Sagikkun

The two former lovers sat across from each other, both tense and erect in their seats as their eyes lingered on the other. Junsu's were soft, filled with worry and a thousand words he wanted to say at once. Elise's were narrowed, frigid. The young man nervously flexed his fingers in his lap; her's remained clenched on the arm rest.

“Alright.” Jaejoong let out a sigh as he looked between the two. “Its time we get this straightened out. Now.”

“What's there to get straightened out?” Elise asked, voice icy. “Junsu doesn't care—”

“Yes, I do.” He was quick to intervene. “I do care, Elise.” Junsu leaned forward, eyes pleading. “I love you, Elise. I never stopped. It just...it just took me a while to come back to.”

Her eyes narrowed further. “It just took you a while to come back to? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Junsu, when you gave me this,” she indicated to the ring still on her finger, “you promised you'd never stop loving me. That you would protect me and never love another. Sleeping with another woman proves none of that!”

“I'm sorry.” Junsu's voice broke. His eyes darkened, brimming with tears. “Elise, please? I know I made a mistake. I screwed up big time. I never meant to hurt you. It just...happened. Too many times. I promise I'll try harder, I'll sober up, I'll never talk to her again. Because I love you, Elise.”

Elise said nothing for a time, only studying him with heart-wrenching sobriety. “What about all those awful things you said to me?” Her voice had dropped barely above a whisper. “What about your outbursts and the slurs you threw at me when we fought?” Tears pricked unexpectedly at her eyes. “What happened to the kind-hearted man I fell in love with?”

Jaejoong had watched it all unfold and the crack in her voice, the helplessness drawn on her face, made him wonder the same thing. What had happened to their lovable and empathic Junsu? The one who was always first to smile, laugh, and bring joy to the rest of their hearts? Now all he did was destroy and ruin what he had built. He hardly smiled; if he did, it was a sour sneer. Jaejoong had all the same questions Elise had and he was going to wait for her to uncover them.

“He's still here,” Junsu answered just as quietly as the the question had been asked. “I'm still here. I haven't changed, just went off the path. Elise, I'm sorry for what I said. Really—”

“You're sorry...” A slight scoff left her full lips. “Why don't I forgive you?”

Junsu's eyes widened and he slumped back in his chair, actions slow and unsure. “Why...why don't you forgive me?”

“You hurt me, Junsu.”

“I'm sorry.”

“You were cruel to me.”

“I—I'm sorry.”

“Is that all you can say?” Elise snapped, gripping the table top as she braced herself to stand. “Is that all you can say to me?”

“What do you want me to say?” inquired Junsu. “I've said all I can. I really, truly love you. I'm sorry I cheated on you and yelled at you and made you feel worthless. You are far from that. You are perfect, beautiful. It was all my fault, Elise!” Tears welled from his eyes, sliding down his cheeks. Slowly, as he spoke, she gripped the ring with her other hand and slid it from her finger. “Elise...Elise, no.”

“I need time, Junsu,” she said and placed the ring in front of him.

Then, she proceeded to leave, but not before he called her back. “You stay here,” he croaked out.

“Junsu, I can't stay with you—”

“No. I'll leave you and you can have this place.”

“No.”

“Where else are you going to go?” he demanded, looking at her.

A simper came to her face, full of pity. “I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. You get this all to yourself now.”

“This place was ours...”

“Now its just yours.”

Her exit was sounded by the closing of the door. Junsu stared at the ring—his promise—for millenniums before his band mate seated in the corner spoke. “Junsu...”

The blonde slowly reached out and grabbed the ring from the table. His pained eyes studied it, thumb brushing over the diamond encrusted in its center, before placing it in his jacket pocket. “Can you just leave?”

“I'm not leaving you alone,” Jaejoong said.

“Please,” Junsu begged. The word was cracked, flawed, barely audible. “Leave me alone.”