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"I can't do this anymore," Jihoon said, a sigh leaving his lips as he dropped his head into his hands, letting his elbows rest on his desk.

"What?" Soonyoung looked over at him in confusion, eyebrows furrowed.

"This isn't working, Soonyoung, we can't go on like this," the younger said, dropping his hands and looking up at his boyfriend. Soonyoung blinked. Then his face fell.

"Are you breaking up with me?" he asked softly, biting his bottom lip and holding himself back from crying, trying not to jump to conclusions but Jihoon's words were so painfully pointing towards a breakup that he couldn't help it. He'd spent most of his life with Jihoon; losing him would be something he knew he'd never recover from.

"No!" Jihoon replied immediately, jumping out of his seat and rushing over to Soonyoung's side, "No, no, I'd never."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Soonyoung asked, "Then what's the matter, baby?"

"I just. . ."

"Come on, kitten, you know you can tell me anything."

"I just hate keeping our relationship a secret. I hate having to let you go every time we're in public together. It's not fair to you, it's not fair to me, I hate it." Jihoon sighed, joining his hand with the older's, seeking comfort from his boyfriend's touch. "I don't want to keep us a secret, but I also don't want my band mates facing backlash for my selfish decisions."

Soonyoung didn't say anything for a few moments. He didn't really know what to say. ". . . so what do you suppose we do?"

"Our contracts expired recently," whispered the younger man, looking down at his feet as he rocked on his heels, "Everybody renewed theirs. . . except me."

A sharp intake of breath. "You. . . You wanna leave Pinwheel?"

"It's the only way."

"But Jihoon!" Soonyoung exclaimed, looking at the smaller boy with an expression of shock and concern. "Your music is your life! You've worked for so long to get where you are and you're gonna give it up? For me? That's ridiculous! How could I ask that of you? How could I be so selfish?"

"But you're not asking it of me," Jihoon countered, shaking his head and reaching up to cup Soonyoung's face gently in his hands, "I made that decision all on my own. I'm not losing my whole career - I spoke to the company, they said I could continue working as a producer here, I just won't be in the spotlight anymore. My music may be my life, but without you, my life is meaningless." He used his thumb to wipe away a single tear that had fallen from Soonyoung's eye. "Don't cry, babe, I love you. You know that."

Soonyoung hugged Jihoon tightly, holding onto the small man as if he would disappear any second. "I love you, too, Jihoon. So much. Just. . . think this through - don't make any decisions you might regret."

"I know it sounds really rushed and seems like I'm making an irrational decision, but I've been thinking about this for a really long time. I've spoken to my members, too. In the long term, this will be better for both of us. If leaving the stage means that I get to spend the rest of my life with you, then I'll have no regrets."

Soonyoung didn't say anything and Jihoon stood on his toes to leave a small, tender kiss on the older's lips. "I know I don't say it enough, Hosh, but I'm really in love with you. You're the only person I see myself with in the future."

"And I'm in love with you, Woozi."

They felt like children again. Recalling the times when they made up the nicknames for one another and Jihoon had decided to use it as his stage name because it held so much importance to him. They'd spent majority of their lives together, and they wanted to spend the rest of it the same way. Anything that's worth it requires sacrifice, and this would be Woozi's.