this day would come. He always knew that the younger one would confront him soon and maybe that soon is now.
"Baek please. Let it out. I know you're miserable deep inside. You're not a robot. Please stop pretending. I am your best friend, you can tell me everything." Chanyeol pleaded.
Baekhyun sat down beside him and let his tears fall freely. Finally, all the pain will be released now. He just cried on Chanyeol's shoulder until he couldn't breathe anymore.
He told him everything, all the pain he's been keeping for two weeks has been released and after that, he felt so much better.
"So, are you really sure about the divorce? You're really not gonna try it again?"
"Maybe it's for the best. Jongdae's right, we're just gonna keep hurting each other if we continue this. Maybe you guys are right, we rushed things, we never planned it really well, we jumped into things even if we didn't know each other that well before we got married."
"Whatever your decision is, I'll always support you okay?"
Baekhyun's really thankful that he has Chanyeol as his best friend.
A month after the big fight, Jongdae and Baekhyun agreed to meet up to settle everything. There is nothing really needed to be settled because they were living in Jongdae's apartment so it will stay as Jongdae's. All they need to do is to sign the divorce papers and submit it to the family court. It's their first time meeting since that night.
Baekhyun's already there when Jongdae arrived.
Baekhyun has lost so much weight ever since he last saw him. The chubby cheeks were gone, his eyes weren't shining at all. He's not the Baekhyun he used to know almost 6 years ago.
"Hi. Sorry I'm late." Jongdae said as he sat in front of Baekhyun's seat.
"Hi, it's okay, I just got here too." said Baekhyun with a small smile on his face.
"Have you ordered your coffee? I'll order for us." Jongdae offered.
"Oh, no, I already ordered us coffee to go. I assumed we're not really going to stay here for long."
"Oh, okay thanks." Jongdae said.
"So..." they both started after a long silence.
"You go first." Jongdae said.
"How are you Jongdae?"
"Do you want the honest answer or not?"
Baekhyun smiled a little.
"Whatever you'd like to tell."
"Then I'll say, I'm not really feeling great, but fine. How about you? You lost too much weight, you lost your cheeks."
"I'm doing okay, but not great as well." said Baekhyun. Another minute of silence enveloped both of them, not really sure what to say anymore. This is not the Baekhyun and Jongdae everyone knows. The duo that everyone knows always complement each other's antics. Finish each other's sentences. They used to blend so well together.
They both sighed but Baekhyun spoke first.
" So, here are the documents that we need to sign. We've got nothing much to separate, so all that's left is this divorce agreement that we need to submit."
Jongdae got the papers and read each word carefully. This is it. When he signs this, everything about him and Baekhyun will end.
"Are we really sure about this now Baek?"
"Well, this is what you want right? You want to be free, you're tired of us, so I'm just giving you what you want."
Jongdae snapped with what he just heard. He's always the one with more patience but this? Blaming only him for their divorce is too much.
"Are you saying that I'm the only one who wants this Baekhyun?"
"No, I'm just saying that you're the one who brought up the idea."
"You're a lost case. Fine. Blame it all on me. Blame me for failing our relationship." Jongdae said as he signed the papers and gave it back to Baekhyun.
"Oh and by the way, I found these tickets in our bedside drawer, these are the tickets to Hawaii for the celebration of our supposed 5th anniversary in 3 months. I just want to let you know that I'm not gonna back out on this trip just because we broke up. Maybe I'll just go there alone."
"What? No way, I'm just gonna give those tickets to you, I paid for that. Give it to me."
"Just to let you know, I paid for my part here too,
I saved up my hard earned money for this, you can't just get all of these tickets!" Jongdae defended.
"Hah! You think I didn't save up for mine? " Baekhyun argued.
"What about a deal? Since we both don't want to miss it, let's just go together." Jongdae offered.
"Wait, you just signed our divorce papers, and now you want to take a vacation with me?" Baekhyun teased.
Jongdae rolled his eyes.
"Excuse me? I don't want to take a vacation with you, I just don't want to miss the opportunity. Plus I've already filed for my one month leave." Jongdae said. It's true. He filed for a leave the moment they booked the flight.
"Whatever you say darling, fine it's a deal. I'll see you in 3 months." Baekhyun whispered against his ear, intentionally touching the younger's ear with his lips, before he stood up and walked out of the coffee shop.
Jongdae just sat there, astounded about what Baekhyun just did.