Exception || Changlix

3.0

"Wh-what do you mean, 'it's better this way'?" I ask Changbin. Instead of replying, the boy just looks away from me.

My eyes water up at an alarming rate, but I try my hardest to force them back down. I take a deep, shaky breath and speak again. "Can you at least tell me why?"

Changbin looks back up at me and I notice the tears in his eyes too. "I don't know," he says to me.

"Please, Changbin?"

"Okay, fine." Changbin sighs. He pulls me over to a more secluded area of the school before continuing, "The reason why is because... My parents found out."

"You're parents- what?"

"They found out about our relationship. They found out that I'm- that I'm-" Changbin cuts himself off with his own quiet sobs. I do a quick scan with blurry eyes to make sure no one else is out here before pulling him into a tight hug.

"Calm down, Binnie. It's okay." I whisper to him. "This is no reason to break up, though, isn't it?"

Changbin stares up into my eyes. "It's not that, but..." he trails off.

"What is it?"

"When my parents found out that I'm gay, they weren't supportive in the slightest. It was bad, Felix." Changbin explains. "With all that's happening along with the football team's bullying, I just- I don't know."

"Wait a minute," I stop him. "What do you mean by 'football team's bullying'? Are you saying that they were treating you badly too?"

"Of course they were! What else would you expect from this damn school?" Changbin snaps at me, catching me off guard.

Anger flashes across his face, only to be replaced with regret quickly after. "I'm sorry, Lix. I didn't mean that."

I hesitantly shake my head. "It's fine." I say flatly. "But you never answered me. Why do we have to break up? I could help you. I could comfort you and we could work through this together if you just-"

"It's because I'm going away." Changbin interrupts me abruptly.

"I-I'm sorry?"

"I'm leaving," he says. "Going away."

"For how long?" I ask him, near certain that I'd regret the question.

Changbin looks down and fiddles with his fingernails. "For forever."

It's only then that I realize exactly what he means; exactly his intentions.

"You're going to off yourself?!" I scream at him.

"Hey, not so loud," he whisper yells at me. "And yeah. I just think that it's better this way."

"Well, you thought wrong. I'm not allowing you to continue with such an act. It just isn't worth it!"

Changbin waves his hands to get my attention. "That's the thing, you don't get it though-"

"No, I think I get it perfectly." I say, cutting him off. "You want to kill yourself so that we have to clean up your messes. You want to end your life so that you can be happy while the rest of us are stuck in this hellhole. Not to mention the fact that we'd also have a death on our hands. I know you, Changbin. You can be selfish at times, but this is probably the ultimate selfish act. I never knew that you were this bad. Really, I never did."

"W-what?" Changbin stutters. "That wasn't- I-" He fails to talk as his words become replaced with hiccups.

"You said you love me, right? If that's true then you'll stay." I say, wiping my own tears. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline your breakup."

"Felix... How do you know that this is for the better, huh?" Changbin challenges.

"Trust me. We can never be 100% positive on things, but I feel strongly about this. I love you too much to let you go, so I need you to not try to let go, yourself."

Changbin's foggy eyes meet mine for a few seconds before he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. The boy rests his head on my shoulder as he sobs. I hold onto him and place a gentle kiss on his head when I hear him speak.

"You have yourself a promise, Lee Felix. I'll stay with you until the very end."